Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 17 Posted November 17 Emby Ver: 4.9.0.31 (but has always done this for years) Tuners: HDHomeRun 4K Flex & HDHomeRun Flex DUO Network: Local or remote in Emby but not ever in the HDHomeRun app Issue: Live TV stutters about 2 or 3 seconds after launching (this I understand is normal, and am okay with it) then plays fine for 2-3 mins (maybe more sometimes, always random) and it stutters. Then it happens again randomly every 30-90 seconds for the rest of the playback Thanks for reading
Carlo 4460 Posted November 18 Posted November 18 Hi, When these channels are being played back on Emby Clients, are they being transcoded? It sounds like they are being transcoded and perhaps your server is borderline on speed transcoding. It's almost fast enough, but not quite so every so often the player runs out of packets just briefly and you get that stutter. Play a channel for a few minutes and make sure it does this stutter. Quick playback, go to server dashboard, Click on Logs menu. You will see the most recent logs at the top. Download any file at the top of the list with a time stamp equal or after the start of your test playback. You will have the server log and possibly a couple of files that start with ffmpeg. Upload the files here and we can take a look at them for you. Carlo 1
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 18 Author Posted November 18 Thanks for the reply, @Carlo Server hardware: Intel 12900K - z790 - 32GB DDR5 - Intel A380 Network: Local - 5 Gig / Remote - 2 Gig Sync Clients: FireTV Cube (2nd and 3rd gen) Samsung SmartTV (2022), PC Web (Chrome/Firefox), TCL Roku TV (2020) Emby server does have hardware transcoding enabled Local - 3rd Gen Fire TV Cube ATSC 3.0 & Local - 3rd Gen Fire TV Cube ATSC 1.0 Local - PC Web ATSC 3.0 (Firefox) & Local - PC Web ATSC 1.0 (Firefox) Remote - Emby for Android ATSC 3.0 (Samsung Flex 5) logs.zip
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 18 Author Posted November 18 (edited) Don't get me wrong, I can plainly see the audio is forcing the transcode but I have the power to handle it so it is not a bottle neck issue but what is more worrying is that the client devices can handle the audio codecs natively so why force the transcode? The 3rd gen Cube even supports the AC4 codec. Edited November 18 by Lyfesaver
Carlo 4460 Posted November 19 Posted November 19 The QuickSync MPEG2 decoder is known to have issues and should generally be avoided. Windows: The DXVA2 or D3D11VA MPEG2 decoders should be used instead (and are also preferred with the default settings) Linux: The VAAPI MPEG2 decoder should be used instead (and is also preferred with the default settings) The FireTV Cube 3rd gen can play AC4 but not the 2nd gen. You're using both Emby and Emby for Android. There's no point trying to use a browser, especially Firefox to play ATSC3.0 video. Check to make sure you have the latest drivers for the ARC 380. try transcoding live tv using CPU for mpeg decoding and see if that plays. Then try encoding using CPU but decoding in HW. 1
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 (edited) 38 minutes ago, Carlo said: The QuickSync MPEG2 decoder is known to have issues and should generally be avoided. Windows: The DXVA2 or D3D11VA MPEG2 decoders should be used instead (and are also preferred with the default settings) Linux: The VAAPI MPEG2 decoder should be used instead (and is also preferred with the default settings) The FireTV Cube 3rd gen can play AC4 but not the 2nd gen. You're using both Emby and Emby for Android. There's no point trying to use a browser, especially Firefox to play ATSC3.0 video. Check to make sure you have the latest drivers for the ARC 380. try transcoding live tv using CPU for mpeg decoding and see if that plays. Then try encoding using CPU but decoding in HW. Thanks again Carlo. I do appreciate all the help. I have not changed any of the default settings, so: 1. "The QuickSync MPEG2 decoder is known to have issues and should generally be avoided." How do I avoid it? 2. "The DXVA2 or D3D11VA MPEG2 decoders should be used instead (and are also preferred with the default settings)" Where do I tell it what to use? 3. "The FireTV Cube 3rd gen can play AC4 but not the 2nd gen." I know, thats why I mentioned only 3rd Gen but as you can see both AC4 and AC3 are being transcoded no matter the gen 4. "You're using both Emby and Emby for Android." I am not using "both" as you can see by the text under each image they are all on different devices. Emby for Android is only used for my Android phone. My Fire TV Cube is using Emby for Fire TV and my PC is using Emby via a web browser. 5. "There's no point trying to use a browser, especially Firefox to play ATSC3.0 video." What else would I use to play Emby while on my PC? (Please don't say Emby Theater) 6. "Check to make sure you have the latest drivers for the ARC 380." They are 7. "try transcoding live tv using CPU for mpeg decoding and see if that plays. Then try encoding using CPU but decoding in HW." How? Edited November 19 by Lyfesaver
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 BTW, sorry... I should have pointed out that the reason I dont know how to avoid the QuickSync MPEG2 decoder is because it is not listed under advanced: They all say Arc A380, none of them are QuickSync
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 I FOUND THE CULPRIT! But don't know how to overcome it. When I am not RDP'd into my server, everything is fine but as soon as I RDP.. boom goes the audio codec. I have tried having RDP up with audio disabled but that did not help. Any insight on how to overcome this would be greatly appreciated and thank you so much for helping so far.
