Testing Bandwidth vs. Frame Rate

By: IPVM Team, Published on Jan 23, 2019

Selecting frame rate has a major impact on surveillance bandwidth and storage consumption. But with smart codecs now common and cameras more efficient than ever, what is the "right" frame rate?

In this report, we tested 10 cameras from 3 manufacturers, testing framerates ranging from 1-30 FPS, with smart codecs on and off, using H.265 and H.264, in multiple varying complexity scenes.

Inside, we give our key findings and two key recommendations for optimizing surveillance framerates.

free image

************** ******* * ***** ****** on ************ ********* *** storage ***********. *** ********* ********* ****** *** ******* more ********* **** ****, what ** *** "*****" frame ****?

** **** ******, ** tested ** ******* **** 3 *************, ******* ********** ranging **** *-** ***, with ***** ****** ** and ***, ***** *.*** and *.***, ** ******** varying ********** ******.

******, ** **** *** key ******** *** *** key *************** *** ********** surveillance **********.

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[***************]

Key ********

***** *** ******* *** takeaways **** *** *****:

  • **% ******* ******** **** low ***** **** (*-* FPS) ** ******* (**-** FPS):** *******, ****** **** low ***** **** ** 10-15 *** (******* ** ************) ******** ** * ~15% ******** **** ***** smart ******, *** ~**% without, **** **** ********** discussed *****.
  • ****** ******** (~**%) **** average ***** **** ** high:******** ********* **** ************* when ****** **** **-** FPS ** ** ***, about **% **** ***** codecs *******, *** ******** higher (~**%) **** **** disabled.
  • ***** ****** ************* ****** bitrate ** *** ***** rates:***** ****** ******* ******** significantly **** *** ** night ** *** *** levels ******, ************* ~**% in *** ******** ******* scenes *** **-**% ** more ******* **** ******** night *****, ********** **** our **** *****.
  • ***** ****** ****** ********* from ****** ***** *****:** **** *** *** night ******, ** *** resolutions, ***** ****** ******** the ******* ********* **** when ********** ***** ****.
  • *.*** ****** ********* ** H.264:** *** *****, *.*** camera ******** ****** ************* similarly ** *.***, **** smart ****** **** ** and ***, ****** ******** were ******* ***** ** 20-30%.
  • ** ******** ***** ** high ***** *****:**/*** ****** ******** ********* more ******* **** ***** and *** ******* ** high ******** ******, **** than ******** ******* **** 1 ** ** ***, while ***** *********** ********* by ~**-**%.

***** ** ***** ********, we ******* *** *** recommendations:

Recommendation *: *** ***** ******

*** ** ***** *********** benefits ** *** ***** rates ******, ** ********* that ***** ********* ****** frame ***** *** ***** codecs ******** ********. *** only ** **** ******* overall ***** ******** ****** all ***** ***** (~**-**% day/low ****** *** ~**% night/high ******), *** **** reduce *** ****** ** increased ********, ** ****. For *******, ********** ***** rate **** * *** to **-** ******* ** a ~**% ******** ***** smart ******, *** **** 30% *******.

Recommendation *: **-** *** ******* *** **** ************

***** ** ***** *****, 10-15 *** ** *********** the "***** ****" ** the ******** ******* ***** rate *** *********. ****** to **-** *** **** 3-7 *** ********* ******** by ***** **-**% **** using ***** ****** (**-**% without) ******** ** *-* FPS. ** ********, ****** from **-** *** ** 30 *** ** * much **** ******* ********, ~30-35%, ****** ** * much **** ********* ******** for *** ******* ***** additional ****** ******* ** most ************.

30 ***: +**% ******* *** +***% ******

*******, **** **** ***** 30 *** ******** ~**% more ********* **** **-** FPS, **** ***** *** find **** * ********** trade *** *** ***% more ******, ** ***% vs. ** ***. **** may ** **** ****** in ************ **** **** movement, **** ** **** intersections ** **** ******** areas ***** **** ** or ** *** *** miss ****** ********* ** for ***** **** ****** storage ******* *** ****** wish ** ******* *** most ****** ****** ********.

