# Sync transcoding only using 1 CPU core, while streaming uses all **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Suggestions\ **Created:** [May 22, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997 "2014-05-22T12:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psarossy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/psarossy/32/85767_2.png) [@psarossy](https://forums.plex.tv/u/psarossy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/1 "2014-05-22T12:12:44Z")
hey guys,   I've tried out syncing for the first time to my Nexus 7, and realized that while streaming with the block based encoding uses all my server's CPU cores, when using sync, it's single threaded. Even though I'm syncing 10 episodes of the show, it goes sequentially, single threaded. Is this intentional, or just left like this for ease of implementation? Would make sense to at least start multiple encodes in parallel IMHO, as even with server grade Xeons the single thread performance is nowhere comparable with using all cores, let alone all sockets+all cores.   Cheers, Peter ---
**Author:** ![julman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f08c70/32.png) [@julman](https://forums.plex.tv/u/julman)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/2 "2014-06-18T16:27:16Z")
My windows installation exhibits the same behavior.  ---
**Author:** ![Wrecking\_Ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/65b543/32.png) [@Wrecking\_Ball](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Wrecking_Ball)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/3 "2014-08-31T18:38:07Z")
I have the same situation.  I am running a dual xeon setup (2 5620s).  It would be much be faster if it would use all 8 cores or at minimum the 4 cores of one cpu.  I get 40-50% usage one a single core when syncing at the highest setting to my iphone.  source is 1080p mkv container.  not sure on the audio off the top of my head.   ---
**Author:** ![atomix84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@atomix84](https://forums.plex.tv/u/atomix84)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/4 "2015-01-10T23:02:07Z")
same problem here!  Centos 6.6 2 CPU 8 core, always use only one cpu!. ---
**Author:** ![Groodles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/groodles/32/4773_2.png) [@Groodles](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Groodles)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/5 "2015-01-18T20:28:40Z")
I've also noticed this behavior on a machine with a Core 2 Quad CPU. Sequential file transcoding (for Sync) using only a single core. ---
**Author:** ![IllMethods](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/illmethods/32/6136_2.png) [@IllMethods](https://forums.plex.tv/u/IllMethods)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 10:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/6 "2015-10-28T10:38:52Z")
I have noticed this also. I am running it on Ubuntu Server 14.04 with 2 xeon cpus and 16gb of ram. I am trying to sync to my laptop for when I am at sea. This servers only purpose is for Media. It is running Plex, SickRage, CouchPotato, Headphones, Transmission, BitCannon and Jackett… That is all. I would like it to use a lot more cpu. It is set to make my cpu hurt but it doesn’t look like it’s in pain! 😕 It is using 1 core when I have 2 cpus with 4 cores each… Maybe there could be an option as to how many cores Plex will use? And it could spread the workload for sync across those cores? I know everything on my server could be run on just the one core and save all the rest for Plex. ---
**Author:** ![Balthazar2k4](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/balthazar2k4/32/195988_2.png) [@Balthazar2k4](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Balthazar2k4)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 5:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/7 "2015-12-23T17:35:36Z")
Just realized the same problem too as I prepare my kid’s iPads for an upcoming trip. I am running a 5960X on my server and would expect MUCH faster encode times. I am only seeing 25-30% utilization which seems completely absurd given the amount of resources available. Takes upwards of an hour to transcode a single BD video, whereas Handbrake can do the same video in less than 20 minutes with similar settings. Poking around in the server settings doesn’t reveal any hidden transcoder settings to open up performance. I really hope the Plex Team considers making this an area of user configurability. As the current setup is a waste of both my server’s capability and my time. ---
**Author:** ![cayars](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/cayars/32/6296_2.png) [@cayars](https://forums.plex.tv/u/cayars)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/8 "2016-01-11T18:24:21Z")
Are you guys noticing this with BluRay rips? What video codec is used in the source files? ---
