Server Version#: Version 1.29.1.6316
Player Version#: iOS 8.9
Hi All, The other day someone I share my server with let me know that a new show I had added was ‘buffery as hell’. I had him try another episode, then another show/movie and he said that actually they were all like that. On my end though it was reading as Direct Play, and didn’t report buffering. So I tried on my iPhone using cellular and tried the same TV show, then another show, then a movie and noticed the same thing - the stream takes forever to get going, and once it does it just stuttered a lot. Play, freeze, play, freeze. And eventually reports the “Your connection to the server is not fast enough to stream this video…” message. One user reports changing quality (transcoding) helped. Local play however, has zero issues.
No network changes, that I can think of, on my end. I did update my PMS last week, but have since tried rolling back twice with no luck in solving the issue. I’m back up to date at 1.29.1.6316.
My speedtest results are still the same, with an average upload speed of around 29mbps.
I’m happy to provide logs, but am 1. Unsure which file I actually need to grab after downloading logs. And 2. Do I need to filter out anything since I’ve had a lot of local play during this time? If so, how would I do that?
Has anyone else had this sudden issue on their servers? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Start streaming one of those files. (Can be locally.)
Open a second browser tab with the web app and look at the Dashboard – specifically at the bandwidth graph.
Does it show insanely high bandwidth?
Thanks for responding.
I wouldn’t say it’s insanely high, but it does seems higher than it should be:
Jumps way high, but then averages at about 15Mbps.
No, that is kinda normal.
Because at playback start the buffer memory of the client is filled at max. speed.
I was expecting a continuously high bandwidth. Which would be a hint to an incorrectly muxed mp4 container. But this doesn’t appear to be the case here.
Could you post the plex media info of an affected file?
Preferably the first ~20 lines of the Plex media info XML
Here you go:
<MediaInfo
xmlns="https://mediaarea.net/mediainfo"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="https://mediaarea.net/mediainfo https://mediaarea.net/mediainfo/mediainfo_2_0.xsd"
version="2.0">
<creatingLibrary version="21.09" url="https://mediaarea.net/MediaInfo">MediaInfoLib</creatingLibrary>
<media ref="R:\The Office (U.S) Complete Series\The.Office.US.S01.EXTENDED.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG\The.Office.US.2005.S01E01.Pilot.EXTENDED.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG.mp4">
<track type="General">
<VideoCount>1</VideoCount>
<AudioCount>1</AudioCount>
<FileExtension>mp4</FileExtension>
<Format>MPEG-4</Format>
<Format_Profile>Base Media</Format_Profile>
<CodecID>isom</CodecID>
<CodecID_Compatible>isom/iso2/mp41</CodecID_Compatible>
<FileSize>639526499</FileSize>
<Duration>2296.458</Duration>
<OverallBitRate>2227871</OverallBitRate>
<FrameRate>23.976</FrameRate>
<FrameCount>55058</FrameCount>
<StreamSize>1545546</StreamSize>
<HeaderSize>36</HeaderSize>
<DataSize>637980961</DataSize>
<FooterSize>1545502</FooterSize>
<IsStreamable>No</IsStreamable>
<Encoded_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Encoded_Date>
<Tagged_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Tagged_Date>
<File_Created_Date>UTC 2022-10-24 14:55:55.689</File_Created_Date>
<File_Created_Date_Local>2022-10-24 10:55:55.689</File_Created_Date_Local>
<File_Modified_Date>UTC 2022-10-24 15:19:54.100</File_Modified_Date>
<File_Modified_Date_Local>2022-10-24 11:19:54.100</File_Modified_Date_Local>
<Encoded_Application>Lavf58.20.100</Encoded_Application>
</track>
<track type="Video">
<StreamOrder>0</StreamOrder>
<ID>1</ID>
<Format>HEVC</Format>
<Format_Profile>Main 10</Format_Profile>
<Format_Level>4</Format_Level>
<Format_Tier>Main</Format_Tier>
<CodecID>hev1</CodecID>
<Duration>2296.378</Duration>
<BitRate>1998554</BitRate>
<Width>1920</Width>
<Height>1080</Height>
<Sampled_Width>1920</Sampled_Width>
<Sampled_Height>1080</Sampled_Height>
<PixelAspectRatio>1.000</PixelAspectRatio>
<DisplayAspectRatio>1.778</DisplayAspectRatio>
<Rotation>0.000</Rotation>
<FrameRate_Mode>CFR</FrameRate_Mode>
<FrameRate>23.976</FrameRate>
<FrameCount>55058</FrameCount>
<ColorSpace>YUV</ColorSpace>
<ChromaSubsampling>4:2:0</ChromaSubsampling>
