Intel i5 4590 + 8Gb RAM; will it be able to swing it?

[Sokonomi]

Hello all,

Ive been thinking about using an old Dell Optiplex 3020 SFF as an NVR, but im not sure its specs are good enough to swing my cam setup.

The computer has an intel i5 4590 and 8gb of DDR3 1600Mhz RAM, with storage being handled by a NAS on a 1Gbit network.
I plan on using 3 Reolink 8MP cams, and a smattering of about 4 Firmware converted 1080p Wyze cameras that I might later upgrade to Reolinks as well.

Would that old computer be able to chug this? (It does have quicksync!)

Cheers,
- Soko

 

[wittaj]

With the substreams option available and following every optimization wiki, a 4th generation can be a capable unit. A member here is running 50 cameras on a 4th generation at 30% CPU.

With that said, you have the wrong cameras for Blue Iris.

It isn't Blue Iris, it is the Reolink...

Blue Iris and Reolinks do not work well together, but the same principles applies for almost any low end consumer grade camera. It is just Reolinks is one of the more consumer end cameras people buy and come to this site as to why it is pointed out often about. I have a cheapo camera for overview purposes so it doesn't matter, but it exhibits this same behavior even though in the settings I can set an iframe...

This was a screenshot of a member here where they had set these cameras to 15FPS within the cameras (I suspect you will be missing motion that you do not know you are missing....):

Now look at they key - that is the iframes ratio. Blue Iris works best when the FPS and the iframes match. Now this is a ratio, so it should be a 1.00 if it matches the FPS. The iframes not matching (that you cannot fix or change with a reolink) is why they miss motion in Blue Iris and why people have problems. This is mainly why people are having issues with these cameras and there are many threads showing the issues people have with this manufacturer and Blue Iris. It is these same games that make the camera look great as a still image or video but turn to crap once motion is introduced.

The Blue Iris developer has indicated that for best reliability, sub stream frame rate should be equal to the main stream frame rate and these cameras cannot do that and there is nothing you can do about that with these cameras... The iframe rates (something these cameras do not allow you to set) should equal the FPS, but at worse case be no more than double. This example shows the cameras going down to a keyrate of 0.25 means that the iframe rates are over 4 times the FPS and that is why motion detection is a disaster with these cameras and Blue Iris...A value of 0.5 or less is considered insufficient to trust for motion triggers reliably...try to do DeepStack and it will be useless...

Compounding the matter even worse...motion detection is based on the substream and look at the substream FPS - they dropped down to below 6 FPS with an iframe/key rate of 0.25 - you will miss motion most of the time with that issue...DeepStack probably won't work at all...

Blue Iris is great and works with probably more camera brands than most VMS programs, but there are brands that don't work well or not at all - Rings, Arlos, Nest, Some Zmodo cams use proprietary systems and cannot be used with Blue Iris, and for a lot of people Reolink doesn't work well either.

Now compare above to mine and cameras that follow industry standards that allow you to actually set parameters and they don't manipulate them. You will see that my FPS match what I set in the camera, and the 1.00 key means the iframe matches:

Reolink: Deconstruction of a dangerous misleading youtube review "Finding the BEST 4K Security Camera NVR Package (Reolink vs Amcrest vs Swann)"

Executive Summary: DO NOT be a sheep. Ask what a reviewer can be missing, ask if a reviewer is using hype words to sell the cheapest product. Test your cameras and kits right away. Just do a bench test. Test real world conditions. Test moving suspects. Test at night, test at day. Use a test rig...

ipcamtalk.com

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

 

[looney2ns]

Choosing Hardware for Blue Iris | IP Cam Talk

 

[SouthernYankee]

I run a I7-4970 with16GB memory supporting 15 cameras at total of 720MP/S With a CPU load at less than 20%. I do not run deep stack.
Get at least 16GB of memory and a good internal SSD and a Separate internal 4TB WD purple drive for the video. You can then move the video to a NAS from the 4TB. A NAS does not work well for random file record writes, It does work well for a complete file write.

