Playback from cams microSD cards using SmartPSS is struggling. Normal?

[mech]

Update for people having problems playing back stored video from your Dahua cameras' microSD cards in SmartPSS: here is a link to the 64-bit version of SmartPSS that seems to have fixed my issue: Software thanks to @tigerwillow1 for steering me to it!


Since the Dahua hardware is half of the equation and we don't have a general Software section here, please bear with me on the SmartPSS thread. And yes, I searched first

I was going to set up a basic surveillance system using microSD cards in Dahua cams, and use SmartPSS for the occasional light-duty playback when needed. I'm finding that SmartPSS really struggles with playing back more than one camera at a time. It takes about 20 seconds for SmartPSS to play back one second of video on two cameras at the same time, from their microSD recordings.

Details: two 2MP Dahua T3241 (current-gen Starlight), four 4MP T3421 (current-gen economy 4MP Starlight), Samsung High-Endurance microSD cards, gigabit POE switch, and I tried both wireless and hard-wired connections from a powerful Dell Precision mobile workstation with onboard nVidia GPU. The main streams are using H264, configured for 10FPS and modest bitrates. Cams record non-stop. In their Web interfaces, the cams individually have no problem keeping up with fast playback (4x or more).

The intended switch location is a utility shed that will not have heating or cooling, so that's why I'm not just setting up an off-lease Optiplex as a Blue Iris machine. The plan was to add a WiFi router, and the landlord could drive up, link to WiFi, and use SmartPSS to see Who Has Been Letting Their Dog Poop And Not Cleaning It Up AGAIN, etc. Light-duty, occasional use.

So what's the word on the street? Is SmartPSS simply not up to the task, or could I be missing something simple?

 

[bigredfish]

To be clear are you talking playback of recorded video or streaming live?

I just used playback of recorded video on my local network XVR over wireless on my old laptop Win7 through a Netgerar X6 router which connects to a Netgear Extender which feeds a Netgear 8 port switch which feeds the XVR.
Simultaneous Two 5442 4MP cameras and two 2MP Starlight PTZ's, full res no problem

8192 bitrate on all at 30fps all

I also routinely use it to monitor 20-25 cameras live, substream






* note my cpu does go red
Core i5-5200 2.2Ghz with 6GB ram

 

[bigredfish]

What you describe is what I get trying to playback video from a buddies NVR remotely which seems to be a problem with his connections (Router) upload capability.

I can do similar with other remote NVRs with no trouble. The bottleneck likely isn’t SmartPSS

 

[mech]

What you describe is what I get trying to playback video from a buddies NVR remotely which seems to be a problem with his connections (Router) upload capability.

I can do similar with other remote NVRs with no trouble. The bottleneck likely isn’t SmartPSS

Playback of recorded video is the problem. SmartPSS has no problem displaying live video, but replay from the microSD cards is running about 1/20th of real-time speed, and it's not due to CPU limitations on the system (mobile Core i7, 4 cores 8 threads). And the cams themselves play back the video from their microSD cards quite well, even at 4x forward speed.

I've tried a variety of camera setting changes, including H264, H265, reduced bitrates, and I've just reconfigured the cameras to record at only 1fps. The same result: playing two cams at once results in SmartPSS taking about 18 seconds to play one second of actual video. System CPU load is showing 1%. Interestingly, SmartPSS can play one camera at a time properly, but I have to pick 2x forward speed for it to play at an actual 1x forward speed.

 

[bigredfish]

I just did 4 cameras real time playback from the NVR hard drive...?

 

[wittaj]

And this is when people look at going to a PC and BI LOL. I started same way with one IP cam to compliment my older analog and after adding another IP cam or two, the system just was not a workable solution.

I did just that because playback was awfully slow and impossible to dial in the event for me with SmartPSS.

 

[mech]

I would certainly go with a BI PC or at least an NVR if I could. With temperatures in a storage shed ranging from far below freezing to "inside a parked car in summer with the windows closed," mechanical hard drives aren't really an option, hence the reliance on microSD cards in the individual cams. I may just have to tell the landlord I can't do it without a central storage unit (PC or NVR) in a climate-controlled environment.