**Author:** ![hyatt\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4af34b/32.png) [@hyatt\_1](https://forums.plex.tv/u/hyatt_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/9 "2016-06-29T10:45:02Z")
I am also having the same issues with Xeon E5410 X2 - its only using 1 core out of 8! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Tone](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dr_tone/32/17068_2.png) [@Dr\_Tone](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Dr_Tone)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/10 "2016-08-16T23:12:18Z")
Any response from Plex staff on this one? This 1 core is rather annoying. ---
**Author:** ![amborle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@amborle](https://forums.plex.tv/u/amborle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/11 "2016-09-20T05:06:51Z")
Any response from Plex? This issue is preventing me from buying Plex Pass ---
**Author:** ![dragonmel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@dragonmel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dragonmel)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/12 "2016-10-23T22:10:33Z")
same here on ubuntu… running server 1.1.4 syncing a blu ray rip to a med setting is only using 1 thread on a 6vcpu esxi vm all other virtual cores are idle… anyone… beuler… are the devs even reading our comments… ---
**Author:** ![breakerjump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@breakerjump](https://forums.plex.tv/u/breakerjump)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/13 "2017-03-30T03:13:49Z")
Yep - getting the exact same behavior. Debian 8 (Jessie), PMS v1.5.2.3557 running on a Core 2 Quad. Would expect better than this out of the usually awesome Plex team. ---
**Author:** ![zatarra4242\_gmail\_com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ed8c4c/32.png) [@zatarra4242\_gmail\_com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/zatarra4242_gmail_com)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/14 "2019-04-10T19:46:22Z")
Any update on Plex only using 1 thread? I have 36core/72thread dual xeon workstation and it just feels silly that plex only uses 1 thread. Anyone from Plex read these messages at all? Years with no replies… ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/15 "2019-04-10T20:26:55Z")
Sync is considered a background task. It is for that reason Engineering decided to resource limit it as they do in order to prevent interference with live streaming tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Ninjaplatypus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ninjaplatypus/32/2830_2.png) [@Ninjaplatypus](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Ninjaplatypus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/16 "2019-04-12T14:05:22Z")
Couldn’t you nice the task in linux or similarly in windows? Could also provide an option to use all resources as toggle for users with dedicated hardware. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/17 "2019-04-12T16:35:56Z")
Been requested of Engineering. We keep asking nicely. Unfortunately, we’ve not had enough Feature Request votes to get their attention . ---
**Author:** ![IamSpartacus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/iamspartacus/32/5165_2.png) [@IamSpartacus](https://forums.plex.tv/u/IamSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/18 "2019-04-13T02:45:16Z")
> Been requested of Engineering. We keep asking nicely. Unfortunately, we’ve not had enough Feature Request votes to get their attention . I just don’t understand this. Not allowing Mobile Sync transcodes to utilize more than 1 thread makes the feature all but useless. If a user tries to sync 2-3 movies or an entire season of a show there’s about a 99% chance it will never happen. It will take hours to complete the conversions and by then their device has either gone to sleep or otherwise no longer connected to Plex. This means the user has to then go back into Plex to do another manual sync to start the download of all the files which can take hours itself. It’s just not workable. Plex might as well just get rid of the Mobile Sync feature if they are not going to give server owners the ability to actually utilize our server hardware. ---
**Author:** ![scurrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@scurrier](https://forums.plex.tv/u/scurrier)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 5:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/19 "2019-05-12T05:06:07Z")
Where can we vote? Is there a thread that seems like the “master” for this issue? Seems like this is one of the key reasons why sync doesn’t work for lots of people, including me with an 8 core machine putzing around at a measly 3x-4x a lot of the time. Other reasons include having to babysit the whole process and hit refresh all the time. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997/20 "2019-05-12T05:31:37Z")
Moved to Feature Requests so it can be tracked now. This forum provider gives the innate ability. [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/sync-transcoding-only-using-1-cpu-core-while-streaming-uses-all/66997.md?page=2)