Why is this video causing transcoding?

[justinrh 260]

original post title:  Why is this video causing transcoding?

ffmpeg-transcode-2976a600-dfae-45f6-8b26-678080c1a3af_1.txtembyserver.txt

[Happy2Play 9780]

Best guess with a bitrate of 1.5Mbps would be Auto or set playback quality value in Settings-Playback on the client.  Or stream limit set on the server.

2021-10-02 11:17:08.119 Info App: User policy for {NAME}. EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True
2021-10-02 11:17:08.120 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectPlay limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.120 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.124 Info App: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 9000000, RemoteIp: 192.168.101.88, IsInLocalNetwork: False
2021-10-02 11:17:08.124 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectPlay limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.124 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.130 Info App: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 9000000, RemoteIp: 192.168.101.88, IsInLocalNetwork: False
2021-10-02 11:17:08.130 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectPlay limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.130 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 2081547, max bitrate: 1500000
2021-10-02 11:17:08.131 Info App: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 9000000, RemoteIp: 192.168.101.88, IsInLocalNetwork: False

 

&VideoBitrate=1340418&AudioBitrate=159582

&TranscodeReasons=ContainerBitrateExceedsLimit

But at the same time did you configure anything on Dashboard-Network?  As I would not consider this IP to be Remote.

[justinrh 260]

You can see in your log snippet I have remote streaming bitrate limits, which far exceeds 1.5Mbps.  You can also see that it reports it is a remote connection.

The client is at default settings, with Internet quality = Auto.  Something is not adding up for me.  Can you explain more?

This transcode kills my server and I can't control the web page, can't even back out to the home screen.

 

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 minute ago, justinrh said:

The client is at default settings, with Internet quality = Auto

There are dozens of topics of Auto being conservative and defaulting to the hard coded rate you are seeing.  Personally I tell all user to set client to max and throttle them by Internet streaming bitrate limit (Mbps).

[Luke 42078]

Has this advice helped?

[justinrh 260]

It is something for me to try.

If this is a common issue, then it seems like Emby is overly conservative, assuming quality detection is actually doing something.

[ebr 16183]

Based on the max rate being exactly 1.5Mb, I'm skeptical this is a case of auto not detecting properly.  That wouldn't end up with such a round number so do be sure and check any limit settings (like for the specific user).

[Luke 42078]

Were you able to try it?

[justinrh 260]

Yes.  It still transcoded.  So, let me guess:  It was forced to transcode because of the client (web app)?

[Happy2Play 9780]

12 minutes ago, justinrh said:

Yes.  It still transcoded.  So, let me guess:  It was forced to transcode because of the client (web app)?

This is on Auto, correct?  And if you adjust client playback to a high bitrate does is still transcode?

[justinrh 260]

No.  If you follow this post, Luke asked me to try your suggestion to set the client to a high bitrate and not use Auto.  Why would I do the same thing and expect something different to happen?

[Happy2Play 9780]

7 minutes ago, justinrh said:

No.  If you follow this post, Luke asked me to try your suggestion to set the client to a high bitrate and not use Auto.  Why would I do the same thing and expect something different to happen?

Sorry rereading I did not get that you changed anything.  Can you provide the logs for this change.

[Luke 42078]

15 hours ago, justinrh said:

Yes.  It still transcoded.  So, let me guess:  It was forced to transcode because of the client (web app)?

Did you explore the stats feature in the video player to learn why it was transcoding?

[ebr 16183]

It is transcoding due to a bitrate limit.

TranscodeReasons=ContainerBitrateExceedsLimit

And that limit is exactly 1.5Mbs.  I'm guessing somewhere in user or server settings we will find that limit set to 1.5Mb.

[Happy2Play 9780]

27 minutes ago, ebr said:

It is transcoding due to a bitrate limit.

TranscodeReasons=ContainerBitrateExceedsLimit

And that limit is exactly 1.5Mbs.  I'm guessing somewhere in user or server settings we will find that limit set to 1.5Mb.

Isn't that the hard coded fallback rate?

[ebr 16183]

1 hour ago, Happy2Play said:

Isn't that the hard coded fallback rate?

Fallback in what situation?

[Happy2Play 9780]

10 minutes ago, ebr said:

Fallback in what situation?

This is or was done by the server.  Has it ever changed?  But I thought it was increased.

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/74156-auto-decision-for-transcoding-way-to-low/&do=findComment&comment=748866

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/77927-emby-defaults-to-15-mbits-for-transcoding/&do=findComment&comment=791277

 

[Luke 42078]

I would try setting the quality setting to a higher value if you're certain the connection can support it.

[Carlo 4561]

20 hours ago, Happy2Play said:

This is or was done by the server.  Has it ever changed?  But I thought it was increased.

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/74156-auto-decision-for-transcoding-way-to-low/&do=findComment&comment=748866

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/77927-emby-defaults-to-15-mbits-for-transcoding/&do=findComment&comment=791277

 

I wish this was controllable on the server vs the client as I'd want to bump the auto setting up for use with my system.
1.5mb to 3mb is just far to low 95%+ of the time these days.

What would be more ideal is to have a limit for the device itself.  This way I could not have to limit my son's  Samsung TV & Xbox but yet could put a limit on his Samsung smart phone if not connected via WIFI.

[justinrh 260]

I was able to test again.  I upped the client quality and it did not transcode.  Thanks for the help.  I didn't realize the client had such settings.  I also read the details of the log, which tells the reason for the transcode. (doh!)

I wish "Auto" was more 'automatical'!

[Happy2Play 9780]

Logs do not show but the hard coded fallback value is only used when the server/client can not determine the connection speed is my understanding.  So this conservative rate gives Auto a bad name.