<BitDepth>10</BitDepth>
<StreamSize>573679811</StreamSize>
<Encoded_Library>x265 - 3.3+4-rarbg-30eb4de83092:[Linux][GCC 8.3.1][64 bit] 10bit</Encoded_Library>
<Encoded_Library_Name>x265</Encoded_Library_Name>
<Encoded_Library_Version>3.3+4-rarbg-30eb4de83092:[Linux][GCC 8.3.1][64 bit] 10bit</Encoded_Library_Version>
<Encoded_Library_Settings>cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=4 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=1920x1080 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=4 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / no-temporal-layers / open-gop / min-keyint=23 / keyint=250 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=2 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=25 / lookahead-slices=4 / scenecut=40 / hist-scenecut=0 / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=2 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=3 / limit-refs=3 / limit-modes / me=3 / subme=3 / merange=57 / temporal-mvp / no-frame-dup / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=0:0 / no-sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=4 / selective-sao=0 / no-early-skip / rskip / no-fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / no-splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=2.00 / psy-rdoq=1.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rc=abr / bitrate=2000 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=2 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=3 / aq-strength=1.00 / cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=1 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=2 / transfer=2 / colormatrix=2 / chromaloc=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=1023 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / no-opt-qp-pps / no-opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / hist-threshold=0.01 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr10 / no-hdr10-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=0 / analysis-save-reuse-level=0 / analysis-load-reuse-level=0 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00 / no-scenecut-aware-qpconformance-window-offsets / right=0 / bottom=0</Encoded_Library_Settings>
<Encoded_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Encoded_Date>
<Tagged_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Tagged_Date>
<extra>
<CodecConfigurationBox>hvcC</CodecConfigurationBox>
</extra>
</track>
<track type="Audio">
<StreamOrder>1</StreamOrder>
<ID>2</ID>
<Format>AAC</Format>
<Format_AdditionalFeatures>LC</Format_AdditionalFeatures>
<CodecID>mp4a-40-2</CodecID>
<Duration>2296.458</Duration>
<Duration_LastFrame>-0.012</Duration_LastFrame>
<BitRate_Mode>CBR</BitRate_Mode>
<BitRate>224001</BitRate>
<Channels>6</Channels>
<ChannelPositions>Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE</ChannelPositions>
<ChannelLayout>C L R Ls Rs LFE</ChannelLayout>
<SamplesPerFrame>1024</SamplesPerFrame>
<SamplingRate>48000</SamplingRate>
<SamplingCount>110229984</SamplingCount>
<FrameRate>46.875</FrameRate>
<FrameCount>107647</FrameCount>
<Compression_Mode>Lossy</Compression_Mode>
<StreamSize>64301142</StreamSize>
<StreamSize_Proportion>0.10054</StreamSize_Proportion>
<Language>en</Language>
<Default>Yes</Default>
<AlternateGroup>1</AlternateGroup>
<Encoded_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Encoded_Date>
<Tagged_Date>UTC 2021-11-23 23:27:45</Tagged_Date>
</track>
</media>
</MediaInfo>
Oh wait, you said from Plex Media Info. Sorry, if this Mediainfo doesn’t work please let me know.
I want to point out also that it’s not just these files. It’s all media that I try to stream remotely, will not work. Just get loading and loading. (Music still streams but it’s taking so much longer than it should to load a song). I never had this issue until just recently. All media would stream remotely without [major] issue.
Monitor the Dashboard during a remote stream.
Does it say “Remote” or does it say “Indirect”?
(the latter would be bad)
Did you disable the transcoder?
What kind of CPU and GPU are in the server?
Dashboard says remote for remote streams.
I didn’t disable the transcoder (or at least I don’t think I did). To disable I’d check the Disable video stream transcoding box, right? It is not checked.
No GPU, I’m using an i5-10400 @ 2.90 GHz. Has been incredibly reliable thus far.
Multi-channel AAC is always an issue with stereo playback devices.
