How to make Emby player work very optimized - first configuration
When you create your account for the first time on Emby, it's very important to correctly configure the player to avoid transcoding, which is not allowed on the server. If a user tries to run movies or series at a resolution lower than 1080p - 60 Mbps, the server will try to convert the video in real time.
This process demands the server's CPU (processor) and GPU (graphics card) to maximum. The current server is not very performant, and if someone were to transcode, playback for all other clients on all platforms hosted by Popica Adelin would run very slowly.
To prevent this, Emby has a mechanism that displays automatic messages warning you to set the highest resolution available for optimal playback without transcoding, that is Direct Play, as seen in the image below:
1. Setting maximum resolution
- Go to a movie and press Play
- In the bottom right, click on settings wheel (⚙️):
- Select Quality and then 1080p - 60 Mbps:
It is essential to make this setting before starting the movie, to avoid transcoding and to have optimal playback.
2. Checking session status - Direct Play vs Transcoding
After setting the quality, you can check if everything is configured correctly:
- In the player, click on settings wheel (⚙️)
- Select Stats for nerds:
Information displayed for a correct session (Direct Play)
Stream
- MKV (18 mbps)
- → Direct Play
Video
- 1080p H264 High 41 18 mbps 23.976 fps
- → Direct Play
Audio
- English EAC3 5.1 (Default) 768 kbps 48000 Hz
- → Direct Play
If all these sections display Direct Play, playback is optimal and the server is not transcoding.
What happens if the server transcodes
If a user chooses a lower resolution or incompatible format, the server will try to convert the video in real time. This is seen in the session through:
- Stream → HLS (3 mbps) (instead of MKV 18 mbps)
- Video → Transcode (instead of Direct Play)
- Audio may still be Direct Play, but video is converted in real time
This process severely demands the server's CPU and GPU and can affect performance for all users.
3. Browser playback
If you watch on Emby using a browser, the experience is not as optimized as on Emby applications, due to some technical limitations:
- The browser doesn't support certain advanced audio technologies, such as EAC3 5.1, DTS or other surround formats
- For this reason, the server will automatically do Audio Transcoding to be compatible with the browser
- This audio conversion doesn't significantly consume server resources, so you can watch on browser without problems
- Important: Make sure video is Direct Play. If video needs to be transcoded, then the server will be strongly demanded and playback may slow down for you and other users
- Since audio will always transcode, there may be small buffering at each skip, because the player needs to process audio in real time
4. Important recommendations
- Never transcode on the Emby server
- Set 1080p - 60 Mbps at first playback
- Check through Stats for nerds if everything is Direct Play at Stream, Video and Audio
- Avoid browser playback for series, since most browsers don't support audio formats like EAC3 5.1, and the server will do Audio Transcoding for each movie
This way, you follow the correct steps and the Emby server will work optimally for you and for all other users.