New pc for transcoding i3 vs i5

[fredlaca 3]

Hello,

i want migrate my emby server since Synology 1817+ (Atom C2538) to intel NUC (for low power)

I have a maximum of 5-10 users in same time but for the moment only in direct play, i want activate transcoding for user in web or with a little connexion internet... etc

according to the forums here even the gen 11 are very good for that

My choice is 2 NUC with :

- Core i3-1115G4 with Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs

- Core i5-1135G7 with Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Iris-Xe-G7-80EUs-vs-UHD-Graphics-Xe-G4-48EUs_10395_10397.247598.0.html

They are 160€ difference price.

Can you think the i3-1115G4 is enough to play a maximum of 2-4 4k streams and more than 5 1080p streams in same time ?

I prefer to see wide for the future and keep it for a long time

 

thank you for help me to choose

Edited June 28, 2022 by fredlaca

[Luke 42077]

Hi, it's probably enough, but for the responsibilities of a server I like the i5 better. There's a similar discussion here you can check out:

 

[fredlaca 3]

thanks,

i didn't find anyone with the i3-1115G4 who transcodes to compare

only this 

 

[VirulentPip 93]

Personally I'd go for the i5.. You've got to think about other processes too like if you wish to use IntroSkip etc, the 2C4T of the i3 isn't the best for this and the 4C8T is the better choice for overall usage and longevity. 

I've stopped using that RN96 for that reason, It's great for when everything is there ready to use and nothing else but I also use Backblaze on the machine which also likes to use up CPU, it's like a constant battle for cores lol.

[fredlaca 3]

Thank you for feedback 

[rbjtech 5284]

I would suggest one of the biggest differences to GPU transcoding performance is actually the local temp storage - so ensure whatever you get has a decent sized NVME SSD drive  - 512Gbyte should be sufficient as I assume your media is on a NAS.

Edited June 29, 2022 by rbjtech

[Q-Droid 989]

5 hours ago, VirulentPip said:

Personally I'd go for the i5.. You've got to think about other processes too like if you wish to use IntroSkip etc, the 2C4T of the i3 isn't the best for this and the 4C8T is the better choice for overall usage and longevity. 

I've stopped using that RN96 for that reason, It's great for when everything is there ready to use and nothing else but I also use Backblaze on the machine which also likes to use up CPU, it's like a constant battle for cores lol.

This is a fair assessment. An i3 is plenty for a dedicated media server and branded NAS replacement. But multiple busy applications can eat into the fewer cores/threads.

If I'm not mistaken the video ENC/DEC sections are the same  between these two?

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Q-Droid

[fredlaca 3]

My emby folder on my NAS :

only 13.63 Go ? it is very small size i think ? My NAS have 500 Go SSD cache for speed up Emby

 

The NUC will be serve only for Emby server, not for something else

[fredlaca 3]

finally there is another directory

i don't know the size of this

[RanmaCanada 494]

I personally use an i3-8130u and quicksync makes it no problem to have 20+ 1080p transcodes going at once.  The asics are the same across all chips in a generation usually, so the only advantage of going up a spec is more power for other things.  If it's going to be a dedicated server, an i3 should be more than enough with quicksync.  As for 4k, are you transcoding them, or direct playing.  My i3-8130u can handle 3 4k transcodes with tonemapping before it completely throws up and dies.  If you are direct playing, the i3 will not be a problem, if you are transcoding 4k with tone mapping, the i5 is ideal.

[fredlaca 3]

Thank you for returning with a generation 8 i3
for the moment all my customers are in direct play and some cannot read everything (low internet speed, non-compatible reader... etc).
I want to give them the ability to play more files regardless of the situation.
I don't think I have more than 1/2 4k streams at the same time at max and a few 1080p streams. Even by activating the transcoding, it does not activate if there is no need? direct play and prioritized?

[Luke 42077]

5 hours ago, fredlaca said:

Thank you for returning with a generation 8 i3
for the moment all my customers are in direct play and some cannot read everything (low internet speed, non-compatible reader... etc).
I want to give them the ability to play more files regardless of the situation.
I don't think I have more than 1/2 4k streams at the same time at max and a few 1080p streams. Even by activating the transcoding, it does not activate if there is no need? direct play and prioritized?

Correct.

[fredlaca 3]

I found a Dell Optiplex 3080 micro with core i5-10500T (Intel UHD 630) 256 Go SSD & 8 Go RAM.(for only 200€)

I think its is a good plan, you know ?

[Luke 42077]

1 hour ago, fredlaca said:

I found a Dell Optiplex 3080 micro with core i5-10500T (Intel UHD 630) 256 Go SSD & 8 Go RAM.(for only 200€)

I think its is a good plan, you know ?

