Pros/Cons for Enabling FFmpeg "Fast Start" (option in 7.0.0.1)

DarkSkies

I’ve seen the fast start flag discussed in terms of speed of processing in SF (off = faster?), but I’m still not quite clear on when we should or shouldn’t use it.

Google search says:

The ffmpeg “fast start” option is achieved by using the output flag -movflags +faststart. This option moves the moov atom (metadata) from the end of the file to the beginning, which enables the video to start playing in a web browser or streaming service before the entire file is downloaded.

And as shown in the Option screen, it’s “recommended to enable for media server playback”:

So if I want to process and create the MP4 file faster, I want this off, but since I play my files in Plex, I want this on?

Hoping some of you gurus can help me understand what the option will do and when to use it.

Thanks!

0xFeedBeef

You only need that option if whatever is using the MP4 doesn’t have a means of seeking to random positions in the media, so if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you probably don’t need faststart.

DarkSkies

Thanks. I’ll disregard the setting and leave it unchecked.

0xFeedBeef

DarkSkies longer context:-

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/d/470016-ssd-bad

and

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/d/470193-7000-still-burning-cpu-cycles-pe-cycles-with-faststart