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 emby-logs.zip Here are my most recent logs. I have verified that my onboard GPU (the QuickSync) was disabled in my BIOS and not listed in my Windows device manager. I am really confused what to try next.
Carlo 4460 Posted November 19 Posted November 19 I didn't need you to do that. "QuickSync" might have been the wrong thing to say. I wanted you to run two tests for me. One is using the iGPU to decode only and the other test to encode only. I wanted to see if it was related to one but not the other. The ARC cards and drivers have some known issues that Intel has been addressing. These logs are invalid as the hardware encoding/decoder is turned off. Turn the ARC card back on in your bios. Remove the current drivers installed. Install the new drivers from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/227959/intel-arc-a380-graphics/downloads.html Go back in Emby Transcode menu looking at advanced settings. Make sure you have both hardware encoders and decoders showing up. Run one test only to view a live TV channel. Don't run it twice or quit viewing for 2 minutes. If it stops that's fine. I just want to make sure any Quits aren't done by you. Upload the logs. Carlo 1
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 19 Author Posted November 19 Okay, I dont really understand (but I am sure I can figure it out) how to decode only with the iGPU and then encode only with it. I will look into that. I am worried about how you see that hardware encoding is turned off when Emby says I have it on, but I will look into that as well. That being said, I need to tell you that: I actually did update the Arc drivers this morning (between log uploads). It was my chipset drivers that were up to date and not the Arc drivers, but as I mentioned it is now as of this morning. I also want to point out that using Emby for Android on my Galaxy Z Fold 5 (I said Flex 5 under that image from the other post because i have a Flex 5 too so I just typo'd), Emby Theater, LG TV app (but ATSC 1.0 only) and Apple TV 4K that nothing gets transcoded. All were direct play. It seems my 2 Fire Cubes (both 3rd and 2nd), my 4 Fire Sticks and any browser on any PC (even the one running Theater) all transcode audio for ATSC 1.0 or 3.0. For now, I am going to investigate your tests as you requested, and again.. ty so very much for helping me @Carlo
Carlo 4460 Posted November 19 Posted November 19 If you look in the ffmpeg file you will see: >>>>>> Processing Plan Name CanDoInHW WillDoInHW Reason QuickSync Intel Arc A380 Graphics - H... >> True True Hardware Codec VideoInput >> True True Same adapter Id (0), same hardware context (D3D11) ColorConversion >> True True VideoOutput >> True True Hardware encoder QuickSync Intel Arc A380 Graphics - H... >> True True Hardware Codec or >>>>>> Processing Plan Name CanDoInHW WillDoInHW Reason Copy video stream >> False False Software Codec VideoInput >> False False Not a hardware decoder VideoOutput >> False False Not a hardware encoder Copy video stream >> False False Software Codec That's the execution plan. Can it Do in Hardware,, Will Do In Hardware are the two middle columns. 1
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 3 hours ago, Carlo said: If you look in the ffmpeg file you will see: >>>>>> Processing Plan Name CanDoInHW WillDoInHW Reason QuickSync Intel Arc A380 Graphics - H... >> True True Hardware Codec VideoInput >> True True Same adapter Id (0), same hardware context (D3D11) ColorConversion >> True True VideoOutput >> True True Hardware encoder QuickSync Intel Arc A380 Graphics - H... >> True True Hardware Codec or >>>>>> Processing Plan Name CanDoInHW WillDoInHW Reason Copy video stream >> False False Software Codec VideoInput >> False False Not a hardware decoder VideoOutput >> False False Not a hardware encoder Copy video stream >> False False Software Codec That's the execution plan. Can it Do in Hardware,, Will Do In Hardware are the two middle columns. Thats some good info but not sure what it is telling of. From my limited understanding you are saying that I cannot do software decoding at all? I am still trying to figure out how to do your tests and at the same time try and look up all I can for Fire TV stuff cuz 90% of the TVs my family and I use are Fire TV stuff and right now none of them can even direct play AC3 even tho they are all 2022 or newer devices. We know the server is working or it would not work for Emby Theater and Emby for Android. I am pulling my hair out here, lol. As for the tests you requested my first step has been to try and get the iGPU codecs even listed but all I can get are the Arc ones.