I would strongly recommend dropping the reolink and wyze cameras in the junk bin. These cameras are not acceptable for a good surveillance system. These cameras will fail you the first time you realy need then to provide quality data.

 

[Sokonomi]

So what im seeing is I have to lay out 200+ dollars per cam or it won't work with Blue Iris?

 

[sebastiantombs]

Have a look at these I link to below. Also keep in mind that Andy, a member here, can ship anywhere, almost literally, in the world and has pretty good pricing not to mention excellent support. Unfortunately, the consumer grade cameras are not up to the task of real video surveillance despite their advertising them as such.

2231 Review
Review-OEM IPC-T2231RP-ZS 2mp Varifocal Turret Starlight Camera

Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal

Again courtesy of @EMPIRETECANDY EmpireTech Andy we have a new cam to look over. Its a new model in Dahua's new Lite H265 Series of cam's. Available for purchase here: Aliexpress.com - Online Shopping for Electronics, Fashion, Home & Garden, Toys & Sports, Automobiles and more Price is approx...

ipcamtalk.com

3241T-ZAS Review

Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal

IPC-T3241-ZAS from EMPIRETECANDY 2MP WDR Turret Varifocal AI Network Camera Review unit courtesy of Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) in exchange for a fair and honest review. Purchase in the IPCT Store Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: link Andy's AliExpress store: link Andy's Amazon store: link Price...

ipcamtalk.com

Less expensive models -

Budget Dahua Cams or china alternatives under $100?

Well here we go. I dont see anywhere more approriate to discuss this. Ive been messing around with putting together a cctv system for close to 3 years now. Ive bought everything i needed and also bought 2 cheap cams from a third party seller on walmart. Those cams cost me a grand total of $50...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[Sokonomi]

1080p cams won't cut it, I know this for a fact;
A resolution that low will render license plates mostly unreadable.
It's actually the reason why I'm looking to upgrade to higher resolution ones.

I thought Reolink looked pretty good, and seems to be popular.
But I guess if I want to use Blue Iris, they are off the table..

Amcrest, another commonly recommended brand, seems to be US based,
and is difficult to get here without paying a heap of shipping/customs.

Hikvision seems to be rather pricey once you get to the better ones.

I honestly don't know what brand to get anymore.
Does Reolink work on other surveillance software?

 

[sebastiantombs]

The only software Reolink "works" on with any degree of success is their own software. Have you looked at those other threads about Reolink? Many people here are using 2MP cameras for LPR with good success. The biggest keys for LPR are zoom, focal length, and shutter speed especially at night.

New to LPR? Considerations Before You Begin

Thought I would throw together a post on my experiences so far with LPR in an effort to help others that are considering running down that rabbit hole. There are some practical considerations you should know about LPR. I am approaching this from the position of using Blue Iris and Plate...

ipcamtalk.com

LPR

Licence Plate Reader cameras

ipcamtalk.com

Review-Dahua IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E AI Varifocal Bullet

Courtesy of @EMPIRETECANDY at Empire Technology Co., Ltd - Small Orders Online Store, Hot Selling and more on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group And EmpireTech-Andy @ Amazon.com: Price Approximately $220US shipped via DHL...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[sebastiantombs]

The only software Reolink "works" on with any degree of success is their own software. Have you looked at those other threads about Reolink? Many people here are using 2MP cameras for LPR with good success. The biggest keys for LPR are zoom, focal length, and shutter speed especially at night.

New to LPR? Considerations Before You Begin

Thought I would throw together a post on my experiences so far with LPR in an effort to help others that are considering running down that rabbit hole. There are some practical considerations you should know about LPR. I am approaching this from the position of using Blue Iris and Plate...

ipcamtalk.com

LPR

Licence Plate Reader cameras

ipcamtalk.com

Review-Dahua IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E AI Varifocal Bullet

Courtesy of @EMPIRETECANDY at Empire Technology Co., Ltd - Small Orders Online Store, Hot Selling and more on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group And EmpireTech-Andy @ Amazon.com: Price Approximately $220US shipped via DHL...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[sebastiantombs]

I can't figure out how I managed to post that twice

 

[SouthernYankee]

the cameras will more or less work in Blue Iris, you can record the video. But the video will be useless to the Cops and the courts to identify the bad buy. There are 100s of post on the poor quality of Reolink cameras.

