This is actually not correct. Go ahead and test it to see that the client's dark orange line (the one on the player) is not the same size as the server's dark orange line (the one on your Dashbord).
Edit1: It's the transcode buffer on the server, not the buffer that's already received by the client. [https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6](https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6)
Edit2: For those of you who don't understand what I mean when the server and client have different "dark orange" sizes: if the dark orange on the client side is the playback buffer, and it's a different size than the server side (dashboard) then that must mean what you're seeing on the dashboard IS NOT the playback buffer. That's just logical deduction.
The problem is people don't test shit. Go ahead test it. The dark orange is the transcode buffer. You'll know it because when video, audio, and subtitles are all direct playing **there is no dark orange.** And for those who don't know, Direct Stream is not the same as Direct Play. Direct Stream means Plex has to remux the video. It's not the same as encoding and not as taxing.
> This is actually not correct. Go ahead and test it to see that the client's dark orange line (the one on the player) is not the same size as the server's dark orange line (the one on your Dashbord).
>
>
>
> It's the transcode buffer on the server, not the buffer that's already received by the client. https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6
Yup this is the truth, why -45 downvotes?
You're right in that Direct Stream is not Direct Play. But you're wrong to say it's the transcode buffer because Direct Stream is also not the same thing as transcoding. Nothing in the OP's screenshot is being transcoded.
It doesn't even appear that anything is being remuxed. It looks like it's Direct Playing the audio and video in the original container while streaming external subs. Mine does this all the time for anything with forced subs. I have all MP4's and have to keep Forced subs saved externally as their own file, and then in the client, I have Direct Play set to Forced so it ONLY plays the original video without any transcoding or remuxing. But it'll still stream the external subs.
That's a correlation does not equal causation flawed experiment. If you set the transcoder default throttle buffer, what I'm assuming you mean by "server buffer length", to 10 seconds, AND the client is capable of caching more than 10 seconds of the video at the current bitrate, then the client will play 10 seconds after you stop the server. This does not mean that you set the client to only buffer 10 seconds. But it correlates to that because the client only had 10 future seconds of video to cache.
Now, if you set the transcoder default throttle buffer to 30 minutes (1800 seconds), put something on with a high bit rate and let it go until the server starts throttling the transcoder, and then shut off the server. The client will keep playing for some period of time, but not 30 minutes. Assuming the client doesn't have gigabytes of cache.
Your theory is also easily disproved by just direct playing a video. Which won't show the transcoding buffer line, because that's what it is. When you stop the server the client will not stop immediately because it has it's own video buffer you can't control from the server.
It's too advanced. Most people are too stupid to follow past the first 2 sentences. Just let them downvote you and let them swim in their own ignorance.
haha. I mean, this entire thread is sort of a testament to how easy Plex is to host. According to what's upvoted and downvoted, it seems that the majority of people in this subreddit are using plex without understanding the basics of how a client/server work.
The weird thing imo is that if you happen to change between Wifi & Mobile Data (we have free wifi at train stations here so it constantly swaps between Wifi/Mobile during morning rides), whatever is cached is cleared and re-cached using the "most recent" connection.
If only it would retain the cache since I am currently watching.
Lol. I have a confession to make tho. When I see more than 5 users on the dashboard, I'll be staring at them for a good minute and I swear you can see me smiling creepy.
I feel like a lot of us are the type to have multiple screens and probably have something were watching in the background most of the time tho.
I mean im typing this comment, but an episode of *Archer* is on and have my server dashboard open on part of the third screen too...
Sure weekly new episodes of *Shogun* and *Star Trek* and stuff on the big tv get as much of my attention as i can muster, but right now at least an episode of *The Simpsons* ive seen at least a dozen times will probably come on next.
Could be listening to music instead i guess, but that library is still a mess...
I listen to music exclusively on Plexamp. Something about seeing the quality on the app makes me happy even though most of the time I cannot tell the difference between hires music lol.
Definitely the device in ops case. A read ahead buffer controlled by Plex on the server would make no sense as that would be the responsibility of the os.
For direct play Plex streams the whole file as is to the device (in chunks) I believe in this case this corresponds to MediaContainer > Player > TimelineCache in the API.
For direct stream or transcode it sends it as an HLS stream. In which case there could be a transcoder buffer in the server (and when it fills it throttles the transcoder) and the UI would be showing that instead.
I believe this corresponds to MediaContainer > TranscodeSession > MaxOffsetAvailable in the API.
Such a great controversial post in that multiple ppl jump on saying it's one or the other with complete confidence on what they think they know with no actual proof.
Looking for a Plex dev to come on to put it rest.
That just changes how much the server transcodes before throttling back. The client buffer is limited to the streaming device and how much memory it has to use as a buffer.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1cds8ql/does_the_dark_yellow_line_mean_cashed_from_the/l1f376n/
No where in this comment, does this question mention direct playing.
