CPU 99-100% all the time, would dedicated GPU help?

beley

n3wb
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
10
Reaction score
4
I have a somewhat entry level but relatively newer PC - an Acer TC-780 Core i3-7100 3.90 Ghz with 8 GB RAM and onboard graphics.

5 Amcrest IP cameras some 2k some 3k, recording at 30fps maximum

CPU is hitting 99-100% often and I think dropping a lot of frames.

I know Blue Iris recommends an i5 or better, but I had this computer laying around so I tried it just to see if it would work. It looks like I do need to upgrade, but I'm not sure where I will get the most benefit.

Would I be better off...

a) upgrading the CPU to an i5

b) adding a lower-end GPU

c) just buying/building a completely new computer

Appreciate the input...
 

Attachments

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
I have a somewhat entry level but relatively newer PC - an Acer TC-780 Core i3-7100 3.90 Ghz with 8 GB RAM and onboard graphics.

5 Amcrest IP cameras some 2k some 3k, recording at 30fps maximum

CPU is hitting 99-100% often and I think dropping a lot of frames.

I know Blue Iris recommends an i5 or better, but I had this computer laying around so I tried it just to see if it would work. It looks like I do need to upgrade, but I'm not sure where I will get the most benefit.

Would I be better off...

a) upgrading the CPU to an i5

b) adding a lower-end GPU

c) just buying/building a completely new computer

Appreciate the input...
step one, see wiki on optimizing BI and see new substream feature. Also you dont need 30fps.
 

SouthernYankee

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
5,170
Reaction score
5,320
Location
Houston Tx
You are not shooting a Hollywood movie. Set your frame rate to 15 FPS and set the Iframe to 15 also.
If possible go to 16 GB memory on two separate memory sticks to utilize two memory channels.
Are you using hardware acceleration for graphics processing ?

read the wiki in the blue bar at the top of the page .
 
Last edited:

beley

n3wb
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
10
Reaction score
4
@fenderman @SouthernYankee Thanks. I'm trying to change those settings. When I update the FPS to 15 on the cameras and save, when I go back into the settings, it shows 30 FPS again. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?
 

sebastiantombs

Known around here
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
Messages
11,511
Reaction score
27,690
Location
New Jersey
The only way to change the FPS, bit rate and iframe rate is IN THE CAMERA itself, typically through its' own web interface. BI can only process what it receives and cannot change what the camera sends.
 

Arjun

Known around here
Joined
Feb 26, 2017
Messages
9,015
Reaction score
11,032
Location
USA
Also to keep in mind is that if you have a dedicated GPU you "might" hear the fans running. You can however, run both GPU's at the same time, no issues with that, but perhaps better to use Intel's iGPU exclusively for BI
 

sebastiantombs

Known around here
Joined
Dec 28, 2019
Messages
11,511
Reaction score
27,690
Location
New Jersey
That setting goes "way back" and I think it's still there to show what BI is "seeing" from the camera.

On the BI console, upper left, is a graphic of a graph with a bent lightening bolt on it. Click that and look at your camera performance from there, there are multiple tabs to show important statistics with camera performance being one of them.

Rather than upgrading to an i5(processor only), have a look at upgrading to a used business class Dell or HP from eBay. Way more bang for the buck ratio and would provide future proofing if you expand your system. Given that surveillance cameras are like rabbits, multiplying exponentially, that can be a big advantage.
 
Last edited:

SouthernYankee

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
5,170
Reaction score
5,320
Location
Houston Tx
BI does NOT set camera values. The camera values are set in the camera. The FPS must be set in the camera.

There is no need to upgrade your CPU. you have a configuration problem. Look at the the following web site for BI CPUs and what they are processing. The most important number to compare in MP/SEC. The CPU load can vary depending on the type of motion detection.

 

beley

n3wb
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
10
Reaction score
4
Thanks for all the suggestions. Reducing the FPS to 15 for all cameras significantly reduced the CPU usage. I now have all 5 cameras recording full-time during business hours M-F and CPU usage was hovering around 50%. Appreciate the help.
 
Top