I currently only have 1 means of getting 4K content onto my TV and that is through my in-built Chromecast on my Vizio P TV. I am not 100% sure what formats this supports but I do have a few files, some transcode and some direct play. I know plex supports this:
4K (UHD) Direct Play Video Support
Some 4K (ultra high definition) devices are recognized by the Plex app. We’re working to bring 4K playback support to other devices, too. 4K/UHD content matching the following will Direct Play on supported devices:
Container: MP4
Resolution: 3840x2160 or smaller
Video Encoding: HEVC (H.265)
Video Frame Rate: 30fps
Video Bit Depth: 8
4K content not matching the above properties will be transcoded to 1080p. Transcoding 4K content is a very intensive process and will require a powerful computer running Plex Media Server.
So my question is, has anyone made or use a custom profile for Handbrake or another tool to convert 4K files to the about setting? Also, will plex direct stream a 4K file if the audio isn’t supported?
Custom profiles in HandBrake usually take a little experimenting and take time.
Custom profiles in Plex take some XML writing and a bit of learning how they work
I define DirectStream as audio-only transcode. Yes, there is debate so call it “lightly transcoded” if needed. Full transcoding is whenever the video has to be converted because it’s a significantly higher processor load.
The problem is usually the server (a lot of us use NAS boxes) can’t do both 4K streaming and audio conversion without issues.
That having been said, there are two choices.
a) Convert the audio in your media to something that runs with Plex on your device, as-is
b) Write a custom profile to control what Plex does when playing your 4K media.
If your goal is to keep the video as-is and change only the audio to a compatible format, this is very easily accomplished.
As an example, and absurd since no 4K would be limited to this (I hope):
Copy all video as is, down-mix all audio to 2-channel AAC using FFMPEG.
If your goal is to create a custom profile, hoping at some point your device will support DirectPlay or adding to what Plex thinks your device can actually do (this was true in the early 2015 Samsung 4K days), then the best to do is look at the existing profiles and take time to read them. There is no document I can point you to. What I can point out is you will see ‘transcode targets’ and other ‘targets’. Think of these as filters. If something meets a Direct Play target, you get Direct Play. This is how support for Samsung was added (the TV supported 7.1 audio before Plex could catch up).
