Suddenly high CPU-load (configs and screenshots inside)

[Joshude]

Hello folks,

first of all: I've read the "how to prevent high CPU-loads" guides several times and iirc it was better some weeks/month ago. More details below the configs.

Setup and confis:

PC:
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.19 GHz
Memory: 8,00 GB
Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 21H1
Systembuild 19043.1237

Windows:
Defender deactivated for the BI-folders (data and install)

BlueIris:
Version 5.5.1.5
Running as a Service
DB on the fast SSD, recordings on the large 2TB HDD


Cameras:
Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS
Dahua IPC-3241T-ZAS
Dahua SD49225XA-HNR
Reolink RLC-511

Cameras are all equally set:


I have a "subset" of all cameras as copies of them. They only record a snapshot when triggered with the schedule -> actions -> Snapshot, each at every day at 12:00:00, 12:00:30, 12:01:00 12:01:30 timed.
Those cameras have only the mainstream configured because otherwise they always saved a snapshot of the lowres substream. Those cameras are hidden.

I've read, that the reolink might cause issues, to i've deativated it for tests but could not see any better results.
CPU load is always above 60%, often above 80% and at times even peaks at 100%.

Direct-to-disc is enabled. I think i followed all the guides on how to improve the CPU-load and iirc it was better some time ago. Cannot exactly say when it started to get worse.
Also, DeepStack has response-times of 1000-2000ms
All files (since a few days, for testing, too) are recorded directly into "new", its capped at 1.5TB (of 2TB available) and is set to delete after reaching the limit, no time limit is set. Alarm-images go into the alarm folder.



I have no further idea why the load is so high. If you need any further information please let me know.
Another sidenote: currently i'm not able to reboot the PC since its on a remote location and has a POST-Error which needs the enter-key to be pressed. But the high cpu-load was present prior the last reboot, too.

Thanks so much!

 

[IAmATeaf]

First thing I would do is add some more RAM, once I’ve done this I’d try with and without DS to see if that makes a difference. If your scan times for DS are 1-2secs then that’s a lot of CPU churn while it’s scanning the image.

 

[Joshude]

Can't add RAM on the fly, because as said the pc is running remote. roughly 1200km away But sysinfo shows only up to 2GB beeing in use. (wrong, it's up to 7GB in use... so this is on my todo for the next visit)
Disabling DS and restarting all BI-Services does not seem to affect perfomance

 

[wittaj]

I think running a "subset" of cameras on the mainstream is what is killing you. But also seems something else is wrong.

You can get mainstream jpegs with settings using the substream.

Please post a screenshot of the BI camera status page - the one that shows camera name, IP, bitrate, FPS, KEY, etc. all on one page.

 

[bp2008]

@wittaj is right, it is the main stream clones. You either need to find a way to get your snapshots from the cams with sub streams configured, or use the "Limit decoding" function on the main stream hidden cams.

 

[Joshude]

Disabling the mainstream-subset hasn't fixed my issue. CPU load dropped from 80-100% down to 70-90% at that moment.

Heres my Camera-tab, the timelapse-cameras are the mainstream copies of the "other cameras" below. I just need a way to get one snapshot of each camera at noon. If theres a better way i'm all in!

forgot that the reolink in the normal set was deactivated due to testing, here are the stats:

 

[wittaj]

The time lapse cameras are still pulling full video in that clip. Why run at 15FPS if you only need a snap at noon?

A member here is running 50 cameras on a 4th gen at 30%. You are a 6th gen with a handful of cameras maxing out.

What else is the computer used for?

Do EVERY optimization in the wiki and you will see a major drop in the CPU. Substreams are a must, especially once you get over 4MP cameras.

With your machine and number of cameras, you should be sub 5% CPU.

Many of us here have more cameras than that and run without an issue.

And by EVERY, I mean EVERY. Too many people come here complaining of high CPU usage and claim they have done every optimization in the wiki and once they post screenshots, we see they are not using the substreams and that is probably one of the biggest CPU savers. Do not skip one because you think it isn't important or won't make that big of a deal.

If you do not understand what something does in BI, then ask. Too many people also change a setting not realizing what it does and actually makes their performance worse.

Optimizing Blue Iris's CPU Usage

Blue Iris uses a lot of CPU time. In most Blue Iris installations, your CPU is the limiting factor which determines how many cameras you can have. As such, it is extremely important to optimize your configuration to ensure you can get the most out of your system while consuming the least...

ipcamtalk.com

Another option if this just started happening is rolling back to an older BI version.

 

[Joshude]

Thanks @wittaj
As i said, i already checked the guide, but i'll ensure and heres my "checklist":

• Direct-to-disc: Enabled for all cameras/streams
• sub-streams: enabled for the main purpose, the "timelapse-cams" are currently disabled to get to the root of the issue
• Framerates: Set per cameras settings page (directly on the webgui per camera) and also is set in the camera property-page in BI for each camera
• Hardware encoding: set so "Intel®+VideoPostProc" for general settings and no camera is set to anything other than "default" for that. I'm running H264 only
• run as a service: check. High load is visible in the BI App, too when no one is using the computer and the BI window is closed
• Live-preview framerate: check, set to 5fps and to "refresh only every 5s while using remote" which i'm using 100% (if not via app)
• Scaling: fast
• Overlays: none, only timestamp but not through BI but only on the camera direct (webUI)
• Encoder is set to superfast (so the middle)
• Windows Power: Set to high performance
• Defender: BI (install-path, DB-path and video-path) excluded
• drive optimization is off

Soooo as I've said, theres nothing i can add to that guide.

The PC is used for BI and DS only. Nothing else (apart from DahuaSunriseSunset) is running on that machine. CPU load is visibile on BI.exe in the task-manager


honestly, i have no clue about all those python taks and the redis-server (maybe the webserver of BI?)