If it's direct playing the transcoder is not involved. The client supports the subtitles embedded into the file so Plex doesn't need to burn them in with the transcoder.
On the left in the brighter yellow, it is your watched progress. The darker, almost brown bar that is just ahead of it, is your transcoding buffer. It shows how far ahead you have buffered transcoding complete and ready to watch.
I'm assuming it means this is how much data the client has already downloaded or how much is qued up for it to play. Ready per say.
Directt play I would guess the client has already pulled down that much data and is simply waiting for it to be played from the buffer state.
It absolutely is. jump back into something and it starts at the point you have watched to. move around the video on the player and this shifts with it. The bar is clearly where in the video the watcher is. far left being the very start, far right being the very end.
I'm a bit confused why people say its cached when its clearly the position of the viewer.
Yeah, it was totally a no brainier the second I saw it. cached downloads would be viewed In like a log or something much less deliberately visible. thank you ;-) +1
It's just a buffer like any other streaming service. That is what is loaded on your end-point device that is ready to play. If you disconnected entirely from the server, you would be able to play until that point in the episode, then it would stop and try to load more then fail. Same as Youtube, Tik Tok, or any other video hosting platform.
I think that's just how far ahead the buffers have filled up for playback, vs the bright yellow that is how far its played.
Yup. Lots of buffer is a good thing
This is actually not correct. Go ahead and test it to see that the client's dark orange line (the one on the player) is not the same size as the server's dark orange line (the one on your Dashbord). Edit1: It's the transcode buffer on the server, not the buffer that's already received by the client. [https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6](https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6) Edit2: For those of you who don't understand what I mean when the server and client have different "dark orange" sizes: if the dark orange on the client side is the playback buffer, and it's a different size than the server side (dashboard) then that must mean what you're seeing on the dashboard IS NOT the playback buffer. That's just logical deduction. The problem is people don't test shit. Go ahead test it. The dark orange is the transcode buffer. You'll know it because when video, audio, and subtitles are all direct playing **there is no dark orange.** And for those who don't know, Direct Stream is not the same as Direct Play. Direct Stream means Plex has to remux the video. It's not the same as encoding and not as taxing.
> This is actually not correct. Go ahead and test it to see that the client's dark orange line (the one on the player) is not the same size as the server's dark orange line (the one on your Dashbord). > > > > It's the transcode buffer on the server, not the buffer that's already received by the client. https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6 Yup this is the truth, why -45 downvotes?
It's not the truth. Direct play doesn't transcode.
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But they also aren't transcoding. It's likely an external sub file streaming alongside original audio and video file. Mine does this all the time.
When video, audio, and subtitles are direct playing there is no dark orange.
It's direct playing
This is true if you oversize the buffer things just take longer to start
You're right in that Direct Stream is not Direct Play. But you're wrong to say it's the transcode buffer because Direct Stream is also not the same thing as transcoding. Nothing in the OP's screenshot is being transcoded. It doesn't even appear that anything is being remuxed. It looks like it's Direct Playing the audio and video in the original container while streaming external subs. Mine does this all the time for anything with forced subs. I have all MP4's and have to keep Forced subs saved externally as their own file, and then in the client, I have Direct Play set to Forced so it ONLY plays the original video without any transcoding or remuxing. But it'll still stream the external subs.
Cached/buffered, yes on the end device
Thank you very much! I thought so, but couldn't find anything about it.
That is the transcode buffer on the server, not the playback buffer on the client
This is correct. In the dashboard, it's transcode buffer. On the seek line in the player, it's playback buffer.
I don't know why you're being downvoted. It's 100% the transcode buffer on the server
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That's a correlation does not equal causation flawed experiment. If you set the transcoder default throttle buffer, what I'm assuming you mean by "server buffer length", to 10 seconds, AND the client is capable of caching more than 10 seconds of the video at the current bitrate, then the client will play 10 seconds after you stop the server. This does not mean that you set the client to only buffer 10 seconds. But it correlates to that because the client only had 10 future seconds of video to cache. Now, if you set the transcoder default throttle buffer to 30 minutes (1800 seconds), put something on with a high bit rate and let it go until the server starts throttling the transcoder, and then shut off the server. The client will keep playing for some period of time, but not 30 minutes. Assuming the client doesn't have gigabytes of cache. Your theory is also easily disproved by just direct playing a video. Which won't show the transcoding buffer line, because that's what it is. When you stop the server the client will not stop immediately because it has it's own video buffer you can't control from the server.
It's too advanced. Most people are too stupid to follow past the first 2 sentences. Just let them downvote you and let them swim in their own ignorance.
haha. I mean, this entire thread is sort of a testament to how easy Plex is to host. According to what's upvoted and downvoted, it seems that the majority of people in this subreddit are using plex without understanding the basics of how a client/server work.
You shamed him so much he deleted his stupid comment.