 

[bigredfish]

I must be missing something, I do this all the time with 2-4 cameras. Realtime, no lag. See my post earlier for specs. PLAYBACK from hard drive of NVR

I just did it again same 4 cams running 8192

 

[mech]

I must be missing something, I do this all the time with 2-4 cameras. Realtime, no lag. See my post earlier for specs. PLAYBACK form hard drive of NVR

I just did it again same 4 cams running 8192

I saw that, but I don't have an NVR, I have six cams with six microSD cards. I don't think a NVR would work in my scenario because of the wild temperature extremes.

 

[bigredfish]

I have two 4208-8P-4KS2 NVR's with dual 4TB drives in NEMA boxes outside in Florida heat (and one hurricane) for over 3, going 4 years now. The boxes also house a cable modem and Netgear router. I'm sure the heat takes a toll on the HD's but if they crap out tomorrow Im good with that.

 

[bigredfish]

I think maybe the difference is the NVR then, you guys must be talking about using SMartPSS as a VMS. Havent used it as such.

 

[mech]

I bet it would work great with the NVR as the data source. I'll have to think about whether I want to sink even more money into this project, or just cut my losses. Thanks everyone for looking at my issue

 

[jack7]

mech,
I have four cameras, one 4M and three 2M, all with SD cards. I can concurrently playback them on wired PC SmartPSS. I can also concurrently playback them with wifi android tablet using DMSS or gDMSS apps. I just tried it.

 

[mech]

mech,
I have four cameras, one 4M and three 2M, all with SD cards. I can concurrently playback them on wired PC SmartPSS. I can also concurrently playback them with wifi android tablet using DMSS or gDMSS apps. I just tried it.

Thanks for the input! As a fact-finding step, I tried a full uninstall of SmartPSS and then a reinstall, excluding the PCNVR bit. It appears to be playing properly, so maybe my install was bad. I still have to move my speed slider to 2x to get 1x forward speed, and getting them to sync up as a group will take a little getting used to, but maybe there's hope for this setup after all.

My Bosch gear has me spoiled, their equivalent (Bosch Video Security client) is a tough act to follow.

Update: I spoke too soon, it's reverted to the prior condition.

 

[tigerwillow1]

If you're running smartPss on a PC, you could try switching from the 32-bit to 64-bit version, or the other way around if you're using the 64-bit version. I have found this makes a difference based on the firmware running in the NVR. I don't have any direct experience with playing back directly from the camera.

 

[mech]

Thanks for the input! As a fact-finding step, I tried a full uninstall of SmartPSS and then a reinstall, excluding the PCNVR bit. It appears to be playing properly, so maybe my install was bad. I still have to move my speed slider to 2x to get 1x forward speed, and getting them to sync up as a group will take a little getting used to, but maybe there's hope for this setup after all.

My Bosch gear has me spoiled, their equivalent (Bosch Video Security client) is a tough act to follow.

Update: I spoke too soon, it's reverted to the prior condition.

If you're running smartPss on a PC, you could try switching from the 32-bit to 64-bit version, or the other way around if you're using the 64-bit version. I have found this makes a difference based on the firmware running in the NVR. I don't have any direct experience with playing back directly from the camera.

I was wondering about that. The Dahua download site seems to have just one variant for WIndows, a 32-bit flavor: SmartPSS which points to DahuaWiki

I went another round of experimentation and I'm no further forward. I emailed the landlord that it's looking like a no-go without an NVR or a Blue Iris PC.

 

[tigerwillow1]

Here's a link for the 64-bit version:
Software

 

[jack7]

mech,
I have four cameras, one 4M and three 2M, all with SD cards. I can concurrently playback them on wired PC SmartPSS. I can also concurrently playback them with wifi android tablet using DMSS or gDMSS apps. I just tried it.

The SmartPSS version I use says it is 64 bit V2.003.0000001.0 dated 2020-04-13.

 

[mech]

Here's a link for the 64-bit version:
Software

Thanks! I replaced the 32-bit version with the 64-bit version. So far, it is working! 1x forward playback of the six cams, from microSD cards, appears to be stable, even over WiFi. I may have to climb ladders next weekend after all

 

[tigerwillow1]

So far, it is working!

We can hope that i does the job good enough for you. Like the other versions it's full of bugs and the battle usually seems to find a version that works decently the way you need to use it.