OpenALPR and GPU

[wittaj]

Who has been successful with this?

I was hoping to offload OpenALPR to a GPU as that can really drive up the CPU on windy days and only so much of the image I can place exclusions on.

I followed the instructions here from OpenALPR website and it just won't run with the GPU. It keeps starting and stopping and just alternatives between a black screen that says Looking for Image and Agent not found:

Windows 10#
Prerequisites:

1. Windows 10 64-bit
2. NVIDIA GPU driver >= 417.22

Install:

1. Install the latest version of the Scout Agent or SDK
2. Install https://deb.openalpr.com/windows-nvidia/vc_redist_msvc2015.x64.exe
3. Download and extract the following file to the agent bin directory (default C:\OpenALPR\Agent\bin) or SDK directory: https://deb.openalpr.com/windows-nvidia/openalpr_nvidiawindowslibs_4.1.2.zip

If running the agent, edit the Scout Agent config file c:\openalpr\agent\etc\openalpr\alprd.conf and add the following line:
hardware_acceleration = 1
Restart the Scout Agent service.

 

[Fubduck]

Which Nvidia GPU do you have installed?

I've been running it using a GTX 1060 for a year or two. I recently updated to the latest version of Scout Agent and did not have any issues.

 

[wittaj]

I am running the latest agent and the GT 1030.

In the logs it keeps coming up with ERROR - Unable to load GPU 1: GPU support is not installed so I think that in the instructions OpenALPR provided, I think a file is missing and so does OpenALPR when I reached out to them, but haven't heard anything more. The GPU works fine for other applications.

Can you check in your C:\OpenALPR\Agent\bin and see if you have a file I do not (I have 127 items in that folder)?

 

[Fubduck]

Open up openalpr_nvidiawindowslibs_4.1.2.zip and drag all of the files directly into C:\OpenALPR\Agent\bin

You can delete the openalpr_nvidiawindowslibs_4.1.2 folder you have in C:\OpenALPR\Agent\bin


Edit: change a word

 

[wittaj]

WOW - so simple, but still not quite there.

At least now it pulls up the stream and GPU is supported and I see the GPU % go up so I know it is using it, but it isn't seeing any FPS.

More troubleshooting.

 

[icpilot]

Did you get this working? If so, what did you do?

 

[wittaj]

Yep, I finally did.

How I got the GPU to work.

Turn off OpenALPR agent.

Install: https://deb.openalpr.com/windows-nvidia/vc_redist_msvc2015.x64.exe

Mine made me uninstall a previous C++, so if yours does, make a note of which one and uninstall it and then reinstall after the GPU is up and running because Blue Iris needs the previous version (at least it did on mine).

Download this file: https://deb.openalpr.com/windows-nvidia/openalpr_nvidiawindowslibs_4.1.2.zip

Extract the zip files into the agent bin directory (default C:\OpenALPR\Agent\bin)

Two files will come up that asks you to replace. Say yes to replace them.

Open up the Rekor Scout viewer but do not restart yet (should show a black screen where your camera image is with wording in red something like agent not running).

Go to Configure - Agent Settings - Advanced - and then override Hardware Acceleration with 1.

Do not do anything about the gpu-id as it says you should override it with the number of the GPU, but it will bomb out. When I made it 1, which is what shows up in Task Manager, it failed every time.

Restart the Agent.

Give it a few minutes. I opened up the log file to make sure it recognizes the GPU.

It will probably cut in and out a few times until it stabilizes.

If it won't stay running, then go into camera GUI and reduce FPS. I ended up turning on substream 2 and run at 720P and 9 FPS and the accuracy is within a 0.5% and pulling up same plates at same time last week (at 2MP) versus the image now at 720P wasn't a big difference.