Transcoding

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When you go to play this, you can see the reason for transcoding in two spots that I know of: in the Dashboard, you can see when a user is playing back a file if it is being direct played or transcoded and why and you can also find detailed information in the Jellyfin log in Dashboard > Logs. Various clients also support playback information statistics that provide transcoding information (Roku, Android mobile, webOS) but I'm unsure whether it's possible with a Chromecast.

A few things. A pastebin of the log might be easier than reading it here, as that can dilute your post and make it hard to read (i.e., monospaced with line numbers is way easier to parse than tiny sans serif). Additionally, if you take a look at the ffmpeg command that's running:

Code:

/usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/ffmpeg -analyzeduration 200M -ss 00:16:12.656 -f matroska,webm -autorotate 0 -i file:"/mnt/Spaghetti_Worldwide/TV Shows/Breaking Bad/Season 1/S01E01 - Pilot.mkv" -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map -0:s -codec:v:0 libx264 -force_key_frames "expr:gte(t,n_forced*5)" -vf "setparams=color_primaries=bt709:color_trc=bt709:colorspace=bt709,scale=trunc(min(max(iw\,ih*a)\,1920)/2)*2:trunc(ow/a/2)*2,format=yuv420p" -copyts -avoid_negative_ts disabled -start_at_zero -preset superfast -crf 28 -maxrate 10617129 -bufsize 21234258 -profile:v:0 main -level 40 -x264opts:0 subme=0:me_range=4:rc_lookahead=10:me=dia:no_chroma_me:8x8dct=0:partitions=none -map_metadata -1 -map_chapters -1 -threads 0 -codec:a:0 copy -y "/mnt/dietpi_userdata/jellyfin/transcodes/af0d22b3742decfb458e8f1683f2c55d.mkv"

We can cut out most of it and get this:

Code:

ffmpeg -i "/mnt/Spaghetti_Worldwide/TV Shows/Breaking Bad/Season 1/S01E01 - Pilot.mkv" -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map -0:s -codec:v:0 libx264 -codec:a:0 copy -y "/mnt/dietpi_userdata/jellyfin/transcodes/af0d22b3742decfb458e8f1683f2c55d.mkv"

While still complicated, it tells us the video is being manipulated while the audio is not and that it doesn't appear the subs are the issue. You probably need to look at your Jellyfin log after making this happen again or make it happen, then go to the Dashboard and check the transcode reason there. My next best guess as a culprit? Bitrate restriction. 

If you're using this outside your network that can be an issue. Inside your network, you would've had to DIG to make that happen. Check your user profile (the one playing the media for any bitrate streaming limits. You could also double check if you have it set artificially in your player on the Chromecast or if there's a limit to the network connection on the Chromecast...only other time I've seen this exact issue without another explanation was a Chromecast as well.