Server Version#:1.24.5.5173
Player Version#:4.63.0
Hello,
I’ve always have had delay issues with content playback from the server, over the Internet. For example, it takes 20 seconds to start a movie or a show episode.
In the process of ruling out causes :
my internet speed is 1,000mbps up and 1,000mbps down
i bought a new computer, CPU Ryzen 5 3600 / 8GB / SSD
I’ve tried almost any combination of settings, network, transcode, everything
in last resort, after 1+year of enduring this, I’ve bought plex pass to unlock the hardware acceleration : result is worse than only with CPU ?
the graphics card is GTX 1650 SUPER
when playing content, I watch server resources :
without gpu acceleration, CPU runs at 80%, content starts after ~15 seconds
with gpu acceleration, CPU runs at ~35% and GPU at ~90%
What is the problem :
from another computer, loading content takes 15 to 20 seconds
i observe that all in all, I cannot make play any content direct, everything is transcoded
of course, I’ve read the many threads about systematic transcoding, and did all the recommended tricks : make sure the client has settings to max, enable direct play if available and such
when I disable completely transcoding, it is not possible anymore to atch content, error message saying that there is not enough CPU for that (with a Ryzen 5 ??)
I know that for starters, I probably need to provide more details, so please tell me what I can bring in to make you able to provide your insights
Hi @drslevy , thank you for your interest in my issue !
I am storing my files on 2x8TB drives. I regularly defragment them, and frequently run health & speed tests, Everything’s in green zone, so far, I would say.
On my TCL Roku TV, I have enabled direct play, and on my Sony Bravia, the feature is missing completely. Both of them are recent models. The Bravia is a X900H.
On the server and also the clients, I replaced everything “automatic” to be at max settings, in the hope to avoid the transcoding.
Your issue might be related to windows spinning down the drives when there is no activity. Personally, I use windows storage spaces and I have several drives in my server, if there has been no activity for a while on the drives, they will stop spinning and go into low power/hibernation mode. when you run plex, it tries to access the drives and then windows has to spin up the drives and access the files. this takes a while sometimes. as far as the direct play for the Bravia, change the playback settings to the max quality I think it is and that is the equivalent to setting direct Play. I hope this helps. Also, a way to verify if this is indeed the case is once you have a video started. stop the playback and then find another video and start playback, it will probably be instantaneous if what I described above is what is happening.
Come to think of it, side note. I might request that feature for the Google TV app. the settings layout sucks. LOL.
Yeah @drslevy, probably one of many details I omitted to mention. For years, when I freshly install a new Windows, I immediately crank up the power plan, and disable all energy saving features. So, as for the hard drives, they are indeed in always-up mode. I disable the energy saving in the network cards also.
I can confirm this, since if I launch a media, I can enjoy the ~20 seconds of delay/buffering, then it plays. If I stop it, and relaunch it, I once more get the ~20 seconds delay. If I change the video, I still have another ~20 seconds delay/buffering.
Maybe an interesting fact, in the transcoder setting, whether I use settings to the max (eg. transcoder goes for quality, x264 preset for the slowest (max quality), with or without HDR, and with or without hardware accelaration, buffer to 60 seconds) or their total opposite, I still have at least 15 seconds delay. Barely any change at all !
For the Bravia, unfortunately I can see that it transcodes, by the task manager. I can see that upon launching a media, Plex Transcoder starts using ~35% CPU & 90% GPU.
Among the many attempts I’ve done, it looks like that the “Large send offload” may have impacted positively. I am now around ~13 seconds.
Just to make sure i understand what youre saying. when you are watching and you go to the plex dashboard, is it always transcoding? If that is the case, then that is why you have that delay. Confirm this and then maybe we can find out why all of your videos are transcoding.
Yes @drslevy that is the actual behavior. Whether from the TCL Roku TV, the Bravia, the computer at work, transcoding is always in the equation. I cannot avoid it, despite the many cues we can find on the forums. And if I disable it right from the server (the video transcoding), I cannot play anything anymore. The message says that I do not have enough CPU for that. Which I find curious, having a Ryzen 5 3600…
Here is an XML of a media file that I simply cannot play, too much buffering or somewhat. Of course it is a large file, but I assume that if everything was running fine, with 1,000mbps in both ways, a capable enough CPU like this Ryzen 5, a GTX 1650 SUPER, I could make this media play correctly, right ?
I also provide a second XML, of a more moderate file size.
Yeah, it sounds like the format that your videos are in isn’t playing nice with any of your clients. What I can recommend for faster transcoding is to set up a RAM disk ( If you have sufficient RAM ) and use this as the Transcoder temporary directory. This typically helps a bit since RAM is so much faster than hard drives. It should save you a few seconds.
@drslevy okay I could try the RAM drive idea. This morning, I’ve had setup a temp folder on my SSD for transcoding, but I did not notice much improvement. I could push further with the RAm drive, indeed…
What size would be correct ? Currently I have 8GB of RAM, and sometimes, I can see that it reaches ~80% of usage, so I think I could get more problems, if I was to use more than 10%, that is ~800MB for the RAM drive.
Are you playing playing the TrueHD track in those files? That would very likely cause the transcoding you are seeing as very few things have support for it. A RAM disk is not going to fix trying to transcode massive 4K files like that. Those files are 64Mbps 4K and 54Mbps 4K. Transcoding them take a massive toll on a system. Trying to eliminate the cause of the transcode is the best way forward IMHO.
No TrueHD, besides some large files. But vast majority has EAC 5.1. But I do have a lot of HEVC Main 10 HDR medias, since I want to get the best of the Bravia.
If you tried the SSD, then you won’t see much of a difference between the SSD vs RAM drive. I rather have the RAM drive to save the SSD from added re-writes. Let’s see what @Blkbyrd says about the xml file.
Yes, issues are also present even on files with EAC 5.1. The 2 XML files I’ve joined are about 2 medias that I simply cannot play. But they should be playable, somehow. If not, I may acquire a quantic computer !
This is one of the questions I should have asked. If it was 4k media. LOL. I have 4K media that is 26 mbps and still have issues on my local network. there are so many factors that have to be taken into account with 4K media that you might not even get a solution @ricke666. Have you taken a look at the 4K media Fact thread?
Those two files should Direct Play over a local network with no issue. Try playing them but make sure that before you play it you select the EAC track and NO subtitles. 4K should play fine as long as you are on a fast enough network. I would also try to play the other files making sure that the subtitles are turned of because what I was able to see in your logs indicated that your films have ASS and PGS subs, both of which require that the stream be repacked and Direct Streamed instead of Direct Played. I think both ASS and PGS require a transcode of the video to burn in the subs at least on most clients.
@drslevy I did not look at the 4k thread, I’ll do that. But I mention that I also have these issues locally at home, not only over the internet. I figured that for the extra power required for that, the GPU would do the trick, and I bought this morning the lifetime Plex pass. But it did not help, as of now. I really want to have all the 4k and HDR stuff working, that is the main objective of having bought a 85 inch TV, I want to see “the details” !
