Hardware recommendation/feedback for large quantity camera operations

Xestius

n3wb
Jun 2, 2017
2
0
Hello,

I work for a glass company and we have multiple locations. I recently setup/upgraded a system for our main branch of 30+ cameras, Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I 3MP, and started using Blue Iris as the recording/viewing software. The system is using direct-to-disc, and they are recording at 15 FPS(required). This system is constantly at 50-60% CPU/12+ GB of RAM when idle recording, and this fluctuates up when someone is viewing them live stream via the web interface/on the machine directly. The system specs of the machine are as follows:
Dual Intel Xeon E5-2609 v4 @ 1.70GHz processors
16GB 1866MHz DDR4 RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5450
Dual 1GbE ports (1 for cameras only, 1 for web server/internet/etc. traffic)
WD Purple 6TB drives for storage

It is becoming an issue when multiple people need to view the live feeds, as the performance will start to degrade severely, and the possibility of needing to add more cameras in the future is there. I was wondering if the graphics card in this system being upgraded will reduce the CPU load? I was looking at possibly acquiring a GTX 1060/GTX 1070.

I also have to setup a separate system at each one of my branch locations, and the first one I'm starting with is going to need approximately 18-20 cameras (15 FPS again), HikVision DS-2CD2042-I 4MP, with the possibility of expansion in the near future. I'm looking at using Blue Iris again for this project. I do not want to do another dual CPU set up for this location unless absolutely required, and with the release of the AMD Ryzen processors, I was thinking about using the 1800X. Does anyone have any experience with these processors and Blue Iris? If not, would the comparable i7 (i7-7700 maybe?) be able to handle this load if it was paired with a GTX 1060/GTX 1070?

Any feedback is appreciated.
 
So an i7-7700 will be able to handle 30+ cameras without issue? Or would I need to split the cameras between two systems?
 
So an i7-7700 will be able to handle 30+ cameras without issue? Or would I need to split the cameras between two systems?
I have a system with an i7 4790K running 28 cameras that I also use as my personal/work computer. The issue with your setup is it does NOT have intel integrated graphics (Quick Sync Video) which Blue Iris uses for decoding.

The most important aspect of a Blue Iris computer is the CPU. The CPU determines how much live video your system will be able to process (or, roughly, how many cameras you can have). It is also determines how much electricity your system consumes.

Blue Iris supports hardware-accelerated H.264 decoding through the use of Quick Sync Video, a technology that is exclusive to Intel CPUs. It is unwise to purchase any CPU, intending to use it for Blue Iris, if it does not support Quick Sync Video. Quick Sync is not available on any AMD processor or when running in any kind of virtual machine.

Specific CPU recommendations include:

i7-7700 / i7-6700
i5-7600 / i5-6600
i5-7600 / i5-6500
i5-7400 / i5-6400

You can also get good performance out of older models as far back as the Sandy Bridge architecture (2xxx series, such as i7-2600) which is the first to support H.264 hardware acceleration with Quick Sync. However newer CPUs are more energy efficient. Above, I recommended Skylake (6xxx series) and newer because this generation and newer has H.265 acceleration hardware which may be usable by Blue Iris in the future.

i5 CPUs are sufficient for most users. If you want to run more than about 40 megapixels worth of cameras (10x 4MP cameras, or 20x 2 MP cameras), or use particularly high frame rates, then choose an i7.

Your CPU -
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2609 v4
20M Cache, 1.70 GHz

Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2609 v4 (20M Cache, 1.70 GHz) Product Specifications

upload_2017-6-18_9-21-57.png
My CPU -
Intel® Core™ i7-4790K Processor
8M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz


Intel® Core™ i7-4790K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz) Product Specifications

upload_2017-6-18_9-28-0.png
 
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