# Direct Stream Transcode

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [February 22, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572 "2018-02-22T23:30:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lepitismak](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lepitismak/32/13958_2.png) [@lepitismak](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lepitismak)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/1 "2018-02-22T23:30:18Z")

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I decided once and for all to convert my library using just plex optimization. One question, in dual audio files it converts perfectly, however the legend is in direct stream. Does this consume a lot of CPU? with an i3 i could do how many direct stream at the same time?

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**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/2 "2018-02-22T23:36:37Z")

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Direct Stream means PMS is just changing the container. This uses very little CPU. You should be able to handle multiple streams. I can’t say exactly how many, that depends on the files, but you will probably run into disk/network bottlenecks before the CPU hits 100% load.

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**Author:** ![lepitismak](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lepitismak/32/13958_2.png) [@lepitismak](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lepitismak)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/3 "2018-02-22T23:42:47Z")

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If you could make an estimate, 10? maybe 20?

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**Author:** ![lepitismak](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lepitismak/32/13958_2.png) [@lepitismak](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lepitismak)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/4 "2018-02-22T23:49:19Z")

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A doubt. If by chance I use the plex along with the google drive file stream or even the net drive. In case of direct playback or direct stream, it pulls the file to the local pc and then upa or it gets straight from the drive?

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**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/5 "2018-02-22T23:53:35Z")

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Like I said, you will probably run into disk/network limits first so it depends on those. If you want to just talk CPU, it could probably handle 100. DS is basically copying a file.

PMS does not officially support using a cloud based drive. It may work. The stream will always come from your PMS, so if you use a cloud drive it will be:

Cloud =\> PMS =\> Client

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 12:39am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/direct-stream-transcode/226572/6 "2020-01-08T00:39:32Z")

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