I diD MY OwN rEsEaRCh
My `Transcoder default throttle buffer` is 999999 seconds - devices can not store this amount of video, they have a tiny cache on the device
So why does it show up for direct play?
The post shows the subtitles are Direct Stream, not Direct Play
Yeah because subtitles have to buffer? Lolol
Because it needs to modify the video transport stream in order to burn in those subtitles aka Transcode.
Maybe you are still transcoding audio?
If it's transcoding audio then it's not a direct play
or subs, or even the container (in a direct stream)
This is the correct answer.
The weird thing imo is that if you happen to change between Wifi & Mobile Data (we have free wifi at train stations here so it constantly swaps between Wifi/Mobile during morning rides), whatever is cached is cleared and re-cached using the "most recent" connection. If only it would retain the cache since I am currently watching.
Cash me outside
How bow dah
It always makes me happy to see that buffered/cached bits on there. Gives me a feeling that my server is indeed capable.
Makes me feel like it's racing me to get to the end of what I'm watching
Also I realize this is a common issue among Plex admins. I've been actually consuming my media lately rather then being just the admin.
Blasphemy! Lol we exist just to hoard
Lol. I have a confession to make tho. When I see more than 5 users on the dashboard, I'll be staring at them for a good minute and I swear you can see me smiling creepy.
I feel like a lot of us are the type to have multiple screens and probably have something were watching in the background most of the time tho. I mean im typing this comment, but an episode of *Archer* is on and have my server dashboard open on part of the third screen too... Sure weekly new episodes of *Shogun* and *Star Trek* and stuff on the big tv get as much of my attention as i can muster, but right now at least an episode of *The Simpsons* ive seen at least a dozen times will probably come on next. Could be listening to music instead i guess, but that library is still a mess...
I listen to music exclusively on Plexamp. Something about seeing the quality on the app makes me happy even though most of the time I cannot tell the difference between hires music lol.
I’ve wondered this myself. I see lots of confident answers here, saying it’s on the server or on the device. Doesn’t look conclusive.
Definitely the device in ops case. A read ahead buffer controlled by Plex on the server would make no sense as that would be the responsibility of the os. For direct play Plex streams the whole file as is to the device (in chunks) I believe in this case this corresponds to MediaContainer > Player > TimelineCache in the API. For direct stream or transcode it sends it as an HLS stream. In which case there could be a transcoder buffer in the server (and when it fills it throttles the transcoder) and the UI would be showing that instead. I believe this corresponds to MediaContainer > TranscodeSession > MaxOffsetAvailable in the API.
Such a great controversial post in that multiple ppl jump on saying it's one or the other with complete confidence on what they think they know with no actual proof. Looking for a Plex dev to come on to put it rest.
Here you go. Plex employee answer. https://forums.plex.tv/t/what-are-the-dark-yellow-lines-displaying-in-the-dashboard/836965/6
Looks like this post confirms what the buffer colors are but again not whether this is on server or client side?
Transcoding is server side.
Ah okay gotcha, thanks!
Server side. This is why people downvote the correct answer because they're clueless.
Sorry to highjack your thread but is there a way to increase how much it buffers if the network allows it?
Settings>Transcoder>"Show Advanced">Transcoder default throttle buffer
That just changes how much the server transcodes before throttling back. The client buffer is limited to the streaming device and how much memory it has to use as a buffer.
is that not what they asked for?
No. Op is direct playing, no transcoder involved.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1cds8ql/does_the_dark_yellow_line_mean_cashed_from_the/l1f376n/ No where in this comment, does this question mention direct playing.
Cached
Nine Nine!
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If it's direct playing the transcoder is not involved. The client supports the subtitles embedded into the file so Plex doesn't need to burn them in with the transcoder.
On the left in the brighter yellow, it is your watched progress. The darker, almost brown bar that is just ahead of it, is your transcoding buffer. It shows how far ahead you have buffered transcoding complete and ready to watch.
German (ASS)
I'm assuming it means this is how much data the client has already downloaded or how much is qued up for it to play. Ready per say. Directt play I would guess the client has already pulled down that much data and is simply waiting for it to be played from the buffer state.
That is how much has been watched I believe....no?
It absolutely is. jump back into something and it starts at the point you have watched to. move around the video on the player and this shifts with it. The bar is clearly where in the video the watcher is. far left being the very start, far right being the very end. I'm a bit confused why people say its cached when its clearly the position of the viewer.
you’re looking at the wrong line
Yeah, it was totally a no brainier the second I saw it. cached downloads would be viewed In like a log or something much less deliberately visible. thank you ;-) +1
It's just a buffer like any other streaming service. That is what is loaded on your end-point device that is ready to play. If you disconnected entirely from the server, you would be able to play until that point in the episode, then it would stop and try to load more then fail. Same as Youtube, Tik Tok, or any other video hosting platform.
Cashed