January 3, 201610 yr Hi guys, I've already posted this over on Linus Tech Tips but only had one reply, so thought I would as here as others may also have this issue... I currently run a HP N54L as an unRaid NAS. The system specs are: AMD Turion Neo II 2.2GHz 8 GB RAM 4TB Storage + 2TB parity (3x2TB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM HDDs) I run Plex in a docker on the Unraid array. 90% of the time Plex will transcode fine, even with multiple 1080p streams, however there are times (usually when I have company over to watch a movie) that it buffers and freezes. At first I thought it could be a problem with my chromecast as it usually happens while streaming to that, however checking the Plex logs I can see that it does struggle, transcoding at less than 1.0 (real time). Are there any solutions to easily get around this? Is there a better CPU I could use, or would an extra 8GB of RAM fix the issue? I've had a quick google and it looks like I already have the most powerful processor for the socket (AMD BGA812) and the processor in the system is fixed and can't be removed, can anyone clarify this? Annoyingly, if I use my android box in my mancave to play a film via Kodi it works fine. If an andoird box can transcode the file, why can't my HP Server? Thanks, Scott
January 4, 201610 yr That's a fairly old underpowered in this day and age CPU. I believe in Plex recommends at minimum a 2.4 GHz CPU. Kryspy
January 4, 201610 yr That cpu is way underpowered. Plex recommends a 2000 passmark score per transcoded stream.
January 4, 201610 yr Author OK, so my options are really live with it or start fresh with a new build?
January 4, 201610 yr Or ethernet connected clients that can play media without needing transcoding...
January 4, 201610 yr For a bit of further clarity on this, you may want to check out the following thread: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45072.msg430275#msg430275 For reference, your CPU lists as follows: AMD Turion II Neo N54L Dual-Core Passmark: 1395 Given that you need a passmark of 2000 per Plex stream, it's not a surprise that you are not getting a good experience (though I understand it can work occasionally) You have two options: 1) Upgrade your rig to support a CPU that will meet your needs (I would aim for a passmark of 4000 at a minimum so you could do two streams to future proof yourself a bit) 2) Move from Plex to Kodi. The primary difference is Plex is using the server CPU to transcode everything and the endpoint is just a dumb client (which is why it can be basically anything under the sun). Kodi does all the processing at the endpoint, so you can keep your server CPU, but will want a good dual core or quad core CPU on the endpoint (i.e. there are a ton of Android boxes that do this).
January 6, 201610 yr AMD Turion Neo II 2.2GHz 90% of the time Plex will transcode fine, even with multiple 1080p streams, Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not transcoding any 1080p content on that machine. The CPU isn't fast enough to do one 1080p stream. You might be able to transcode a 720p stream, if you're lucky. IF you're viewing 1080p content, then it's DirectPlay.
January 8, 201610 yr AMD Turion Neo II 2.2GHz 90% of the time Plex will transcode fine, even with multiple 1080p streams, Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not transcoding any 1080p content on that machine. The CPU isn't fast enough to do one 1080p stream. You might be able to transcode a 720p stream, if you're lucky. IF you're viewing 1080p content, then it's DirectPlay. This...time for an upgrade dude.
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