ZoneMinder Forums

This seems to be a popular topic.
I am at the point where I think I'm just going to spring for a real DVR for my cameras; have only a 3ghz cpu with only a single PCI slot and maxxed it out with my 4 camera video card - 4 cams at 1fps - so picked up a Pixord network camera on Ebay so to expand the system.

Zoneminder was able to work with the camera, but zmc just drives the system (and me) crazy with it's cpu usage. System has variable speed fans and I can hear them going on and off as ZMC cycles up and down.

Didn't seem to matter if net cam was set to Monitor or Modect.
I disabled the network cam and it's quiet again with my 4 cameras at 1fps.

Will leave the Pixord on, but will just monitor it over network without ZM. Unfortunately, will have to open a port on my Netscreen router.

Have read here where network cameras use considerably more cpu but didn't think it would be so bad.

So.......... since I only use Linux, and Pixord p300 requires Windows activex, is there any way on Linux to just stream the network camera.


Thanks,

Jim

Try using VLC (VideoLan client) to pick up the camera stream; VLC works wonders with oddball video and audio streams and will help you figure it out. I think you got it right with the camera compatibility causing the high load. I just pulled up a remote system, for example, with 4 analog cameras hooked up to a PV-149 (560X420, 10 fps each) and three IP cameras (640X480, 10 fps each) with all in modect. The current system load is .38 with one monitor in alarm state. The cpu is a 3.0 ghz, memory installed is 1 gig, gen one sata HD, gigabit network.

I tried vlc and can't get it to pick up the stream. The Pixord is a cheapee and one of those that require internet explorer activex.

Zoneminder picks it up with this: ipaddess/getimage?camera=1&fmt=sif

Not to worry tho', I have a VMware WinXP

Thanks,

Jim