Buffering on PMS direct play, but not when streaming to device

I’m trying to figure this out, but I need guidance. I have Plex going on a computer dedicated to Plex as a DVR (AMD2400G, integrated graphics, HD Homerun, hardwired to gigabit network, but relatively slow internet connection). The TV is hooked to the computer via HDMI. When I go to watch recordings, there is a long buffering delay to begin with and then when we try to skip ahead or go back often a delay of between 5 seconds and 3 minutes or more. But just now when I tried to stream a movie to my phone within the home wifi, it plays pretty much right away. Skipping all over with no delay. It seems odd to me that the computer has more trouble playing the videos itself than streaming it to another device.

My first question is is that transcoding buffering? It frustrates my wife and I was going to get a video car to see if that helped. Second question - Would it help?

Oh yeah – all current updates. But I doubt that’s relevant as it’s been an issue all along.
Thanks,
Mike

Are you watching via web browser? If so, what browser? otherwise, PMS? version?

You have this tagged as server-linux so my assumption is:

1.18.1.1944 PMS (Ubuntu?)
Then you’re using Plex on the server via either PMS or Web, using a TV as a second display and things are having trouble playing

What does the CPU and GPU usage look like while you’re playing back content on the local machine? Is hardware acceleration enabled in the web gui if you’re using that?

Also,
Subtitles? What type are they (shows in “Get Info”). If they are PGS, VOBSUB, or other image based, the CPU will need to burn them into the image.
This is where the CPU speed comes into play.

If they are text based (SRT, ASS, or SSA), the only other additional parameter is whether or not the player is set to “Only Image Formats”, “Always Burn” or “Automatic”.

Thanks for the quick responses. Sorry, I should have included other info. Yes, Plex 1.18.1.1944 PMS but only updated to 1944 yesterday. I have had similar symptoms across multiple updates, Ubuntu 18.04. Watching via Firefox browser – http://127.0.0.1:32400. Chrome plugins were giving me issues with some movies I ripped, switched to Firefox which is clean and only used for Plex. Is there another way to access it? The browser is all I’ve used to access Plex on this machine. TV is the only display - 1080p. HDMI goes through A/V amplifier on way to TV. During playback CPU use is 10% or less, but spikes to 65% or so when first starting or skipping ahead. The spike lasts around 90 seconds. My Plex doesn’t show GPU usage, but other monitors don’t show GPU load.

As for subtitles, I don’t use them, but I spot checked them. The ones I checked are EI608 and seem to work when switch them on.

I installed the 1944 update and increased the buffing time to 200 seconds a couple of days ago. With those two changes, as I experiment this morning, it was seeming like maybe the skip ahead buffering is better - consistently at about 5 seconds, but but if I hit skip ahead button maybe 10 times rapidly, it takes a long time or stalls. Browser refresh lets me restart video.

I have to get to work now.

Thanks,
Mike

Browsers are h.264 only. Best option is to use a client that direct plays Mpeg2 like your phone (Roku, Shield, Firetv). If you had a Windows/Mac Laptop and used Plex Media Player you would get excellent results.

Radeon video is not currently supported by Plex under Linux. Leaves you Nvidia or waiting for the Intel Xe GPU card due next year. Would still be a delay to scrub through the program.

You could optimize after recording to browser which would create a copy in h.264 or take whack at fine tuning the commercial removal settings.

Ah! I did not know the browsers were H.264 only. It’s easy enough to stick a cheap windows laptop behind the tv and move the server to the basement. Thanks for the information. I’ll check it out later tonight.

We’re already auto skipping commercials. It’s pretty good, but not perfect. I’d like to tweak it to leave a bit more on either end, but it’s pretty impressive. But really, since it’s destructive, I’d rather skip them manually.

Mike

Plex uses ComSkip, and in the .ini file for it you can customize it, you can also tell it to create chapter markers instead of being destructive I believe, but I don’t use that feature, and I can’t speak to whether or not Plex’s implementation of it works, I know it works using MCEBuddy (which also uses comskip), I did have it set that way for testing purposes while I tweaked my comskip.ini file to use with Plex.

Thanks for helping me understand. Can I ask a followup question? It basically all works fine (except after updates), but what would make the most sense for next steps? It sounds to me like things to consider are:

-switch to Intel
-switch to Windows
-add a video card
-add a streaming Windows box to the TV and keep PMS on Linux
-add a streaming device like a shield
-or of course just leave it since it works and the problems are minor

Thanks again for any suggestions.

Mike

Really, if it were me I’d just transcode them after they record to something more compatible and smaller… use the h.264 codec w/ AC3 audio… That’s as close to universally accepted as it gets…

I would opt for 1 or 3 (depending on how much transcoding you need to do) and 4 or 5 (depending on what hardware you may have laying around free…)

but my lazyness would make me choose 6 lol

Shield TV’s are pretty remarkable but they may be hard to find with the new versions coming. I started out thinking nothing could be as good as a PC for a plex client but as time goes on I value the Shield and Roku clients heavily.

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