# No Way To Pause Optimizing When Transcode Limit Set to Unlimited? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [November 14, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008 "2016-11-14T00:29:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://forums.plex.tv/u/C_Bone_Deluxe)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/1 "2016-11-14T00:29:29Z")
Hey everyone, After the optimizer changes to PMS in release 1.2.1, I’ve noticed that my optimizer tasks are not being paused anymore when someone comes along and transcodes. I loved this feature, and now it’s taken away (see release notes below)? Now it’s seems, pausing only happens if I reach the limit of allow transcodes. The only problem is, my server is set to unlimited, because I never really know how many users are going to be transcoding at any given point. Does this mean that optimizing content will **NEVER** be paused when users are transcodeing under this configuration? **1.2.1 update:** (Streaming Brain) **Removed** **‘Prioritize streaming transcodes’ preference**. Background transcodes such as Sync, Media Optimizer, and video preview thumbnail generation are always prioritized behind streaming transcodes, and **will pause completely** **if the simultaneous transcode limit is reached**. ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/2 "2016-11-15T02:52:25Z")
The background optimization should still pause on it’s own if needed. That setting is now basically always on. If the transcode for playback isn’t using up the CPU, then the optimizing will continue in the background and shouldn’t affect the playback. If it is, you’ll need to provide your PMS logs so we can see what is going on. ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/3 "2016-11-15T16:38:20Z")
this is exactly what’s happening to me after the update. I now have a .8x streaming transcode and a .3-.4x optimizing transcode happening simultaneously and the stream starts buffering. ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/4 "2016-11-15T16:51:02Z")
Quad-core 2.0GHz Intel processor is taking up 100% of cpu with a 1x background transcode. Nothing else running on the server. Something changed in these updates terribly. Rolling back to v. 1.2.2.2857 for the meantime ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/5 "2016-11-15T17:20:06Z")
Ok, update. I’ve rolled back to v. 1.1.4.2757 and now my background transcoding is paused when a stream is active and the stream is transcoding at 6.5x with same CPU usage. I can provide logs if you want ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/6 "2016-11-15T18:17:44Z")
If 1 stream can go at 6.5x on 1.1.4 but then only .8x on 1.2.x, that doesn’t sound right. Was it the exact same video you were playing both times? If you can provide the server log from both versions playing the same video so I can compare, that would be great. ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/7 "2016-11-15T18:35:12Z")
I’ve figured out what the problem was! I set the max upload speed to 0 (unlimited) and changed the maximum bitrate back to Original, it seems to have fixed what was going on. I can now set those values to what they were previously and i’m still getting 6x transcode speed. Seems mcstreamy had a bug or two that needed to be reset ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/8 "2016-11-15T20:03:13Z")
Glad you found it. ---
**Author:** ![C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://forums.plex.tv/u/C_Bone_Deluxe)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 10:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/9 "2016-11-15T22:23:02Z")
Hey MovieFan.Plex, This is still happening to me ☹ My max upload is empty (unlimited) and my max bit rate is set to “original (no limit)” but I still do not see my optimizing paused while my clients are transcoding. What log file do I look in? What in particular should I post? Are you guys really not seeing this behavior after installing the 1.21 update (or later)? In the meantime, I just took a screenshot of me playing (transcoding) Ghostbusters 2 while Ice Age was optimizing (transcoding) at 2.4x. I also included a screenshot of the previously mentioned settings. How is this possible given my settings? ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/a/5/a509593471b350cb3562a91496838fd2a179f2d9.jpg) ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/3/2/328362addf3016b0fde1f252ba1790f05503f212.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/10 "2016-11-15T23:28:35Z")
I’m running 1.2.7 and don’t see this behavior. Keep in mind that the optimize job does not stop, it just takes a lower priority so if your computer can handle the load it will keep going. You’ll want to check your server log to see what the transcoder thinks the load is. If you want me to look, please provide the entire log and give me a time when you had both streaming and optimizing running at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/11 "2016-11-16T02:44:32Z")
Are you having issues with your live transcode buffering? ---
**Author:** ![C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@C\_Bone\_Deluxe](https://forums.plex.tv/u/C_Bone_Deluxe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/12 "2016-11-17T02:38:01Z")
Nope! I’m not having issues, I just noticed that it was no longer pausing the optimizing when I transcode. So if I understand this correctly, it doesn’t pause anymore it will just de-prioritize optimizing video? Then I guess that explains what I am seeing then 🙂 Personally, I liked when it paused it completely. I don’t know if I trust that it’s really going to de-prioritize the optimizing correctly or enough over the more important transcoding. I guess I’ll just have to keep an eye on it and see how it goes (I’m sure it works flawlessly and I’m just worrying for nothing). Thanks again to all who replied ! ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/13 "2016-11-17T14:38:58Z")
I’m still having issues with this, my problem was only solved temporarily by my fix above. My fix above worked for someone on reddit also ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/14 "2016-11-17T20:21:01Z")
Temporary? So the problem is back? For the fix you had. I’m wondering if, there was a version of PlexWeb that came out a few months ago where a similar setting accidentally got exposed. It didn’t do anything, but the box was there. If you had possibly put a value in there at that time, it would have gone into affect when steaming brain was finally released. Putting 0 in that box then changed the old value that it was using. ---
**Author:** ![andpoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@andpoi](https://forums.plex.tv/u/andpoi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/15 "2016-11-18T16:25:54Z")
Right, but now it’s set to 0 and original, still having a problem transcoding a 1080p stream that used to transcode at 6x ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/16 "2016-11-18T19:01:34Z")
Are you sure the same file worked at 6x before, or did you mean in general? If you were transcoding H264 before where now you are using H265 or VC1, the speed numbers will drop. If you can provide your log showing the start of the transcode along with the xml for that file, I can look. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/no-way-to-pause-optimizing-when-transcode-limit-set-to-unlimited/167008/17 "2020-01-07T22:13:24Z")