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Server Hardware ​

Scrypted Recommendations ​

Cameras that have good motion sensors, plugin support, and the necessary codecs dramatically reduce the server requirements: Scrypted will have no problem streaming to the various supported Platforms on low power hardware like a Raspberry Pi 4 or Synology NAS.

Raspberry Pi 4

From a current price to performance standpoint, the Raspberry Pi 4b is a poor choice compared to similarly priced Intel thin clients and NUCs. A used Dell Wyse 5070 can be found on eBay for half the price of a Raspberry Pi 4b.

Scrypted NVR Recommendations ​

However, if motion detection is necessary, or the server will be running Scrypted NVR for 24/7 recording and Smart Detections, running it on a more capable system than a Raspberry Pi 4 is recommended. A good CPU, GPU, and TPU (Tensor Processing Unit, aka AI chip) all contribute towards video stream detection performance.

While a TPU can improve performance, a capable GPU can also fill the gap.

ProcessorVideo DecodeMotion DetectionObject Detection
CPU✅✅✅
Intel iGPU✅❗✅
Other GPU✅❗❗
TPU❌❌✅

❗ Only available in the Scrypted Desktop App.

❌ Not applicable.

System Comparison ​

NameCPUGPUTPUCameras
Intel N100 with M.2 Coral🥈🥈🥇20+
Apple Mac Mini M1/M2🥇🥇🥈20+
Intel N100🥈🥈❌12
Dell Wyse 5070 (eBay)🥉🥉❌5

❌ Not applicable.

Object Detection Comparison ​

NameRatingNotes
TPU: M.2/PCI Coral🥇The M.2 dual TPU model is preferred.
TPU: Apple Mac Mini M1/M2🥇Low power consumption, fast, and expensive. A single package off the shelf solution for a large number of cameras.
GPU: AMD 6900XT or NVIDIA 3800🥈The Scrypted Desktop App running on systems using these GPU for Object Detection perform great, though at a much higher performance per watt.
GPU: Intel N100🥈Fantastic Object Detection Performance in a tiny package. Highly recommended.
TPU: USB Coral🥉High latency. Not recommended if purchasing, but better than nothing. USB is known to be finicky.
TPU: Intel NCS🥉

Server Recommendations ​

All servers are recommended to have at least 8GB of RAM, 16GB preferred.

Apple Mac Mini M1/M2 ​

This system contains a CPU, GPU, and a TPU (neural cores). An Apple Silicon Mac Mini is the most capable Scrypted NVR system available.

Intel N100 ​

This Intel 12th generation NUC contains a CPU and capable GPU in a tiny package. A TPU is not necessary with this setup, but it has the expansion slot available.

Wyse 5070 (+ Mini PCI Coral) ​

This is readily available used on eBay for $50 USD. The Dell Wyse 5070 will great for a limited number of cameras. Can be supercharged with a Mini PCIe Coral TPU into the Wifi slot.

Older Intel (+ M.2 Coral TPU) ​

Older Intel server/desktop systems (8th generation+) will perform quite well. No GPU is necessary. Adding a Coral TPU is a great upgrade.

Storage ​

Internal/External Storage ​

Scrypted NVR recommends using a direct attached storage drive (internal or USB). A surveillance rated drive is preferred, but not strictly necessary. SSD storage will only marginally improve performance. Flash Storage (USB Stick) and SD Cards are not recommended, as they are prone to data corruption and failure.

Recommended Drives
Western Digital WD Purple
Seagate Skyhawk

WARNING

There are many fake drives for sale that misreport their actual storage capacity. Buy from a reputable retailer and manufacturer. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

TIP

Macs can be quite picky about USB drive bays and may disconnect them randomly. Using a brand that advertises itself as Mac compatible, such as OWC, is advised. Read the Amazon reviews from Mac users. All drive bays tend to be trouble free on Linux and Windows.

Mac Drive Bays
OWC miniStack
OWC Drive Dock USB-C Dual Drive Bay Solution

Network Attached Storage ​

Storing video on a NAS is a reasonable option if one is available, however timelapse scrubbing may suffer from poor performance over the network.