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+--- Thread: old Mac mini transcoding settings (/t-old-mac-mini-transcoding-settings)
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old Mac mini transcoding settings - BryanB - 2025-03-31
Hello.
I am trying out Jellyfin as a replacement for Plex.
I am using a 2012 Mac mini, that has is using Mac OS 12, via Open Core Legacy Patcher to allow newer OS on older hardware. It seems to run fine otherwise.
My basic testing has worked very well so far. but im curious, if anyone knows, what the recommended transcoding settings might be set to, or just leave as default.
My clients are an older LG 55" with WebOS, an Apple TV, and various iPhones and Mac; otherwise fairly modern.
thanks.
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - TheDreadPirate - 2025-03-31
That depends on what CPU is in it. Our documentation for hardware acceleration in MacOS is linked here.
https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/administration/hardware-acceleration/apple#select-system-hardware
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - jimmyjammy - 2025-03-31
I use a 2014 mini using OCLP to run Sonoma (OS14). Most things direct play on my clients so I don't really bother but I used to select "Apple VideoToolBox" with hardware decoding for all formats & tone mapping enabled. Other settings I left as default, & never had a problem. I really did not notice any difference either way. You can always try out the settings & then revert back, if there's a problem.
Cheers & hope this helps,
JJ
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - BryanB - 2025-03-31
Additional:
Intel Mobile Core i5 "Ivy Bridge" (I5-3210M) hyper-threaded dual core. Intel HD Graphics 4000 video chip.
16 GB total RAM.
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - TheDreadPirate - 2025-04-01
According to our Mac docs, you should be able to get some acceleration, but not much. Here is a table you can use to check the appropriate boxes for what your iGPU can decode and encode.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video#Hardware_decoding_and_encoding
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - BryanB - 2025-04-03
id turn on the Apple VideoToolBox, and haven't really had a problem, except for noticing that ffmpeg goes crazy with just a single stream, and even for a long while after shutting down the client.
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - BryanB - 2025-04-13
And it must be doing something, or not as the case may be. Jellyfin crashes (or more accurately ffmpeg) when it hits a an avi file. With the Apple VideoToolBox turned off, the avi plays fine. I didn't look, but I bet ffmpeg is working hard with software transcoding
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - TheDreadPirate - 2025-04-13
Can you share screenshots of how you have transcoding setup?
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - BryanB - 2025-04-13
(2025-04-13, 07:42 PM)TheDreadPirate Wrote: Can you share screenshots of how you have transcoding setup?
I can get you what I think is the error in the jellyfin logs too. I hope the below works. Pretty basic settings, that I didn't mess with, just turned it on, basically.
Forgive me if I sound too newb, im just trying to move over from Plex, and their new pricing and privacy policies. And their app is a LOT more than i really needed anyway; not a fan of all that on 'live' TV, and channels.
thanks!
https://imgdrop.us/1ixSYORY.png
https://imgdrop.us/1ixWdtvN.png
https://imgdrop.us/1ixYsFGY.png
https://imgdrop.us/1ixZSq4t.png
https://imgdrop.us/1iy235iK.png
RE: old Mac mini transcoding settings - TheDreadPirate - 2025-04-13
Can you share the ffmpeg log from the failed playback? That all looks right for your CPU.