How to limit bandwidth usage?

[fontiano]

I would like to decrease the bandwidth usage when I connect to console remotely because the upload bandwidth of the server hosting my zoneminder system is limited. I have tried playing with the High / Medium / Low Bandwidth settings but I can't understand how they work. For example I tried to set Low and configure the Low profile like this:

WEB_L_CAN_STREAM = auto
WEB_L_STREAM_METHOD = jpeg
WEB_L_VIDEO_BITRATE = 2000
WEB_L_VIDEO_MAXFPS = 5
WEB_L_SCALE_THUMBS = checked

I left the other parameters at default.

When I open the stream of an ipcamera via browser and measure the bandwidth usage in real time, I detect incompatible values, for example:

Low = 2000 @5fps
bandwidth used = 9500 Kbits

same problem if I use zmninja set to low-bandwidth.

Is there a way to limit the bandwidth profiles to a well-defined bandwidth value?

[Bluemax]

I noticed this as well. It might be technical limitations though because values react on large values indeed.
Maybe try to set in Camera Options on 'Misc' tab the window 'Scale' value to 1/4 (or similar).

[fontiano]

unfortunately even lowering the scale does not work

[Magic919]

I'd expect scaling to be just a matter of how the client displays it.

I haven't used the feature, but it reads as if these settings get passed to FFMPEG to encode. Like you, I'd expect it to work. Do you have multiple cameras?

[fontiano]

yes i currently have 7 ip cameras and i plan to add 2 more

[Magic919]

Can you see the FFMPEG commands in the logs? Maybe it would offer some clue. With debug enabled.

[Bluemax]

I'd expect scaling to be just a matter of how the client displays it.

It should be stream dependent. If the stream is already running changing the scale in window will result in client-side scaling. But if you reload the page (or re-initiate the event viewer) it should give a lower resolution (you should clearly see it if you go over 100% zoom). That's why it should better be set in 'misc' tab. In current ZM (1.34.22) there's also a bug that once you touch the 'scaling' function in event viewer it will always fall back to 'scale to fullscreen'. You have to clear cookies for ZM page to fix that atm.

[Magic919]

That makes sense as it’s a server-side function rather than an adaptive bit rate design.