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Enable DigitalOcean Monitoring, confirm the do-agent service is running, then open your Droplet’s Insights tab to view CPU, memory, and load-average graphs. Use those graphs to spot sustained resource pressure—not to decide on their own whether YouTube is receiving a healthy stream. Check YouTube’s stream-health messages and your outbound bandwidth as well.
Enable DigitalOcean Monitoring and open the graphs
DigitalOcean Monitoring is an opt-in service. Existing Droplets may not have the metrics agent installed. DigitalOcean’s documentation, last verified October 1, 2026, describes Monitoring as free and says its open-source do-agent collects CPU, memory, disk, and load-average metrics.
For a new Droplet
During Droplet creation, select Improved Metrics and monitoring (Free).
For an existing Droplet
- Open the Droplet’s Web Console in the DigitalOcean Control Panel, or connect through another shell with administrator privileges.
- Run DigitalOcean’s installation command:
curl -sSL https://repos.insights.digitalocean.com/install.sh | sudo bash - Check the service:
systemctl status do-agentA running agent should show
Active: active (running). - In the Control Panel, open the Droplet and select Insights to view its graphs.
DigitalOcean says the agent runs as an unprivileged user, reads system metrics from /proc, and makes outbound connections only: port 80 to contact its metadata service for an authentication token and port 443 to send encrypted metrics. Its documentation says it does not open ports or interfere with existing services.
#1 Best Overall
- Screen Stand Installation Guide: Please ensure that you use the (H) Screws specified in the instruction manual when installing the Screen Stand and the 8.8 Universal Screen. DO NOT use the longer screw “g”.
- Dynamic Control with L-Connect 3: Customize your viewing experience with L-Connect 3 software. Access preset themes and modular information, and upload your own videos and photos to create a personalized display that suits your style.
- USB-Powered Secondary Display: Enjoy plug-and-play connection via a 9-pin port or Type-A USB. This innovative design allows the 8.8" screen to function independently as a secondary monitor, displaying hardware stats, media, or custom visuals without using valuable GPU ports.
- Flexible Mounting Options: Versatile mounting bracket that supports height and tilt adjustments. Mount it securely to fan frames, attach it to case panels, or use adhesive pads for flat surfaces, ensuring optimal visibility from any angle.
- Stunning Diffused ARGB Lighting: Enhance your build's aesthetics with a built-in diffused ARGB lighting strip. Fully customizable through L-Connect 3, the lighting offers a spectrum of colors and effects, allowing synchronization with your entire system for a cohesive look.
Understand what each graph tells you
The Control Panel gives you a historical view of Droplet-level resource use. Default graphs include public bandwidth and disk I/O and disk usage. Installing the agent adds memory and load-average graphs, enhanced graphs, and alerting.
CPU utilization
DigitalOcean’s CPU graph shows total utilization across the Droplet. Its CPU alerts track total CPU and do not separate system time from user time. Be careful when comparing this graph with a local utility: some tools report 100% per CPU core, so a multi-vCPU Droplet can show more than 100% there, while DigitalOcean’s aggregate view treats 100% as total capacity.
Rank #2
- 【Upgraded 5" with Self-developed Software】In response to some customers' needs for a larger computer temp monitor, we have developed this upgraded 5-inch pannel. The PC Temperature Display works great with our English version software. You can use this with our software as a "second monitor" to view computer's Temperature and usage of CPU, GPU ,RAM, FPS and HDD Data etc. More professional and occupy less resoures.
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Load average
Load average counts processes running or waiting for CPU time; it is not normalized to the number of vCPUs. Compare the load average with the Droplet’s available vCPUs. For example, a load average of two is above capacity on a one-vCPU Droplet but represents half the available CPU capacity on a four-vCPU Droplet.
Look for sustained pressure rather than treating a brief spike as a verdict. The 15-minute load average is more useful for judging a persistent pattern than a momentary rise in the 1- or 5-minute averages.
Rank #3
- PC CASE MONITOR AND SENSOR PANEL: The 9.2-inch V92 is a dedicated PC screen for case builds, showing CPU/GPU temperatures, usage, RAM, fan speeds, clocks, weather, and custom widgets. It is not a standard extended monitor.
- 1920 x 462 IPS LCD SCREEN FOR PC: This ultra-wide PC case LCD delivers bright, sharp visuals and wide viewing angles for easy reading through tempered glass. The slim aluminum body measures 242.4 x 63.1 x 12 mm.
- USB-C OR INTERNAL 9-PIN CONNECTION: Connect through an external USB port or an available motherboard USB 2.0 9-pin header. No HDMI or DisplayPort is required, keeping GPU video outputs free. Both USB cables are included.
- FREE STATION SPACE SOFTWARE, NO AIDA64 REQUIRED: Monitor system data and use free themes, plugins, JPG, GIF, MP4, weather, news, and stock widgets. Station Space must remain running. Windows 10/11 only; not compatible with macOS or Linux.
- FLEXIBLE CASE MOUNTING: Install the PC case display horizontally or vertically using the included case fan mounting bracket and rear threaded holes. Check the 9.54 x 2.48 x 0.47 in clearance before purchase for your ATX, micro-ATX, or ITX case.
Memory usage
DigitalOcean calculates its memory-used measure from /proc/meminfo, subtracting free and cached memory from total memory. Linux uses otherwise unused RAM for disk cache and can reclaim that cache when applications need memory. As a result, top or htop may appear to show more memory in use than the Control Panel because local tools can count cache differently.