The question you need to answer, is what I am trying to protect worth $100 more per camera. Is saving $100 per camera worth getting my car stolen and not be able to identify the bad guy.
Test do not guess. With the reolink camera have a "bad guy" in a hoodie quickly walk pass the camera at night 20 ft from the camera, will the video recorded stand up in court ? if not you have wasted your money.

Reolink: Deconstruction of a dangerous misleading youtube review "Finding the BEST 4K Security Camera NVR Package (Reolink vs Amcrest vs Swann)"

Andy, did you send this guy a camera? He tested one of yours in his last video: actually i don't know he bought the cams from us till a member here send me the link on youtube. I focus on the product mainly everyday, too much work to follow, the new product, the bugs on currently firmware...

ipcamtalk.com

Reolink is a joke

A couple months ago one of my relatives bought a pair of Reolink turret cameras. Somehow he thought I had recommended them :eek:. I told him he should return them. He didn't. So now here I am with one of them to see if it will be useful. Hardware The entire mount is made of plastic. I...

ipcamtalk.com

Reolink E1 Pro PTZ doesn't work on Blue Iris (offical Response)

just wanted to post it here for anyone googling the same question still searching for good quality WiFi PTZ Camera that works with Blue Iris Unfortunately, Amcrest is a bit expensive and only in the US

ipcamtalk.com

 

[Sokonomi]

It seems opinions are divided on this Reolink stuff.
There are a few people who seem to have no issue with it.

And lets be honest, if some dude with a covered up face does something to your car,
it wont matter if you have a shitty wyzecam or a 2000 dollar ubiquiti cam.
If there's no recognisable face, court will likely not take it anyway.

That said, is there any cameras in the 100 to 150 dollar category even worth looking at,
or should I just give up, since spending 2000 bucks on surveillance leaves little left to steal?

 

[sebastiantombs]

Go ahead, buy the Reolink but you'll cry later. The thing to do is buy one camera at a time and build a decent system up over a period of time. I started five years ago and am still adding cameras as budget and time permit. Pick what you value most, want to have the protection on first and start there. I gave you links to decent 2K cameras but you seem to think that they won't work, when they will. You're experience is with cheap 2MP cameras, not cameras that allow adjustment of all parameters to fine tune the video for each specific location.

Don't rely on "opinions", have a look at those links and the video and still shots in them. Heck, even the YouTube videos pushing Reolink rarely show video with motion at night and for a good reason, it's total garbage.

 

[Sokonomi]

I'm not here to defend reolink, But I just don't understand why you are so impressed by that 2MP Dahua.
I can't get a read on most of the license plates that go by, and nightvision is almost entirely washed out?
That's apparently a 230 dollar camera, but at first glance it certainly doesn't seem worth it at all.

 

[TVille]

It seems opinions are divided on this Reolink stuff.
There are a few people who seem to have no issue with it.

And lets be honest, if some dude with a covered up face does something to your car,
it wont matter if you have a shitty wyzecam or a 2000 dollar ubiquiti cam.
If there's no recognisable face, court will likely not take it anyway.

That said, is there any cameras in the 100 to 150 dollar category even worth looking at,
or should I just give up, since spending 2000 bucks on surveillance leaves little left to steal?

There are several cameras in that price range, especially on sale. You just don't get the fancy AI software in the cameras, and night vision suffers as the cheaper cameras run smaller sensors compared to the more expensive ones.

But, you are starting with the wrong approach. You need to identify what you are trying to do, then decide how to do it. You are trying to select hardware without establishing expectations or requirements of that hardware. I have several $80 Loryta/Dahua cameras that work in the applications I have them in. What are you trying to do? Cover a driveway with a street light on each side and sconces on the wall? Cover a totally unlighted back yard? Trying to read license plates at 45 mph, or at a stop sign? Different conditions require different solutions.

