SOLVED: Help with HEVC Main10 Transcoding on Intel N100

[ionutm80]

Hi Guys, I need your guidance to solve a transcoding issue.

I have a TrueNAS SCALE server based on an Intel N100 mainboard and I have installed Jellyfin in Docker with gpu pass-through to the container, I have checked and everything is working, see screenshots attached. Ithen tried to play a movie rip on Android Phone: Motorola G62 and it's stuttering like hell, I have also attached the log file which is showing me the following info:

Stream #0:0(eng): Video: hevc (Main 10), yuv420p10le(tv, bt2020nc/bt2020/smpte2084), 3840x2160 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn
Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: dts (dca) (DTS-HD MA + DTS:X), 48000 Hz, 7.1, s32p (24 bit) (default)
............................................................................................................................................

Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (hevc (native) -> h264 (h264_qsv))
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (dts (dca) -> aac (libfdk_aac))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[hevc @ 0x5612dbab8480] First slice in a frame missing.
    Last message repeated 6 times
[hevc @ 0x5612d5900600] First slice in a frame missing.
libva info: VA-API version 1.22.0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/lib/dri/iHD_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_22
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
libva info: VA-API version 1.22.0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/lib/dri/iHD_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_22
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0

............................................................................................................................................

Last message repeated 6 times
[hls @ 0x5612d5863880] Opening '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3-1.mp4' for writing
Output #0, hls, to '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3.m3u8':
  Metadata:
    encoder        : Lavf61.1.100
  Stream #0:0: Video: h264, qsv(tv, bt709, progressive), 3840x2160 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 47794 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 24k tbn
      Metadata:
        encoder        : Lavc61.3.100 h264_qsv
      Side data:
        cpb: bitrate max/min/avg: 47794121/0/47794121 buffer size: 95588242 vbv_delay: N/A
  Stream #0:1: Audio: aac, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 256 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        encoder        : Lavc61.3.100 libfdk_aac
frame=  12 fps=0.0 q=19.0 size=N/A time=00:00:00.00 bitrate=N/A speed=  0x   
frame=  40 fps= 40 q=19.0 size=N/A time=00:00:01.16 bitrate=N/A speed=1.17x   
frame=  67 fps= 45 q=19.0 size=N/A time=00:00:02.29 bitrate=N/A speed=1.53x   
[hls @ 0x5612d5863880] Opening '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3523.mp4' for writing
[mp4 @ 0x7fc3f94afd00] Packet duration: -16 / dts: 75429848 is out of range
frame=  95 fps= 47 q=18.0 size=N/A time=00:00:03.46 bitrate=N/A speed=1.73x   
frame=  123 fps= 49 q=18.0 size=N/A time=00:00:04.62 bitrate=N/A speed=1.85x   
[hls @ 0x5612d5863880] Opening '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3524.mp4' for writing
[mp4 @ 0x7fc3f94afd00] Packet duration: -16 / dts: 75574248 is out of range
frame=  151 fps= 50 q=18.0 size=N/A time=00:00:05.79 bitrate=N/A speed=1.93x   
frame=  177 fps= 51 q=17.0 size=N/A time=00:00:06.88 bitrate=N/A speed=1.97x   
frame=  205 fps= 51 q=16.0 size=N/A time=00:00:08.04 bitrate=N/A speed=2.01x   
[hls @ 0x5612d5863880] Opening '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3525.mp4' for writing
frame=  232 fps= 52 q=17.0 size=N/A time=00:00:09.17 bitrate=N/A speed=2.04x   
frame=  259 fps= 52 q=17.0 size=N/A time=00:00:10.30 bitrate=N/A speed=2.06x   
frame=  287 fps= 52 q=18.0 size=N/A time=00:00:11.46 bitrate=N/A speed=2.08x   
[hls @ 0x5612d5863880] Opening '/cache/transcodes/6d54372d70bcd3d37937c6eee91c23f3526.mp4' for writing
[mp4 @ 0x7fc3f94afd00] Packet duration: -16 / dts: 75862008 is out of range
frame=  315 fps= 52 q=17.0 size=N/A time=00:00:12.63 bitrate=N/A speed=2.11x   
frame=  343 fps= 53 q=18.0 size=N/A time=00:00:13.80 bitrate=N/A speed=2.12x

 ................................................................................................................................................................

