Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit

[antwon 0]

Hello! When playing back a high quality .mkv file (x264 encoded, should direct play), it throws the no compatible streams found error and I get the following error in the log file:

 

Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 9941994, max bitrate: 7000000

 

I have transcoding disabled, when it is enabled this file does play with transcoding. I'd rather not transcode when my internet bandwidth can handle 10mbps (both upload where the server is located and download where the client is located).

 

I cannot find where in the web app (I'm using Chrome) the 'max bitrate' value is set. Under the user icon -> Playback there is an option for music quality, but that only goes up to 2mbps and doesn't appear to have any effect on the problem.

 

On the server side I did not have the internet streaming bitrate set, I've manually set it to 100mbps and that has no effect.

 

The file direct streams fine when I'm on the local network.

 

Also, everything is up to date, both Chrome and Emby.

 

What am I missing?

[Luke 42077]

Hi there, can we please look at an example? Please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. thanks !

[antwon 0]

Hey, sorry, I figured I combed through it and explained enough that the logs weren't needed. Attached is the server log, you'll notice that line 29 has a POST from the client with 'MaxStreamingBitrate=7000000'. I'm just wondering where/how that is set.

 

Edit: Actually attached the file

embylogs.txt

Edited September 3, 2019 by antwon

[Happy2Play 9780]

If it is not set by the client quality/playback setting then that points to a global or user "Internet streaming bitrate limit (Mbps):" set limit.

Have you checked the Dashboard-Users-"the user" and Dashboard-Advanced to see if this value is set?

Edited September 3, 2019 by Happy2Play

[antwon 0]

That value was not set, but setting it to 100mbps does allow the file to direct play, but only if transcoding is disabled. If transcoding is enabled for the user and that setting is set to 100mbps, then the file will still transcode for me.

 

Here's a comparison:

 

User rate set to 100mbps, transcoding disabled: file direct plays

User rate set to 100mbps, transcoding enabled: file transcodes

User rate not set, transcoding disabled: file doesn't play

User rate not set, transcoding enabled: file transcodes

 

I'm attaching 2 files. 'transcodeenabled' is the file being played with user rate set to 100mbps and transcoding enabled - the file transcodes. 'transcodedisabled' is with the user rate set to 100mbps and transcoding disabled - the file direct plays.

 

I would like the file to always direct play when it is able and only transcode when there is no other option.

transcodedisabled.txt

transcodeenabled.txt

[Luke 42077]

Please attach the ffmpeg log as well. Thanks.

[Luke 42077]

Actually here is the answer. I think you are misunderstanding the options. You set the server remote streaming bitrate limit to 100 mbps - this is not a quality setting, this is an upper limit. That's an important difference.

 

But in the in-app quality setting is set to only 7 mbps:

2019-09-03 13:59:55.195 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 9941994, max bitrate: 7000000
2019-09-03 13:59:55.196 Info App: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 100000000, RemoteIp: REMOTE_IP, IsInLocalNetwork: False

So everything is working as expected here. You need to configure the in-app quality setting. And then I would leave the server's remote stream limit blank because what you're trying to do with it is not what it is meant for.

[antwon 0]

Actually here is the answer. I think you are misunderstanding the options. You set the server remote streaming bitrate limit to 100 mbps - this is not a quality setting, this is an upper limit. That's an important difference.

 

But in the in-app quality setting is set to only 7 mbps:

2019-09-03 13:59:55.195 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 9941994, max bitrate: 7000000
2019-09-03 13:59:55.196 Info App: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 100000000, RemoteIp: REMOTE_IP, IsInLocalNetwork: False

So everything is working as expected here. You need to configure the in-app quality setting. And then I would leave the server's remote stream limit blank because what you're trying to do with it is not what it is meant for.

Ok, awesome. Thank you! Where is the in-app quality setting?

[Luke 42077]

Have you explored the in-app settings by clicking your user icon in the top right?

[antwon 0]

Yes I have. Under playback, there is an option for 'Internet Quality' under the 'Music Quality' header, but changing that has no impact as I would expect from how it is titled.

 

I gather that I should be able to set the bitrate through that menu somehow?

[Luke 42077]

Yes if it's a remote connection, then just set the internet quality as desired.

[antwon 0]

This is on a remote connection, I have no option to set the internet quality for video. See the below screenshots:

 

-

 

There are no other settings under 'Playback' for me.

[Luke 42077]

Because you denied transcoding permissions to the user.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Yes that is a little quirky when settings are hidden do to a option being disabled but the setting still be honored as a limit.  So you need to enable transcoding option then adjust the playback setting then you can attempt to disable the transcoding again

 

But just because you disable transcoding does not mean all you media will direct stream/direct play.  

Edited September 3, 2019 by Happy2Play

[antwon 0]

Aha! And that would be the issue. After enabling transcoding for the user I was able to change that setting and then after disabling transcoding the setting continue to work and I was able to direct play the high quality video without problems.

 

Seems a bit counter-intuitive that the setting would affect both direct play and transcoding but only be available to be set when transcoding is enabled for the user.

 

Thanks for the help!

[Luke 42077]

It doesn't/shouldn't. If you have transcoding disabled for the user then it won't matter what the in-app quality setting is.

[antwon 0]

I agree that it shouldn't, but it was affecting whether or not the high bitrate media would play without transcoding.

[Luke 42077]

Why do you feel that it was affecting it?

[antwon 0]

Well after further testing this morning, it appears that now with transcoding disabled for this user and the user's client bitrate set to auto, the media is playing back. For some reason it wasn't yesterday, but I'm not sure why.

 

I still get that same error in the log:

2019-09-04 08:46:16.719 Info App: Bitrate exceeds DirectStream limit: media bitrate: 9941994, max bitrate: 7000000

But now it actually plays, so I'm not worried about it.

 

I even tested this with a new user, same positive results. I must be going crazy, thanks for the help!

[Luke 42077]

Thanks for the feedback.

[leeknight1981 0]

HI Guy's Me Again 

 

Anyone have a glance at this for me 4K Samsung TV 4K but Emby is transcoding due to bitrate its set to 120mbps 4k and on full cat6 switch to tv 

 

 

TIA 

 

L33 

ffmpeg-transcode-22cf7dc8-e786-4f9c-8e2f-c8c4bec5ee8c_1.txt

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 minute ago, leeknight1981 said:

HI Guy's Me Again 

 

Anyone have a glance at this for me 4K Samsung TV 4K but Emby is transcoding due to bitrate its set to 120mbps 4k and on full cat6 switch to tv 

 

 

TIA 

 

L33 

ffmpeg-transcode-22cf7dc8-e786-4f9c-8e2f-c8c4bec5ee8c_1.txt 156 kB · 0 downloads

Are you sure the client/device is set to 120Mpbs 4K?

The protocol info shows 30Mbps

VideoBitrate=29616000&AudioBitrate=384000

and the item bitrate is

"Bitrate":48408147

May need a server log also.

[leeknight1981 0]

Hiya yes i have checked TV and iv deffo got 4K - 120mbps unless i am missing something 

 

TIA 

L33 

ffmpeg-transcode-31cee64e-455b-499b-95f1-07c82fa2e84d_1.txt

[Luke 42077]

7 minutes ago, leeknight1981 said:

Hiya yes i have checked TV and iv deffo got 4K - 120mbps unless i am missing something 

 

TIA 

L33 

ffmpeg-transcode-31cee64e-455b-499b-95f1-07c82fa2e84d_1.txt 72 kB · 1 download

It appears the limit is set to 30 mbps. That means you've either set that in the app, or you've got a limit being applied by your server settings.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Can you post a server log. @leeknight1981