High CPU load on my CCTV PC with 2 avermedia NV5000 cards

[liukuohao 0]

Hi,

 

I just built a new CCTV PC with the following spec. below:

 

Intel Pentium D 930 3GHz FSB:800MHz

Kingston 1GB DDR2 PC800 x2 = 2GB

Asus P5KL-AM motherboard(Intel G31 chipset)

Sapphire ATI HD 3850 512MB 64bit PCI-E

Seagate Barracuda SATAII 320GB x2 = 640DB

Avermedia NV5000 PCI card x2 = 8 channels.

 

A fresh installed of the following software:

Windows XP Pro SP3

Avermedia NV DVR 7.7.0.0055SP3

 

I have noticed a problem from my new CCTV PC,

when the Avermedia surveillance software

is loaded and running with no analog CCTV

cameras attached. My CPU load is already

staying at about 50% and while 8 cameras

are connected, the load will hover around

about 80%. All CPU load % was displayed

on the task manager. So, as you can imagine,

the PC will hit 100% when it is doing exporting

video files and plus some other things.

 

Note: Recording size = 352 x 288 (not D1 resolution)

and compression = Advanced MPEG4.

 

Questions:

1) What could be the reason of having high CPU load

when no cameras are connected?

 

2) Am I having a slow hardware spec that causes

the high CPU load on the system?

 

3) Could any anti virus or anti malware be the cause

of the high CPU loading?

 

Thanks for any advice given, your feedback is much

appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Regards,

Marcus

[liukuohao 0]

Hi,

 

I just built a new CCTV PC with the following spec. below:

 

Intel Pentium D 930 3GHz FSB:800MHz

Kingston 1GB DDR2 PC800 x2 = 2GB

Asus P5KL-AM motherboard(Intel G31 chipset)

Sapphire ATI HD 3850 512MB 64bit PCI-E

Seagate Barracuda SATAII 320GB x2 = 640DB

Avermedia NV5000 PCI card x2 = 8 channels.

 

A fresh installed of the following software:

Windows XP Pro SP3

Avermedia NV DVR 7.7.0.0055SP3

 

I have noticed a problem from my new CCTV PC,

when the Avermedia surveillance software

is loaded and running with no analog CCTV

cameras attached. My CPU load is already

staying at about 50% and while 8 cameras

are connected, the load will hover around

about 80%. All CPU load % was displayed

on the task manager. So, as you can imagine,

the PC will hit 100% when it is doing exporting

video files and plus some other things.

 

Note: Recording size = 352 x 288 (not D1 resolution)

and compression = Advanced MPEG4.

 

Questions:

1) What could be the reason of having high CPU load

when no cameras are connected?

 

2) Am I having a slow hardware spec that causes

the high CPU load on the system?

 

3) Could any anti virus or anti malware be the cause

of the high CPU loading?

 

Thanks for any advice given, your feedback is much

appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Regards,

Marcus

 

It seems like I am not the only person is having this kind of problem about the

slowness when using the the latest software: Avermedia NV DVR 7.7.0.0055SP3.

 

Please read this thread that I have found:

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=19663- This guy is using a

Intel Quad processor + Asus motherboard with Intel chipset and the slowness

was the one of the real issue.

 

It seems to me that Avermedia NV DVR 7.7.0.0055SP3 is only meant

for NV6000 cards and higher series models. And it does not support the

NV5000 card

 

If the older software: Avermedia NV DVR v7.3.0.0043d is installed on my

CCTV PC(which has 2 cards of NV5000), the problem about slowness and high

CPU load, does not seem to exist.

 

Does anyone agree with me?

 

Your feedback is much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

Regards,

Marcus

[liukuohao 0]

Hi all,

 

I have to correct something I stated before:

No matter which version of NV DVR software v7.x series is installed on my

Pentium-D 930 system, the slowness(high CPU load) still persist and I have a hard time

finding the cause of the problem!!!!

 

Now, I think I have found a way to solve the problem of mine .

 

The recommended hardware list from avermedia website is

not 100% true. Meaning that if you a Pentium 4 system

running a single NV5000 dvr card, the CPU may handle the

load. However, for a system to support dual NV5000 dvr

cards, A Pentium 4 3GHz is just not fast enough to carry

out the task of recording and displaying 8 channels

25fps using AdvancedMPEG4 compression.

If you do, the CPU load is always at 90-99% max.

 

Note: The Pentium 4 system is not being used for anything else

except for CCTV surveillance.

