Server Version#: 1.16.6.1592
Hi, apologies if posted in wrong section.
I am hosting my plex server on a windows machine with i5 - 2400. I stream to my ipad, iphone and android phone. I have downloaded Avengers Endgame 4K HDR HEVC AC3 5.1(container - mkv). When I stream on my android phone it direct plays even though my phone isnt 4K but when I stream on my ios device or even my web player it transcodes to H.264 1080p and eats up my server.
Thanks in advance.
What iOS version do your devices have? HEVC suport requires iOS 11 or newer.
isn’t the experimental player also needed? (plex pass required?)
HEVC support was available before the new player. However, it did depend on the device.
An early release note.
Add direct play support for HEVC video codec in MP4/MOV files on devices supporting hardware decoding (A9 chip and above).
Sorry for the late reply.
What iOS version do your devices have? HEVC suport requires iOS 11 or newer.
ok so my ipad is out out the question but it should work on my iphone 7 plus running ios 13.
isn’t the experimental player also needed? (plex pass required?)
I dont know about this but work on android without plex pass.
Will it help if I try to modify ios profile?
Your file is MKV. It needs to be MP4.
My 4K/HDR/HEVC/10b videos in MKV container will direct stream on my iPhone X / iOS 13.1 without the enhanced player enabled.
@TrippyToes can you verify you’re streaming locally?
These are my settings under Video Quality in the Plex app:
Auto Adjust Quality OFF
Home Streaming RECOMMENDED
Your file is MKV. It needs to be MP4.
I thought it can transcode the mkv file and direct stream.
@TrippyToes can you verify you’re streaming locally?
Yes I am streaming locally. On the same wifi in fact.
I am using the same quality settings.
Auto Adjust Quality OFF
Home Streaming RECOMMENDED
Interestingly I just disabled the enhanced player and it immediately wanted to transcode.
Everything is fine with the enhanced player back on. (iPhone 7 same as the op.)
Interestingly I just disabled the enhanced player and it immediately wanted to transcode.
Everything is fine with the enhanced player back on. (iPhone 7 same as the op.)
ok this is interesting to notice. But since I dont have a plex pass, it is not possible for my to check with the experimental player.
I think this is some issue with the plex server or plex app, should not be transcoding in the first place if not transcoding for anyone else.
Hmmm… I wonder then if there’s something going on with the iOS profile from Plex?
@darcilicious You mind sending me your iOS profile ?
The regular player cannot direct stream hevc. It had to transcode to h264.
What am I missing? This is on my iPhone 11 Pro, locally streamed, using the native player. The file is in an MKV container.
It won’t be any different than yours so there’s no point. I’m saying that there may be a problem with Plex’s default iOS profile if the iPhone 7 is supposed to be able to play HEVC natively; it should direct stream it if it’s in MKV container.
ok… but seeing you being able to direct stream, I really wanna know what is going wrong in mine.
It may be more a case of what is going on with @darcilicious phone? 
You can’t play those files. When I tested mine for you yesterday I was also unable to. Meanwhile @anon18523487 also assures us it shouldn’t be possible.
Either way hopefully the advanced player becomes mainstream soon rather than a PlexPass feature. It really is terrific both on iOS and tvOS.
Just checked with the devs and I was told that is is possible to direct stream hevc so something else is going on. @TrippyToes and @Xhaka can you provide me the log from the app and PMS after recreating this so I can check why it’s transcoding.
Personally I’m all good.
I have PlexPass and a huge fan of the advanced player. I just wanted to see if I could replicate what was happening to @TrippyToes. (the only reason I turned the advanced player off.)
I will leave if to the @TrippyToes to provide the logs.
