New Build - HD Video Streaming Capture Rig

[DRC_40]

Hi and thanks for previous advise on builds, all have worked out fantastic and this is the place for best advise on bang for your buck.

I'm about to build a security surveillance HD video capture rig (4 HD cameras) that will potentially be needed for a legal property dispute. Reliability is paramount. I will be using a software product called Blue Iris with the following recommended specs:

Intel core i7
8GB or more RAM
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 bit
Premium graphics adaptor
7200+ RPM drives and/or SSD drive

I will likely be using this rig for 3-9 months then try to incorporate it or its components into another rig used for audio or video or photo editing.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for - streaming 1080p video capture. POE connected cameras to a POE switch.

2. What YOUR budget is - $1000-$1300

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from. USA prefer NewEgg or Amazon but always open

5. IF YOU have a brand preference - Intel on the processor, ASRock and Gigabyte MB's have been good to me but always open to new suggestions and used a variety of other boards in the past.

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are - NO....all new parts needed

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds - No overclocking on this rig.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using? 1920x1080 HD. Will need to purchase ONE monitor

9. WHEN do you plan to build it? Immediately

10. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software? Win 8.1 64 bit

In addition Im going to need a small SSD for OS and blue iris software, maybe a couple other low impact programs plus 2 - 2TB or greater 7200rpm drives. The system will be writing 1080P video to the 7200RPM drives. It wont be 7/24/365 as it will be configured mostly for motion detection with some pre-programmed 7/24 recording and/or time ranges for short periods of a few days.

 

[mfenn]

If a machine is going to be used for legal proceedings and reliability is important, then it may make sense to go for a workstation class machine like a Dell Precision. Importantly, those sorts of machines come with warranties which guarantee next business day parts so that you can minimize downtime in the event of a hardware failure. Reliability is just as much about planning for failure as it is about avoiding failure.

 

[DRC_40]

I've haven't bought a desktop computer in 25 years, always built. Cant imagine Im going to start now. I'll give it a shot with some enterprise class hard drives and an i7 build and see how it goes.

 

[mfenn]

Here you go based on everything you asked for:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($239.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($71.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($64.95 @ SuperBiiz)
Storage: Western Digital WD Purple 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($87.98 @ Directron)
Storage: Western Digital WD Purple 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive ($87.98 @ Directron)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 290 4GB Tri-X Video Card ($278.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($37.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Power Supply: XFX XTR 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($61.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $1026.84
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-04-03 23:38 EDT-0400


- Sounds like the purple WD drives would be a good fit for what you want to do. They are not 7200 RPM, but they are built for what you want.

- XFX XTR is Seasonic OEM, great quality PSU.

- Xeon is same as i7-4770 just without the iGPU.

- 16GB of RAM seems appropriate for what you want.

- Change the case to whatever you want.

This looks like a good spec (except for one item) if the OP really wants to build.

The one item is the GPU, which is overkill and increases the systems cost and power use (i.e. more cost) for not much benefit. I would probably pull out the GPU and swap the CPU for an E3-1246 V3 at $290 and call it a day.