Random Thoughts on Black Friday

[legierk 8]

I don't really have a question....I am just giving some random thoughts on my current situation. And much is not even dealing with Emby. 

I stopped myself from upgrading my Emby server GPU last night. I was streaming from the server (Win11/Intel i5 11600k/16gb DDR4/1050ti/2.5 GbE wired) to my desktop PC (Ryzen 2600X/16gb DDR4/1050ti/2.5 GbE wired) and when using MPC-HC (blasphemy!) the desktop GPU was 98% usage! The server GPU was like 3%. Of course, this changes when I change movies (or more accurately, a movie with a different encoding). Then if I switch to the Emby app on my desktop, the GPU usuage drops to like 30%. I checked the stats for nerds, and I think at that time it was Direct Playing. (How cool would it be for Emby to incorporate some type of MadVR processing software?)

I just rebuilt my HTPC to bring it up to date. 7600x CPU/32gb DDR5/4070/2.5 GbE wired) and I haven't yet tested the load on the GPU running MPC or Emby for that matter. But although Emby Theater is great, I feel I get a slightly better PQ (picture quality) using MPC-HC/MadVR. Of course, my projector is still 1080p, so I think there is some down scaling going on "somewhere" when watching a ripped 4k movie. In the theater (with the HTPC and 1080p projector I also have a Roku box (the newest one). I find it facsinating that a little black box (Roku) that costs $60 can do the same thing as a $1100 PC when using Emby Theater. The Roku doesn't even get hot. 

Then of course, there are the sound codecs....oh my. Yes, bitstream, passthrough, yada yada. Who knows. I use a Denon X4800H in the living room (eARC to Roku 4k TV) and a Denon X3800H in the theater to the projector. (I swapped them bc we use the living room 90% of the time, and all channels in theater are powered with separate power amps making the 3800 essentially a preamp). Most of the time the sound comes out like it is supposed to when using any app. Sometimes not so much. One of the best things about Emby is the ability to process AAC 5.1 to DD. That setting alone is worth the price I paid for Premier.  Still haven't figured out how to do this with Windows/MPC (I think I read you have to install ffdshow and fiddle with that or something). 

Back to the beginning, I was gonna get a 3060 8gb to replace the 10yo 1050ti 4gb in the server, thinking it would help transcoding/decoding/encoding or whatever the heck is happening that causes stuttering with MPC. (Emby doesn't stutter). But decided against it bc it seems most of the processing is taking place on the receiving end of the chain. I even have all 2.5G switches in the house. 

Regarding PQ, in the living room with a 75" Roku 4k TV, the Emby app works great. However, If I use the Emby Theater app on the XBox X series (on the same TV/AVR), the PQ seems better. Crisper, darker blacks, sharper, etc. But with the XBox, I run into more sound issues. (It's probably a windows/microsoft/AAC/passthrough issue). It's all so tiring and confusing.

If I did have a question, it would probably be should I put a 3060 in the server (or a 4060/4070) to replace the old 1050ti, or just let it ride? I've read enough posts here to know most would say "a 1050ti is plenty for just streaming" or something like that. I also it depends on the media type. Most are MKV files, but about 40% are not. 

Grandkids are coming over today, and they will stream animated movies from the server to a Roku TV in their room using Emby Theater app on the TV non-stop for 3 days. Works fine, and the kids don't care about the details I have described. Good times.

Hope you all enjoyed Thanksgiving.