All clients have trouble playing large files

[csh8428]

I'm pretty much a newb when it comes to *.nix systems and plex, so please pardon my ignorance.
Whenever I try to play(either transcode or direct play) some MKV files the client starts playing, then freezes after a few seconds, then plays, then freezes and sometimes crashes. It seems to happen more often with larger files(greater than 15GB), but it also happens from time to time with smaller files. It happens with all clients(web wireless, web wired, Amazon Firetv Gen 2 wired, Vizio P65 wired). I'm pretty sure my rig and network are more than sufficient to play these files. I have the transcoder directory set to an smb share.

System specs
Intel Pentrium dual core G630 2.7Ghz 3Mb cache
16GB GDDR3 RAM
WD red HDs
FreeNAS-11.2-RELEASE-U1 installed to an SSD

If I had to guess, it's a transcoder temp directory issue maybe? But I have no idea how to fix that.
I would attach logs, but I have no idea how to obtain them :(

 

[nojohnny101]

How is the Plex jail installed? plugin? manual install? I am assuming this is an iocage jail?

I have the transcoder directory set to an smb share.

Why did you do this?

Intel Pentrium dual core G630 2.7Ghz 3Mb cache

I would also monitor your CPU with something like netdata to see if your CPU spikes to 100%. If it does, then check how fast plex is transcoding the files with something like tautulli. This seems the most obvious reason, is that your CPU might not be powerful enough.

 

[Jailer]

If I had to guess, it's a transcoder temp directory issue maybe?

Yes, specifically permissions issues. Check your plex logs at the time of having a problem to confirm that is indeed the problem.

Why did you do this?

That would be my question as well.

 

[csh8428]

How is the Plex jail installed? plugin? manual install? I am assuming this is an iocage jail?
.

Installed using the Freenas GUI. Yes an iocage jail.

Why did you do this?
.

I saw this fixed a similar problem in another thread.

 

[csh8428]

Yes, specifically permissions issues. Check your plex logs at the time of having a problem to confirm that is indeed the problem.

How do I get the logs? Could you elaborate on permissions? How is that fixed?

That would be my question as well.

I saw that fixed a similar issue on another thread.

 

[csh8428]

The Plex login user is csh84285, I changed ownership of all files from root to csh84285, I changed the plex transcoder to a directory in the jail and changed ownership of that directory to csh84285. Issue still persists.

 

[csh8428]

I would also monitor your CPU with something like netdata to see if your CPU spikes to 100%. If it does, then check how fast plex is transcoding the files with something like tautulli. This seems the most obvious reason, is that your CPU might not be powerful enough.

CPU spikes to 125% when transcoding it looks like