Video streaming CPU upgrade

[thepokemonkid]

Hi All,

I have been using my FreeNAS server recently to video stream across my network to my other PC's and now my Raspberry PI (Using OSMC).

I have simply setup on my windows computers a mapped network drive of the FreeNAS storage.

The issue which I have come into is that the video stream seams to stutter and stop at times when the server has been running a few days. This is usually resolved by rebooting the server, however I don't want to have to do this every time I watch a movie or a new episode of GOT.

My server is used for both file storage and media streaming.

My current system
FreeNAS version 9.3
CPU: Intel i3 4130t 1150 socket (Low power CPU)
Motherboard: Supermicro X10SAE
RAM: 32gb of Kingston ECC RAM
HDD: 8x 2tb WD reds in RAID Z2
Network: em0, em1, em2 and igb0 in a single LACP

My question is:
Is my CPU up to the job? I understand its a low power CPU and not greatly powerful but would upgrading to one of the low power i5's or even low power i7's be worth it? I am looking at the i5-4590T and that range of CPU's and above (Whichever I can find cheapest.) Or is there a better CPU I could look at than these, I am looking for lower power CPU's however!

My second question is: if I upgrade the CPU, is it as simple as drop the new CPU into place and it will work or do I need to reinstall FreeNAS?

 

[BigDave]

My second question is: if I upgrade the CPU, is it as simple as drop the new CPU into place and it will work or do I need to reinstall FreeNAS?

FreeNAS will boot and detect hardware without the need for an update/reinstall. It will just work.

Is my CPU up to the job? I understand its a low power CPU and not greatly powerful but would upgrading to one of the low power i5's or even low power i7's be worth it? I am looking at the i5-4590T and that range of CPU's and above (Whichever I can find cheapest.) Or is there a better CPU I could look at than these, I am looking for lower power CPU's however!

As far as CPU goes any i5 or i7 processor will not work with your ECC RAM, at this point you need to get with the boards manufacturer
and your mobo manual and check the cpu compatibility list. Is your stuttering due to your cpu, to be honest, I don't know.
As far as power is concerned, modern Intel CPUs will idle when not being asked to work, so in that regard, they are all pretty much "low power".

 

[ethereal]

i doubt the cpu is the problem - if the cpu was the problem it would occur all the time - not after a few days.

my cpu is low power and it easily steams 4 hd videos to my machines.

if you think the cpu is the problem check out the reporting tab and see if it is maxed out when you have your problem.

 

[thepokemonkid]

FreeNAS will boot and detect hardware without the need for an update/reinstall. It will just work.

As far as CPU goes any i5 or i7 processor will not work with your ECC RAM, at this point you need to get with the boards manufacturer
and your mobo manual and check the cpu compatibility list. Is your stuttering due to your cpu, to be honest, I don't know.
As far as power is concerned, modern Intel CPUs will idle when not being asked to work, so in that regard, they are all pretty much "low power".

That is perfect that I dont have to redo all my FreeNAS install if I do end upgrading...

I just went down all the 1150 low power intel chips and ECC support stops at the last of the i3's... So it looks like it would be a Xeon upgrade...
I am going to do some testing to see what is happening when the stuttering starts.

The PC I am streaming too is pretty powerful as is connected to the same switch, so I am thinking less and less it is a network issue.

Thats good to know! However I will also need a compatible PSU for this? I will need to check my PSU box as I remember PSU's being released with low power states from Haswell's release.

EDIT: Just checked and the XFX passive PSU I have got has support for the Haswell low power states!

 

[thepokemonkid]

i doubt the cpu is the problem - if the cpu was the problem it would occur all the time - not after a few days.

my cpu is low power and it easily steams 4 hd videos to my machines.

if you think the cpu is the problem check out the reporting tab and see if it is maxed out when you have your problem.

I am going to do some testing to see what exactly is going on. I dont want to fork out £120 to find out it isn't the CPU and is something else...

Interesting to know that your CPU can do 4 HD video streams! As mine should struggle with just one!

 

[BigDave]

if you think the cpu is the problem check out the reporting tab and see if it is maxed out when you have your problem.

This is an excellent suggestion, start a stream from FreeNAS to another device and check the Reporting section of the GUI
and take a look at the memory/cpu/network tabs. If the problem is FreeNAS, it will show there.

 

[Jailer]

Out of curiosity are your clients that your streaming to on a wired connection or wireless?

 

[thepokemonkid]

Out of curiosity are your clients that your streaming to on a wired connection or wireless?

One is wired, the other is wireless. They both have the same problems at the same time. However I am not able to get it to show the same issues right now.

I will try again when I get back from my holiday!

 

[nojohnny101]

I have a Intel G3258 and my freeNAS box easily streams to 4 other clients (1080p). If i had to put money down, I would say it is NOT your CPU. Report back after testing!

 

[jgreco]

Also, the "low power" CPU's are a waste. Do not buy low power CPU's unless you actually have issues with cooling. Low power CPU's probably take up more power in the long run.

 

[SweetAndLow]

When you say streaming what do you mean? Are you using plex or emby?

I would start by removing the nic bonding you have configured because it's only making the problem more complicated and it's probably not helping you. Then don't test using WiFi because if something is slow it's always the wifi. Then use top to check CPU usage and the reporting graphs to check network usage.

 

[thepokemonkid]

I am back and ready, however I think the issue might be solved already!

I have a Intel G3258 and my freeNAS box easily streams to 4 other clients (1080p). If i had to put money down, I would say it is NOT your CPU. Report back after testing!

I dont think it is the CPU problem, however I have got plans to upgrade it. I am going to take the low power CPU and put it into my PFSense router when I come to build it.

Also, the "low power" CPU's are a waste. Do not buy low power CPU's unless you actually have issues with cooling. Low power CPU's probably take up more power in the long run.

It runs fairly well, however the CPU was originally going to be in my router and got put into here after my last FreeNAS box died...

When you say streaming what do you mean? Are you using plex or emby?

I would start by removing the nic bonding you have configured because it's only making the problem more complicated and it's probably not helping you. Then don't test using WiFi because if something is slow it's always the wifi. Then use top to check CPU usage and the reporting graphs to check network usage.

Well my Raspberry Pi 3 has got OSMC installed onto it and is connected to the directories where my films/ tv series are held. It then plays them directly from that location.

My Little PC (I7-4770k, 16gb RAM and GTX 970) does the same however I have windows 10 installed on it and I am running the file from the server through VLC player.


However I think the problem has been solved in two parts. First, the CIF was setup as local master, this was putting a line of text up on the server's screen because it was clashing with my fathers home server (windows) which must also of been setup as Local master.

I noticed this issue when we were watching game of thrones. I saw out the corner of my eye the clash happened as there was two of them in the same workgroup. In fact SweetAndLow solved that in this thread! So thanks! When the clash happened, was when the video would stutter, this happened a few it would also do the same thing with my router and when I turned automatic update on and it was trying to download the updateds.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...kgroup-and-how-does-freenas-handles-it.36530/

The next thing I did was push the updates through and this solved the Router clashing with the FreeNAS box as it was showing error code on the FreeNAS box screen. I haven't had it do it since and I didn't write down the error...

Since then, we have been running smoothly! However I will be upgrading the CPU either way as I need the 4130t for my router build!