Server transcodes even if not required

[MrWGT13 24]

Hi

i'm running version 4.7.8.0 and have the following settings:

User (who plays video):
allow video, audio transcode and container format change.  4 streams and 500MBit/s are set.

App (iOS):
internet quality 2MBps
home net, internet and chromecast set to 1060p 60Mbps

Video (which should be played)
Title 1917, h265 main 10 level 120, 10bit, bt709, yuv420p10le, 1280x800 anamorphic, Bitrate 4mbps (all according to ios app)

If i start the video at home (wlan speed ~ 300mbps) or away (~50mbps speed) the aspect ratio is wrong and i see (with top) a ffmpeg task running with ~65% cpu.

If i switch during playback from 720p - 10Mpbs to lower speeds e.g. 720p - 6Mbps the aspect ratio is correct and the ffmpeg task is disappears from top. cpu is normal at ~10%. Even switching back to 720p - 10Mbps keeps aspect ratio and low cpu.

But the problem is not the anamorphic video. I've videos in 1280x720p and others in 1920x1080p but all are h265 like above. Some play with low cpu, some play with high cpu (and ffmpeg running). All files revert to low cpu when resolution is switch back and forth while playback.

What could be the reason?

Thanks, Gerd

 

ffmpeg-directstream-ea779800-87b0-49c6-9594-93c41df03476_1.txt

Edited October 26, 2022 by MrWGT13
Added log file

[MrWGT13 24]

New log file:

1. Started playpack of 1917 with 720p - 6Mbps
2. Switched to 720p - 5Mbps in iOs app
3. Stopped playpack

08:57:30.419 SegmentComplete=video:0 Index=731 Start=2193.071000 End=2195.948000 Duration=2.877000 offset_pts=0 start_pts=2193071000 Frames=72 filename=A77524_731.ts
08:57:30.419 [segment @ 0x100a600] Opening '/var/lib/emby/transcoding-temp/A77524/A77524_732.ts.tmp' for writing
>> ThrottleBySegmentRequest: RequestPosition: 00:00:21 - TranscodingPosition: 00:17:54 - ThrottleBuffer: 1.053s (Treshold: 120s)
Enter throttle value: <int, ms wait per input cycle> (0 to disable)

Setting throttle value to 100 ms
08:57:30.584 elapsed=00:00:02.00 frame=52691 fps=26296 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.34 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 798x    
08:57:31.087 elapsed=00:00:02.55 frame=52693 fps=20613 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.44 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 626x    
08:57:31.590 elapsed=00:00:03.05 frame=52695 fps=17222 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.54 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 523x    
08:57:32.093 elapsed=00:00:03.56 frame=52697 fps=14793 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.63 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 449x    
>> ThrottleBySegmentRequest: RequestPosition: 00:00:42 - TranscodingPosition: 00:26:39 - ThrottleBuffer: 1.558s (Treshold: 120s)
08:57:32.596 elapsed=00:00:04.06 frame=52700 fps=12961 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.70 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 393x    
08:57:33.100 elapsed=00:00:04.56 frame=52702 fps=11534 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.79 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 350x    
08:57:33.603 elapsed=00:00:05.07 frame=52704 fps=10389 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.89 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 315x    
08:57:34.106 elapsed=00:00:05.57 frame=52706 fps=9453 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:39.98 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 287x    
>> ThrottleBySegmentRequest: RequestPosition: 00:01:12 - TranscodingPosition: 00:26:39 - ThrottleBuffer: 1.528s (Treshold: 120s)
08:57:34.608 elapsed=00:00:06.07 frame=52708 fps=8671 q=-1.0 size=N/A time=00:26:40.08 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 263x    
08:57:34.709 

[q] command received. Exiting.

08:57:34.709 08:57:34.709 [segment @ 0x100a600] Opening '/var/lib/emby/transcoding-temp/A77524/A77524.m3u8.tmp' for writing
08:57:34.712 SegmentComplete=video:0 Index=732 Start=2196.074000 End=2198.409000 Duration=2.335000 offset_pts=0 start_pts=2196074000 Frames=59 filename=A77524_732.ts
08:57:34.713 elapsed=00:00:06.28 frame=52709 fps=8389 q=-1.0 Lsize=N/A time=00:26:40.08 bitrate=N/A throttle=100 speed= 255x    
08:57:34.713 video:1054580kB audio:103044kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: unknown
    Last message repeated 1 times
08:57:34.713 EXIT

I think that the first lines are from transcoding, the second block from streaming without trancode and the third block from stopping. The files plays back perfectly without transcoding!

Also i think that ffmpeg detects SAR or something wrong because aspect ratio is wrong if transcoded.

Gerd

ffmpeg-directstream-031380f0-52f1-4784-9125-b02617aed395_1.txt

Edited October 26, 2022 by MrWGT13

[MrWGT13 24]

Updated server from 4.7.8.0 to 4.8.0.13 beta but problems stays the same.

Gerd

[Luke 42078]

Hi there, did you explore the stats feature in the video player to learn why it was transcoding?

[Happy2Play 9780]

@MrWGT13 Sorry neither log is transcoding do you actually have ffmpeg-transcode logs?

TranscodeReasons=DirectPlayError

08:57:28.430 Stream mapping:
08:57:28.430   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
08:57:28.430   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Happy2Play
cross posting

[MrWGT13 24]

I'm new to emby (2 days) and it did not stumple over the stats feature.
How to I that?
 

Thanks Gerd 

[Luke 42078]

Click the gear icon in the video player -> stats for nerds. Or check on your server dashboard during playback.

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 minute ago, MrWGT13 said:

I'm new to emby (2 days) and it did not stumple over the stats feature.
How to I that?
 

Thanks Gerd 

On the OSD during playback there is a gear.

[MrWGT13 24]

Started playback and there is "the error" with 720p 10mbps selected.

During playback I switched to 720p 8mbps and error is gone.

Gerd 

[MrWGT13 24]

I tested a little further.

1. Other anamorphic movies in e.g encoded 1280x816 are shown with correct aspect (1920x816)
2. These movies stream directly MKV, video and audio
3. Movie 1917 shows "playback error are fixed" (translated from german) and is played with wrong aspect ratio.
4. Toggling video playback quality during playback fixes error and MKV, video and audio are directly streamed
5. CPU is high on any movie for a few seconds. Tops shows ffmpeg with high cpu but after 10s cpu in very low.

So it looks for me that

• it's not a video/audio transcoding issue
• it's a "mkv should be streamed" issue with some movies but toggling video quality in ios app fixes current playback
  => tried to clean mkv with mkvtoolnix keeping just video and audio but did not solve issue

Anyway i would be great to find a solution without toggling quality.

Is a sample required?

Thanks Gerd

[Happy2Play 9780]

@MrWGT13 This is an iOS specific issue, correct?  If so I will move this topic to correct forum.

[MrWGT13 24]

I only have ios devices but i'm not sure if the issue is only on ios oder server side or both. Can't decide.

Tnx Gerd

[Happy2Play 9780]

Does the same happen from a browser probably not as there will most likely be full transcoding.  From what you have provided is specifically from Emby for iOS 2.2.5.

[MrWGT13 24]

If you see it that way it is an ios issue.

Movies play ok in Firefox but there are all "things" (mks, video, audio) transcoded.

At least with 13beta. With 14beta there is no playback of movies at all with firefox (no compatible streams available or so). But this is an other topic

Tnx Gerd 

[MrWGT13 24]

I'm now participating in the ios beta program and with emby for ios 2.2.6 the problem is solved with iPhone and iPad.

Tnx Gerd