Channels slow/unresponsive while doing any task

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

I am using a Synology DS216+II to primarily run Plex and Channels. Had this setup now for a couple years and it has been awesome so far.

However for the past couple weeks, whenever channels is doing any task, both Channels and Plex become barely usable. The web interface for channels and plex is slow/unresponsive. Plex/Channels apps on my two Apple TVs are slow/unresponsive. If it wait long enough and get to the channels settings page, it is usually recording a channel or two, or processing a recording, etc. When channels is idle, Plex/Channels apps work as normal.

This leads me to believe something is wrong with my NAS, but when I check the resource monitor while Channels is not idle, it appears normal. CPU is around 5-10%, disk usage around 60-80%.
So I am kind of at a loss.

#2

This issue has been reported before. The developers say that Channels and Plex don't play well together on the same machine. Try stopping one of them. I to had issues and abandoned the Plex. I have a DS218+. Never had any issues running Channels.

#3

fyi.... I use both all the time. Maybe the developers are ONLY talking about use the PLEX Live TV or DVR function and not all of the other PLEX Features. I have tested the PLEX Live TV/DVR and it is so bad compared to Channels I never use it.

So, if we are going to say PLEX and Channels should not be installed an used on the same server we should be clear about why that should not happen.

#4

Interesting. Ill try stopping Plex for a few days and see if that helps. I should clarify, I am using each separately. Plex for local video files only and channels for live/dvr. I am not using the live tv/dvr feature of Plex nor am I linking Plex to the channel recorded TV folder.

#5

That is how I use PLEX as well. Another thought I would share. I do not use PLEX Transcoding. If you do then maybe that is the issue if you also use Channels Transcoding. Both would be competing for the Hardware Transcoder (is used) or both would be use a lot of CPU for Transcoding.

#6

I looked up your Synology NAS DiskStation - Diskless (DS216+II)

  • Dual-core CPU with AES-NI hardware encryption engine
  • Encryption performance at over 113.01 MB/s reading, 111.66 MB/s writing
  • Advanced Btrfs file system with built-in data integrity check
  • Single H.264 4K or triple Full HD video transcoding on the fly
  • Hot-swappable drive tray design for easy installation & maintenance

I am using the DS1019+ which is a Quad Processor and I use Btrfs file system.

Someone else reported that they switch from Btrfs to ext4 for better performance. Again I have not have any problems but someone else felt the performance difference solved their problem.

#7

More clarification on my setup.

My DS1019+ also has SSD Cache which is current at 50-100% hit Rate (. Which is at 32% usage of 1tb RAID 1.

Currently watching NBC Local and KTLA (OTA MPEG 2) Remote without Transcoding. Also NBC is recording and now checking for commercials (just finished recording). And watching a movie on PLEX (1080p).

CPU is at 35%