XviD movies in mkv or avi containers can't direct stream or direct play

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

Hi, I have a movie library with 93% video encoded as 720p/1080p AVC (mostly in mkv containers), that without any problems can be played by all my users (11 external) in Chrome browser in Windows 10 or streamed to their Chromecasts, without transcoding of the video at all. Bitrate and internet connections are not an issue.

 

In my library is also about 400 Xvid and 200 MPEG-2 movies in mkv or avi containers. These movies can't at this moment be played without video transcoding in Chrome browser or to Chromecasts. To avoid heavy serverload or crash, I have disabled video transcoding for each user. If I enable the video transcoding for the users, these movies can be played without issues, but the serverload.

 

Is there any solution to avoid video transcoding for these movies?

 

I can attach transcoding logs if necessary.

Edited March 14, 2018 by HaraldBluetooth

[Happy2Play 9780]

Do to browser limitations no.

 

You see the browser capabilities at a site like http://html5test.com/.

[Carlo 4560]

Best thing you can do is convert those 400 xvid movies offline to H.264.  That and make sure moving forward that all media is H.264.

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

Thanks for the link Happy2Play.

 

I've also tried with Emby Theater where they can be played without issues, but unfortunately not be streamed to Chromecast. I have lifetime license, but my users haven't, so that's not an option.

 

Any other solutions?

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

Yeah cayars, a "small" winter project

Edited March 14, 2018 by HaraldBluetooth

[Guest asrequested]

Thanks for the link Happy2Play.

 

I've also tried with Emby Theater where they can be played without issues, but unfortunately not be streamed to Chromecast. I have lifetime license, but my users haven't, so that's not an option.

 

Any other solutions?

What's not an option?

[Luke 42077]

For chromecast and web browsers you'll have to convert the files if you want to avoid transcoding.

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

Doofus, are you saying, that you can send output from Emby Theater windows desktop app to Chromecast, or....?

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

Thanks for your answer Luke, allthough it's quite a task. I think my answer to my users will be, that I've enabled the option to download the movie from the server . It would be nice if the download could include external subtitles also

[Guest asrequested]

Doofus, are you saying, that you can send output from Emby Theater windows desktop app to Chromecast, or....?

No, I was looking for clarity. I understand, now.

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

How does Videostream plugin for Chrome manage to decode the xvid and mpeg-2 stream and send this to Chromecast?

[Luke 42077]

Probably the plugin has some conversion feature and is embedding an http server to stream the content to the chromecast device.

[HaraldBluetooth 21]

I have used Videostream many times as an emergency player solution to Chromecast, and as far as I have seen - no cpu load with xvid and mpeg-2 with streaming to Chromecast.

 

In the meanwhile I stumbled over MPC Remote, that works flawlessly for me with all filetypes and with the bonus of passthrough of DTS. Some of my remote users can't use this solution.