Higher CPU after swapping out Foscam FI9831W with Amcrest IP4M-1041W - what could I try?

N

nikleb

Getting the hang of it
Jan 4, 2015
105
6
I needed to replace a broken Foscam cam. My other cameras are Hikvison domes. Ended up with the Amcrest IP4M-1041W. The CPU went to 59% without UI and 89% with UI. Prior, with Foscam, CPU without UI was below 50%. Of course it is a 4MP vs 1.3MP cam.
It has been a while since I played with settings to manage BlueIris CPU. I already changed the camera to 1080p (on the camera web setting).
 
wow! CPU down to 37%.
I enabled it in the camera web settings and then had to select it in the BlueIris drop-down box.

Is this best practice to use sub streams? What resolution is advisable for sub-stream to still have good motion detection?
Does it then make sense to increase main stream video to max resolution?

My sub-stream is on 640x480 30FPS 512 Kb/S

P.S. non of my hikvision outdoor cams have sub stream configured....
 
Yes, you should use substreams for every camera and watch the CPU drop.

For most, D1 is sufficient for substream and adequate motion detection.

You could also drop FPS to 15.

And you should always run mainstream and native resolution of camera if possible.
 
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wittaj said:
Yes, you should use substreams for every camera and watch the CPU drop.

For most, D1 is sufficient for substream and adequate motion detection.

You could also drop FPS to 15.

And you should always run mainstream and native resolution of camera if possible.
Click to expand...
So, this is one of the moments where I feel like a dummy. After using BlueIris for years didn't know about that.
Server only CPU is now down to 15%!
In my defense, BlueIris config-detect also did not set it up. Talking about that. I forced BlueIris for my Hikvisions's DS-2CD2542FWD to stream paths:
main: /Streaming/Channels/101/
sub /Streaming/Channels/102/
Seemed to be ok.

Last I need to checkout my Amcrest doorbell cam.

With that CPU, I can add many more cameras
:)
 
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Yes. It will record in substream until triggered and then switch to mainstream. The location and options depends on the version you on.
 
I found another setting to further reduce CPU load. Changed from "Re-encode with settings" to " Direct-to-disc". No idea what is best practice or why mine was se the ways it was.

However, I still have the new recording video quality issue after I configured sub streams.
1.) The video in camera tile view is a bit fuzzy (lower quality). I expected that, using now sub stream video quality
2.) When I click on one of the camera for full or larger display, the video will switch after 2 seconds or so to higher quality.
3.) In motion recordings the video remains in low quality

Here are my settings. Is there something that could cause this?
Find/inspect will keep it generic. Manually changed to Hikvision. But I don't recall this change having any effect

1788128393736.png

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and here is one hikvision cam example
:
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Have you tried turning off 'Display overlays live' to see how much CPU that is using as it can add a lot to CPU use depending on the overlays?

I suspect the change of camera and increasing the pixel count three fold is just highlighting some less than optimal settings generally such as the direct to disk you've already found.
 
rkn said:
Have you tried turning off 'Display overlays live' to see how much CPU that is using as it can add a lot to CPU use depending on the overlays?

I suspect the change of camera and increasing the pixel count three fold is just highlighting some less than optimal settings generally such as the direct to disk you've already found.
Click to expand...
CPU usage is not longer a problem at this point. My issue now is recordings are not in main stream quality, BI does not switch from sub to main (or not fast enough)
 
Per your Recording tab screenshot you are recording only 'When triggered'. Have you tried increasing the 'Pre-Trigger record time' (currently 1 second). Your delayed playback is likely due to the lack of a key frame in the currently short pre-trigger record time (see diagram in the Help PDF excerpt screenshot below).

You may find helpful bp2008's excellent new BVR Player tool for visualizing your BVR's sub-stream and main-stream recording tracks. For more details, check out this thread.

You noted above that you are still on BI5. Details on dual-stream recording have been illustrated in the PDF help since ~5.8.9.x. The following excerpt is from the 5.8.9.2 Help PDF.

1788187932981.png 1788187959792.png
 
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In your camera settings the iframe number is not correct, that would possibly cause a delay switching from sub to main, you should make sure that the "Frame Rate" matches the "Iframe" number for both the main stream and the sub stream (BI is much happier if they match)
 
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jaydeel said:
Per your Recording tab screenshot you are recording only 'When triggered'. Have you tried increasing the 'Pre-Trigger record time' (currently 1 second). Your delayed playback is likely due to the lack of a key frame in the currently short pre-trigger record time (see diagram in the Help PDF excerpt screenshot below).

You may find helpful bp2008's excellent new BVR Player tool for visualizing your BVR's sub-stream and main-stream recording tracks. For more details, check out this thread.

You noted above that you are still on BI5. Details on dual-stream recording have been illustrated in the PDF help since ~5.8.9.x. The following excerpt is from the 5.8.9.2 Help PDF.

View attachment 248433 View attachment 248434
Click to expand...

Thank you and @Bruce_H . I increase on all cameras pre-trigger record time to 2 seconds.
I changed the main stream frame rates to match sub stream frame rates:
  • on hikvision's: 15/15 fps
  • on new Amcrest: 30/30 fps
  • not exactly sure yet on door bell camera

Results:
  • initial impression: recordings show full resolution (but need to test some more)
  • when double-clicking on camera til in BI, it still takes about 2 seconds to switch (but I rarely use)
  • with all of that CPU is very low: ~8% with just server running. Jumps to 22% with BI open. Now I imagine if all cameras trigger CPU will go much higher
 
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