# Transcoder default throttle buffer (in PMS settings) **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735 "2017-09-26T15:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leguelp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/leguelp/32/23810_2.png) [@leguelp](https://forums.plex.tv/u/leguelp)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/1 "2017-09-26T15:12:38Z")
Could someone explain the meaning (in “layman’s terms” 😄 ) of this Transcoder advanced setting? The description “Amount in seconds to buffer before throttling the transcoder” is not totally clear to me as to what exactly it is doing. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/2 "2017-09-26T15:16:40Z")
Don’t change it unless you have massive problems with transcoded playback. An even if you do, only use increments of 25% or so. And be prepared to go back to the default values. Because in most cases, changing these won’t result in improvements at all. ---
**Author:** ![leguelp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/leguelp/32/23810_2.png) [@leguelp](https://forums.plex.tv/u/leguelp)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/3 "2017-10-11T16:24:58Z")
Answered by a Plex Team Member on other thread: “The “amount of seconds to buffer” tells the transcoder how far ahead of where you are in the movie to stay. During normal transcoding, it quickly transcodes a block of time then sleeps until it needs to transcode more. The time you tell it is how big that block is as measured in seconds.” ---
**Author:** ![\_JOHN](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/_john/32/326124_2.png) [@\_JOHN](https://forums.plex.tv/u/_JOHN)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/4 "2018-11-02T13:10:43Z")
What problems? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 1:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/5 "2018-11-02T13:40:45Z")
Repeatedly pausing playback, particularly when streaming over longer distances or poor networks. But don’t mistake this as a cure for the situation, when playback is pausing due to transcoding and a weak cpu. ---
**Author:** ![\_JOHN](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/_john/32/326124_2.png) [@\_JOHN](https://forums.plex.tv/u/_JOHN)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/6 "2018-11-18T19:22:58Z")
Yeah, I get the same thing, plays fine on my home network but from outside despite having wicked internet speed I get the same failed playback noise. Nobody has an answer here ever that works or makes any sense. ---
**Author:** ![pressmangoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9e5f3/32.png) [@pressmangoss](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pressmangoss)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/7 "2018-12-10T18:09:34Z")
because you cant control other peoples networks, any weak link in the chain is going to be exposed ---
**Author:** ![drslevy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/drslevy/32/106724_2.png) [@drslevy](https://forums.plex.tv/u/drslevy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/8 "2018-12-21T21:11:07Z")
Hey John, When playing away from home, theres tons of factors that will slow down or freeze the playback. 1. the actual data connection to your phone is typically the weakest link. Unless youre connected to a stable wifi network you will have stability issues. 2. if you have your sever set to limit remote/web playback, it will always transcode to a lower bitrate and that might be stressing your CPU. 3. This typically isnt an issue but if the route between your house and wherever you are is not stable then you will have issues again. i hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![\_JOHN](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/_john/32/326124_2.png) [@\_JOHN](https://forums.plex.tv/u/_JOHN)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/9 "2018-12-21T21:23:57Z")
Thank you, perhaps this is the case. ---
**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, 11:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoder-default-throttle-buffer-in-pms-settings/207735/10 "2020-01-07T23:53:20Z")