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 bangs head on desk I spent a lot of time yesterday with support for Fire TV. I pointed out to them that AC3 works for other clients like my phone but not their devices and they pointed out that AC3 is fine with other media being served to it from Emby (movies and shows) so it must be the HDHomerun not Emby or Fire TV. Next step is to reach out the Silcondust today. I know you want those tests done but I have spent hours trying to figure out what you are asking and have gotten no where. I am at my wits end with this. I am so very very very very frustrated.
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 I am guessing the issue has to lie with HDHomerun because this is what we know: Fire TV clients handle AC3 just fine with saved media, but AC3 via Live TV gets transcoded My LG TV (OLED48C2PUA) will transcode the AC3 being sent from the HDHomerun but not the AC4 even tho it has the support to do so Emby Theater and Emby for Android both can direct play from the HDHomerun Nothing is making any sense and this kind of hair pulling is exactly why I have avoided trying to sort it out for years. My aggravation is escalating with every passing hour spent on debugging this.
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 No, it has to be the Emby client or server that is the issue as HDHR app does not transcode and neither does that "other" media server (see image below) That is my FireTV Cube from an ATSC 1.0 tuner
Solution Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Solution Posted November 20 FFS!!!! All this time spent because Emby for Fire TV has a setting that no other client has "Allow Direct Play for Live TV" One obscure option only available in one of the clients is what caused all this.
Carlo 4460 Posted November 20 Posted November 20 Not sure I follow you on this. Yes, there is the setting you can enable to change the way live streams are handled on Android TV platforms, and we would have got to that, but you showed issues with the Android (non TV), web player as well as two generations of Cube TV which have different support for AC4 audio. Was the stuttering issue only an issue on the Android TV/Fire TV platforms? If you go back into the Transcode Menu using the advanced setting, do you see entries for both hardware decoders and hardware encoders?
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 2 minutes ago, Carlo said: Not sure I follow you on this. Yes, there is the setting you can enable to change the way live streams are handled on Android TV platforms, and we would have got to that, but you showed issues with the Android (non TV), web player as well as two generations of Cube TV which have different support for AC4 audio. Was the stuttering issue only an issue on the Android TV/Fire TV platforms? If you go back into the Transcode Menu using the advanced setting, do you see entries for both hardware decoders and hardware encoders? The post with all the images show that the Android (non-TV on my Fold 5) direct plays but i never use my phone for Emby and when the rare times I do its not for Live TV Over the years I only tried Live TV on my Fire devices or Web (browser) and they always stuttered. This option is not in any other client, Android or otherwise, it is only found on the Emby for Fire TV (not the Emby for Android) app. (Fire devices have two Emby options - See below) Now, ASTC 1.0 AC3 will direct play but ASTC 3.0 AC4 (on my 3rd gen and on my Emby for LG TV app) transcodes to AC3 after "recovering from a playback" issue. No, my advanced still only lists the Arc:
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 (edited) Emby for Web, Emby Theater, Emby for Android, Emby for iOS, Emby for LG TV and others do not have this option: ONLY Emby for Fire TV has this: So now, everything (except for AC4) works on my Fire TV devices but both AC3 and AC4 are still transcoded via the Web Edited November 20 by Lyfesaver
Carlo 4460 Posted November 20 Posted November 20 5 hours ago, Lyfesaver said: You still have an issue looking at the above. You DO have Arc A380 decoders but have no Hardware ENCODERS listed. So any transcoding is going to use HW to decode then all filters and encoding are taking place in software. Decoding is generally easy, but the filters and encoding are the time-consuming part and you really want this taking place in HW. Have you removed the Arc380 drivers, rebooted and then re-installed the newest version yet?
Lyfesaver 73 Posted November 20 Author Posted November 20 1 hour ago, Carlo said: You still have an issue looking at the above. You DO have Arc A380 decoders but have no Hardware ENCODERS listed. So any transcoding is going to use HW to decode then all filters and encoding are taking place in software. Decoding is generally easy, but the filters and encoding are the time-consuming part and you really want this taking place in HW. Have you removed the Arc380 drivers, rebooted and then re-installed the newest version yet? Yes. I did that on Tue morning. I don't mind doing it again tho. Can you show me a snip of what it is supposed to look like?
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