 

[wittaj]

The python is for DeepStack, along with the redis-server.

I am guessing something wacky in DeepStack. Try turning that off for moment and see if the CPU% goes down.

 

[Joshude]

Already tested that with no success. Tried turning it off in BI in the AI-tab with no lowering CPU load but only more alarms being triggered and tried to disable the DS-service too with no success.

But just at this exact moment i have the task manager open and see BI with only a few percent of CPU load but overall a very high load on the machine. Maybe i should try to reinstall the DS and upgrade to the latest version, if theres an update available. (Currently 2021.02.1)

 

[wittaj]

Only pay attention to the CPU % - because of the demands of BI, it will always show high load further to the right.

So DeepStack is the problem. I would suggest further defining your zones as it appears that BI is sending to DeepStack non-stop for your CPU to be that high.

 

[Joshude]

Zones... hmh... honestly i'm not working with zones at the moment.

I have the Dahua Cams setup to IVS with loads of tripwire-rules as i've read it's the best way to get alarms and not miss something, see here:

And then those alarms are sent through DS i guess?! Because i have only cams triggered when DS gives it's go.

But maybe that whole setup is the problem and i need to rethink and go for another best practice? iirc (and i'm not sure) the current setup is based on some best practice i found online. But yeah, it kinda makes sense, that the cams trigger DS too often and DS can't keep up. But the log look like it's not that busy and deactivating DS does not lower the load more than 10%, as it seems

€: I've completly uninstalled DS and the CPU load is still high. I'd love to reboot the computer but unfortunatly can't do that at the moment.

 

[wittaj]

Your screenshot above showed BI dropped to 8.3% CPU - that is a huge drop from the 87.5% you posted earlier.

Your DS times are 1355ms, which is a lot.

If you are using the camera IVS, try turning BI motion detection off and DS and see what happens.

 

[Joshude]

our screenshot above showed BI dropped to 8.3% CPU - that is a huge drop from the 87.5% you posted earlier.

I know, but i varies very much. BI sometimes shows 5-10% and then goes up to 80-100%.
As mentioned above, i've completly uninstalled DS and there are still peaks.

€: With DS uninstalled and MotionDetection disabled at all cameras it seems like running somewhat stable at 30%.
For future: Do i need BI MotionDetection when using IVS and DS?
Could i disable it and only enable it for the shitty reolink which has no very good build in MotionDetection?

 

[wittaj]

Something still isn't right though - that machine should be sub 5% for the number of cameras you have.

You do not need BI motion detection or DeepStack when using IVS - unless you like the little orange guy that DS provides LOL.

My 5442 cam just triggers on external IVS, so I know every alert matches my criteria.

Yep, you could just enable it for the reolink - that should bring usage down.

 

[Joshude]

You do not need BI motion detection or DeepStack when using IVS - unless you like the little orange guy that DS provides LOL.

My 5442 cam just triggers on external IVS, so I know every alert matches my criteria.

afaik Dahua IVS can only trigger on car or people. I want more alarms, e.g. for animals like deer, moose or bear. But that might be a topic for a new post.
For now i'm trying to figure out more why my system is running so slow.
Currently i'm at 30%ish CPU load with only 4 cams running and DS uninstalled.

 

[SouthernYankee]

I have an I7-4790 CPU, 16 GB memory, 120GB SSD for C drive, A WD purple 4TB for video. I run 17 cameras for a total of 700 MP/sec. There is an additional 12 clone cameras.

Solve one problem at a time .

1) turn off hardware acceleration on your clone cameras.
2) make sure Hidden is check on your clone cameras
3) check limit decoding unless necessary on the video tab for the clone cameras.
4) delete motion processing on the clone cameras.
5) delete AI from the clone cameras.
6) on the other cameras (not clone) make sure substreams are enabled.

Provide screen shots again

1) windows task manager process tab sorted by memory (most at the top), Must contain, memory, disk, network, GPU, GPU engine columns
2) Blue iris status (lighting bolt graph,upper left corner) clip storage tab
3) blue Iris status cameras tab

What type of disk is C drive. SSD or hard drive ?
What type of disk drive is the D drive (internal,usb,etworked), also make and model ?

 

[Joshude]

I really, REALLY appreciate all help, but most of that is obsolete because clones are disabled

1) turn off hardware acceleration on your clone cameras.
2) make sure Hidden is check on your clone cameras
3) check limit decoding unless necessary on the video tab for the clone cameras.
4) delete motion processing on the clone cameras.
5) delete AI from the clone cameras.

Currently all clones are set to "disabled", with that i get over 30% CPU load, still.

6) on the other cameras (not clone) make sure substreams are enabled.

Substreams are enabled for all (currently enabled) cameras

1) windows task manager process tab sorted by memory (most at the top), Must contain, memory, disk, network, GPU, GPU engine columns
2) Blue iris status (lighting bolt graph,upper left corner) clip storage tab
3) blue Iris status cameras tab

What type of disk is C drive. SSD or hard drive ?
What type of disk drive is the D drive (internal,usb,etworked), also make and model ?

C is a SSD, as said BI install and DB are on that drive
D is an internal HDD, Seagate SkyHawk ST2000VXZ08

THANKS!

 

[SouthernYankee]

I am at a loss as to what is going on, with 4 cameras at 15 FPS with that CPU you should be way under 20%. The only possible thing I can think of is only 8GB memory. Or the Reolink is causing problems.

Go back to the last stable version of BI 5.4.9.18 and see if the CPU load comes down.
Try disabling the reolink camera and reboot the BI PC.
Also do you have the UI3 or the phone app connected continuously ?

 

[ljw2k]

What have you got your Power Plan set to ?

Balanced ( Recommended )
High performance
Power Save.