Micro Server Case?
- Thread starter easyrider
- Start date
Interestingly.
I tried the same MKV from my i7 Plex library pointing to the N54 Storage pool over Gigabit lan.
Transcoding from the N54L directly used 100 % cpu and the movie stutters on my amazon fire TV.
Now the Plex Library had finished building on my i7 4790K Pointing to the N54l Storage pool guess what percent the cpu is running at transcoding the DTS audio to my amazon Fire TV?
I tried the same MKV from my i7 Plex library pointing to the N54 Storage pool over Gigabit lan.
Transcoding from the N54L directly used 100 % cpu and the movie stutters on my amazon fire TV.
Now the Plex Library had finished building on my i7 4790K Pointing to the N54l Storage pool guess what percent the cpu is running at transcoding the DTS audio to my amazon Fire TV?
I assume you're going to say 100%.
IDK how plex works - does it transcode real-time as required, or front-load and cache? If the latter, then 100% is understandable. Honestly though I don't even know if the former is unusual.
Is the mkv h.265?
Also as a side option - you could ditch the firestick and get something that can handle direct play. It'd end up cheaper than building a server/nas box around the stick - a server that you're inevitably gonna have to upgrade once h.265 and 4k are more common.
IDK how plex works - does it transcode real-time as required, or front-load and cache? If the latter, then 100% is understandable. Honestly though I don't even know if the former is unusual.
Is the mkv h.265?
Also as a side option - you could ditch the firestick and get something that can handle direct play. It'd end up cheaper than building a server/nas box around the stick - a server that you're inevitably gonna have to upgrade once h.265 and 4k are more common.
Nope, they're like rocking horse poo
^^^^ This to be honest, direct play is the best way, I have Samsung TV's which have a Plex App and they just direct play everything.
I have been templed by an Nvidia Shield TV as they are supposed to be awesome, funnily enough they also work a Plex Server and also trancode so that might also be an option!
The problem is that would require Mrs HEADRAT to use a remote to swap to the HDMI connection and use a different remote control and she's just not down with that
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Its not a fire Stick...Its the Fire 4k...It just won't passthrough DTS...But I don't want another Media player.
I like having Prime and Netflix and Plex all in one place.I like the GIU its quick...
I could install KODI on the fire TV but I just CBA with XMBC..been there done that.
I like having Prime and Netflix and Plex all in one place.I like the GIU its quick...
I could install KODI on the fire TV but I just CBA with XMBC..been there done that.
Update,
The issue is not with DTS audio...Having tested it last night It seems to be the fact the MKV I am trying to stream contains a SRT subtitle file.
I played another MKV with DTS and it was fine....The N54L transcoded it fine and cpu was around 10% usage. In fact come to think of it its only been the last few subtitle MKV's that have caused issues...!
The stutter was coming for the fact that the 54L was transcoding the Video and Audio at the same time due to the SRT file contained within the MKV. And just couldn't handle it.
DOH!
The I7 could handle both with ease and cpu was around 35% doing a Full trascode real time burn in of Subtitles and Audio...Pretty impressive!
But there seems to be life in the old 54L still! I don;t watch that many Subtitle films so its not an issue for me to use the I7 for just this task.
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250387-Streaming-Media-Direct-Play-and-Direct-Stream
I'm not convinced your Samsung is passing DTS directly aswell...You sure?
The Amazon Fire TV direct plays everything aprt from DTS audio streams...Thats it. If I file has a DTS audio stream it will transcode to AC3 on the fly and leave the video as Direct play.
The issue is not with DTS audio...Having tested it last night It seems to be the fact the MKV I am trying to stream contains a SRT subtitle file.
I played another MKV with DTS and it was fine....The N54L transcoded it fine and cpu was around 10% usage. In fact come to think of it its only been the last few subtitle MKV's that have caused issues...!
The stutter was coming for the fact that the 54L was transcoding the Video and Audio at the same time due to the SRT file contained within the MKV. And just couldn't handle it.
DOH!
The I7 could handle both with ease and cpu was around 35% doing a Full trascode real time burn in of Subtitles and Audio...Pretty impressive!
But there seems to be life in the old 54L still! I don;t watch that many Subtitle films so its not an issue for me to use the I7 for just this task.
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250387-Streaming-Media-Direct-Play-and-Direct-Stream
I'm not convinced your Samsung is passing DTS directly aswell...You sure?
The Amazon Fire TV direct plays everything aprt from DTS audio streams...Thats it. If I file has a DTS audio stream it will transcode to AC3 on the fly and leave the video as Direct play.
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Excellent, I just couldn't see how transcoding just the audio could be causing such a massive CPU hit, I was going to do some testing but you've obviously sorted it yourself.
Yep pretty sure, I can see from plex it's not transcoding the audio track and both the server and client app state "direct play".
I'm not convinced your Samsung is passing DTS directly aswell...You sure?
Yep pretty sure, I can see from plex it's not transcoding the audio track and both the server and client app state "direct play".
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Cool..You using an Home theater amp? Or just the TV?
On a side note...I don't think I will upgrade my main Media server...I might just down the line build a mini ITX system and have that for Transcoding duties if needed and point it to the 54L storage pool...
I have a 2013 sammy that direct plays everything bar h.265.
h.265 is a total pita as the n54l cant keep up with the transcode. Haven't tried a file of that type since buying a T20 in it's place (but that's been rebooting every 10mins for the past week after only 3months of use, wheras the n54l gave me zero hassle. Waiting on Dell to swap the mobo).
h.265 is a total pita as the n54l cant keep up with the transcode. Haven't tried a file of that type since buying a T20 in it's place (but that's been rebooting every 10mins for the past week after only 3months of use, wheras the n54l gave me zero hassle. Waiting on Dell to swap the mobo).
Just TV's
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I was looking at the Dell T20 and seems tasty for the price.
Dell PowerEdge T20-3708 Xeon E3-1225V3 3.2 GHz 4GB RAM 1TB HDD Tower Server
But this puts me off somewhat...
I think my plan to have a powerful mini ITX system for transcoding etc...is the way forward for me down the line when I need it....All three of my HP N54l have been on for 3 years and been solid as a rock. They are great machines. It can stay as the main Plex server for now and then i'll just keep using it for storage of my media...
Yeah I've gone back to the N54L while I wait for the Dell engi. It's noticeably slower via RDP and I'm limited in the number of VM's I can run at the same time, but I don't need those VM's as much as I thought I would and I rarely need to RDP anyway... then there's the size of the T20 compared to the N54L. The N54L sat on a narrow shelf in the kitchen next to pots and pans. The T20 needs much more space.