Question on Network throughput on playback

[MSattler 390]

Client:

 

Shield with Emby Beta Client (Latest)

 

Emby Server:

 

Win2k12R2

Emby Beta Latest Build

4 x 1GB Lag group to a Cisco Switch with LACP

 

Storage Server

 

Unraid 6

1GB Interface

 

 

When the client starts playback it is only remuxing.  Now when looking at the network speeds I see anywhere from 300-500Mbps.  Nothing else is streaming at the time, and that is inbound to Emby from unRaid.   Doesn't that seem high?  The movie is only 34Mbps.   

 

Is it just copying the entire movie to the Emby server and then remuxing?  

 

Thanks!

 

[JeremyFr79 228]

Client:

 

Shield with Emby Beta Client (Latest)

 

Emby Server:

 

Win2k12R2

Emby Beta Latest Build

4 x 1GB Lag group to a Cisco Switch with LACP

 

Storage Server

 

Unraid 6

1GB Interface

 

 

When the client starts playback it is only remuxing.  Now when looking at the network speeds I see anywhere from 300-500Mbps.  Nothing else is streaming at the time, and that is inbound to Emby from unRaid.   Doesn't that seem high?  The movie is only 34Mbps.   

 

Is it just copying the entire movie to the Emby server and then remuxing?  

 

Thanks!

Correct it will transcode as fast as it can at start so it will pull across as much and as fast as it can until it is a good chunk ahead of where you are currently watching and then it settles down.  This is completely normal.

[pir8radio 1312]

I can confirm a similar result.   I have transcode throttling enabled....   So when my users start a video it starts transcoding as hard as it can then dies down, until they catch up... then it transcodes at a slower pace to keep ahead of the player stream in chunks.  The graph below shows a user watching a movie that started before 3:00.     

 

I did a quick test using the web GUI and started a movie that was encoded at 15.7Mbps and transcoded it to 5Mbps @ 4:48 on the graph..  It transcoded enough to build a buffer, then started to die down...(like it should)   I switched the client to maximum bitrate so the movie would just remux @ 4:52, ffmpeg pulled the movie way harder and non stop until the whole movie was on my transcode drive.  Just as you see in your setup.  Looks like mine is still throttling more than yours though, topping out at 21MBps or 168Mbps..

 

Anyway, long story short pretty much does the same for me...  Which as far as I understand, is normal.

 

Edited July 8, 2016 by pir8radio

[MSattler 390]

I can confirm a similar result.   I have transcode throttling enabled....   So when my users start a video it starts transcoding as hard as it can then dies down, until they catch up... then it transcodes at a slower pace to keep ahead of the player stream in chunks.  The graph below shows a user watching a movie that started before 3:00.     

 

I did a quick test using the web GUI and started a movie that was encoded at 15.7Mbps and transcoded it to 5Mbps @ 4:48 on the graph..  It transcoded enough to build a buffer, then started to die down...(like it should)   I switched the client to maximum bitrate so the movie would just remux @ 4:52, ffmpeg pulled the movie way harder and non stop until the whole movie was on my transcode drive.  Just as you see in your setup.  Looks like mine is still throttling more than yours though, topping out at 21MBps or 168Mbps..

 

Anyway, long story short pretty much does the same for me...  Which as far as I understand, is normal.

 

Ok that does make me feel better about what I am seeing.  Although, this shows where Transcoding is not nearly as good as Direct Play.   Using Kodi and Direct Play I would only see the throughput of the actual stream, maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more.  I wonder if no remuxing were done if the bitrate was more along the line of Direct Play even with Direct Streaming.

 

Luckily I have 4GB of throughput on the Emby Server.  Need to switch this other unraid server over to a 2GB link.

 

Thanks guys!

[ebr 16194]

The network activity you are seeing is the actual file system access across your share.  It isn't streaming to the client.  So, there would be no relation to that activity and the bitrate of the encoded content.

[CBers 7473]

 

When the client starts playback it is only remuxing. Now when looking at the network speeds I see anywhere from 300-500Mbps. Nothing else is streaming at the time, and that is inbound to Emby from unRaid. Doesn't that seem high? The movie is only 34Mbps.

Have you tried re-muxing the item to see if it Direct Stream?

 

It'll never Direct Play on a Shield.