Note: *** * ********

**** **** ******* ** this **** **** **** to ****** ****** ** frame **** ***************. ******** ***************** ************ ************, ****** ** view *** ***** ******** varied ***** ******. ******* of ****, ******* ****** not *** ***** ************ to ******* ** ******* between ******** ******* ** resolutions. ** **** ** perform ************ ******* ** more ******* ** ******* scenarios ** *** ****** months ** ****** **** ********.

Low ****** *******

** ******* *** ***** in * ****** ******* interior *****, **** *** motion, *** ****** ***** rate **** * ** 30 *** ** **** camera.

**** ***** ***** ******, bitrates ********* ** ******* of ~**% **** ******** from * *** ** 10-15 ***, **** ******* for ************. ** ********, increasing **** ** *** to ** *** ********* bitrates ** ~**%, * more *********** ******.

**** **** ***** *** and ***/** *********** ****** fairly ********* ** **** scene, ***** ******* ****** to ******** **** ******** from *-** ***, **** a **** ******* **** at ** ***.

low activity day comparison smart codec

********* ******* ***** ****** enabled **** ******, ~**% when ******** **** * to ** ***. ** 1080p *******, ******* ********* faster ** ****** *** settings, **** ******* ********* when ****** **** * to * ** ** FPS, ******* ** **** smart ****** **** *******. Also *******, ** ****** resolutions, ******** ********* ****** at ***** ********, **** 1 ** * *** the ******* ********** ********.

low activity day comparison no smart codec

Note: **** ***** ****** ***** **** ** ****

**** **** ** **** cameras, ***** ****** ******** to ***** ****/*** **** when ***** * *** frame *****, **** ******** much ****** **** ***** settings. *** *******, ** the********* **-**********-*, ******** **** ******** highest ** * *** with ***** ****** *******.

smart codec bitrate higher at 1 fps

*******, ******* ** * stream ********, ** ******* that ******* *** *** disabled **** *** ****** was *** ** * FPS **** *.***+ ****** on, ***** ** ***** frame ***** ** ****** to ~** *******.

High ********** *********

** *** *** ******** increased ** **** ******* scenes, ** ****** ** a **** ***** (~*.* Lux) **** ** **, with ***** ****** ****** throughout *** *****.

***** ****** **** ******* less ********* ** *****, with ******** ~**% ***** than ***-***** ***** *********, less **** *** ~**% reductions **** ** *** daytime ***** *****.

**** ******* ** **** scene, ***/** ****** ******** increased **** **** ******* than *** ** ***** cameras **** ********** *******. While ***** ***** ***** and *** ******* ********* only ~**% ** ******* when ****** **** * to ** ******** ** ** ***, average ******** ** ***/** cameras **** **** ****** when ******** **** * to ** ***, *** increase ** **** **% when ****** **** ** to ** ***.

high activity night comparison

*** **** *** **** with ***** ****** ********. 1080p *** *** ******* both ********* ********, *** less **** ******, ***** 8MP/4K ****** ******** **** than ******. **** **** 1080p/4MP ********* **** **** significant **** **** ***** codecs *******, ~**-**% **** moving **** *-** *** (vs. ~**%) *** **-**% when ******** **** ** to ** *** (**** vs. ~**%)

high activity night comparison 0 1lx

H.265 ****** ********* ** *.***

****** *** ****** ******, H.265 ****** ********* ** H.264, **** ********** ***** overall ********. ***** *.*** models **** ******, ****** because ***** ****** *** available, *** ****** ******** overall *******.

*** *******, ** *** nighttime **** ********** *****, both *.*** *** *.*** trended ******* ** ******* rates. *.*** ******** ******** about **% ***** ** this *****.

h 265 scales similary to h 264

**** *** **** ** all ****** ******, *******, nighttime, **** *** ******* smart ******.

Cameras ******

*** ********* ******* **** used ** **** ****:

  • **** *****-*** ** **
  • **** *****-***
  • **** *****-***
  • **** *****-*** ** **
  • ********* **-**********-*
  • ********* **-**********-*
  • ********* **-*********-***
  • ****** ***-*****
  • ****** ***-*****
  • ****** ***-*****

Comments (9)

Avatar

Sergey Bystrov

NetworkOptix | 01/23/19 09:02pm

****(*.***, *.***) *********** ** *****(***** ***** ******) ** ***** *********** between ******. **** ***** => **** *********** ******* ****** => less ***********.

