Big but old server, will it software transcode 4K?

[TheDreadPirate]

For a typical jellyfin user, the amount of writes to the SSD for transcodes is not a concern. You will upgrade before SSD endurance becomes an issue. Writing the transcodes to a hard drive might cause performance issues since a very capable GPU can transcode very quickly. Especially once you introduce random I/O into the workload.

RAM disk is an option. I do that myself (static RAM disk via fstab instead of /dev/shm) because my old ass SSD has pretty weak write performance. You just have to be mindful of how much space your transcodes typically use. My 4K content is relatively low bit rate and my RAM disk can support enough transcodes for my user count. If you have pretty much raw 4K HDR content, like 50-70Mbps and 50-75GB, the transcodes can be just as big. Maybe bigger.

Again, SSD endurance is really not a concern. But if you decide to try out a RAM disk, stress test it and monitor the RAM disk usage.

[Strangle7068]

Thank you for all your help!

[Strangle7068]

I continued to have random glitches with Jelly-fin, slow to start, sudden stoppages, video and audio out of sync etc, never had any errors in the log. Regular streaming services generally worked OK-ish,

My son had poor WIFI in his room so I relocated the access point to the main level ceiling from the basement where my office, the server and in main internet connection are,

Jellyfin has been rock solid ever since I relocated the AP.

I think the difference between Jellyfin and streaming services is Jellyfin is delivering better video quality and it was too much bandwidth for the marginal WIFI reception before at the TV. But the difference made me think this was a Jellyfin problem not a WIFI problem.

We are new to this home, and took a downgrade in internet connectivity when we moved, I had attributed a lot of issues to the internet connection that turned out to be the local WIFI and its weak reception. with better wifi reception it has at least been stable and stability seems to be the bigger factors for usability than raw bandwidth.

[Strangle7068]

I got an opportunity to test 3 different 4K movies at once. and the server took it in stride, 1861.6% CPU of a 4800% max so in theory I should max out around 7 4K streams? probably at an atrocious power cost but no GPU needed at the moment.

https://postimg.cc/VdsMYtNf

[TheDreadPirate]