The TetherBox software is compatible with Intel/AMD and Arm-based systems that support Linux. This guidance is intended to aid in selecting appropriate hardware configurations to cater to various customer requirements.
CPU
For suitable performance, it's advised to have around 180 CPU Mark points for each camera. You can determine your CPU's score by using the CPU Mark benchmarking tool or refer to a broad range of CPUs listed on cpubenchmark.net. As a general rule, for a system managing 100 cameras, opt for CPUs with a score exceeding 20,000 points.
For example, when speccing a system for 30 cameras, you may look at a lower end CPU like the 2200G:
With a score of 6,777, the Ryzen 3 2200G CPU is estimated to accommodate approximately 37 cameras. With a 30 camera requirement, this allows for some degree of future expansion and ensures the CPU isn't persistently operating at full capacity.
Here are some examples of CPUs used by integrators when building TetherBoxes:
RAM
For optimal operation, a baseline system supporting up to 5 cameras requires 2GB RAM. Beyond this, an additional 2GB RAM is needed for every 8 cameras. For instance, a 100-camera system demands a minimum of 32GB RAM. Adhering to these specifications is crucial for uninterrupted and efficient system performance.
STORAGE
Here are some examples of the storage required per camera for 30 days of retention:
4K (100% motion): 1.51 Terabytes per camera
1080P (50% motion): 0.5 Terabytes per camera
720p (25% motion): 0.15 Terabytes per camera
Please refer to our Camera Calculator page to calculate the storage requirements for your specific needs and our Recommended Storage for TetherBoxes page for storage hardware options.
IMPORTANT: The above is on a per camera basis, multiply the calculated storage by the number of cameras required.
GRAPHICS
For standard operation, no specialised graphics hardware is necessary. The software can utilise Nvidia, AMD and Intel dedicated graphics for acceleration where available. If a dedicated GPU is not present, it will default to using the onboard graphics and/or CPU.
For tasks involving local Machine Learning models or advanced analytics, a GPU will likely be required to achieve optimal performance. Please contact TetherX support to discuss the specific requirements for your project.
OS INSTALLATION
X86 (Intel / AMD)
Follow the instructions on the Ubuntu website to install Ubuntu 24.04 Server.
When installing the OS please ensure that:
The / (root) partition has at least 8GB of space - more if you require running additional non-TetherX packages / services.
The /data partition is the largest partition - this is where your footage is stored, mount your largest partition here.
Note: The TetherX Provisioning platform will remove the X server and any other packages that may interfere with the operation of the TetherBox.
Arm (Raspberry Pi)
Use the Raspberry Pi imager to install the latest version of Raspberry Pi OS:
In the Pi Imager, press the configuration cog and enable ssh, set the username to TetherX and set a password of your choice:
