Constant buffering suddenly on Roku

[ncarty97 2]

Putting this here because I think its likely more of a server issue than a Roku or Kindle Fire HD app issue (though I could be wrong).  Would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction to figure this out.  So there's unfortunately a few moving parts here so I'm having trouble pinning down where the problem is.

 

WHS VM (ESXi, 4 cores, 8GB RAM) running FlexRAID with pooling to server media

Emby Server running on Windows 7 VM (ESXi, 4 cores, 4GB RAM, nothing else running on this VM regularly)

HTPC WMC still running MB 2.3 (Hey, if it works, right? and its important to my problem anyway)

Roku 1 (Wifi) running Emby App

Kindle Fire HD running Emby App

 

Worked with the occasional extended buffering getting a video to play on the Roku or Kindle.  I always figured it was wifi/network related as it almost always cleared up and never repeated on any specific file. 

 

Well, my server crashed a while back and WHS got corrupted so I finally got around to rebuilding it.  I switched over to StableBit Drivepool for pooling, and just kept FlexRAID on for parity.  Also using StableBit Scanner (which is really why I got Drivepool too).  Anyway, Scanner found that my 3 WD 2TB Green Drives were way past their Load numbers, so I replaced them with 3 4TB Seagate NAS drives.  Everything seems completely fine on the server.  However, I started having some problems with using Emby on Roku and Kindle Fire. 

 

Some videos are constanly buffering.  They'll buffer for 30 seconds, play 10, then start again.  I thought maybe I had another bad drive or something as all the videos in question (new stuff) were on the same drive, however, moving to another drive in the array didn't change anything.  Additionally, when I play the videos on my HTPC using old MB2.3, no problems what so ever.  So it doesn't appear to me to be an issue with the files, the drives or the network, I don't think.  And since both the Kindle Fire and Roku are having the same issue, seems to me to be an issue with the Emby Server, right?  Or is it perhaps Drivepool not playing nice with Emby?

 

I've included the transcode log.  I looked through it, but I have no idea if anything looks wrong on there.  Can anyone provide some insight?

 

Thanks!

 

[ebr 14959]

You forgot to include the transcode log.  The clues are probably in there as it sounds like it isn't keeping up.

[ncarty97 2]

Opps!  I thought I attached it.  Here it is!!

transcode-ee617456-533f-499b-abea-8299de5c6e26.txt

[ebr 14959]

Yeah, fps is in the mid-thirties which, theoretically, should be just barely keeping up but maybe not.

[ncarty97 2]

OK.  Well, I haven't had this problem in the past.  Where should they be to keep up?  Could it be having trouble reading from the drive (thus slowing down the fps)?  Or is this purely a transcoding issue?

 

I think there was a new version of the server software released, did something change there that could be affecting it?

 

And correction, I only have 2 cores being shared to this VM

 

Thanks!

Edited September 25, 2015 by ncarty97

[ebr 14959]

It is processor bound so probably something different in how you have the VM setup now as opposed to before.

 

Video is typically displayed at 30fps.

[ncarty97 2]

I didn't change the VM that the Emby server is running on.  And the VM setup for the WHS is the same too (just slightly different software).

 

I did go ahead and up it to 4 cores on the Emby Server VM.  I'll see if that does anything.

Edited September 25, 2015 by ncarty97

[ncarty97 2]

Ha!  Figured it out.  Thanks for the heads up on the FPS.  It indirectly led me to the answer.  Changing the cores didn't fix anything, was still having issues on the Roku, but I brought up the web interface on one of my PCs and played some videos, all without any issue.  Checked the logs and FPS was in the 60s on the transcode logs.

 

About the same time I rebuilt the server, I also hooked up my XBox 360 to our TV (We just moved a few months ago, still getting settled).  That necessitated moving some stuff around.  A powerstrip got moved behind the Roku (and the router is about 20 feet behind the wall the media cabinet is on) and that must have been interfering with the signal, making it weaker and thus necessitating the server to compress the stream even farther, thus reducing the FPS since it was working more on each frame! 

 

I should have known this was a wifi issue because when my daughter was watching the Disney Junior app a few days ago, Doc McStuffins looked like it was claymation.

 

Moved the powerstrip, rebooted everything and now Emby is working beautifully again!

 

Amazing how one little thing can throw everything into disarray!  (This is also why I hardwire everything I can. Drives my wife nuts when I'm running wires!)

Thanks again for the help!