Computer for Blue Iris

[mitchrapp]

Looking to get a dedicated computer for Blue Iris. Looking to initially add 4 4MP cameras, but may go up to 8. So we are looking at up to 480 MP/s. What cpu should I be looking at? Ideally I would like to spend around $150 for it. I found this EliteDesk i7-4790, 8 GB RAM for $149.99. HP EliteDesk 800 G1 SFF Desktop PC BOOTS Core i7-4790 3.40GHz 8GB RAM NO HDD/OS | eBay

I also plan on adding a 250 GB SSD and a 4 TB WD Purple.

Would that work? Any better options for the same price range?

 

[tigerwillow1]

Related question: I see a lot of these HP machines with no disk on ebay. Do they all have a windows COA, or is there a chance of getting stuck with having to pay for win 10? It wouldn't be a very good deal that way.

 

[looney2ns]

Choosing Hardware for Blue Iris | IP Cam Talk

 

[looney2ns]

Related question: I see a lot of these HP machines with no disk on ebay. Do they all have a windows COA, or is there a chance of getting stuck with having to pay for win 10? It wouldn't be a very good deal that way.

If they shipped originally from the factory with 10, then no, you can install it for free.

 

[SouthernYankee]

I have the same computer I7-4790, It will run your load easily. I use a 120 GB SSD for the OS and BI. I use a 4 TB WD purple for the video. You may need some additional disk cables.

I believe that you can use the Microsoft media creation tool to install the windows OS. More than likely the Elitedesk was running Windows 10 PRO. so you can install that.

 

[tigerwillow1]

If they shipped originally from the factory with 10, then no, you can install it for free.

I'm wondering specifically about the HP G1 machines that pre-dated win 10. They were in the win 7 or maybe vista timeframe. I'm aware that win 10 can be activated with a win 7 or vista COA, I'm just questioning if all of these G1 machines all have COAs? My current understanding is that the same timeframe Dell machines have the COA built into the BIOS, but HP machines don't. The wiki advises to get a machine with win preinstalled, which a no-disk machine obviously doesn't have. If my understanding is correct, you're safe with Dell, maybe not with HP. Maybe the answer is to first ask the ebay seller if the machine has a windows COA, and if not, figure on adding $100 to the purchase price, making it a not-so-good deal.

 

[mitchrapp]

Thanks all for the input. The system I linked to in the first post was no longer available shortly after I posted it. That was a bummer, since it was local to me. Well, I found another similar system local to me for a similar price and it is a Dell Optiplex Mini Tower. The seller stated that they could not guarantee the Windows COA, but I think it is written into the BIOS, because I just installed Windows 10 from the create installation media for Windows, and it did not ask for a license key and it is showing up as activated.

 

[tigerwillow1]

Your result tends to confirm that Dell has the activation in the BIOS. I recently bought a G1 Elite Desk 800. It came with a clean install of win 10 that was not activated. The computer had a win 7 COA sticker on the box, and win 10 activated with that activation key.

 

[bp2008]

You can download Windows 10 using the Media Creation Tool, and if it doesn't activate automatically and you can't find a key that works, you can still run it unactivated. There is no time limit, and only a few minor downsides (which do not affect Blue Iris). Especially if you were to run the BI machine headless and do most viewing through its web server, then there is basically no downside to being unactivated. Also, I'm not saying I would do this, but there are super cheap Windows 10 keys on ebay that would let you activate. They are almost certainly not legitimate.

 

[Rickoo]

I would not assume you can simply re-install Windows 10 with no disk. The system would have had to have Windows 10 previously. Not all did. There is a decal on the bottom on the unit that will indicate if it had Windows. Then you can install a new hard drive and use the Windows media creator tool from a USB drive.

 

[tigerwillow1]

My belief is that any machine that shipped with win 7 or 8 can activate win 10 on it with the same credentials. In the small form factor I prefer the HP machines to Dell because they have more space for drives. Not a factor with mini tower.