diff --git a/frigate/output.py b/frigate/output.py
index 2f240cef7..5d8013d2e 100644
--- a/frigate/output.py
+++ b/frigate/output.py
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ from ws4py.server.wsgirefserver import (
     WSGIServer,
 )
 from ws4py.server.wsgiutils import WebSocketWSGIApplication
-from ws4py.websocket import WebSocket
 
+from frigate.comms.ws import WebSocket
 from frigate.config import BirdseyeModeEnum, FrigateConfig
 from frigate.const import BASE_DIR, BIRDSEYE_PIPE
 from frigate.types import CameraMetricsTypes
@@ -108,9 +108,12 @@ class Canvas:
         return camera_aspect
 
 
-class FFMpegConverter:
+class FFMpegConverter(threading.Thread):
     def __init__(
         self,
+        camera: str,
+        input_queue: queue.Queue,
+        stop_event: mp.Event,
         in_width: int,
         in_height: int,
         out_width: int,
@@ -118,6 +121,11 @@ class FFMpegConverter:
         quality: int,
         birdseye_rtsp: bool = False,
     ):
+        threading.Thread.__init__(self)
+        self.name = f"{camera}_output_converter"
+        self.camera = camera
+        self.input_queue = input_queue
+        self.stop_event = stop_event
         self.bd_pipe = None
 
         if birdseye_rtsp:
@@ -167,7 +175,7 @@ class FFMpegConverter:
         os.close(stdin)
         self.reading_birdseye = False
 
-    def write(self, b) -> None:
+    def __write(self, b) -> None:
         self.process.stdin.write(b)
 
         if self.bd_pipe:
@@ -203,9 +211,25 @@ class FFMpegConverter:
             self.process.kill()
             self.process.communicate()
 
+    def run(self) -> None:
+        while not self.stop_event.is_set():
+            try:
+                frame = self.input_queue.get(True, timeout=1)
+                self.__write(frame)
+            except queue.Empty:
+                pass
+
+        self.exit()
+
 
 class BroadcastThread(threading.Thread):
-    def __init__(self, camera, converter, websocket_server, stop_event):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        camera: str,
+        converter: FFMpegConverter,
+        websocket_server,
+        stop_event: mp.Event,
+    ):
         super(BroadcastThread, self).__init__()
         self.camera = camera
         self.converter = converter
@@ -678,15 +702,20 @@ def output_frames(
     websocket_server.initialize_websockets_manager()
     websocket_thread = threading.Thread(target=websocket_server.serve_forever)
 
+    inputs: dict[str, queue.Queue] = {}
     converters = {}
     broadcasters = {}
 
     for camera, cam_config in config.cameras.items():
+        inputs[camera] = queue.Queue(maxsize=cam_config.detect.fps)
         width = int(
             cam_config.live.height
             * (cam_config.frame_shape[1] / cam_config.frame_shape[0])
         )
         converters[camera] = FFMpegConverter(
+            camera,
+            inputs[camera],
+            stop_event,
             cam_config.frame_shape[1],
             cam_config.frame_shape[0],
             width,
@@ -698,7 +727,11 @@ def output_frames(
         )
 
     if config.birdseye.enabled:
+        inputs["birdseye"] = queue.Queue(maxsize=10)
         converters["birdseye"] = FFMpegConverter(
+            "birdseye",
+            inputs["birdseye"],
+            stop_event,
             config.birdseye.width,
             config.birdseye.height,
             config.birdseye.width,
@@ -715,6 +748,9 @@ def output_frames(
 
     websocket_thread.start()
 
+    for t in converters.values():
+        t.start()
+
     for t in broadcasters.values():
         t.start()
 
@@ -749,7 +785,11 @@ def output_frames(
             ws.environ["PATH_INFO"].endswith(camera) for ws in websocket_server.manager
         ):
             # write to the converter for the camera if clients are listening to the specific camera
-            converters[camera].write(frame.tobytes())
+            try:
+                inputs[camera].put_nowait(frame.tobytes())
+            except queue.Full:
+                # drop frames if queue is full
+                pass
 
         if config.birdseye.enabled and (
             config.birdseye.restream
@@ -770,7 +810,11 @@ def output_frames(
                 if config.birdseye.restream:
                     birdseye_buffer[:] = frame_bytes
 
-                converters["birdseye"].write(frame_bytes)
+                try:
+                    inputs["birdseye"].put_nowait(frame_bytes)
+                except queue.Full:
+                    # drop frames if queue is full
+                    pass
 
         if camera in previous_frames:
             frame_manager.delete(f"{camera}{previous_frames[camera]}")
@@ -790,10 +834,9 @@ def output_frames(
         frame = frame_manager.get(frame_id, config.cameras[camera].frame_shape_yuv)
         frame_manager.delete(frame_id)
 
-    for c in converters.values():
-        c.exit()
     for b in broadcasters.values():
         b.join()
+
     websocket_server.manager.close_all()
     websocket_server.manager.stop()
     websocket_server.manager.join()