Server Version#: DSM 6.2.1-23824 Update 2
Plex Version#: 1.14.1.5488-cc260c476 64bit
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? I have been running a Synology DS718+ with 2x8gb drives for about a year. I use it for computer backup and as a media server with Plex (free version). Recently all films (example: 720p (H.264), audio AAC stereo, no subtitles) keep buffering (nothing else is running on the NAS at the time, no checks etc) and when I look at the NAS resources it’s showing the CPU at around 21% and ram at about 634mb. So it’s not struggling hardware wise so why does it continuously buffer all the way through films? Is there some limit in Plex I can adjust or would paying for Plex pass and enabling hardware transcoding help? Funny how it’s been fine for a year and only just started happening.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Dan
Few years ago i had similar issues when i tried to play large 4k H.264 files, my client at the time struggled to play it smoothly. You can do a quick calculation of media file size over duration of the movie to get proximate transfer rate required. Decoding performance is obviously a server / client Processing limitation depending on your settings.
Can you provide more information:
Disk usage (raid configuration: if you’re running in RAID1 streaming video while accessing the same disk for other purposes may substantially limit performance. For every simultaneous transfer you are almost halving the read / write performance of your drive.
what type of network are you streaming over (LAN or WIFI and speed of it)
What Client are you running. Is it a PC, TV, client versions etc.
have you identified media files that work and those that don’t (whats the difference in properties). It could be a change in codec that causing the hickup.
Over a local network I believe default Plex option is transfer without trans-coding (Called Original State) so server CPU should not be a limitation (plex member can confirm this). So you could be hitting some other limitations:
network issues
Client Device performance issues
Post up some more info, it may shed more light.
FYI - i run Synology DS916+ (RAID5), same DSM version and same Plex Sever version. I don’t have any issues with stuttering on any resolution dvd - 4k. Network is LAN via 1Gb CAT6 to client PC which is an old Dell 790 PC a Core i5, 60gb SSD 8gb ram (win10 64, latest Plex client version)
Thanks for your responses and sorry for the late reply.
ChuckPA – I’ not running subtitles.
Hotfix – See attached showing pages installed packages, disk usage, drives.
The drives are not being accessed during the time when films are played via Plex.
I have the DS718+ plugged in to the Virgin Super Hub 3 via 2 ethernet cables (CAT5e). The router is then connected via WIFI to the TV (LG 65UJ630V). I have tried connecting via an ethernet cable (CAT5e) to see if it was the WIFI signal, but it made no difference. I have tried playing the films via the TV’s built in file manager and they still buffered the same as when played through Plex. I also tried playing the films from the NAS on my mobile phone OnePlus 3t using the Plex app and this butters too. I never used to have this problem. When accessing the films on the NAS using Plex via my PC the films buffer too.
The buffering happens to all films.
I’m also running the package Surveillance Station on the NAS which connects to 2 Reolink RLC-410W, but they were not recording when the buffering issues have occurred.
I’m pretty sure the issue is with the NAS. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Looks like you have a modern hard Disk (unknown brand) but note your drive performance is limited to the single disk Performance (you are in RAID1) (eg. Seagate IronWolf 8Tb is 212Mb/sec performance). It would be helpful to have been the Disk Usage graph when you’re having the issue.
As per above poster, doesn’t sound like it’s a hardware performance issue, but would be good to confirm you’re not maxing out the disk throughput.
To Isolate PLEX as an issue, have you tried simply browsing to your NAS media folder from your PC, right clicking on a movie and Playing it with Windows Media Player. If you don’t have codec installed to view it, download (K-Lite Codec Pack - lite version). If it’s still lagging pausing with windows media player then you are having a network issue. (unless the disk usage is going bananas)
If it’s only an issue via Plex (works fine via Windows Medial Player) then this conversation would shift substantially towards playing with various Plex settings.
EDIT: Just a thought… Unless you’re using them can you remove “Media Server, Video Station” from the NAS installed apps. By Running Media server and also Plex on the same device you may be duplicating the broadcasting Media services on the network. While you can Run multiple servers on a Network, you’re running these services from the same IP (Your NAS Device), which could cause a problem.
Im having similar issues on my brand new 918+ and don’t know what to do. I have set up SHR as raid.
Sometimes is seems to be running smooth but a lot of the times the film stops to buffer. I have tried both heavy 4k movies and 1080p and trouble with both. 720p seems to be running fine.
I have the latest 64bit PLEX version downloaded from Plex and installed manually.
The file size of the 4k video struggling the most is about 17gb and not running subs. Is i do subs nothing works. The CPU is running at about 98% when this 4k file is playing.
Would an extra 4GB RAM solve this? Is this common or what could it be?
I think i might have solved this by getting the plex pass and turning on HW transcoding. Didn’t get that this was a feature under the pass premium settings.
I did get it to work smoothly on my Apple TV 4k with Infuse player so might have also been something on the devices i tried on so far.
Thank you for a great explanation. I do understand that it’s not a super powerful NAS but I did think it would be capable to play 4K video out of the box since it’s what Synology say.
But I’m in no real need of 4K video for the things I stream so no real issue even though it’s nice to have. But I got it working while playing thru an Apple TV 4K or a PS4 and works good with infuse as well.
