[SOLVED - bought a used gamer pc] CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Questions about applications and software
Forum rules
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
motoryzen
Level 10
Level 10
Posts: 3450
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2019 12:25 am

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by motoryzen »

tellymandeus wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:15 pm thanks DisturbedDragon for that helpful explanation, I had no idea that existed, I'll try that out.

And thanks Pjotr that's a remarkable guide, looks like there's lots of small tweaks I can make.

Looks like the consensus is xfce mint, I'll probably try out the latest version on that i7 machine and see how it goes. Sometime next week tho, I'm trying to get away from my computers for the weekend...(typing this notwithstanding)

thanks again!
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying
Indeed...you should try a motorbike now. Awesome freedom there too xD
Mint 21.2 Cinnamon 5.8.4
asrock x570 taichi ...bios p5.00
ryzen 5900x
128GB Kingston Fury @ 3600mhz
Corsair mp600 pro xt NVME ssd 4TB
three 4TB ssds
dual 1TB ssds
Two 16TB Toshiba hdd's
24GB amd 7900xtx vid card
Viewsonic Elite UHD 32" 144hz monitor
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

um...this is likely to work yes? https://thehikaku.net/pc/dospara/18gall ... 0gf-e.html
from the system info:
i7-8750H CPU @2.20GHz
RAM 32GB (!!!!!!!!!)

A friend suggested I try to pick up a used gaming pc, I mention this to my wonderwife, who casually says "oh the one I'm using for work (borrowed from her boss for teleworking purposes) is a gaming pc, would that work?"

Me: [checks system info, eyes come out on stalks...]" Um...I'll check but yes I think it will...."

The wonderwife does need it for work but she can work around my lesson times, and I'm not allowed to install linux on it (I suppose I could boot from a usb, but it might be just as easy to use the windows installation... )

Anyway, after another painful day of classes I got to the point of being willing to sell a kidney to solve this problem, but that might not be necessary.......
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
vjayer
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:57 am

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by vjayer »

do you have Intel Quicksync video (QSV) acceleration enabled in OBS and maybe Zoom if available? (I haven't used zoom on linux)
https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/ ... cksync.82/

sounds like you might be doing all-software encoding
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

thanks I'll have a look at Quicksync on my linux machines.

In the meantime, I have added a user to the wonderwife's windows gamer laptop, installed zoom obs, synced the necessary services, and ...um.....wow.....so THIS is what it's like to use a fast computer, everything just ....happens....when you click it....even with OBS and zoom running (i actually forgot I'd left them running while I faffed around syncing browsers, on my normal machines I'm constantly closing stuff to make other stuff run faster...)

Ok, this should work for the meantime, but looking ahead I might have to buy a new machine.....

EDIT: Someone suggested looking at the local used market, here are a couple available right now, do I understand correctly that anything that is suitable for gaming will be suitable for my purposes?
https://okinawa.bookoo.com/i/77089088
https://okinawa.bookoo.com/i/77262501

Can anyone give me an idea of minimum necessary specs (RAM, processor, anything else?) as a guide for when I am looking at prospective machines?
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

motoryzen wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:16 pm Indeed...you should try a motorbike now. Awesome freedom there too xD
unfortunately I just bought a new bicycle....which is part of the reason I'm reluctant to spend yet more money on a computer....however the wonderwife is likely to raise fewer objections if she is being forced to share her computer with me...
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

DisturbedDragon wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:03 pm I notice on both you are running the current 4.15 kernel. Have you tried the current 5.4 or 5.8 kernel?
just tried, no 5.8 option available, and 5.4 caused a bug where OBS virtual camera wouldn't work, reverted to 4.15 (relieved to find OBS functioning properly again). Thanks for the suggestion tho.
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

thanks for the help with this issue, I managed to pick up a 2017 gamer pc for 500 dollars (so, a lot less than i thought this was going to cost...), LM20.1 installed, now running OBS and Zoom and various others, no noticeable lag or performance issues.

thanks for the input on this, I think this is going to result in my 6 hour zoom days being significantly less unpleasant (still not pleasant, but significantly less awful....)
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
Petermint
Level 9
Level 9
Posts: 2983
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:12 am

Re: [SOLVED - bought a used gamer pc] CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by Petermint »

Congratulations on success. To help other people select hardware, what is in the new machine? Perhaps the system info page from system reports.

