Performance Issues with Jellyfin on Beelink EQ12: Docker & Remote SAMBA Storage

[drc]

Hello,
I’m currently running Jellyfin on a Beelink EQ12 mini PC with the following configuration:

Processor: Intel ALD_N N100 
RAM: 1x16GB DDR5 4800MHz 
Ethernet: 2x2.5Gbps 
Disk: LNM620X001 (1TB)

Jellyfin is operating as a Docker container on Proxmox. In addition, I have two other services (Immich and Planka) running in Docker containers. My initial plan was to use this low-power device as an always-on application server, while my HPE ProLiant Gen10 Plus serves as a storage server (NAS). To achieve this, I configured the Jellyfin container to access media data on the HPE server using SAMBA.
Given this setup, I’d like to know if this is the best configuration in terms of performance and local media playback speed. 

Over the past few days, I’ve encountered numerous issues with subtitles being out of sync and occasional audio problems. These issues do not occur when I play media through my desktop browser, but they do appear on my TV and iPhone.
I have tried standardizing my media by converting all files to “.mp4” with H.264 or H.265 for video and AAC for audio, and I’ve removed internal subtitles where available. Do you think this is a good approach?

Ultimately, since the problems persist, I’m considering purchasing a more powerful computer with a dedicated GPU. However, I’m also concerned that the issues might be related to other factors, such as my WiFi or the router’s capacity to handle the data.
If anyone can help, I’m happy to provide additional information if needed.

Thank you!

[TheDreadPirate]

The subtitle sync issue depends on what kind of subs they are and whether Jellyfin is direct playing them or not. AFAIK, subtitles that are burned in rarely desync, but subtitles that are direct play can desync on weak clients (usually browsers).

MP4, MKV, H264/H265, embedded vs external subtitles doesn't really matter. What matters is subtitle type, whether the subs are direct played or burned in, and whether the client is weak or robust and capable.

If you could provide jellyfin and ffmpeg logs via privatebin.net that would help troubleshoot the issue.

[drc]

Hello @TheDreadPirate, thank you for replying. My subtitles are all external “.srt”.

At the moment, I'm playing a very small “.avi” video, about 25 or 30 mb, and it's transcoding on the iPhone using the Jellyfin application. The CPU is reaching 85/90 degrees...

Playing other content, as you can see in the log below, even in direct streaming and with ".srt" subtitles they become unsynchronized when I try to move or rewind the media.

https://privatebin.net/?af4e79cc27988963...dX9dc3xKgq

[TheDreadPirate]

Even if the video is being transcoded, as with the .avi video, subtitles may not be burned in. It sounds like they aren't being burned in.

And your comment about skipping around the video is a common trigger for subtitle desync when the subtitles are directly played. Since the video isn't being transcoded, the subtitles are being direct played by the client.

One thing I've learned regarding this problem is that it is inconsistent. My understanding is that a poorly muxed source file that isn't properly time stamped will cause desync. But a properly muxed file with proper presentation/decode time stamps won't desync.

You can tell Jellyfin to ALWAYS burn in subtitles. Not a great option. You can also try remuxing a file and testing if the new, properly time stamped, file and see if the problem is resolved with that file.

Code:

sudo docker exec -it jellyfin bash  # to open a shell for the container to use ffmpeg
ffmpeg -fflags +genpts+igndts -i "/mnt/hpe_mediahub/movies/Oppenheimer (2023)/Oppenheimer.2023.mp4" -map 0 -codec copy -max_muxing_queue_size 2048 -max_interleave_delta 0 -avoid_negative_ts disabled /mnt/hpe_mediahub/Oppenheimer.2023.mkv"

Swap out the files in the directory, don't delete the original, scan all libraries in Jellyfin, then try again.