 

Ok, now I thought, a Pentium-D 930 3GHz will do a faster job.

Nope. . It is actually not quite fast enough,

its CPU load is hovering around about 80% a little a bit better,

but still not fast enough.

 

So, eventually, I have to dismantle everything and bought

the following hardware:

 

1) Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93GHz CPU

2) Asus P5G41CM-LX motherboard

 

Now, the E7500 2.93GHz CPU is doing about 25% which

is now fast enough to do other things, like exporting

video footage out from the video archive.

 

So, I think the recommended minimum CPU hardware is

a Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 and not Pentium 4.

The avermedia technical people should update this information.

This will save a lot hassle later on from other avermedia users.

 

Thanks.

[rory 0]

I dont think anyone is going to be building a new system with a P4 now anyway. Also the newer Pentium Dual cores (eg. E5300, etc) should be fine as well, Ive used them for recent 16 channel Geovision systems without issue. I would take a look at what else is installed on the OS, if you have anti virus software that could certainly slow it down alot.

[liukuohao 0]

I dont think anyone is going to be building a new system with a P4 now anyway. Also the newer Pentium Dual cores (eg. E5300, etc) should be fine as well, Ive used them for recent 16 channel Geovision systems without issue. I would take a look at what else is installed on the OS, if you have anti virus software that could certainly slow it down alot.

 

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

True, I myself follow the hardware spec. to the dot, and thought

the P4 will be suffice to handle the task (As I have a P4 system

lying around doing absolute nothing and it will be good that I put it

in good use).

 

But obviously not!!! Even, the Pentium-D CPU

cannot handle the processing job using 2 NV5000 DVR cards

efficently. Every now and then, I can feel there is a bottleneck

some where in the system. If all 8 channels are capturing moving

objects, then the CPU has to work harder to catch up the load of

compression and recording.

 

The hardware spec on the Avermedia website has not been updated.

Therefore, it will be wise for them to revise it because the information

is definitely outdated.

 

And...for your information, no anti virus software was installed

on any of my CCTV PC.

 

Thanks.

[tomcctv 190]

I dont think anyone is going to be building a new system with a P4 now anyway. Also the newer Pentium Dual cores (eg. E5300, etc) should be fine as well, Ive used them for recent 16 channel Geovision systems without issue. I would take a look at what else is installed on the OS, if you have anti virus software that could certainly slow it down alot.

 

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

True, I myself follow the hardware spec. to the dot, and thought

the P4 will be suffice to handle the task (As I have a P4 system

lying around doing absolute nothing and it will be good that I put it

in good use). [attachment=0]6-11-2010 8-51-47 PM.jpg[/attachment]

 

But obviously not!!! Even, the Pentium-D CPU

cannot handle the processing job using 2 NV5000 DVR cards

efficently. Every now and then, I can feel there is a bottleneck

some where in the system. If all 8 channels are capturing moving

objects, then the CPU has to work harder to catch up the load of

compression and recording.

 

The hardware spec on the Avermedia website has not been updated.

Therefore, it will be wise for them to revise it because the information

is definitely outdated.

 

And...for your information, no anti virus software was installed

on any of my CCTV PC.

 

Thanks.

 

 

can i ask why you used 2 nv5000 cards why did you not just use 1 card and a add on card to give you 8. and it would have been cheaper to have just used the nv6000 than buying 2 nv5000.

 

the spec you have listed is for 1 card. and 1 BNC video extention card. to give you 8

[liukuohao 0]

I dont think anyone is going to be building a new system with a P4 now anyway. Also the newer Pentium Dual cores (eg. E5300, etc) should be fine as well, Ive used them for recent 16 channel Geovision systems without issue. I would take a look at what else is installed on the OS, if you have anti virus software that could certainly slow it down alot.

 

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

True, I myself follow the hardware spec. to the dot, and thought

the P4 will be suffice to handle the task (As I have a P4 system

lying around doing absolute nothing and it will be good that I put it

in good use). [attachment=0]6-11-2010 8-51-47 PM.jpg[/attachment]

 

But obviously not!!! Even, the Pentium-D CPU

cannot handle the processing job using 2 NV5000 DVR cards

efficently. Every now and then, I can feel there is a bottleneck

some where in the system. If all 8 channels are capturing moving

objects, then the CPU has to work harder to catch up the load of

compression and recording.

 

The hardware spec on the Avermedia website has not been updated.

Therefore, it will be wise for them to revise it because the information

is definitely outdated.

 

And...for your information, no anti virus software was installed

on any of my CCTV PC.

