stalling music playback using web interface

[metropical 33]

random stalls in music playback.  M4A or mp3.  Though it does seem more often with M4A.
In shuffle play, I'll see a spinning blue circle.

if I select the next cut that has apparently stalled playback, it immediately plays back.

server has 2 new WD5400 2 TB drives.  the server app is on an '18 mini on Monterey and the drives in a cMP3,1 running High Sierra.

The computers are connected with a 5p TPlink unmanaged switch.

Server 4.8.3.0

Thanks

embyserver log.txt ffmpeg-transcode-99598b63-8442-455c-8cbd-016dada97c11_1.txt

[metropical 33]

I know it's in the emby log, but Firefox 124.0.1 is the.browser.

[Luke 39408]

Hi, can you try Chrome to see how things compare?

[metropical 33]

honestly, I'd rather not.  It's a memory hog in MacOS and is not very secure.  So much so that one place I work restricts it from use.

But I'll try it and I guess perhaps Safari, which has it's issues as well.

[metropical 33]

tried Safari and Brave (which is a derivative of Chrome.  Both failed.

Chrome hasn't had a problem in around 3 hrs. 

What is the issue?  Since any browser supports mp3 and m4a playback.

 

and just as I wrote that, Chrome got stuck.  argh!

Edited April 9, 2024 by metropical

[metropical 33]

I think these are the right logs for the Chrome experience yesterday.

embyserver-63848304001.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-d29cd84b-2471-4c98-88b7-6e3231fb7a3b_1.txt

Edited April 10, 2024 by metropical

[Luke 39408]

Quote

Since any browser supports mp3 and m4a playback.

Your log is alac though, in an m4a container. Yes the browsers support m4a as a container, but in order to direct play they also need to support the codec within the container.

[Luke 39408]

So is it only a problem when transcoding is occuring?

[metropical 33]

how would I know if it's transcoding only?

sometimes it happens mid song, but mostly it happens transitioning to the next song.  does that point to transcoding?

is the an extension that can be added to Firefox or is it more that the files need to be true m4a not alac contained as m4a?

in the future, should I be converting flac to Mpeg 4 AAC instead of alac?

Edited April 16, 2024 by metropical

[metropical 33]

or somehow point FFx to FFmpeg to transcode?

[metropical 33]

since ALAC isn't supported by FFx, when I click the track that Emby stalls on, what makes it then play?

[Luke 39408]

On 4/16/2024 at 12:45 PM, metropical said:

since ALAC isn't supported by FFx, when I click the track that Emby stalls on, what makes it then play?

IT is converting the audio. I'm guessing this is only happening when transcoding is taking place, right? You can check that by having the server dashboard open while playing.

[metropical 33]

yes, transcoding is the issue.  I guess it is what it is unless the music is flac or mp3?

[Luke 39408]

On 5/16/2024 at 11:18 AM, metropical said:

yes, transcoding is the issue.  I guess it is what it is unless the music is flac or mp3?

Hi, are you still having an issue with this?

[metropical 33]

yes

[Luke 39408]

Hi, have you updated to Emby Server 4.8.8? Has that helped?

[metropical 33]

didn't realize there was an update.  Just installed.  I'll let you know in a day or 2.

Thanks, Luke.

[metropical 33]

nope, still stalling on transcode

[Luke 39408]

Hi, are you still having an issue with this?

[metropical 33]

sadly, no change.

[metropical 33]

is there something I should change in settings or whatever?

[metropical 33]

watching in real time, I see Emby web server app spinning. When I click the track that stalls it, for the most part, Emby immediately plays the track.

[metropical 33]

so I gather this is a function of the web interface, whether Chrome, Firefox, Safari, running out of cache or the like?

[Luke 39408]

Hi, have you updated to Emby Server 4.8.10? Has that helped?

[metropical 33]

I had not, but I will now.