Is server-side transcoding automatically imposed if client is outside the network?

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

I'm experiencing something strange.

My iPad's Channels app has "original" for both home streaming and internet streaming.
But when I'm outside the home, the streaming is very slow, even with sufficient bandwidth.
When I have my iPad VPN into my home, then the streaming speed drastically improves, without any pauses for caching.

I'm guessing the server imposes transcoding when the client is connected via the internet, regardless of the streaming quality setting on the client side. My understanding is the Plex server does exactly this - that's why I always VPN into home to play something on Plex from outside home.

Any other explanation?

#2

Remuxing is enforced, because local connections are served as Channels' native transport streams (TS), but remote connections are HLS. Transcoding is only required if the remote connection's bandwidth/bitrate is less than the original stream. If the remote connection has a requested bitrate/quality setting that is greater than the original stream, no transcoding takes place, only remuxing.

(Remuxing is just changing the container, but the actual video and audio streams are unmodified; transcoding is changing the video and/or audio streams in some way.)

#3

Try changing Original Quality Delivery: to Direct or Stream, to see what works best for you

Using a VPN or Tailscale, you can select Connect At Home instead of Remotely.

#4

Neither comes close to the speed I get on VPN.

#5

Is this over cellular or what?

Sounds like a network issue, maybe your ISP is throttling certain ports or types of usage.

#6

Just use VPN then :slight_smile:

#7

No, not cellular. It happens anywhere - hotel, Starbucks, etc.

Verizon FiOS is said to be not throttling their customers, but I may be wrong.
It'd be strange if Verizon was throttling the Channels port but not the VPN port.

#8

What does the channels speed test say over each connection?

#9

Those aren't places known for fast, low latency WiFi.

#11

Without VPN: 216.9ms, 11.1 Mbps, 37.6 Mbps
With VPN: 201.8ms, 19 Mbps, 66 MBps

#12

That's true, but it doesn't explain why streaming over VPN is noticeably better than without VPN.

#13

You can’t control networks that you don’t own, and in this case, I think the issue is more on the client-side network than your server. Those latency numbers are brutal—unless your server is in the US and you’re trying to watch from the South Pacific, that kind of delay suggests serious network congestion or routing issues. When latency is that high, it eclipses other issues and makes troubleshooting difficult since everything is impacted.

If your server has solid upload speeds and low latency to other locations, the problem is likely with the ISP or the network conditions on the client’s end. It might be worth testing from a different external network that you have more control over—like a friend’s house, a mobile hotspot, or a VPN exit point closer to your server—where latency is in a more normal range. That way, you can isolate whether the issue is truly on your end or if it’s the client’s network causing the problem.

#14

@slampman is right.

Our native Remote Streaming has no intermediary services involved to slow things down. It’s a direct connection back to your home. If anything, a VPN has more involved in the routing.

It just seems like your connection back home from your source is pretty jacked.