 

Thanks.

 

 

can i ask why you used 2 nv5000 cards why did you not just use 1 card and a add on card to give you 8. and it would have been cheaper to have just used the nv6000 than buying 2 nv5000.

 

the spec you have listed is for 1 card. and 1 BNC video extention card. to give you 8

 

Hi tomcctv,

 

Thanks for the comment and question.

 

Very simple, simply because my customer wants a 200 fps video surveillance system.

Meaning, he does not want to see non-real time channels.

 

You are right, I can add on the extension 4 BNC connector to make up 8 channels but that

arrangement will lower the fps to = 12.5 fps (100fps/8) which not desirable in this project.

 

I don't think the NV6000 is available in the market, is there? The next availabe model is the

NV6240EAV which to the customer is cost prohibitive.

 

Anyway, that is beside my point. My point is about the hardware recommended list

should be updated to use Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 CPU 2.93GHz or the

Pentium Dual Core E6500 2.9GHz. Both CPUs have a higher FSB= 1066MHz.

Instead of the Pentium 4 CPU 3 GHz which has got a FSB= 800MHz.

This CPU it is not fast enough to handle all the processing task.

 

Thanks.

[rory 0]

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

True, I myself follow the hardware spec. to the dot, and thought

the P4 will be suffice to handle the task (As I have a P4 system

lying around doing absolute nothing and it will be good that I put it

in good use).

Really cannot depend on manufacturer specs these days ... in anything!

Even geo lists I think P4s but try running their new software on that, software that is developed on some super computer, and see how much it drags and hangs. In fact my main PC is a used P4 3.ghz .. runs great I can watch movies and all .. I even develop on it. But some new software just wont run, and if thats the case I dont want to use it anyway.

 

But obviously not!!! Even, the Pentium-D CPU

cannot handle the processing job using 2 NV5000 DVR cards

efficently. Every now and then, I can feel there is a bottleneck

some where in the system. If all 8 channels are capturing moving

objects, then the CPU has to work harder to catch up the load of

compression and recording.

Yep, I recently had a drive crash on an old PC DVR that a client had, the PC DVR people didnt have the old version of the software so had to use a new version, needless to say the old hardware (P4 2.4) had issues performing with that where the CPU hovered around 80-100% with 12 cameras connected at D1 or even Half D1, ended up having to set them all to CIF and the client will have no choice but to either buy a new PC or get a whole new DVR.

 

The E5300's etc tend to run fast enough, havent noticed a huge difference between them and the more expensive Core 2 Duos, at least they certainly dont go anywhere near 100% CPU usage. If one is on a budget the Core 2's are too much $, otherwise if they can afford it then go Core 2 at least, if not Quad Core.

 

Ofcourse I strip down all my XP DVRs so they will be much faster than any other.

[liukuohao 0]

Dear rory,

 

Avermedia and Geovision are both Taiwanese companies.

Their software developers or field application engineers(fae)

are too engrossed/worried about testing thier DVR software

that they tend to forget that outside from thier testing labs,

many people are still using old hardware, like the Pentium 4s,

while they are developing software on higher end machines.

I think the engineers/developers hired from outside(outsource)

So, therefore they have outlooked this minor issue.

 

Great!!!, it sounds like you are agreeing to my findings.

At least, I am not the only person is having this kind of problem!

 

I think is fair to everyone that a sticky be written and posted on

top of this forum to warn Avermedia and Geovision users, don't you agree?

 

I think low end Pentium Dual Core is suffice to meet all the hardware

requirements at this stage. But, it is hard to imagine, how your customer

PC with a Pentium 4 2.4GHz can support 15 cameras efficently!!!!

I bet the response to do anything on the PC must be very slow.

 

The last time, I used a Pentium 4 system to support 3 cameras while

have dual NV5000 dvr cards, I had a problem with the exporting of

video footage while coverting to avi file. The result of playing back the

avi video footage was horrible. The video playback had pixelating

problem while watching it. Boxes of boxes showing up, so I suspected at

that time, the CPU was not fast enough to do the job. And guess what?

It turned out to be true.

 

On a side note, I am venturing out to search for DVR cards that runs

on top of open source, like Linux. The advantage is that customer

does not need to buy a window license solely for the purpose

of running the DVR software. When customer don't need to buy a license,

then customer can save some money to buy an extra camera instead.

Tough, Linux DVR cards are not cheap these days.

 

Thanks.