I am looking at a new laptop for fast single thread performance, not Zoom but might need Zoom again soon if the COVID lockdown continues. I might as well cover both options in the new (or recent used) purchase.

Is it Zoom or OBS using the processor most?
tellymandeus
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 310
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:31 am
Contact:

Re: [SOLVED - bought a used gamer pc] CPU running 97% while teaching on zoom, anything I can do to lighten the load?

Post by tellymandeus »

here's the system info:

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 
           wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: SABERTOOTH Z170 S v: Rev 1.xx serial: <filter> 
           UEFI [Legacy]: American Megatrends v: 1902 date: 06/27/2016 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-6600 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Skylake-S rev: 3 
           L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 26399 
           Speed: 3673 MHz min/max: 800/3900 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 3633 2: 3647 3: 3668 
           4: 3672 
Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GP106 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: nouveau 
           v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:1c03 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: NV136 v: 4.3 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 100 Series/C230 Series Family HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK 
           driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:a170 
           Device-2: NVIDIA GP106 High Definition Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI 
           driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.1 chip ID: 10de:10f1 
           Device-3: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 type: USB driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo 
           bus ID: 1-10:8 chip ID: 046d:082d 
           Device-4: Samson Q2U handheld mic with XLR type: USB 
           driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid bus ID: 1-9:6 chip ID: 17a0:0304 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-74-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: ASUSTeK driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f000 
           bus ID: 00:1f.6 chip ID: 8086:15b8 
           IF: enp0s31f6 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 2.26 TiB used: 1.13 TiB (49.9%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Kingston model: SUV400S37480G size: 447.13 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s 
           serial: <filter> 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Toshiba model: MQ04ABF100 size: 931.51 GiB 
           serial: <filter> 
           ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB model: I-O DATA HDCR-U size: 931.51 GiB serial: <filter> 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 438.62 GiB used: 29.84 GiB (6.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 48 C 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nouveau fan: 0 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/obsproject-obs-studio-focal.list 
           1: deb http: //ppa.launchpad.net/obsproject/obs-studio/ubuntu focal main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http: //mirrors.evowise.com/linuxmint/packages ulyssa main upstream import backport
           2: deb http: //ubuntutym.u-toyama.ac.jp/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http: //ubuntutym.u-toyama.ac.jp/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http: //ubuntutym.u-toyama.ac.jp/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http: //security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http: //archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:      Processes: 250 Uptime: 2h 26m Memory: 15.56 GiB used: 5.92 GiB (38.1%) Init: systemd 
           v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Client: Unknown python3.8 client 
           inxi: 3.0.38 
I don't know much about computer spec so I have no idea if this is overkill, underkill, or somewhere in between, i bought it because:
1. I was desperate, zoom (at least on my laptop) is killing me
2. it was affordable to me at this point - $500 was doable
3. it was available - I wanted to solve this problem in time for classes starting monday...
4. It seemed likely it would do the job

So far so good - I've only taught one class on it so far but it was far far better than my laptop, no lag using miro.com or opening extra browser tabs etc.

Not in a class right now (no idea if that would make a difference) but opening zoom, OBS system monitor gives:
zoom: cpu10% memory 283MiB
OBS: 2% memory 107.6MIB

UPDATE: in class running everything I need to, CPU is about 25%, memory is about 5300, I'm having no performance issues whatsover (with the computer that is, my brain doing 6hours of zoom classes in a day is a different matter entirely.....)

UPDATE UPDATE: i can run zoom OBS miro.com and ten browser windows with dozens of tabs open and this computer does everything instantly, it has revolutionized my teaching because i can leave everything open for later lessons (I talk about a lot of world news and social issues in my classes so I end up with loads of news tabs open) and I'm not afraid to instantly whip up another tab to google something or show my students some youtube or something, what a revelation.....it's still exhausting doing 6 hours in a day, but my computer capacity is no longer the problem, the botttleneck is definitely now my brain...

hope that helps someone out!
Me: a non-techie Linux enthusiast running LM20.1 64-bit Cinnamon on a 2017 gamer pc I bought used...
Linux is like riding a bicycle: it's slightly more effort, but ultimately much more satisfying.
Locked

Return to “Software & Applications”