Server Version#: 4.54.5
Player Version#: Apple TV 4
Tuner Make/Model: HDHR Dual
Guide/Lineup name: OTA
Using XMLTV?: No
Channel number/Name: Any
Overall my new Plex DVR OTA setup is working pretty well, but there is one nagging issue. Right at the hour / 30 minute mark (I.e. 8:00pm, 8:30pm) there is a CPU spike in the Plex Media Server app process, and there is a corresponding stutter in the live stream.
I am using hardware transcoding so the “resting” CPU usage during a live stream is extremely low, less than 2%. At the half hour marks, there is a 1-2 second spike of 27%+ CPU usage and it’s enough to disrupt the stream. Cpu is an i7-6700, it should be more than capable. Disk is an SSD.
I’ve searched and searched but most CPU usage problems seem to bring up transcoding issues, which is not a problem here. It seems like plex is doing something on a schedule that’s disrupting things, and I haven’t seen anyone else with the same issue. I didn’t see anything unusual in debug logs either. Any tips? .
I was seeing this same issue on my Windows Plex server. I rolled back to 1.21.3.4014, no more stutter.
I watched Task Man for awhile, as best I could tell a python instance was being started by the Plex Server executable on the hour and the half hour. Whatever that python script was doing ate up all my CPU cycles for 5 seconds, and it was enough to cause the Apple TV to stutter.
I wonder if we both have something in common that could be the cause…
My Setup is:
Windows Server 2019 (1809)
The only other software on the server is Firefox and Handbrake
I have 2 plex plugins on this server, ExportTools V2.0.0.6 & Sub-Zero Subtitles
This Plex install has been migrated too new hardware twice since it was first installed in 2014.
I am running Win10 1909x64 with an OG HD HomeRun Dual. It has an 1TB SSD and 16gb of RAM. No plugins (yet).
I can’t really think of anything particularly special about my setup, it was somewhat recently installed fresh. I only recently added the TV though (moved to an area that has OTA). I have XMediaRecode installed on it for similar reasons you have handbrake but I doubt they interact at all.
Well, not much overlap there, not even the same Windows version. I’ve let me server update to 1.22.3.4392 and it’s having the same stutter every 30. When I figure it out I’ll post back here…
Reading around the forum for other folks with high CPU usage Python problems, and ignoring that you and I see this every 30 minutes. I see some discussion of the Plex server’s built in python2 being unhappy if you don’t specify a transcode folder. I’ve been running plex for years and years and years, and never set that option for the server, but it is a Python exe that’s eating up all the CPU, so it seams worth a shot.
I’ve set mine to the windows users temp
C:\Users*user*\AppData\Local\Temp\1
Plex made itself a Transcode folder in there, and seams to be doing whatever it is it wanted to do.
I see some improvement, there isn’t a stutter every 30 minutes now. But, there is a smaller stutter when comskip starts up at the end of a PVR recording. I’m watching it and when I have time I’ll see what more I can do.
