Understanding setup

[fenderman]

The machine is plenty powerful. It simply doesn't have that particular feature that Blue Iris uses. I've had the machine plugged in and running for over eight years and my bills are just fine. The base power draw on it vs a brand new i7 isn't any different. They just cram more cores/features into the newer chips w/the smaller build process. You can't really compare the power draw of an i7 to an i3 of any generation, the two chips were designed with completely different intentions in mind. I have a 5820K w/16GB and SSD as my primary machine, I just don't care to sacrifice it as a glorified video recorder. The question is whether I care to spend $300-500 right now on a new cpu/motherboard/ram. Saving myself $4-5 in electricity per month doesn't really justify it (though that sounds like a compelling argument for the wife )

You are mistaken. The power draw on your system is at least 100w MORE than a new i5 or i7.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/overclock-core-i7,2268-10.html
Likely more than 100w...remember that your system is using dedicated graphics because there is not onboard graphics. First gen i systems were not efficient. There has been significant imprevent in the later 3rd and 4th gen. For example see this info on an i5-4590 power draw. https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/5696-PC-NVR-Power-Consumption-Sample?highlight=consumption
That i5 is not only at least 50 percent more powerful than your system, it supports hardware acceleration making it about 80 percent more powerful with respect to blue iris. Those systems can be purchased for about 200-300. The i5-ivy bridge can be had for 150-200.
The difference is not 4-5 dollars a month. Put your machine on a killawatt meter. You are wasting 15-25 dollars a month depending on your rates. Since you can buy an effcient system for 150-200, your paying the electric company for nothing. They fact that you have wasted 100+ dollars per year of 8 years is irrelevant.
FYI, The 5820k is a terrible choice for a blue iris machine...its is a power hog and does not support intel graphics...
Do the math, you will see that you are saving enough to by a nice system. Buy a killawatt meter its a great investment.

 

[Chuck Claunch]

I'm not sure why but you seem very offended or something. Anyways I did do the math. Heck if I use your math it still comes out to only $7/mo difference. (2.4 KWh/day x $0.0973/KWh).

I do have a killawatt and have profiled the machine before. Something tells me a brand new machine with an i5 isn't going to draw 100W less power. Especially if I'm simply going to re-use the same machine and do a mobo/cpu swap. Can you point me to where you're finding these machines for $150-200? I glanced at the HP/Dell suggestions all over this board and they look to be more like $500.

All that said, my lone singular camera is recording 24-7 on the 920 system at 12% CPU power. I'll break out the killawatt just to be sure but I doubt it's going to hurt my power budget that much (nowhere near $6/mo).

 

[fenderman]

I'm not sure why but you seem very offended or something. Anyways I did do the math. Heck if I use your math it still comes out to only $7/mo difference. (2.4 KWh/day x $0.0973/KWh).

I do have a killawatt and have profiled the machine before. Something tells me a brand new machine with an i5 isn't going to draw 100W less power. Especially if I'm simply going to re-use the same machine and do a mobo/cpu swap. Can you point me to where you're finding these machines for $150-200? I glanced at the HP/Dell suggestions all over this board and they look to be more like $500.

All that said, my lone singular camera is recording 24-7 on the 920 system at 12% CPU power. I'll break out the killawatt just to be sure but I doubt it's going to hurt my power budget that much (nowhere near $6/mo).

Im not offended. You are simply misinformed and posting erroneous data. That is why I am trying to correct you. There is a HUGE energy consumption difference. Im trying to help you save money, and more importantly help others who look at this tread understand. The i5 haswell systems are under 300. Read the forum. I purchased my last 5 i5-4590 machines for 280 (via ebay taxes included)...
You say you profiled the machine before. What were your results under some load? I have cited you links that prove that in fact it will be 100w less. Read the links. Once you add cameras to your system consumption will jump..
Your rate is likely more than .0973 make sure to include taxes and delivery charges. Lets take your stated rate...a 100w difference will amount to 85 dollars a year (its important to note that folks who live on the east and west coast are paying double or more, so the difference is staggering (170-200 per year). Here is a system that will significantly outperform yours for 175.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-COMPAQ-E...692015?hash=item3d2390b86f:g:GaQAAOSw6n5Xu2Br
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optipl...487227?hash=item25c2b5d83b:g:Cq8AAOSwIgNXoTKJ
here is a haswell for 199
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELL-OptiPl...561370?hash=item2cb152e71a:g:KwEAAOSwaB5XvhUR

