[Config Support]: ffmpeg still runs a decode + fps + scale stream even though detect is disabled

Describe the problem you are having

I’m currently planning on using Frigate just for recording at night, no detection for now. As far as I can tell from the docs, the RTMP and record streams simply remux the existing h264 stream without any processing.

However, ffmpeg is still running with ~20% CPU usage (on an i3), and I suspect because it has the -r 5 -s 1280x720 command line args attached. My camera has a 15fps 1080p stream.

Is this intended? Since I have detect disabled, there’s no reason for this low fps, scaled stream to be running at all? If intended, is there any way to reduce my CPU usage further then? I don’t care about motion or object detection at all right now.

Version

0.11.1-2EADA21

Frigate config file

mqtt:
  host: localhost
  user: <redacted>
  password: <redacted>

ffmpeg: # I've tried both with and without this -- it does actually help since that scaling stream exists, but ideally I shouldn't need it at all because no decoding should be happening
  hwaccel_args: -c:v h264_cuvid

record:
  enabled: True
  retain:
    days: 7
    mode: all

detect:
  enabled: False

birdseye:
  enabled: False

cameras:
  tapo_c200_living_room:
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://redacted:redacted@192.168.1.82/stream1
          roles:
            - record
            - rtmp

Relevant log output

FFmpeg full command line args:

ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel warning -c:v h264_cuvid -avoid_negative_ts make_zero -fflags +genpts+discardcorrupt -rtsp_transport tcp -timeout 5000000 -use_wallclock_as_timestamps 1 -i rtsp://redacted:redacted@192.168.1.82/stream1 -f segment -segment_time 10 -segment_format mp4 -reset_timestamps 1 -strftime 1 -c copy -an /tmp/cache/tapo_c200_living_room-%Y%m%d%H%M%S.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://127.0.0.1/live/tapo_c200_living_room -r 5 -s 1280x720 -f rawvideo -pix_fmt yuv420p pipe:

Frigate logs

[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.app                    INFO    : Starting Frigate (0.11.1-2eada21)
Starting migrations
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] peewee_migrate                 INFO    : Starting migrations
There is nothing to migrate
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] peewee_migrate                 INFO    : There is nothing to migrate
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.mqtt                   INFO    : Turning off recordings for tapo_c200_living_room via mqtt
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] detector.cpu                   INFO    : Starting detection process: 216
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.edgetpu                WARNING : CPU detectors are not recommended and should only be used for testing or for trial purposes.
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.app                    INFO    : Output process started: 218
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] ws4py                          INFO    : Using epoll
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.app                    INFO    : Camera processor started for tapo_c200_living_room: 222
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] frigate.app                    INFO    : Capture process started for tapo_c200_living_room: 223
[2022-10-15 17:59:55] ws4py                          INFO    : Using epoll

Frigate stats

{
  "detection_fps": 0.0,
  "detectors": {
    "cpu": {
      "detection_start": 0.0,
      "inference_speed": 10.0,
      "pid": 217
    }
  },
  "service": {
    "latest_version": "0.11.1",
    "storage": {
      "/dev/shm": {
        "free": 65.4,
        "mount_type": "tmpfs",
        "total": 67.1,
        "used": 1.7
      },
      "/media/frigate/clips": {
        "free": 11399867.7,
        "mount_type": "zfs",
        "total": 11399868.7,
        "used": 1.0
      },
      "/media/frigate/recordings": {
        "free": 11399867.7,
        "mount_type": "zfs",
        "total": 11399868.7,
        "used": 1.0
      },
      "/tmp/cache": {
        "free": 999.2,
        "mount_type": "tmpfs",
        "total": 1000.0,
        "used": 0.8
      }
    },
    "temperatures": {},
    "uptime": 12133,
    "version": "0.11.1-2eada21"
  },
  "tapo_c200_living_room": {
    "camera_fps": 5.0,
    "capture_pid": 222,
    "detection_fps": 0.0,
    "pid": 221,
    "process_fps": 5.0,
    "skipped_fps": 0.0
  }
}

Operating system

Other Linux

Install method

Docker Compose

Coral version

CPU (no coral)

Any other information that may be helpful

No response

[blakeblackshear]

This is a duplicate. Currently frigate does not function without at least one stream being decoded since the live view and the rest of the UI depend on it. Some have set the detect stream to a solid black small frame to minimize CPU load. That’s what you will see in the UI, but recordings will work.

[bitnimble]

Perfect, thanks for the confirmation. Would be lovely to have this option supported first-class in the future but this workaround is good enough for me 😃

For future readers, you can get the 2x2 black square video here: https://github.com/blakeblackshear/frigate/issues/1911#issuecomment-1182952523