 

[TVille]

I'm not here to defend reolink, But I just don't understand why you are so impressed by that 2MP Dahua.
I can't get a read on most of the license plates that go by, and nightvision is almost entirely washed out?
That's apparently a 230 dollar camera, but at first glance it certainly doesn't seem worth it at all.

I assume you are talking about the IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E. Because if properly set up, it will capture license plates in pitch black at 100-175 feet, maybe farther. I have it working reliably at about a 30 degree angle horizontal, and a 30 degree angle vertical capturing plates at night at 110 feet.

 

[sebastiantombs]

The reason I am "impressed" with the 2MP Dahua is because they work and I have also worked with Reolink and that, flat out, doesn't work. Have you worked with anything like a Dahua or just Reolink, consumer grade, "cameras"? You came here asking for advice and haven't wanted to hear anything that will actually get you on the road to having a decent, useable, workable, system. I suspect you haven't read any of the links that have been provided or looked at any of the videos provided. Unless and until you do that you are working with no real world information and have no way to form a comparison or serious opinion.

 

[looney2ns]

I'm not here to defend reolink, But I just don't understand why you are so impressed by that 2MP Dahua.
I can't get a read on most of the license plates that go by, and nightvision is almost entirely washed out?
That's apparently a 230 dollar camera, but at first glance it certainly doesn't seem worth it at all.

You've obviously have not bothered to read the links already provided to you. We can't do it all for you.
Yeah, ignore the many hundreds of hours of combined experience that floats around here for free.
This cam is just fine, when properly setup for the situation.
Review-Dahua IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E AI Varifocal Bullet | IP Cam Talk
Reolink is pure and utter garbage.

 

[Sokonomi]

I was looking at the videos in the link posted by Sebasiantombs, It doesn't appear to do much in regard to readability on plates?
As to nightvision, I've seen better quality in wyze's recent update to their v3 starlight sensors, if im being perfectly honest.

As for the lack of situational info on the cameras, I came asking for an NVR,
but it kinda turned into a "which camera" discussion along the way.
Seeing as it has become relevant now;

My first layer is my parking lot;
A 10 x 30ft strip outside, infront of my store.
I plan on using one good camera here, needs to be able to see license plates,
both parked and moving, as customers car mirrors go flying sometimes..

My second layer is my Showroom;
A 30 x 30ft area, doors lead outside and further in.
I plan on using 2 good cameras here, behind the register and corner next to outside door.

My third layer is my workshop;
A 30 x 15ft area, doors lead to showroom, a small office, and upstairs domicile.
I plan on using 1 good camera here, and an old Wyze in the office as a secondary.

Mu fourth layer is the hallway leading to the upstairs domicile;
Small dark corridor, has rear door exit, but is heavily barred by a metal shutter, so not much of a risk.
I will just use another old Wyze here, since people would have to pass 3 good cameras to get here.

I have 2 more Wyze cams I will just dot in stupid places upstairs,
since I wont rely on these for any legally useful footage.
Roof deck, my aquarium, stuff like that.

Only upgrades I intend to make, if price permits, are office and hallway.

Actually, just forget it.
I came asking for help, get presented a camera that looks utterly terrible for 230 dollars,
and for every argument I try to make about it I get belittled and chewed out.
And while drumming up more info that might help further the cause, you guys just post more insults.
Some bloody welcome that is.

Some of you also seem to think I have shares with reolink; I just thought they looked good, ok?
But the general consensus here seems to be 'get your pitchfork out at the mere sight of the word Reolink'.
Just freaking relax and try to see this from my perspective, before biting my head off right out the gate.

I suspect you haven't read any of the links that have been provided or looked at any of the videos provided.

Utter bullcrud, I even directly referenced one of em.

 

[sebastiantombs]

Well, if you know better than the combined experience of the many here, go ahead and buy the Reolink. I'm sure you'll have exactly what you want and what you pay for. End of discussion.