Limiting quality/bit rate globally.

[Exist2Resist 2]

Hi,

I'm not sure if the option still exists or if it's still available, however I vaguely recall that in an older version of Emby one could limit the global streaming quality or rather global bit rate for all users.

Does that option still exist, if so where can I find it?

[Luke 37232]

Hi, welcome. Yes, it is in the emby server dashboard under playback - streaming. Let us know if this helps. Thanks.

[Exist2Resist 2]

Thanks, I knew it was somewhere. 

 

Se even when I set 10 Mbit it will only stream at the limit I set?

Reason I ask is because in the media playback screen the selection does not reflect this. 

[Luke 37232]

Correct. The in-video menus are currently not checking the value, but no matter what the user picks it will always be limited by your configuration.

[Exist2Resist 2]

Thanks, I have set it to max 5 Mbit. 

Cheers. 

[Guest asrequested]

But it's not global. If you set it 10Mb, each user can use 10Mb bandwidth. So if your global upload bandwidth is 15Mb and two users each try to pull 10Mb, it will use all of your bandwidth.

[Luke 37232]

That's an improvement that can be made in the future.

[Guest asrequested]

That's an improvement that can be made in the future.

 

I'd love it to be global, though I don't know how you'd regulate each user bandwidth. For example, if one user starts playback and is using all the bandwidth, then and another user starts a little later. Would the server be able to actively adjust? Or would the transcoding be adjusted to compensate?

 

Or maybe a simple calculation based on how many users are registered in the server?

Edited November 24, 2016 by Doofus

[pir8radio 1293]

I'd love it to be global, though I don't know how you'd regulate each user bandwidth. For example, if one user starts playback and is using all the bandwidth, then and another user starts a little later. Would the server be able to actively adjust? Or would the transcoding be adjusted to compensate?

 

Or maybe a simple calculation based on how many users are registered in the server?

 

I like the per user setting...  If global then new users could impact already watching users stream quality.   If you don't have enough omph to supply your users good streams then you over sold your server or need to beef up your system/bandwidth.   However I can see where that option could help some people...  I just don't want to loose the per user setting...     I especially don't want to do a calculation based on registered users, or all of my users will be watching some pretty bad looking streams lol...      

[Guest asrequested]

I like the per user setting...  If global then new users could impact already watching users stream quality.   If you don't have enough omph to supply your users good streams then you over sold your server or need to beef up your system/bandwidth.   However I can see where that option could help some people...  I just don't want to loose the per user setting...     I especially don't want to do a calculation based on registered users, or all of my users will be watching some pretty bad looking streams lol...      

 

It isn't about what the system can do. Most of us don't have fiber and don't have large upload bandwidth. And many users won't understand how to configure this option, appropriately. Without dynamically allowing for increased demand, you could have major 'bottle neck' problems. The server could be transcoding for higher bandwidth of a single user but as soon as other users log on, your upload bandwidth will decrease but the server is going to keep pushing the same amount of data, and then you'll have buffering issues. Also, I want to be able to reserve some of my upload bandwidth for general functionality. For people who have an HTPC/server, being able to set a global limit would help keep their general internet experience more responsive. 

 

Here's something else I've been thinking about. Some ISPs are starting to cap data usage. It might be a good idea to start thinking about adding a data cap setting in the server. Perhaps per user or globally. Of course this would/should be an advanced setting.

[pir8radio 1293]

It isn't about what the system can do. Most of us don't have fiber and don't have large upload bandwidth. And many users won't understand how to configure this option, appropriately. Without dynamically allowing for increased demand, you could have major 'bottle neck' problems. The server could be transcoding for higher bandwidth of a single user but as soon as other users log on, your upload bandwidth will decrease but the server is going to keep pushing the same amount of data, and then you'll have buffering issues. Also, I want to be able to reserve some of my upload bandwidth for general functionality. For people who have an HTPC/server, being able to set a global limit would help keep their general internet experience more responsive. 

 

Here's something else I've been thinking about. Some ISPs are starting to cap data usage. It might be a good idea to start thinking about adding a data cap setting in the server. Perhaps per user or globally. Of course this would/should be an advanced setting.

 

I gotcha' and I think I was sort of agreeing with you lol...  I just don't want to loose the existing method...  For me, I will want to run a second internet connection, or get fiber should my server usage require that vs lowering stream quality...  

 

I guess i'm looking at as i would a phone system..  (that is my old background)  If i have a building with 400 people in it, I don't order 400 trunks or phone lines.  I set up about 80 trunks because 400 people normal wouldn't be on the phone at the exact same time so you budget lines...   I guess I kind of budget my internet bandwidth, there have been times where I have say 20 users online, some are listening to music, some are streaming TV, some are watching movies...  I actually find my bandwidth stays relatively low, my users seem to watch movies at different times of the day from one another...  I only get a hand full of users at a time that concurrently watch movies with other users..    sorry blah blah blah all i'm saying is if the feature you need gets added, that we not loose the existing one, I don't want emby changing quality of the stream based on the server side...  @ these are great ideas... I just have the mentality of providing a commercial service, even though I am not actually doing that...   I look at it like I'm netflix, and my family are my customers... I know if I was watching netflix and they cut my stream quality down due to netflix not having enough bandwidth I would be pissed, and i would think to myself "that is not my problem because netflix doesn't plan things out".   Totally understand where you guys are coming from though, again my post is only to point out that I would not want to loose the existing feature...  sorry, long post....  

[Guest asrequested]

Maybe the simplest thing to do would be add a check box. On is global, Off is per user.