Which Remote Monitor Option is the Most Efficient?

Zeigh
Zeigh
edited July 2022 in SecuritySpy

What might be the most efficient way (in terms of CPU usage on the SecrutiySpy host Mac) to extend multiple viewing monitors?

For the last decade I have been using a dedicated 2012 Mac Pro upgraded to the hilt and included three PCIe graphics cards. This provided six HDMI monitor outputs, three of which went directly into separate HDMI-to-Cat6-to-HDMI 1x8 units and distributed those views thoughtout the house. HA, this plan offered the potential of HDTV’s in eight different locations to access a multitude of different camera views and/or customizable multi-view windows. The graphics cards did most of the work and the HDMI-to-Cat6-to-HDMI units did the rest with little effect on the host Mac CPU.

Anyhow, I am now planning for the upgrade to a Mac Studio and rethinking this remote monitor distribution. Allot has changed in ten years (SecuritySpy features, wifi bandwidth, etc.) and now there are other options (AppleTV, Airplay, etc.). Which of the following might be the most efficient for multiple remote monitors, strictly speaking to CPU usage?

- direct HDMI cable to monitor

- direct HDMI cable to HDMI-to-Cat6-to-HDMI unit

- remote wireless access via AppleTV and Airplay

- remote wireless access via AppleTV and SecurtiySpy iOS/tvOS app

- remote wireless access via second Mac with SecuritySpy and direct cable to monitor

Since the Mac Studio can drive five monitors out of the box and I already have the Cat6 wiring infrastructure, I am thinking of staying with the HDMI-to-Cat6-to-HDMI distribution for the most part. There are a couple of new locations that no wiring is close by, so an AppleTV or second legacy Mac Mini would be seamless to install just to drive a monitor. Of course, clicking an HDTV input button on a remote control is the fastest for human ergonomics, but an iPhone/iPad with the SecutitySpy app takes a bit longer and provides more mobility. Any comments welcomed.


Peace, Dr. Z.

Comments

  • Ben
    Ben

    Hi Dr. Z! In terms of resource usage on the Mac Studio, the HDMI solution is going to have the least impact (either direct HDMI or HDMI-over-Cat6: both will look the same to the Mac). So I think it would be a good idea to continue to use your current HDMI infrastructure wherever this offers you the viewing experience you want.

    But of course this offers you the least control. For more control over the viewing experience, I think the best solution would be an Apple TV running our SecuritySpy app - this way you get access to live video, multiplex view, and recorded footage, which can all be controlled easily via the Apple TV remote or an iOS device via Control Centre.

    Streaming to the Apple TV or a second Mac with SecuritySpy does put a certain load on the Mac Studio as it has to create the streams that get sent to the viewer, but the Mac Studio is such a capable machine that this extra load may not be noticeable (depending on numbers of cameras, resolutions, how many viewers etc.).

    Using Airplay to cast the Mac Studio's screen to an Apple TV is probably the worst solution, as this could be unreliable (it's easy to cancel the Airplay stream from either end, at which point it would have to be manually reinstated).

  • roads
    roads

    I need a monitor to attach to the wall which is always on as long as the monitor is turned on. As I understand the device needs some kind of browser? An IOS Device is too expensive for the task.

  • Ben
    Ben
    edited October 2022

    Some smart TVs have built-in web browsers, however these tend to be primitive and it's likely that SecuritySpy's web interface won't work well on such a browser. So I think your best solution is going to be direct HDMI from the Mac, or Apple TV.

  • roads
    roads

    Thanks Ben, AppleTV + Monitor we are in Ipad price range. Can the IOS App transmit sound?

  • Ben
    Ben

    Yes, the iOS app will play sound when you tap on a camera to view it individually. Currently there is no sound in Multiplex mode, but we're looking at ways to add this without having lots of cameras play over each other.

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