Judge memory by available or reclaimable memory and the trend over time, not by cache alone. A single “used” percentage from one tool is not a universal threshold for deciding whether a Droplet has enough RAM.
Rank #4
- Parameters: This is a new type of mini computer chassis screen. There is no need to install AIDA64, and only a USB cable is required to detect whether the running parameters are normal. Display area: 49X74 (mm), overall size: 55X85 (mm), resolution: 320X480, thickness: 7~ 8 (mm), viewing angle: IPS full viewing angle, interface: USB-TYPEC, shell material: metal
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- Features: Support horizontal and vertical screen switching, 0°and 180°two options, energy saving and environmental protection, automatic screen off after shutdown, eye comfort, stepless brightness adjustment
- Function: Displays various data of CPU, memory, hard disk and other hardware, so that users can grasp the computer operation status in time. Through special customized chips, it supports dynamic wallpaper and other forms, can add visual effects, and only takes up a small amount of CPU resources. Compared with the traditional HDMI secondary screen, it only needs a USB data cable to connect, avoiding various problems such as cable clutter
- Packing list: 1 x 3.5-inch screen; 1 x USB data cable; 1 x adjustable bracket; 1 x product manual; 1x Acrylic double-sided tape；1 x packaging box. If you encounter the above problems or other problems about the product, the information we provide cannot solve them for you. Please contact us. We are online 24 hours a day and will serve you as soon as possible.
Set alerts around your normal stream workload
DigitalOcean lets you create alert policies for CPU, load average, and memory changes; documented alert categories also include disk and bandwidth. Set thresholds to reflect your own workload, then observe a representative stream to see whether ordinary activity triggers them. DigitalOcean does not prescribe one threshold that is correct for every Droplet.
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An alert is an early-warning signal, not proof of a stream failure. Consider the duration and pattern of a spike, what else the Droplet is doing, and whether YouTube reports a problem at the same time.
Best Value
- Screen Stand Installation Guide: Please ensure that you use the (H) Screws specified in the instruction manual when installing the Screen Stand and the 8.8 Universal Screen. DO NOT use the longer screw “g”.
- Dynamic Screen Control with L-Connect 3: The 8.8" Universal Screen features a 60Hz IPS LCD with 1920x480 resolution and 500-nit brightness, customizable through L-Connect 3 for vibrant content display.
- USB-Powered Secondary Display: Connect the 8.8" Universal Screen via USB, freeing GPU ports for other uses. It functions as an independent monitor, perfect for stats, media, or custom visuals.
- Flexible Mounting for Any Setup: Designed for versatility, the 8.8" Universal Screen features a mounting bracket that allows for both height and tilt adjustments.
- Diffused ARGB Frame: Stunning Diffused ARGB Lighting: Enhance your build's aesthetics with a built-in diffused ARGB lighting strip. Fully customizable through L-Connect 3, the lighting offers a spectrum of colors and effects, allowing synchronization with your entire system for a cohesive look.
Check YouTube separately from the server
A healthy CPU or RAM graph does not prove that YouTube is receiving a healthy stream. YouTube advises testing before going live with audio and motion similar to the actual event, then monitoring stream health and reviewing messages during the broadcast.
Check the encoder and ingest settings
YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265, or AV1 encoding, supports up to 60 fps, recommends constant bitrate encoding, and recommends a two-second keyframe frequency that should not exceed four seconds. Recommended bitrate varies by codec, resolution, and frame rate.
For H.264, YouTube’s current English-language live encoder table recommends 10 Mbps at 1080p30 and 17 Mbps at 1080p60. Its corresponding recommendations for AV1 or H.265 are 10 Mbps at 1080p30 and 12 Mbps at 1080p60. These are YouTube ingestion-bitrate recommendations, not Droplet CPU or RAM sizing rules.
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Compare bitrate with outbound bandwidth
YouTube advises that the outgoing bitrate fit within available upload bandwidth and recommends leaving 20% headroom beyond the stream bitrate. Check outbound speed under conditions representative of the broadcast. If you use primary and backup streams, account for both bitrates when estimating the bandwidth required.
Troubleshoot common monitoring and streaming symptoms
- No memory or load-average graph: Monitoring may not be enabled or the agent may not be installed on that Droplet. Install it using DigitalOcean’s documented command, then check
systemctl status do-agentforActive: active (running). - The service is not active: The expected confirmation is
Active: active (running). If it is absent, verify the installation completed and that you ran the status check on the intended Droplet with appropriate access. - Local memory use looks higher than the Control Panel: The two views may count cached memory differently. DigitalOcean subtracts free and cached memory from total when calculating its memory-used metric; inspect reclaimable memory and the trend rather than assuming the discrepancy means an application is out of RAM.
- A local CPU tool exceeds 100% while DigitalOcean does not: Some local tools count 100% per core, whereas DigitalOcean shows aggregate utilization. Confirm which representation you are comparing before drawing conclusions.
- Load average is high: Compare it with the Droplet’s vCPU count and check whether the elevated pattern persists, especially in the 15-minute average. A short spike alone does not establish sustained CPU pressure.
- The graphs look normal but YouTube reports stream-health warnings: Host graphs cover system-level resources, not whether YouTube is receiving a healthy stream. Review YouTube’s messages, encoder settings, outgoing bitrate, and available upload bandwidth.
- You need application metrics or custom dashboards: The built-in agent is a host-level monitor, not an application performance monitor. DigitalOcean says application-level metrics require separate APM tooling; it also says metrics cannot be exported directly from
do-agentand suggests an external tool such as Grafana for different visualizations.
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