If you also have a bandwidth limit for remote playback (or if the playback device has activated automatic bitrate adaption), then your server has to transcode.
Your mediainfo suggests that this file has an average bitrate of 2.3 mbps.
The bandwidth monitor showing 15 mbps steadily is then still a very big difference.
I’d try and remux this file to mkv (just use MKVtoolnixGUI, drag the file in and press Start Muxing).
Add it to your server and then select the MKV version explicitly and test playback.
Okay, I’ve remuxed the file, here’s an image from Tautulli so you can see it’s now MKV:
Still having issues. In fact it’s taking so much longer (in general) to load remote streams. Lot’s of stuttering and buffering.
To avoid a multi-channel case, I tried another movie file that only has Stereo audio and still had the same symptoms. Bandwidth on the dashboard though reported low usage unlike before:
I wanted to try another test case, so I tried a remote stream with a file that was 720p and Stereo audio, EDIT: Seeing the same thing with the message about not having a fast enough connection to stream it. 
And now music seems to be having an issue streaming remotely too!
I have another remote user who is streaming a show now but changing their stream to 480p, which seems to stream steadily. Which as far as my CPU is concerned, isn’t hurting anything with transcoding. But why has my server all of the sudden become unable to stream anything at a better resolution without the buffering?
I know we were looking through file compatibility before. Do you think there’s something on my network I should check out? I’m not sure what would’ve changed.
Is it possible that the server itself has an issue?
Have you checked the free space of the volume where the Plex data folder is stored, (and where the temporary transcoder folder has been pointed to)?
Is your server connected by Ethernet or wireless?
Server is connected by Ethernet.
I have my temporary transcode directory on it’s own SSD and it’s all but empty:
Disk where Plex Data folder lives looks good too. Is there something in the folder I should consider deleting just in case?
Could you check its health, including a speed test?
As long as there is sufficient free space, leave everything as-is.
Roger that. Beyond just looking at the health status in Disk Management, how do I go about doing a speedtest on the drive?
There are tools out there. Some SSD manufacturers provide them for their products. Samsung for instance has its Samsung Magician app available for free on their website.
Alright I was finally able to find something to scan the SSD I use for Transcode directory. The first app I used just said my drive was bad but said it couldn’t give me any info lol. So I tried Crystal Disk and it said my drive was in good health.
Speedtest according to the terminal results like this:
Dshow Video Encode Time 0.00000 s
> Dshow Video Decode Time 0.00000 s
> Media Foundation Decode Time 0.00000 s
> Disk Random 16.0 Read 428.89 MB/s 8.2
> Disk Sequential 64.0 Read 506.23 MB/s 8.1
> Disk Sequential 64.0 Write 429.75 MB/s 8.0
> Average Read Time with Sequential Writes 0.220 ms 8.6
> Latency: 95th Percentile 0.768 ms 8.5
> Latency: Maximum 1.047 ms 8.9
> Average Read Time with Random Writes 0.191 ms 8.9
> Total Run Time 00:00:09.47
What do you make of those numbers? Seems slow for an SSD, but IDK anything.
I did however change my transcode directory to a folder on my main drive (NVMe) and I’m finally getting some streaming going remotely again. I can’t say if that’s a true result of changing the path or coincidental.
On one hand I’m seeing more consistent success streaming remotely, but users are still saying they get a lot of stuttering and buffering.
How much space do I want to make sure I have for the Transcoding directory, @OttoKerner?
Ideally, as big as the original file that’s being played.
If there are several videos played concurrently, multiply accordingly.
If there are also items prepared for downloading, then as big as the file size of the largest number of items downloaded in one swoop.
In other words: you want plenty. Usually more than you have available as RAM, so disregard the RAM disk idea.
On this topic however, I’ve swapped out the SSD I was using for my Transcode directory and have replaced it with another SSD. One of the many Plex YouTubers said that it’s better to transcode on RAM rather than a drive. Is that what you mean by the RAM disk idea? Is there any truth to that?
I’ve never really bothered with the other settings in the Transcoder settings page, is there a configuration you’d typically recommend?
Only in theory. As I explained, the available RAM is too small in most circumstances. And if you only have 1 playback going at a time, you certainly won’t need the speed advantage of a RAM disk. It may even have a detrimental effect, because the RAM you are assigning to the RAM disk cannot be used for hard drive caching.
