Overview: Emby playback modes
Emby playback modes describe different combinations of source delivery, repackaging and media conversion.
Direct Play, Direct Stream and transcoding name different playback routes. The useful comparison identifies which streams remain in their encoded form, which packaging changes and which media must be converted. Their pages connect those changes to the selected source and the receiving app's needs.
Direct Play in Emby
Direct Play uses the original media representation for the selected playback session while the client performs its normal decoding and presentation work.Direct Stream in Emby
Direct Stream preserves the encoded video while adapting delivery packaging or other selected streams to the receiving playback path.Transcoding in Emby
Emby video transcoding creates a new encoded video representation when the selected source needs another format, bitrate or picture presentation for playback.