(Possible) Reason for transcoding-temp folder completely filling up disk

[Benjd 2]

I've read through half a dozen other threads on the topic. For some reason in certain scenarios, the transcoding folder keeps filling up until it eats all of the HD space. None of the posts had any solutions.

I think I may know why at least for one instance:

I was streaming a certain Robot film with lots of noise and special effects (I'll let you guess which), when I noticed that after a while the stream kept stuttering.

I checked the drive running emby and it had 0mbs left. I checked the transcoding folder and the temp file was over 6gb (I'm running on a Nvidia Shield, streaming to a iPad).

As I deleted the huge number of files, more kept generating.

What's weirder was even when the film was paused, the .ts transcoding files continued to generate! Each file was 10-13 meg and appeared every few seconds.

When I closed the film, the entire temp file deleted.

I did some testing, this weird bug only occurs when emby is transcoding: TRUEHD 5.1 audio.

I switched to AC3 5.1 and AC3 Stereo. No issue.

So the issue seems to be, TRUEHD - AC3 transcoding forever generates .ts files, even when the film is paused. It does not clear up older files until the film is closed. Therefore, even if your temp folder is on a massive drive, depending on the length of the film, it will get filled up!

Attaching the FFMPEG log (it only has local ip)

ffmpeg-remux-1.txt

[Luke 42077]

Hi, yes generally for transcoding the combined size of the temp files could be as large as the original video. But if the video is being transcoded as well then it will usually be much smaller.

 The server does have automatic cleanup when disk space is running low, but this isn’t supported for all platforms and file systems.

[Benjd 2]

Hmm. I guess a user might want to go back in time and not have any stuttering. Are you saying that if I start a film then pause. Emby will continue to transcode the entire films audio, even though I'm not watching it?

I kinda feel that transcoding should stop for a while, if the film is paused.

That perhaps there could be some option for only generating x amount of temp files. I mean if I exit the film and resume, it all gets deleted anyway. So why keep all the files when streaming. 

Maybe a nvidia shield is a niche platform for running the server, but it has a tiny hd. I suppose I could set the temp folder to be on an external drive. 

But it's not obvious to a more casual user why their drive fills up. 

 

[TMCsw 246]

Try setting this:

You can also change the directory where these files are saved if you have a volume where there is more space by changing the "Transcoding temporary path" as you really need more free space for this.

[Benjd 2]

I'm going to take a different approach. The nvidia shield has an option to use an external hd instead of using its tiny internal drive. So I'll use a bigger drive. 

I could also just point the transcoding temp folder there as well. 

It's a workaround. I'll reply at some point with how large the temp file can get just from watching one hd movie. 

I wonder if people doing the live TV streaming were having this same issue?

[TMCsw 246]

9 minutes ago, Benjd said:

I wonder if people doing the live TV streaming were having this same issue?

I'm one of them! 

I use a SSD (for speed) with nearly 1/2TB of free space and never care/worry about it getting filled-up and I often have many movies/shows simultaneously recording/transcoding...

[Benjd 2]

In some ways mine it is a non-issue or at least a niche use-case. 

I mean it could be the case that a user with low hd space sits down to watch lotr extended edition and hits this issue. 

Obviously transcoding will take up space. Normally i always Direct Play, so i don't notice. I was naive on this point.

 

I am concerned about performance issues moving the temp folder to an external drive (I'll see how it goes).

Anyone running an emby server probably has a bit more technical knowledge than the average. But this issue is sporadic, it's very easy to not realise what's causing the stuttering issue, as closing and restarting a film temporarily fixes it. 

Not everyone is monitoring their HD space in real-time. 

Not everyone would expect the transcoding to continue on when a film is paused. In some ways it's like old YouTube which would buffer all the content if you left it.

I still think that the disk cleanup should be more aggressive. 

I guess this ticket can be resolved. As long as it's here for other people to stumble across when they get the same issue.