What is needed to prevent transcoding because of subtitles

[Yrosma 2]

I only recently started using emby and emby theater. I have emby server running using docker on a synology nas.

Emby Theater I'm using on a Windows 10 Intel Nuc.

I would expect no transcoding would be needed as the windows 10 Intel NUC should be able to play anything. But almost all my media needs transcoding. What I have seen so far. Every time the reason is because subtitle format not supported or something. First I thought it had to do with PSG subtitles or something but I get even the same with just plain srt subtitles that are muxed in the mkv file.

 

I don't mind remuxing my media or even converting some stuff. Though I don't think I need to convert my audio or media because if I disable the subtitles the video is directly streamed. It's only when I enable subtitles that the transcoding is needed.

 

My question is how can I prevent transcoding when I'm using subtitles. When using Kodi the transcoding is not happening. So I guess it is also related in combination with using Emby Theater.

Can't Emby Theater not handle subtitles muxed in mkv?

Or need they be of a certain type? srt? ass? etc? Or muxed in a certain way?

 

I just want to prevent transcoding when I don't feel it should be needed.

 

Also is there a way to find out how to convert my files so transcoding isn't needed for a certain player/device/app. A friend of mine uses a ipad to watch some stuff. I did notice everything she is watching will also be transcoded if it has a subtitle in it.

[Luke 37022]

Hi, the most universal method is external .srt or .vtt files. After that it depends on what Emby app you're using, and what format subtitles. Some apps can play ass/ssa without transcoding, but not all. A few apps can play PGS/DVD subs without transcoding, but most will need to transcode.

 

Our subtitle downloading features can help you obtain new subtitles.

[Yrosma 2]

Hi, thanks for the quick response.

First is there a difference between Emby Theater apps? I think I got it first from the microsoft store and that one needed a lot of transcoding while srt subs where in the mkv container. I now tried the setup.exe install and that one has a lot less issues with the need of transcade. Files just play directly with only srt muxed in the mkv container.

 

All my video files have at least srt or ssa/ass subs muxed in the container. Makes it more cleaner I think so I removed all seperated subtitles as I didn't expect demuxing a mkv container to play the subs would be an issue. I can make a script to just extract all srt or ass/ssa subtles from my video files again so that isn't an issue.

I'm just confused that sometimes srt subtitles muxed in a mkv container can play directly and others need transcodes on the same machine with the same emby player. That would mean it has something to do with the muxing itself, compressed srt subtitles? But this shouldn't be a problem anymore. Or something different with the srt itself? UTF-8 against code tables? Or something else? This is the part I likely would to figure out. If I know that it is I can change my files to not require transcoding again on at least my playing devices. I can imagine I can't fix this for all playing devices but what to minimalize the need for transcoding as much as possible

[Luke 37022]

Srt inside the container will not cause a transcode, at least not by default. Let's look at an example. Please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue:

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/739-how-to-report-a-problem/

Thanks !

[Yrosma 2]

I'm still confused about this. I was watching a movie with emby theater which played directly. This movie has srt embedded in the mkv container. On the same machine the next day I'm continuing the movie as I didn't finish it and now starts transcoding. Says something like subtitle format not supported. How can this be when the previous day for the same file this wasn't the case?

I have added logs.

 

Maybe I'm causing this myself because of wrong settings or something but currently I wouldn't know what. So if you could point me in the right direction.

 

 

logs.zip

[Luke 37022]

I would suggest trying again with newer releases as it should perform much better. Thanks.