I purchased an hp elitedesk g2 i5-6500 skylake with 256ssd for 320.
You can support your electric company, OR you can replace the system and sell/donate your old one. Suit yourself..

 

[Chuck Claunch]

Im not offended. You are simply misinformed and posting erroneous data. That is why I am trying to correct you. There is a HUGE energy consumption difference.

What am I misinformed on and what have I posted that you're correcting? It seems like the only place we differ in is what constitutes a "HUGE" energy difference. I even agreed with your 100W difference assessment in my calculation of $7/mo.

Im trying to help you save money, and more importantly help others who look at this tread understand. The i5 haswell systems are under 300. Read the forum. I purchased my last 5 i5-4590 machines for 280 (via ebay taxes included)...

I have been reading the forum, quite a bit. I very much appreciate your helping also. I looked into the suggested computers and they're all in the $500 range. I suppose the difference is you're buying them on ebay. If it wasn't terribly obvious, I tend to try and make my machines last a very long time, so if I were to buy a new machine or replace this machine's mobo/cpu, I'd rather spend what it takes to get some new hardware as opposed to used. You are swaying me a bit though.

You say you profiled the machine before. What were your results under some load? I have cited you links that prove that in fact it will be 100w less. Read the links. Once you add cameras to your system consumption will jump..

Totally understood on that. This is why I was asking early in the thread, "what is BI doing that causes so much CPU load?". Copying streaming data to the hard drive takes virtually no CPU. It seems apparent that the motion detection is what kills the CPU. Since the camera itself has motion detection with 5V outputs, that could be an option for my homebrew automation system. It really boils down to cost / development time vs convenience. I'm a software developer by day and tend to get annoyed when the answer to a problem is simply "buy better hardware". That said I can definitely fold if a couple hundred bucks will solve the issue. $400-500 and we're getting into diminishing returns really. At least until the machine dies. Here's the profile I just ran on the machine:

Full machine stats:
Intel DX58SO
Intel i7 920
8 GB DDR3
Radeon HD 5770
WD Raptor 150GB 10krpm
Seagate Skyhawk 10TB

Power draw at various CPU loads (using prime95)
12%, 155W
34%, 195W
54%, 250W
95%, 260W

Your rate is likely more than .0973 make sure to include taxes and delivery charges. Lets take your stated rate...a 100w difference will amount to 85 dollars a year (its important to note that folks who live on the east and west coast are paying double or more, so the difference is staggering (170-200 per year).

I am anal retentive when it comes to tracking my bills. The rate is a direct calculation of total paid / usage. My average cost/KWh over the past year is $0.0996.
Here's my anal retentiveness (1500 sqft single story home)

Here is a system that will significantly outperform yours for 175.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-COMPAQ-E...692015?hash=item3d2390b86f:g:GaQAAOSw6n5Xu2Br
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optipl...487227?hash=item25c2b5d83b:g:Cq8AAOSwIgNXoTKJ
here is a haswell for 199
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELL-OptiPl...561370?hash=item2cb152e71a:g:KwEAAOSwaB5XvhUR

I purchased an hp elitedesk g2 i5-6500 skylake with 256ssd for 320.

I probably would want to go with something that has the skylake *if* I was to get new stuff. That elitedesk G2 seems like a viable option. I'd assume you got the tower version as opposed to the mini or the SFF?

You can support your electric company, OR you can replace the system and sell/donate your old one. Suit yourself..

