Which PC for viewing feeds?

[NSCClinic 0]

Hi all,

 

Firstly, these forums have been extremely helpful over the last 6 months as I've built up what I'm sure most people would consider an insane network of IP cameras. Now I'm hoping that some of you might be able to weigh in with some advice - but first, let me tell you what I'm working with.

 

In the company I work in, we have 22 locations scattered across the country. We're a fairly small company, and didn't want to go to the expense of a full blown wired up CCTV system costing thousands of pounds, so over the last 6 months, I have visited each location and while there, installed a Foscam IP camera - just one per site.

 

From head office, we monitor these cameras - just viewing the feeds, as the cameras record directly to an FTP server should I ever need to retrieve footage. Given the task of setting up 22 IP cameras across the country (and lets face it, Foscam isn't exactly premium hardware...) everything has gone remarkably well so far. However, the Foscam client software is terribly unstable, with camera feeds dropping, the client software crashing etc. So I've recently invested in Blue Iris, which I love and is infinitely more stable.

 

To keep the costs low, I used an old-ish laptop to show the camera feeds, all 22 matrixed up. By old, I'm talking Windows 7, Intel Core 2 Duo Centrino processor, 8GB RAM...OK, you can all stop laughing now

 

Running these feeds has pushed the CPU to 100% CONSTANTLY. It spews large amounts of heat, and frankly I'm expecting the laptop to die a death quite soon at this rate.

 

So clearly I need to invest in something a bit more up to the task, and that is where I could use some advice. Bearing in mind I'm on a budget, what sort of spec should I be looking at to receive the camera feeds comfortably? I've done a bit of research, and sure, I could pick up an i7 monster PC and I'm sure it would be great, but I don't really want to get any more power than necessary. Would an i5 do it? i3? I have no idea! Bear in mind that the one and only purpose of this computer will be to receive 22 camera feeds and display them on the screen - no other function, no other software running, just Windows and Blue Iris.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tom

[Securame 0]

Take a look at this:

 

http://images.news.f-secure.com/Web/FSecure/%7B43df9e0d-20a8-404a-86d0-70dcca00b6e5%7D_vulnerabilities-in-foscam-IP-cameras_report.pdf

 

I think there's a saying that goes like "the fool's money makes the travel twice"? You might find yourself sooner or later going again to those 22 locations to install a real security camera.

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. You was doing well till you typed foscam

 

Your talking pounds ? So take it you are in the uk

 

Head office and 22 outlets is a big business and you should not be talking about budget since business cctv in the uk is tax deductible

 

I would swap out your foscams and replace with hikvision 2mp sd cams at each location. Then you could dump each days recordings at separate times at night ..... when head office net work is more free. You still have live view.

 

I would also have a nvr at one of your other locations to get all 22 feeds as a backup if anything happends to head office network

[NSCClinic 0]

Yeah I know Foscam isn't great, but I don't hold the purse strings I'm afraid. They do the job for us, for the right price, and if we have to upgrade in the future then we'll do that. I visit all the sites quite frequently so it's not that big a deal, other than cost.

 

The issue isn't anything to do with recording though, so I don't see how a different camera or NVR would help - the cameras upload to an FTP server individually, and the server is a beast and isn't having any issues with that.

 

The only problem is that using Blue Iris with 22 feeds uses all the CPU processing power (and a bit more the laptop doesn't have).

[NSCClinic 0]

Hi. You was doing well till you typed foscam

 

Your talking pounds ? So take it you are in the uk

 

Head office and 22 outlets is a big business and you should not be talking about budget since business cctv in the uk is tax deductible

 

I would swap out your foscams and replace with hikvision 2mp sd cams at each location. Then you could dump each days recordings at separate times at night ..... when head office net work is more free. You still have live view.

 

I would also have a nvr at one of your other locations to get all 22 feeds as a backup if anything happends to head office network

 

I just realised that you meant that if the head office network went down, the FTP server would be disconnected and recording would stop. Our server is held off site though, so it shouldn't be a problem.