I will reply with the screenshots of the transcoding section of the server in a second post.

So what am I doing wrong? I really do not get it, is it because the qsv is not used for decoding? I saw in stream mapping:  (hevc (native) -> h264 (h264_qsv)) but I do not understand what it means, I see qsv for encoding but not for decoding.

The same movie, this time on PLEX Pass, plays perfectly well with hw transcoding for both decode and encode.

Thansk in advance for any hints that could help me solve the issue!

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And the settings of my transcoding section on the server side.

[TheDreadPirate]

The transcode is happening more than fast enough, transcoding at 2x real time.

On your phone, are you using the web player or integrated player?

[ionutm80]

The transcode is happening more than fast enough, transcoding at 2x real time.

On your phone, are you using the web player or integrated player?

Web player, with integrated player I cannot even start the video, see the error in the screenshot attached.

[TheDreadPirate]

Can you share the jellyfin log and, if it exists, the ffmpeg log from when it failed with the integrated player?

[ionutm80]

Yes, see below from jellyfin log, there is no ffmpeg log:

[2024-12-20 18:34:55.144 +02:00] [INF] [36] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionManager: Playback stopped reported by app "Jellyfin Android" "2.6.2" playing "Gladiatorul". Stopped at "1813464" ms
[2024-12-20 18:35:14.606 +02:00] [INF] [35] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionWebSocketListener: Sending ForceKeepAlive message to 1 inactive WebSockets.
[2024-12-20 18:35:41.580 +02:00] [WRN] [49] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketConnection: WS "192.168.88.93" error receiving data: "The remote party closed the WebSocket connection without completing the close handshake."
[2024-12-20 18:35:41.606 +02:00] [INF] [49] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.93" closed
[2024-12-20 18:35:41.820 +02:00] [INF] [40] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.93" request
[2024-12-20 18:35:46.654 +02:00] [INF] [29] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" closed
[2024-12-20 18:35:46.823 +02:00] [INF] [35] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" request
[2024-12-20 18:35:52.775 +02:00] [INF] [40] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" closed
[2024-12-20 18:35:52.934 +02:00] [INF] [49] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" request
[2024-12-20 18:37:03.797 +02:00] [INF] [40] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" closed
[2024-12-20 18:37:03.962 +02:00] [INF] [40] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.88.173" request[

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The error appears on integrated player only for 4K HEVC HDR files, the same for which the web player stutters. 1080p files are direct play very smoothly.

[TheDreadPirate]

NORMALLY, 4K media that direct plays on my Pixel 6a has no issues, but I'm wondering if the chipset in your phone is struggling or improperly reports its codec/resolution support to the server.

Do you know if Plex is transcoding down to 1080P? There is a setting in the Android app to cap the resolution for transcodes (set it to 1080P).

[ionutm80]

Do you know if Plex is transcoding down to 1080P?  There is a setting in the Android app to cap the resolution for transcodes (set it to 1080P).

Yes PLEX is transcoding to 1080p and is a very smooth playback, no stutering at all, see screenshot from Plex server.

[TheDreadPirate]

In the Jellyfin app on your phone, click on Settings > Playback (not the dashboard) and set the max transcode resolution to 1080P. Right now the output of the transcode is 4K.

[ionutm80]

There is a setting in the Android app to cap the resolution for transcodes (set it to 1080P).

YES, this did the trick, now the movie is playing smooth!

Thanks a lot, I will test it with more movies!

I have tested the solution for 4 more movies, all 4K HEVC HDR, all playing smooth now!

[ionutm80]

Just a quick update, the smoth playing is something more of a hit and miss, most of the time the experience is great, I have tested with more than 5-6 movies, but sometimes the playing seems to not keep up with the buffering, it catches up after several minutes or after I skip forward the movie and then it becomes smooth. With the same movies I do not see this random behavior on Plex.