Sounds good to me.

[fredlaca 3]

Thank,  i buy it, i will return here for feedback 

[RanmaCanada 494]

On 04/07/2022 at 14:05, fredlaca said:

I found a Dell Optiplex 3080 micro with core i5-10500T (Intel UHD 630) 256 Go SSD & 8 Go RAM.(for only 200€)

I think its is a good plan, you know ?

This is an insane deal.  The UHD 630 is a bit better than what I have, being a UHD 620, but the extra horsepower you get from the more powerful chip will help with any audio encoding, and any other processing, like subtitles and tone mapping, if for whatever reason it can't be done in hardware.  The dev team has done some amazing things, and you will be happy with this little micro.  I use a laptop because it's great to have a screen attached without needing another monitor or dummy plug to remote in.  They can also be had for extremely cheap, and use the same asics as their desktop counterparts, usually.

[fredlaca 3]

Thanks, i wait it again for the moment

wainting for, I test a Lenovo tiny with i7-8700T (UHD 630 too) and its ok for 4k but if the stream is too big :

I think I shouldn't leave the quality in auto on chrome, in 1080p it's better for the processor and the cg

with other 4k movies it is ok, and very fine with 1080p

Edited July 12, 2022 by fredlaca

[Q-Droid 989]

It has to do a lot of work if it's going from 4k HEVC HDR to 4k H264 SDR. Normally you'd want to transcode from 4k to 1080p which would reduce the work to encode the stream. There was an option to limit tonemap size to 1080p but now I only see that available in the software tonemap settings. Was it always a software only option?

So for playback on non-4k displays it might be better to set the quality instead of using auto.

 

 

[RanmaCanada 494]

Yeah 4k HEVC to 4k H264 is NOT what you want to be doing haha.  If you are going to watch 4k HDR on your PC, you want to be using Opera as I believe it is the only browser that supports HEVC.

[GrimReaper 4739]

2 minutes ago, RanmaCanada said:

Opera as I believe it is the only browser that supports HEVC.

Nope. MS Edge (with HEVC extension) and Marmaduke Chromium support it for quite some time. And recently Chrome Canaries have started experimenting with it. Edge has AC3 support as well, so might be best of the bunch. 

[RanmaCanada 494]

On 15/07/2022 at 17:24, GrimReaper said:

Nope. MS Edge (with HEVC extension) and Marmaduke Chromium support it for quite some time. And recently Chrome Canaries have started experimenting with it. Edge has AC3 support as well, so might be best of the bunch. 

Do you have a link to the HEVC extension?  It's something I would like to try out.

[GrimReaper 4739]

20 minutes ago, RanmaCanada said:

Do you have a link to the HEVC extension?  It's something I would like to try out.

Sure: https://www.free-codecs.com/hevc_video_extension_download.htm

Last I've checked was:

On 2/18/2022 at 4:31 AM, GrimReaper said:

Can confirm stutter-less DirectPlay HEVC (8-bit/10-bit) with AAC/AC3 on Edge Dev 100.0.1163.1 and HEVC Video Extension 1.0.50362.0.

 

[fredlaca 3]

ultimately buying the Dell is a scam...just a waste of time.
I just found a Lenovo tiny with an i5-12400T (UHD 730), it's more expensive but it should be even more efficient
I'm waiting to receive it to come back

[fredlaca 3]

I am in the process of switching everyone to the new server but I have a question for a user with fiber internet speed, the trancoding activates each time and it tells me that it sometimes has artifacts

 

you know why ?

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by fredlaca

[RanmaCanada 494]

Just because they have fibre doesn't meant their ISP, or yours, aren't being assholes and throttling the traffic.  As for artifacts, what is the exact hardware they are using?  I see it's named as a NokiaBox.  Is it this?  This has the same chipset as the Firecube, and I only ever see "artifacting" on anime and it's usually due to framerates being stupid and screwy.  I know it's a lot to ask of them, but see if they can record the artifacts and send them to you and then possibly post them here.  Though I am almost 100% sure their problem is a client issue and not a server issue (the artifacts not the transcoding).  You could also ask them to check what the quality is set to.  If it's on auto, tell them to change it to an actual number and report back to you.  I would also recommend to make a test video folder and dump the infamous jellyfish videos (original hosting site is down?) into them and have them play them back on auto and see when it starts to transcode.  Then have them put their client to 100mb (or max speed but NOT auto)and tell them to try again and see if it transcodes.  I find this is great for figuring out ISP shenanigans and have used it with multiple people to get them to switch ISPs.  
 

Good luck!