If you handed me $300 and asked me to do something that saves money on my electric bill, there are many things in front of "replace the media center/DVR computer". Stuff like spraying more insulation into my attic, replacing a window, replacing light fixtures, etc would save a boatload more money (at least here in the Houston area where AC during the summer is a requirement to survive).

 

[fenderman]

You were misinformed when you stated "The base power draw on it vs a brand new i7 isn't any different." the difference is huge. 100 dollars a year will pay for a replacement system. Dont forget you can sell yours or donate it. Why you choose to support your power company makes no sense.
Your testing shows that at 50 percent your usage is 250w. At least 200w more than a modern system. So you are looking a $170 a year savings if you buy a replacement.
Even if you didnt add any more cams and kept the single camera at 12 percent, the difference is at least 130w...100 per year.
You might be a software developer and if you dont like how blue iris works you can buy exacq at 50 dollars a license or develop your own software. Complaining about not understand why the software requires a decent system here and not going to change anything. Considering that decent systems cost 150-300, its a non issue.
my elitedesk is a sff that has room for 2x2.5 and on 3.5...there are towers available.
This is a no brainer for you. You can buy a system for $170 and make your money back in a year and you have an old system to sell/donate. If spraying the attic would generate the same RIO you should be doing that as well. Who says you cant do both.
They ebay systems I buy are generally one month old..you can check the warranty in service date. I have been doing this for years without a single issue. I buy MANY machines for business use. They come with a 3 year next business day warranty.
You logic is flawed but im done trying to convince you - spend your money how you see fit. Rather, this is informative to others. Someone on the east/west coast would be paying an extra 340 a year running your system at 50 percent.

 

[Chuck Claunch]

You were misinformed when you stated "The base power draw on it vs a brand new i7 isn't any different." the difference is huge.

I think we got mixed up. I was comparing my old i7 vs a new i7. Both draw ~130W by the spec. Granted, the newer one has a lot more features.

100 dollars a year will pay for a replacement system. Dont forget you can sell yours or donate it. Why you choose to support your power company makes no sense.
Your testing shows that at 50 percent your usage is 250w. At least 200w more than a modern system. So you are looking a $170 a year savings if you buy a replacement.
Even if you didnt add any more cams and kept the single camera at 12 percent, the difference is at least 130w...100 per year.
You might be a software developer and if you dont like how blue iris works you can buy exacq at 50 dollars a license or develop your own software. Complaining about not understand why the software requires a decent system here and not going to change anything. Considering that decent systems cost 150-300, its a non issue.
my elitedesk is a sff that has room for 2x2.5 and on 3.5...there are towers available.
This is a no brainer for you. You can buy a system for $170 and make your money back in a year and you have an old system to sell/donate. If spraying the attic would generate the same RIO you should be doing that as well. Who says you cant do both.
They ebay systems I buy are generally one month old..you can check the warranty in service date. I have been doing this for years without a single issue. I buy MANY machines for business use. They come with a 3 year next business day warranty.
You logic is flawed but im done trying to convince you - spend your money how you see fit. Rather, this is informative to others. Someone on the east/west coast would be paying an extra 340 a year running your system at 50 percent.

So that HP elitdesk SFF will draw 50W at full blown recording 24-7 of several cameras? If that is really the case then I could see the benefit, especially if I could sell the old system and still use my fancy new Seagate Skyhawk drive. It's just annoying trying to convince the wife to spend another $400 when the system is already going to cost around $800.

I very much appreciate your help and hope you don't see me as fighting you. I just want to fully understand and make sure I do things right. Not just necessarily take the standard input and roll with it.

 

[fenderman]

Remember that you are comparing your old i7 to your new model that is also a power hog...look at the i7-6500, and remember that the max tdp is meaningless...they use much less as they are much more efficient.
Show your wife the numbers...see the consumption numbers in my other thread that i linked to. And remember, if your current pc is at 50 percent, the new one will be at 25 or less with the same load.

 

[Chuck Claunch]

Yeah that's another issue altogether . She sees projects going over budget and considers just forgetting them altogether. Will see how it goes. Thanks again for the help.