[rory 0]

Yes I agree, even Geo has the old requirements on their site (last I checked), and it doesnt stop there, look at MS Windows and Vista and 7 .. to really run those OS well or close to how well XP runs one basically needs a super computer also. Come on NEW Developers, I even develop and test my non Billion dollar software on a basic PC for ultimate GUI speed, especially as there are so many slow netbooks out there - developers of today seem to have alot to learn about their customers. TDN IR Bullets are generally not as good as they used to be, cant even remove the IR Ring to disable the IR - although Domes have gotten better, though DSS and digital day night are destroying the industry along with millions of retailers and distributors that dont know the first thing about the product they sell. The last couple years I have witnessed so much technology go backwards instead of forwards it is not funny now. I feel sad actually

 

Well alls well that ends well. You got the faster CPU and it works now.

But I agree a sticky may be a good idea, here as well as in the Geo sub forum.

I will look into it, will check with the admin.

 

The nice thing about this forum is this also. When we find issues however small they are we should post them. For example I bought a WD AV Drive for a Geo DVR and I had skipping on the recordings. After weeks of tests in the end It was the drive, a green drive, even though standard tests with the OS came back okay, switching to a USB 5400rpm drive even made a difference, and eventually a WD Blue drive fixed it - so WD AV drives dont work well with Geo, maybe other drives also.

 

Rory

[liukuohao 0]

Hi rory,

 

All this while, I have been dealing with NV5000 cards which

is using software compression. Meaning, it requires

high CPU cycles to handle the processing job of compressing

video frames.

 

On the other hand, have you ever dealt with the NV7480 card?

This is card is using hardware compression. I know the price is

quite costly. But, I suspect that it may work on a Pentium 4

system since the card has its own processor to do the compression

on the fly, by its own. What do you think?

 

Any comment and advice is much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[cglaeser 0]

so WD AV drives dont work well with Geo, maybe other drives also.

 

I've had more drive problems in the past five years than the twenty preceding years. There have been several reports of problems with the Green drives on this forum, and perhaps they are a problem with continued use, IDK. I've had quite a few high-end Seagate drives with Reallocated Sector Counts that would increase over time, which is not a total failure, but is an indication there is a potential problem with the drive and may need replacement in the future. I've replaced more than six of these drives in the past several years when the count started increasing every few days or weeks. In addition, I've had three drive failures, including one of each Hitachi, WD,and Seagate, all high-end (not Green). FWIW.

 

Best,

Christopher

[vnzill 0]

I'm using an AMD 3400+ 2.41Ghz CPU (about six years old) and am quite sure it is faster than a P4. I've had computer crashes due to an overloaded CPU (at least 99% sure see my problem thread viewtopic.php?f=43&t=23164 )

 

Try using version 7.1.0.0057g as it certainly reduced CPU load and enabled my computer to run the NV5000.

 

If I was building a new machine I would use about the faster processor I could find. This software can be a system hog. The export of video clips is where the CPU really works hard if also recording at the same time.

[liukuohao 0]

I'm using an AMD 3400+ 2.41Ghz CPU (about six years old) and am quite sure it is faster than a P4. I've had computer crashes due to an overloaded CPU (at least 99% sure see my problem thread viewtopic.php?f=43&t=23164 )

 

Try using version 7.1.0.0057g as it certainly reduced CPU load and enabled my computer to run the NV5000.

 

If I was building a new machine I would use about the faster processor I could find. This software can be a system hog. The export of video clips is where the CPU really works hard if also recording at the same time.

 

Dear vnzill

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I did not know that you able to run the Avermedia software

on an AMD CPU.

 

I taking a wild guess.................

I reakon, there is something to do with the FSB, if the FSB

is 800Mhz(like using Pentium 4 3GHz), no matter how fast the

CPU is, not even a Pentium-D Dual Core socket 775 can match

the FSB speed of the Pentium Dual Core E6XXX series CPU which

is running at FSB = 1066. At this moment, the Pentium Dual Core

E6500 is said to be able to support the Avermedia NV software.

 

Correct, exporting of video clips using Pentium 4 did not work

100%. Basically, it managed to export but the footage was

almost have pixelating problem which I could not work out

what was the scene about.

 

I think there is enough consensus to say that this forum

should have a "sticky" for warning all Avermedia user to

avoid building low end system like the Pentium 4 which is not

supported at all if Avermedia NV DVR software is used, even though

it is listed on the hardware requirement.

 

I think the moderator already knows about it and waiting to

get confirmation from the adminstrator.

 

Thanks.