BI optimization help - i7-6770HQ, 6 cams, 15MP, 150MP/s

Hi All, I've got the following setup:

Intel NUC
i7-6770HQ running Win Server 2012 R2
Optimal drivers installed correctly AFAIK (see dxdiag details below)
SSD across the board
16 GB RAM
Hik Cams -- 4 x 2.1MP (16fps, 6, 8, 8), 1x3.1MP (10fps), 1x4.1MP (10fps)
BI runs in console (not as service) with local video paused
BI Status shows a steady 2,120 kB/s; 150MP/s
BI server is dual-homed -- Hiks and "cam NIC" run on a dedicated VLAN; management, access, etc on other NIC/VLAN
CPU 55-60% during "idle", higher if a viewer is connected, or if motion/video is going

After looking at the perf database (and keeping in mind I'm not a CPU/PC perf expert), it seems like something is off. I'd like to add more cameras and upgrade existing ones, but this pushes things into the red zone.

What am I misisng? Any advice or recommendations appreciated!



Video Encoders:
Intel® Quick Sync Video H.264 Encoder MFT, {4BE8D3C0-0515-4A37-AD55-E4BAE19AF471}, 0x4, 7, mfx_mft_h264ve_64.dll, 7.17.0002.0021
Intel® Hardware H265 Encoder MFT, {BC10864D-2B34-408F-912A-102B1B867B6C}, 0x4, 7, mfx_mft_h265ve_64.dll, 7.17.0002.0021
H264 Encoder MFT, {6CA50344-051A-4DED-9779-A43305165E35}, 0x1, mfh264enc.dll, 6.03.9600.17415
WMVideo8 Encoder MFT, CLSID_CWMVXEncMediaObject, 0x1, wmvxencd.dll, 6.03.9600.18154
WMVideo9 Encoder MFT, CLSID_CWMV9EncMediaObject, 0x1, wmvencod.dll, 6.03.9600.18154

Are you using Direct to Disc recording?

I'm running three 4MP Hikvisions(1500P), nine 3MP Hikvisions(1500P), and three 720P HooToo Cameras. All use 15fps. And Direct to Disc recording. The bitrate to the PC from all the cameras is typically around 60 to 70Mb/s. And on a core i5 8400 Intel, My CPU usage is in the 30 to 35% range during the day. Less at night.

But I also run my system as a service. And I don't use any VLANs with my 115+ devices at home. I physically separate my network to keep most traffic separate for the cameras.

Provide screen shots of the camera setting, in the camera, Bitrate, frame rate, Iframe, VBR or CBR ....
Provided a screen shot of the windows task manager, Processes order by CPU utilization


Please read the WIKI on Optimizing Blue Iris's CPU Usage. The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Run BI as a service .

Is windows a clean install ?

Check out other CPU performance: Blue Iris Update Helper

Thanks for the replies.

The BI Update Helper is what really triggered me to realize something is very non-optimal.

CPU utilization is all BlueIris.exe. Windows is a clean install.

Am I correct that direct to disc recording only helps when recording is taking place? I only do recording on trigger on all my cams and on most days, not much is recorded. In checking the Wiki again, I realized that HW accelerated decode in settings->cameras was off -- I dunno how I missed that in the past, or perhaps I tested it off and forget to re-enable. Regardless, that dropped CPU down to 45-50% idle.

On some cams, I'm using black-out zones and on one or two, hot spots. Most have object detection on.

In the network IP cam config, some are using rtsp:// addresses and some http://. Is it better to let BI inspect and go with those settings (it usually sees the Hiks as Generic/ONVIF) or to manually set one of the Hik options?

I'm confident the network itself is not an issue. 2,00KB/sec is roughly 16mbps, which isn't even registering in terms of network switch CPU/etc. If I crank up the in-cam settings, I can push the data rate much higher but then BI CPU goes 70-100%.

See attached images for additional settings. For the Hik in-cam settings, quality varies from medium to highest, depending on the cam. I find high or highest is needed for seeing faces clearly at doorways, license plates on cars, etc.

On the cameras I would try turning off the h264+. Just use h264 only.

I am not sure about direct to disk when using trigger only. But you can test it. Or maybe someone else will chime in.

I use direct to disk, but record all cameras full time. 5 of my cameras have no motion processing, I simply record.

I use direct to disc with triggers. It still makes a difference in the two setups I have with BI. My current one with an 8th gen core i5. And my backup, which was my previous setup, with a 3rd gen core i5.

Sent from my Galaxy S8 using Tapatalk

You might think direct to disc wouldn't matter unless recordings were actively happening, but that is not true in practice. It makes a difference even when not recording. I don't know why.

I'll try direct to disc. With that on, I have to turn on my cams' date/time overlay, right (assuming I want a date/time stamp in vids)?

Wow, setting direct to disc for all cams dropped idle CPU from 45-50% @IDLE to 18-21% @IDLE. I noticed it also dropped memory in use from ~2.3GB to ~1.26GB. Counter intuitive for sure @IDLE since nothing is recording then.

Thank you to everyone! I'm now running 25-28%, and this with at least one of resolution/quality/FPS up on all cams.