feat(stream): benchmark software encode ceiling at startup

Replace the guessed transcode ceiling (CPU->1080, GPU->2160) with a measured
one. HW encoders still return 2160 instantly. A software-only host runs a
bounded encode benchmark — 3s testsrc2 through the real libx264 superfast
settings at 1080/720/480, top-down — and reports the rung it sustains at
>=1.5x realtime (margin for real decode + busier content).

Fixes risk 2: a weak NAS/old CPU that is ffmpeg-capable but can't keep up
with a 1080p software encode no longer advertises a 1080 ceiling, so
decideStreamPlan routes oversized sources to an external player instead of a
stuttering transcode. Floors at 480; each probe is timeout-bounded so a
wedged ffmpeg can't stall daemon startup.
This commit is contained in:
Deivid Soto 2026-06-03 09:30:03 +02:00
parent 005a4380dd
commit ef3b190e0b
3 changed files with 167 additions and 4 deletions

View file

@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
package engine
import (
"context"
"log"
"os/exec"
"strconv"
"time"
)
// benchmarkRung is a candidate transcode-height ceiling plus the 16:9 frame
// size used to measure whether a software encoder sustains it.
type benchmarkRung struct {
height int
width int
}
// softwareBenchmarkRungs are tested high→low. The frame sizes match the real
// streaming output tiers; the H.264 level / macroblock math in hls.go is
// independent of what we measure here.
var softwareBenchmarkRungs = []benchmarkRung{
{height: 1080, width: 1920},
{height: 720, width: 1280},
{height: 480, width: 854},
}
// realtimeMarginSoftware is how much faster than realtime a synthetic encode
// must run before we call a rung "sustainable". 1.5× leaves headroom for two
// things the benchmark does NOT measure: (a) decoding the real source —
// software HEVC / 10-bit decode is heavier than encoding the synthetic clip —
// and (b) real content being busier than testsrc2 (which x264 compresses
// faster than film grain or motion).
const realtimeMarginSoftware = 1.5
// benchmarkClipSeconds is the synthetic clip length. Short enough that a
// capable host finishes the 1080p rung in well under a second, long enough to
// average out process spin-up.
const benchmarkClipSeconds = 3
// BenchmarkMaxTranscodeHeight returns the largest output height this host can
// software-transcode in real time, one of {1080,720,480}. Hardware encoders
// return 2160 WITHOUT benchmarking — NVENC/QSV/VAAPI/VideoToolbox all sustain
// 4K and a probe would only add startup latency.
//
// The point is the weak end. A low-power NAS or an old CPU can be
// ffmpeg-capable yet unable to keep up with a 1080p software encode, so the
// historical static 1080 ceiling makes the web side attempt a transcode that
// stutters. Measuring real throughput lets decideStreamPlan route oversized
// sources to an external player instead. Floors at 480: a box that can't
// sustain even that is barely functional, and 480-or-smaller sources transcode
// cheaply regardless — anything larger is already gated out by the 480 ceiling.
func BenchmarkMaxTranscodeHeight(ctx context.Context, ffmpegPath string, hw HWAccel) int {
if hw != HWAccelNone {
return 2160
}
if ffmpegPath == "" {
return 1080 // no benchmark possible; keep the historical default
}
for _, rung := range softwareBenchmarkRungs {
factor, ok := measureEncodeRealtimeFactor(ctx, ffmpegPath, rung)
if !ok {
// Probe couldn't run (timeout / exec error) — try a lighter rung
// rather than treat the failure as a measured "fast enough".
log.Printf("[transcode] encode benchmark: %dp probe failed — trying lower", rung.height)
continue
}
if factor >= realtimeMarginSoftware {
log.Printf("[transcode] encode benchmark: software ceiling %dp (%.1f× realtime)", rung.height, factor)
return rung.height
}
log.Printf("[transcode] encode benchmark: %dp only %.1f× realtime (<%.1f×) — trying lower", rung.height, factor, realtimeMarginSoftware)
}
log.Printf("[transcode] encode benchmark: host can't sustain 480p software encode — flooring ceiling at 480 (oversized sources route to external)")
return 480
}
// measureEncodeRealtimeFactor encodes benchmarkClipSeconds of synthetic video
// at the rung's resolution using the real streaming encoder settings (libx264
// superfast, no B-frames) to /dev/null and returns clipDuration/wallTime — the
// realtime factor. ok=false when the probe couldn't run, so the caller skips
// rather than treating the failure as a fast result. Each probe is bounded so
// a wedged ffmpeg can't stall daemon startup.
func measureEncodeRealtimeFactor(ctx context.Context, ffmpegPath string, rung benchmarkRung) (float64, bool) {
// A 3 s superfast encode that takes longer than 12 s is <0.25× realtime —
// already far below the 1.5× bar — so capping here only kills genuinely
// hopeless rungs early and keeps worst-case startup bounded.
bctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 12*time.Second)
defer cancel()
size := strconv.Itoa(rung.width) + "x" + strconv.Itoa(rung.height)
args := []string{
"-hide_banner", "-nostats", "-loglevel", "error",
"-f", "lavfi",
"-i", "testsrc2=size=" + size + ":rate=24:duration=" + strconv.Itoa(benchmarkClipSeconds),
"-c:v", "libx264", "-preset", "superfast", "-threads", "0",
"-bf", "0", "-sc_threshold", "0",
"-f", "null", "-",
}
start := time.Now()
err := exec.CommandContext(bctx, ffmpegPath, args...).Run()
elapsed := time.Since(start)
if err != nil || elapsed <= 0 {
return 0, false
}
return float64(benchmarkClipSeconds) / elapsed.Seconds(), true
}