New user quite confused

[Franco Dix]

If you have the capacity to transcode, it should still be set up.

hello and thanks for the feedback
i'm not sure i get the point. If the video file is supported by the client, it should NOT transcode.
In my case jellyfin stands in a VM on a N100 proxmox machine, so more or less it should be able to transcode (and it is set up), but my point is still different: why is it transcoding if the client support the file? 
it happened with HEVC files, and i had to change the Samsung TV profile.
It happened with ASS subtitles and i had to change the profile again
Now it happens with 720p H264 files and i honestly i have no idea why..
Thanks

[TheDreadPirate]

Can you provide the full media info for this file. Your previous post said something about "VideoLevel" not supported. Which is uncommon, but I have seen it before where a video uses a codec level inappropriate for the resolution. Like using H264 level 5.2 for 720P video. That level is geared toward 4K video or high frame rate 1080P.

AFAIK, miniDLNA doesn't transcode so it was probably just YOLO sending the video and hope for the best. Your TV can probably play the video directly, but requires you to tune the DLNA profile since there isn't a jellyfin client to automatically make those determinations.

[Franco Dix]

Can you provide the full media info for this file.  Your previous post said something about "VideoLevel" not supported.  Which is uncommon, but I have seen it before where a video uses a codec level inappropriate for the resolution.  Like using H264 level 5.2 for 720P video.  That level is geared toward 4K video or high frame rate 1080P.

is this enough? just copied the video part from the media info page..
no idea what the level is, but it's a 5.1
indeed, other videos (even 1080P) are 4.1
how can i edit the profile file to support this 5.1? (i already tried doubling the maximum bandwidth for video and audio, no success)

Code:

Video
Titolo: 720p H264 SDR
Codec: H264
AVC: Yes
Profilo: High
Livello: 51
Risoluzione: 1280x532
Formato: 2.40:1
Interlacciato: No
Framerate: 23.975986
Bitrate: 5718 kbps
Profondità Bit: 8 bit
Intervallo video: SDR
Video range type: SDR
Formato Pixel: yuv420p
Ref frame: 1
NAL: 4

AFAIK, miniDLNA doesn't transcode so it was probably just YOLO sending the video and hope for the best.  Your TV can probably play the video directly, but requires you to tune the DLNA profile since there isn't a jellyfin client to automatically make those determinations.

yes minidlna is the least of the least of the least of functionalities, but as you say it just sent the video to my tv letting it manage the data.. and it worked!

thanks!

[TheDreadPirate]

Level 51 (5.1) is definitely not appropriate for 720P video. From the H264 wiki

1,920×1,080@120.5 (16)
2,560×1,920@51.2 (9)
3,840×2,160@31.7 (5)
4,096×2,048@30.0 (5)
4,096×2,160@28.5 (5)
4,096×2,304@26.7 (5)

You would have to re-encode the video with Handbrake or something. Handbrake will automatically set the appropriate level if the level selection is set to auto.

[Franco Dix]

is this something linked with client profile or jellyfin just decides that since the level is not "appropriate" it needs to transcode?
it seems there is no field in profile settings that can set the videolevel compatibility in dlna clients.. am i wrong?
i can't understand why i _need_ to re-encode the video if the client would be able to play it..

[TheDreadPirate]

I don't use DLNA so I can't comment on the ins-and-outs of how or why DLNA works the way it does. I just know that it is impossible to 100% avoid transcoding. Especially when you aren't encoding your own media you are at the mercy of wherever you got it from. Hoping they did it right.