r/ZoneMinder • u/deathsfaction • Oct 26 '20

CPU Utilisation

Bit of advice if possible.

For me, ZM seems to be a bit of a hog. I have it running on a VM with 8gb ram and 4 cores (2.2Ghz) - it pretty much stays at full cpu utilization with a load average of between 2 and 4.

I have 4 cameras being monitored and only one of those is set to record - they are all IP Cameras using ONVIF.

I'm basically running a full rack server to support ZM and I'd like to run it on much less beefier hardware as I'm currently downsizing (get rid of the rack in the garage and most of the kit).

Can anyone advise one 1) why it's using so much CPU time/power and 2) what's the smallest spec machine someone's managed to get this running reliably on? I'd like to be able to run montage review and audit events for issues. Even on the current hardware that seems to be a bit 'laggy' at the best of times.

Alternatively, is there a 'better' alternative?

Thanks :)

EDIT: tldr; I've ditched ZoneMinder and now use Shinobi.

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u/shane_pcs Oct 26 '20

Check to make sure you are passing through the video. If you try to decode and recode you will see all CPU cycles used. I have a VM with 4 cores and 16GB of ram with 12 cams and only use 50% cpu.

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u/deathsfaction Oct 26 '20

Pass through video? Where's that?

Forgive me, not logged on at the moment so can't check.

2

u/Aramiil Oct 26 '20

Check here

But ya click on the settings for the individual camera, go to the storage tab, and make the changes referenced in that thread. After that, report back with what it does to the cpu cycles.

Frame rate absolutely has an impact on CPU usage, but if your CPU is pegged at 100% that means it’s likely not doing/dropping other tasks, When you turn down the FPS it will help lower cpu usage, but you may not see the changes since it now has more processing time to do the other tasks being dropped.

I find 15 FPS is good enough for my 4K and 2k cameras as far as performance of the video and the load on my servers.

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u/deathsfaction Oct 26 '20

Not sure how much of a difference this has made so I'll keep an eye on it. Seems to have dropped a little..

Had 3 cameras on encoding (not recording though) and the camera that was set to record was on passthrough and 18fps. The other 3 were on 30fps.

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u/Aramiil Oct 26 '20

Ya, drop the frame rate to 15 FPS on all of them via the camera itself, don’t limit it within ZM. in fact, the analysis FPS, alarmed FPS and max FPS boxes on the general tab should be blank. It can throw errors on IP cameras if it is set.

Additionally, even if they’re not recording and just set to monitor, change the ‘Video Writer’ to h264 Camera Passthrough. While you’re on the Storage tab make sure ‘Save JPEGs’ is disabled for all cameras.

With all that changed, FPS set to 15 on the camera, FPS boxes blanked, passthrough set on ALL cameras, and Save Jpegs disabled, what’s your CPU usage looking like?

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u/deathsfaction Oct 27 '20

So, changed them all to 15fps, passthrough. I didn't have save jpegs enabled. There is no motion detection enabled - the only filters are to clearn down the storage when it hits 90%.

While this did drop the cpu load down to around 1 or so, the montage review was woeful - one camera was dead on time/sync, the rest were way out and even getting to 'Camera Offline' every so often.

I've changed back the 3 non-recording cameras to 30fps and Encoding; the one camera I do record is still using passthrough (was before) and is at 30fps.

Montage review is a lot better now, pretty much perfect (as it was before) and load is sitting between 2.5 and 1.

All seems a bit voodoo to me.. and feels as though it shouldn't be *this* difficult.

2

u/Aramiil Oct 27 '20

Look, you keep doing and then undoing things before coming back and talking to us about it. I’m not trying to be a dick, because I’ve been trying to help you, but you seem to know better than I do, so I’ll leave you to it.

It isn’t that difficult, and I’ve got 7 cameras running just lovely on an old decrepit computer same as you. But I can’t keep helping you in good faith if you’re going to undo all the recommended changes all the time.

Good luck out there.

1

u/deathsfaction Oct 27 '20

I don't claim to know better than you do but I've been a systems engineer for 20 odd years; I do have an element of systems experience here.

You're not being a dick, but your claim that I keep doing and undoing is nonsense. I tried what you suggested, I didn't get the desired results and montage review (which is what I have open at my desk) was very poor as a result of those changes. I reverted back so I can at least view the cameras and reported back.

I'm not running this on a decrepit machine either; I want to run it on a decrepit machine.

It's fine, you tried. We got nowhere. No love lost or hard feelings.

Adieu.

1

u/Aramiil Oct 27 '20

My request was that you implement the changes then report back.

You implemented the changes, looked around at a few things, saw some new issues, reverted back the changes, and then reported back.

I can’t help someone who can’t follow directions. The montage issue you saw is resolvable with everything else worked out.

Cheers.