HEVC files take time to stream

[Yodikko 3]

So I noticed that HEVC files take a lot of time to load, and aleays stucks for buffering. I think that my laptop (lubuntu, where I'm running the server) can't hold all this cpu power (?). It just load very slow on comouters. On phone it looks like loadings are quite fine.

 

Any tip for solving this? Other than not using HEVC files? They are more common than 264 and converting into 265 takes ages.

[Happy2Play 9780]

What client/app?  Every device will be different, but what playback method (Direct Play, Remux, Transcode)?  Sounds like transcoding for playback on the device.

May need to see server log and ffmpeg log if present for a specific example.

 

[Yodikko 3]

When it takes ages it is always transcoding (HEVC codec I think)

 

EDIT: I am now converting the files from HEVC to 264 but it's taking a lot. I hope once it finishes it fix the problem for those files. But I need to do this with every HEVC I'll download and it's a bit annoying

Edited March 20, 2021 by Yodikko

[Happy2Play 9780]

Just now, Yodikko said:

When it takes ages it is always transcoding (HEVC codec I think)

If transcoding is required then the system running Emby needs to be powerful enough to convert the media.  The ffmpeg log will show the fps the media is being converted at.  So with a weak cpu it takes longer to convert so longer before the media can start playing, then there is a chance the cpu can not keep up with playback and will pause and play.

But what client are we talking about?  

[Yodikko 3]

Excuse me, what do you mean with client? I'm running emby on a i7 (5-6 years old) laptop. When I try to playback it on Firefox or Chrome it just pause and play everythime. 

[Yodikko 3]

The laptop isn't powerul enough. Is there any way to avoid transcodifing?

[Happy2Play 9780]

6 minutes ago, Yodikko said:

When I try to playback it on Firefox or Chrome it just pause and play everytime.

7 minutes ago, Yodikko said:

The laptop isn't powerful enough. Is there any way to avoid transcoding?

Would need to see the ffmpeg log but suspect it is transcode do to unsupported codec HEVC.  But this is rather normal from a browser standpoint.  You can test on a site like html5test.com to see if the browser support h265.  

Can I use... HEVC

If you are Premiere user then you should look at Emby Theater for Windows.

 

[Yodikko 3]

I'll try with Emby Theater and let you know.

[Yodikko 3]

With emby theater it loads instantly but the audio is a bit...strange (?) and low quality. 

[Happy2Play 9780]

And the playback method?  Is a ffmpeg log being made?

Depending on the issue may need to open a new topic in Emby Theater section to go over device setting.  But you may need to look windows audio setting and then audio setting within ET.

[Yodikko 3]

How can I see if a ffmpeg log has being made?

[Happy2Play 9780]

8 minutes ago, Yodikko said:

How can I see if a ffmpeg log has being made?

It will be in the server log folder if one is made.  Direct Play is the only time ffmpeg log is not created.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Happy2Play

[Yodikko 3]

Ok i 'm in log. What's the latest log?

[Happy2Play 9780]

2 minutes ago, Yodikko said:

Ok i 'm in log. What's the latest log?

The Embyserver log is the current active log and ffmpeg logs are generated per playback session as needed.

[Yodikko 3]

Can I delete all logs, start a session and see if it create a log?

[visproduction 315]

HEVC H.265 video is converted to AVC H.264 with audio AAC (FDK) to playback inside EMBY.  You need a very good and fast and well cooled CPU to handle this, or stop playing HEVC H.265 videos.  You don't need logs to see what is happening.  just look at the CPU load.  Playback of a video already in AVC H.264 might take about 22% of a old CPU, while exact same video with HEVC H.265 will pin the CPU to 100% because it's encoded to H.264 to playback on the fly.

If you want to know why this happens, HEVC. H.265 browser playback costs $0.25 per browser in licensing fees.  Microsoft Edge use to handle it, but they dropped it and now only Safari handles it.  That doesn't matter because EMBY is converting anyway, no matter what browser you use.  I believe, if you have the paid server version the converted video can get saved.  With the free version it does not get saved, so you need to reconvert every time someone watches it.  I am already converting all my content to H.264 for use on the server.  I only playback H.265 copies with VLC directly.

Hope that helps.

Edited March 20, 2021 by visproduction
error typo

[Happy2Play 9780]

7 minutes ago, Yodikko said:

Can I delete all logs, start a session and see if it create a log?

Yes you can.  But in Theater during playback if you click the gear then Stats for nerd it will tell you playback method.

[Yodikko 3]

4 minutes ago, visproduction said:

HEVC H.265 video is converted to AVC H.264 with audio AAC (FDK) to playback inside EMBY.  You need a very good and fast and well cooled CPU to handle this, or stop playing HEVC H.265 videos.  You don't need logs to see what is happening.  just look at the CPU load.  Playback of a video already in AVC H.264 might take about 22% of a old CPU, while exact same video with HEVC H.265 will pin the CPU to 100% because it's encoded to H.264 to playback on the fly.

If you want to know why this happens, HEVC. H.254 browser playback costs $0.25 per browser in licensing fees.  Microsoft Edge use to handle it, but they dropped it and now only Safari handles it.  That doesn't matter because EMBY is converting anyway, no matter what browser you use.  I believe, if you have the paid server version the converted video can get saved.  With the free version it does not get saved, so you need to reconvert every time someone watches it.  I am already converting all my content to H.264 for use on the server.  I only playback H.265 copies with VLC directly.

Hope that helps.

Long story short, never dowloading h.265 again and the things I have in this format I'll convert them

[Yodikko 3]

11 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

Yes you can.  But in Theater during playback if you click the gear then Stats for nerd it will tell you playback method.

DirectPlay on Emby Theatre and it's fine. It's the transcoding the problem but there is no real fix to it so thank you guys.

[Yodikko 3]

Nevermind not solved. My girlfriend downloaded Emby theater on her PC and it's transcoding and not DirectPlay...Why?

[Happy2Play 9780]

1 hour ago, Yodikko said:

Nevermind not solved. My girlfriend downloaded Emby theater on her PC and it's transcoding and not DirectPlay...Why?

No one can say without required logs.  You can tell by opening Stats for Nerds.

 

[Yodikko 3]

When she start playing it it's transcoding 100% and I don't know why.

[pwhodges 2012]

Transcoding (by default) goes as fast as possible so that it is ready in case of the user wanting to skip forward, for instance.  So that 100% will only be for a time, not necessarily the whole playback.

Paul

[Happy2Play 9780]

Yes when a item transcode ffmpeg utilized as much of the cpu as possible to convert/process the media as fast as possible.  By why the transcode is happening requires requested information

[Yodikko 3]

21 minutes ago, pwhodges said:

Transcoding (by default) goes as fast as possible so that it is ready in case of the user wanting to skip forward, for instance.  So that 100% will only be for a time, not necessarily the whole playback.

Paul

Sorry for my bad speaking but I wasnt talking about that. Let me explain better.

 

Why when I play a media HVEC on emby theater it goes on DirectPlay but when my girlfriend opens THE SAME MEDIA on Emby theater it transcode it.