server 2016 high CPU usage live view over RDP, No Graphics Card, 4K cameras.

[mike james]

Long time lurker, first time poster....I think. I am running blue iris on server 2016 with 16 gig of ram, ASrock Z77 extreme 4 MB, and i7-3770 processor. I have been running BI for a few years without issue, but have recently been upgrading and expanding the cameras. I have 7 4K cameras running at 8 fps and plan will be installing 7 more. The issue I am running into is CPU usage running 90-100% when in live view or playing back. If i limit frames in live view to 3 fps, the cpu runs at 55-70% when in live view. When I adjust cameras to 15 fps, the cameras drop to 0-2 fps due to high CPU usage. Since this is a server, I am viewing this over an RDP session. I have dont limit FPS over RDP selected. I have direct to disk enabled and ran through the rest of the usual settings. Basically, I believe i narrowed down the issue that quicksync may not be working correctly in my configuration, or will not help. I have upgraded the graphics driver to lintel HD 4000. gpu-z shows 45% load when running live view and the i7 running at 90% ( no frame limiting in live view). Oddly enough, my ram usage for BI does not go over 3 gig and total system ram 5-6 gig. I need some suggestions on where to go from here. Do I look further into quicksync? Do i install a graphics card? do virtualize the server and run BI on win10 that may be more compatible with quicksync? Do I install this on another system? Note that the other system that I have is a HP mini and may work fine as I was running BI here before the upgrade. I moved BI to the server because I did not like writing direct to storage on the server (in the event of permissions issues or the domain is unavailable). I have 30 TB of surveillance storage on the server so I prefer to keep BI on the server. I considered throwing a graphics card in the box, but was not sure which one would give good results with out speeding north of $150.

 

[hex52]

What version of BI? Do you have HW acceleration enabled?

 

[mike james]

Hardware acceleration is set to intell globally and on each camera. I have v5 installed with the latest update.

 

[hex52]

Some of us had issues with 5.2.5.5 and Intel HW, 5.2.5.7 resolved these issues or using Intel+VPP on 5.2.5.5.

 

[mike james]

ok. I am on 5.2.5.7, so I will roll back and test again.

 

[mike james]

I cant roll back, I forgot I did a reinstall. where is the installer for the previous version.

 

[hex52]

Blue Iris Updates (64 bit) - History

Download button on the right

 

[mike james]

I retested with version 2.2.5.5 and getting the same behavior. Frame limit on live view to 3 fps give 25% cpu, Unchecked gives 90-100%

 

[mike james]

So I guess if there are no more suggestions I am going to look for a graphics card as a surveillance system without the ability to play back is kinda pointless. I am thinking that I do not need a card that I can offload via hardware acceleration since my CPU usage is under 40% when just recording? I would be able to use any graphics card that can display 4K to handle the task of playback and live feed only?

 

[mike james]

I think I may have found the problem. The i7-3770 is running on sandy bridge and cant handle 4k without using an gpu. the the gpu in the processor is bottle neck here. So I may price out a newer processor instead of a graphics card. Anyone else find this processor to be an issue when using 4k?

 

[fenderman]

I think I may have found the problem. The i7-3770 is running on sandy bridge and cant handle 4k without using an gpu. the the gpu in the processor is bottle neck here. So I may price out a newer processor instead of a graphics card. Anyone else find this processor to be an issue when using 4k?

the 3770 is ivy bridge not sandy. Your biggest issue is using rdp. Try to see what happens when you log in on a local monitor. Is your memory setup dual channel? Also go through each camera and confirm direct to disk is enabled. Remember direct to disk settings are profile specific so check it for the profile you are actually using.

 

[mike james]

the 3770 is ivy bridge not sandy. Your biggest issue is using rdp. Try to see what happens when you log in on a local monitor. Is your memory setup dual channel? Also go through each camera and confirm direct to disk is enabled. Remember direct to disk settings are profile specific so check it for the profile you are actually using.

hey there...thanks for replying. The data sheet I was looking at referenced the wrong bridge. Thank you for pointing that out. I did confirm that direct to disk is enabled on each camera. I also logged direct into the server and looks like that gives me a little less the 10% reduction. So I am still running at 70-80% during live view. I dont know if I have a fully supported intel driver for the internal gpu for server 2016. I was able to get intel HD 4000 installed and from what I can tell, that is the correct driver for that processor. I have run through a lot of configurations so I am a little puzzled on why I am seeing such a spike on cpu.

 

[fenderman]

hey there...thanks for replying. The data sheet I was looking at referenced the wrong bridge. Thank you for pointing that out. I did confirm that direct to disk is enabled on each camera. I also logged direct into the server and looks like that gives me a little less the 10% reduction. So I am still running at 70-80% during live view. I dont know if I have a fully supported intel driver for the internal gpu for server 2016. I was able to get intel HD 4000 installed and from what I can tell, that is the correct driver for that processor. I have run through a lot of configurations so I am a little puzzled on why I am seeing such a spike on cpu.

Are your cameras recording h264 or h265

 

[mike james]

Are your cameras recording h264 or h265

h.264. Had to log into the cameras just to make sure.
3840*2160
8 fps
VBR
Max bit rate is 5764
Ifram is 16

I changed it to VBR for testing.
constant bit rate did not seem to have an impact.

 

[fenderman]

When you connected directly to a monitor was it 1080p or 4k?

 

[mike james]

When you connected directly to a monitor was it 1080p or 4k?

1080. I dont have a 4k to test with at the moment.

 

[fenderman]

1080. I dont have a 4k to test with at the moment.

the 4k would be much worse

 

[mike james]

the 4k would be much worse

Here is a screen shot of resources with bi minimized and bi playing back a 4k stream.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Where is the GPU in the windows 10 task manager performance monitor ?

A screen shot of the windows task manager, processes, with the BI process at the top, (sort by memory).

A screen shot of the windows computer management, device manager, display adapters expanded.

 

[mike james]

Where is the GPU in the windows 10 task manager performance monitor ?

A screen shot of the windows task manager, processes, with the BI process at the top, (sort by memory).

A screen shot of the windows computer management, device manager, display adapters expanded.

There is not a GPU monitor in datacenter 2016. I believe MS brought that back in server 2019.