*** ******* => ***** ***** **** => **** *****(********** ** night) => **** *********** ******* ****** => **** ***********.

*** ***** ********* *** *** ** **** ********* ** *****.
***** **** **** ******* ********** ****** ** **** **** * lower ********** ****** *** *****. ** ***'* *** * ****** downscaled ** *(***** * ******* ****** ****** **** ** *** smaller ***** **** ** *********, **'* ******* ******* ****** ** itself ).

* ****** *** **** *** ******* ***** ****** ** ***** if **** ** *** ******. *** *** *** ******* ********** across ******* ** **** ****?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Sergey Bystrov | 01/24/19 05:17am

*** ******* **** ****** ********** ****** *** *******. **** *** differed ********** ** *******, *** *** ****** **** *******, **** higher ********** ******* ******.

Avatar

Sergey Bystrov

NetworkOptix | In reply to Ethan Ace | 01/24/19 10:23am

*****, *'* ***** ** * *** *** **** ****** *****...

*'* ********** ** *** *** *** ******* ****** ** **** as * ** ******* *** ** ******* *** ********** ****** camerasunder **** ********.

*** ** **** *********?

* ****** **** ***** *** ******* *****, ******** ***** **.
********** (***** ** **** *****) **'* ********* ** ***** **** storage *****...


*** ******* ** ** *** *** ******* ** *** ** night.

*******, **'* ***** ** **** ** **** ** ** ***** sense.

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Sergey Bystrov | 01/27/19 04:20pm

* ***** **** ***** ****** ** ******* *** ****** ***** to *** ** ** ** **** ******* ** ***. * have **** **** ******.

Avatar

Sergey Bystrov

NetworkOptix | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 01/28/19 11:08am

***,

* ******* ******** ** **** ** * ******** ** ************. ( *** ****, ** ** **** ********* *** ***** ** view ********* *****.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Sergey Bystrov | 01/24/19 09:23am

*** ******* => ***** ***** **** => **** *****(********** ** night) => **** *********** ******* ****** => **** ***********.

*** ******* => ***** ***** ****, **?

** *** ****

**** *** ******* => ***** ***** **** ?

* ****** *** **** *** ******* ***** ****** ** ***** if **** ** *** ******.

****, *** *** ****** “**********” ** *** ***** ** ******** to **** **** *** ***** ** *** ******** ***, *** still ***** **** ** *** ***** ** * ****** *** sensor, ******** * **** ******.

Avatar

Sergey Bystrov

NetworkOptix | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 01/24/19 10:10am

**** *** ******* => ***** ********* ?

***, **** ** **** * *****, ******.

*** **** ***** *** *******. * **** ** *** **** physics ** ******* ******, ***** *** *** *****. * ***** it **** ***** ****** ** ***** ***** ********* ******* *** are ********* **** ** *******. *** **** ******, * ********** IPVM ** **** **.

Donald Gordon

IPVMU Certified | 01/24/19 12:06am

***** *******. **** ******** ********* **** **** **** ** **** identified ****** *** *** *** ***** ******* **** ***** ******* and *** *******. ** * **** **** ******* ******* *******, we ****** *** * ******* ** *** ******* **** ******** their ********* ********* **** ****** *** ***** ******* (****** ** 100mbps). ***** ******* ********* **** **** **** ******* ***** ****** by * ****** ** ******* ********* ***** ******, ** *********** energy ********** *** ** ******** **********, ** *********** ****** **** other ******** ******* ************ *** ******* ******, ****** *** ******** lights ******* **** *** *******, ******** ****** ** *** *** (dust *** ****), *** ******* ****** ****** *** *******.

Vin Imbesi

01/24/19 05:01pm

***** *******! ** ***** ** **** ** *** * ******* regarding *** ******* **** ***** ************ **** ** ****** *** workstation ****** ************.

******* ************ ** **********, *** *******, *** *** ** ***** the ********** ********** **** ***** ** ********* ** ***** *********.

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