Question / Help New computer?

[93coder]

Like a lot of churches, we started streaming due to Coronavirus. We are seeing the viewers grow, and want to keep streaming once the dust settles. Right now we are using a Mevo with GoPro2OBS but today ordered a PTZOptics camera to replace it. I love technology and can’t wait to set it up.

We stream to Facebook, so I have a browser open full time. With OBS and Proclaim (slides), I have 3 windows open. At a minimum, I think a second monitor is in order.

The question is, should we upgrade the computer? It’s an older Dell Optiplex 990 i7 (I did just upgrade to SSD and 12GB ram) but when streaming, the CPU is about 50% (I think partially due to using a full screen chroma key filter)

What hardware are you guys using? Is 50% CPU close to a danger zone?

 

[BionicClick]

if you are using x264 encoding and your CPU is not hitting 100% and not causing dropped frames for encode or render then you A OK.

The best cost effective way to do more with less CPU is buy a 1660 nvidia graphics card and use NVENC encoding. its as good if not better than x264 medium.

 

[FerretBomb]

Agreed, a GTX 1660 or 1650 Super (not the non-super or Ti, specifically the Super) would be an easy, low-cost way to really improve your video massively. The Turing NVENC core tests out on par with x264 Slow, which is going to be miles better than whatever the i7 in that Optiplex is able to handle. As you aren't gaming, the CPU is only going to be dealing with decoding video streams from your camera as its heaviest load, and bottlenecking isn't even a concern in your use-case.

 

[93coder]

Thanks!

 

[93coder]

I had recently purchased a Nvidia Quadro P400 for another purpose, and saw that it had NVENC. I wanted to share that I was quite surprised in this little card. It brought the CPU from 50% to 25%, and the card itself is 25% usage. Sure, we don't do crazy streaming, but I think this solution saved us from having to buy a whole new computer. Plus, the quality settings are maxed out.

 

[FerretBomb]

The P400 has Pascal NVENC, which normally runs around x264 Fast to Faster, as opposed to Turing NVENC which is around x264 Slow (slower is better). It should definitely work for your purpose though!