CPU not cutting it... GPU?

[AndrewNorCal]

So, I'm working on the this new BI system. I'm learning. Eventually, it'll have around 18 cameras . . . for our independent family retail shop.

I've got 8 cameras set up now—I'm staging it at home—and if I trip them all at once, the CPU peaks at about 65%. But it will be possible to have a 12 or more cameras to be tripped at once. Plus we could also have 2-4 devices at once pulling video via a browser.

I'm not recording continuously, not adding an overlay, not using AI. It's pretty basic low-CPU overhead. So I'm thinking my computer is underpowered.

Would adding a good GPU make a big difference? Or should I just buck up and buy a new(er) more-powerful computer?

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[wittaj]

What computer make/model and chip do you have?

Are you using substreams?

But without AI, the GPU wouldn't make any difference and the cost of the GPU would approach or exceed purchasing a capable used i5-8500.

But old machines optimized are very capable.

Another hardware question

I know this has been asked in the past (many times) and apologize for asking again, but I want to make sure that I get this right the 1st time and not make a dumb mistake that will cause me to start over partway down the road. I am researching hardware for the Blue Iris computer that will run...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[AndrewNorCal]

Yes, using substreams . . . hmmm. I should double-check and make sure they are all set up for that. Good point. But even then, tripped, they are all going to be writing full data to the drive, not the substream, right?

Good to know that the GPU would be pointless, that was my suspicion.

I'll check the exact computer specs in a few hours when I get home then post here.

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[wittaj]

Yeah but the act of writing isn't the CPU hog, it is the motion detection and other things that BI processes.

I suspect you either don't have all the substreams enabled or you have a really low powered computer.

 

[AndrewNorCal]

So, here are my dedicated BI computer specs:
Dell Inspiron 3670
i7-8700 CPU @ 3.2GHz
16GB RAM

Now, I'm really confused. I disconnected everything today since I was going to take it to the shop to see about another computer, but tonight I reconnected everything and triggered 8 cameras at once and the highest the CPU went was only 11%. Ok, I'll admit that there were a couple of cameras that were not set up for substreams, so I fixed that. Would substreams make that much of a difference?

Andrew

 

[Flintstone61]

i7-8700 is a beast,

 

[wittaj]

Yeah that is a strong computer and yes substeams make all the difference.

That should have no problem running the cameras.

 

[Flintstone61]

I run 18-19 cams on a i5-8500 with about 12-19% cpu variance, of course it will get busy with multiple motions, and see some jumps, but it seems to handle everything well.
my i7-8700 machine is running 10 cams. BI is reporting 1% because i added a gtx 1060 Nvidia card to it last weekend. but now the GPU is busy,
Task manager tells another story about total USage. And this is my daily driver with 5 browser tabs open....

 

[Flintstone61]

i have 3 not running subs,,,,cpu is about 13-16% most cams at 10FPS a couple at 15.....

 

[Flintstone61]

your main board has the option to run the M.2 ssd and free up that 2.5" bay. I wonder if you can Frankenspiron a 2nd 3.5" HDD in place of the 2.5"?
Or if you can live without a DVD writer, you could run 2 storage drives, and help a busy system be a bit more responsive.

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[AndrewNorCal]

Or if you can live without a DVD writer, you could run 2 storage drives, and help a busy system be a bit more responsive.

What's funny is I didn't even realize that it had a DVD drive until I accidentally pressed the open button when I lifted it to shift the case! LOL!

I'll likely jettison it or figure out another way to get another drive into it.

Thanks!
Andrew