Web Client playback settings affect android client? FFMPEG high cpu usage related

[CrossCech 8]

While tinkering with streaming over internet (to Google Nexus 10 over cell phone hotspot connection) I've been able to figure out how to stop ffmpeg high cpu usage with various settings. Mainly, by configuring bit rate settings on my tablet client and knowing I'll never be able to stream 1080p high bit rate movies over internet while away from home. My home internet up speed is only 3 MB but I can still get decent streaming now ... particularly with MP4 low bit rate movies and tv shows ... and some mkv tv shows. I've also tried using web client access with good results as well.  I'm in my home office so I can monitor my media server cpu usage while I've been testing and figuring out how to lessen or stop the high ffmpeg cpu usage. 

 

However, I noticed when I went into the web client user preferences and set subtitles to default always on, then played an mkv, high ffmpeg cpu usage returned. That actually is understandable to a degree ... seems to be when the subs are from an srt file ... not when they're other types. But what's weird is when I go back to the android MB client app and play an mkv without changing any subtitle settings in the app OR reset the web client settings yet ... ffmpeg high cpu usage returns as well. Once I reset the web client playback preferences, the MB app plays high cpu usage stops. Are the web client and MB app connected somehow?

[CrossCech 8]

I just realized that i should have posted this within the android sub forum. Would someone please move this over? Thanks!

[ebr 14937]

Your user preferences which are edited via the web client affect all the apps.

[CrossCech 8]

Your user preferences which are edited via the web client affect all the apps.

 

So when I set bit rate in the web client, that's also the bit rate set within my android MB app? Not knowing the web client affects settings in all apps would certainly seem to cause some conflicts if I happen to leave the default for bit rate (I think it's set at 3 MB) in the web client but change it in the app to something like 8MB. Would seem to be a futile exercise ... no? What's the point of having bit rate settings in the app then? Or have any settings configurable within the app? 

Edited March 24, 2015 by CrossCech

[Luke 37125]

no, he was just referring to user preferences like library settings and language preferences. those things are carried with you to each app.

[CrossCech 8]

Oh ... we must be crossing wires then. Because I'm actually talking about within the web client on the home page where you click on the person icon next to the server settings button in the upper right corner and bring up "My preferences". This then brings up 4 choices: Display, Playback, Profile, Web Client. When I choose Playback it brings up Language preferences which allows me to then select Subtitle Mode: Default, Only Forced subs, Always Play subs or No subtitles.

 

Leaving it at default allows my server to stream and not transcode (ffmpeg high cpu usage) on both the web client on my tablet and the android MB app on the same tablet. Which is great! But then I'm struggling to get either the web client or app to consistently provide me the option to turn subs on or off. 

 

So then I try setting the web client subtitle mode to Always play subs, play a movie via the web client on the tablet and I always seem to get the option to turn subs on and off, but my server spikes with ffmpeg high cpu usage. But what's even more weird is it also spikes when playing via the android app on the tablet even though I haven't made any changes in the app - yet still leaving the settings in the web client as Always on. It doesn't spike with either the web client or app on the tablet when I leave the subtitle mode to default. Which is why I was curious about how the web client is affecting the app.

 

This is all when I'm testing "away from home" using my cell's hotspot connection to the tablet while sitting at my home office desktop monitoring my server task manager processes / CPU usage. When I'm connected directly to my home network, my tablet settings work great ... always giving me the option to turn subs on and off. 

Edited March 24, 2015 by CrossCech

[Luke 37125]

yes, those language preferences are shared amongst every app, but there are device-specific settings such as bitrates and other streaming settings that are set on a per-app basis.

 

what kind of subtitles are they? it is triggering a transcoding in order to burn in the subtitles.

[CrossCech 8]

I've noticed it with English srt files mostly. Must be due to the separate file within the folder rather than being muxed in. When playing an mkv with vob subs already muxed in for example works fine without high ffmpeg. 

 

So you're saying if they're already muxed within the video file, it shouldn't trigger burning in subs transcoding?

[Luke 37125]

it depends. in many cases the web client and android can actually download the srt as text and display on top of the video. in that situation, external subtitles are the most efficient of all. but that's not always possible.

[CrossCech 8]

I believe I've disabled any downloading of subs in Media Browser - server and clients. I gather my subs manually from subscene and put them in their respective movie folders myself..