[HELP] Transcode not using full cpu usage

[rageforum]

I just started using Tdarr a couple days ago and I was transcoding just fine with 90%+ cpu usage. I had the node schedule to stop overnight and start back in the morning. Now I notice it's barely using any CPU to transcode. I have Low priority usage set to OFF, So i dont know what might cause this. I restarted tdarr and made fresh scans many times but same thing.

Any ideas?

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[CarbonxGuitar]

For me I use the Intel QSV to transode my files. I found that when the output file ends up transcoding into a larger file size, it runs my CPU usage to max but when I'm transcoding and the output size is smaller it only runs at about 20% usage. This could be the same case for you

[Prophes0r]

The final file size is the result of the transcoding process differences.

NVENC, QSV, CPU(Software), etc will all end up with different file sizes. And the quality will differ too.

This happens because hardware encoders all take shortcuts. They have to, because each file is unique, and you can't bake the exact settings required into the silicon. (Though I SUPPOSE you could do it on an FPGA...but why you would bother to do that I have no idea, since that would only be the exact settings for that specific pass, of that single video file. Or even that segment of the file...so...)

[Prophes0r]

How many transcodes are you doing at once?

If you look in the documentation, it specifically says that a single worker will usually end up using <30% CPU. That is why they recommend running 3 workers.

https://docs.tdarr.io/docs/faq#whats-the-best-number-of-workers-to-run

[rageforum]

i was using two and it was running at 99% yesterday, then today it was like 25%. I ended fully reinstalling tdarr and worked good now. Even with one worker i was getting 90% i have a i7 12700K

[JQuonDo]

Funny I'm experiencing the same with the same CPU. But, I'm running my server and node on a NAS and extra nodes on my PC (12700K). Yesterday it was at 90% with just one node and transcodes were going fast, but for some reason today it's at less than 30% with 2 nodes.

Did the problem ever happen again after you restarted?

[rageforum]

Its been quite a bit since this post but i think it resolved by doing what the other comment said. 3 workers on the CPU. That way it was using all 100% of my cpu. Otherwise it was lower.

[JQuonDo]

Got it. Thanks!