4K (HEVC Main 10 HDR) on QNAP Plex Media Server

[RDW_Ita]

I’m asking about this never ending discussion about 4K file formats (i.e: HEVC Main 10 HDR) played/streamed on QNAP Plex Media Server.

So far, I tried several different setup, but only a view of them works perfectly (mainly Apple Devices) without any issue, such as on-the-fly format converting, and/or without buffering.

Here what I’ve tested:

All tests have been executed on the same network, from the same subnets, with identical connection conditions, with the same bandwidth, and using the same network devices, as well player devices.

Plex Media Server: RPI 4 B Ubuntu 20.04 (x64), single 1 Gigabit NIC

• RPI CPU burned out after 4 concurrent direct streams
  Plex Media Server: QNAP TS-453S Pro (RAM 8 Gb, SDD 32 TB, QTS 5.x), DUAL 1 Gigabit NIC (bond to 2 Gigabit)
• QNAP NET burned out after 10 concurrent direct streams

Wired Network (LAN over 2 VLANs):

• Samsung Smart TV: NOT Working (video converting, buffering, 4 Mbps stream)
• Panasonic Viera TV: NOT Working (video converting, buffering, 4 Mbps stream)
• MacBook Pro macOS Monterey Chrome: NOT Working (video converting, audio converting, buffering, 56 Mbps stream) - recognized as REMOTE
• MacBook Pro macOS Monterey Safari: Working (video direct streaming, audio converting, no buffering, 40 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• Apple TV 4K (64GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 40 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• iPad Pro (256GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 40 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 40 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL

Wireless Network (WiFi 2.4 Ghz & 5 Ghz over 3 VLANs):

• Samsung Smart TV: NOT Working (video converting, buffering, 4 Mbps stream)
• Panasonic Viera TV: NOT Working (video converting, buffering, 4 Mbps stream)
• MacBook Pro macOS Monterey Chrome: NOT Working (video converting, audio converting, buffering, 50 Mbps stream) - recognized as REMOTE
• MacBook Pro macOS Monterey Safari: Working (video direct streaming, audio converting, no buffering, 35 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• Apple TV 4K (64GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 35 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• iPad Pro (256GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 35 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL
• iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) Plex 7.26: Working (video direct streaming, audio direct streaming, no buffering, 35 Mbps stream) - recognized as LOCAL

So, finally my tests highlights that the issue regarding 4K file formats on Plex, with all those conversion and buffering struggles, doesn’t hang on the Plex Server Platform type or version, but it highly depends on which player is used.

None of my Smart TVs, all high-end and very recently released models (QLED 4K & 8K TVs +/- up to 4,200 €), is able to stream 4K file formato, probably because devices or players are not correctly recognized by Plex Media Server, or maybe because Smart TV players don’t work/behave correctly.

Today, at my home setup, only Apple Devices behave perfectly to play/stream 4K file formats without any or only a very little impacting conversion activity (mainly on audio tracks).

Any idea how to solve this Smart TV issue playing/streaming 4K file formats?

Thanks.

[Insomnic_1]

The 4kHDR support of playback and if it triggers transcoding is usually related to the client, not the server. With that in mind, do you have the media info for the file you’re using to test?

For example, my 4k RokuTV can handle 4k HDR and doesn’t transcode… except when it’s plugged into my 1080p TV. My iOS devices can handle SSA subtitles but my Roku can’t so transcoding is triggered when I playback anime on my Roku.

It looks like your Samsung and Panasonic Viera don’t support 4k maybe? My Panasonic Viera non-smart TV was 1080p only and would have needed to have any 4kHDR files transcoded (which my Synology can’t handle HDR->SDR so I have non-4k and SDR versions for that situation). Besides the manufacturer of those TVs… what do they support (4k, HDR, DD+\DTS audio)?

Your laptop being recognized as REMOTE is a bit odd.

Might be helpful to attach some log files and some folks can check your transcoding triggers and maybe the remote aspect (if you include what your “test” playback file is). Plex Media Server Logs | Plex Support

[RDW_Ita]

Well, here below the media used for testing (but let me highlight that any media type higher than 1080p behave in the same way):

• Duration 2:43:23

• Bitrate 15494 kbps

• Width 3832

• Height 1596

• Aspect Ratio 2.35

• Video Resolution 4K

• Container MKV

• Video Frame Rate 24p

• Video Profile main 10

• Codec HEVC

• Bitrate 15110 kbps

• Bit Depth 10

• Chroma Location topleft

• Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0

• Coded Height 1600

• Coded Width 3832

• Color Primaries bt2020

• Color Range tv

• Color Space bt2020nc

• Color Trc smpte2084

• Frame Rate 23.976 fps

• Height 1596

• Livello 5.0

• Profile main 10

• Ref Frames 1

• Width 3832

• Display Title 4K (HEVC Main 10 HDR)

• Extended Display Title 4K (HEVC Main 10 HDR)

• Codec EAC3

• Canali 6

• Bitrate 768 kbps

• Language English

• Language Tag en

• Audio Channel Layout 5.1(side)

• Sampling Rate 48000 Hz

• Display Title English (EAC3 5.1)

• Extended Display Title English (EAC3 5.1)

Regarding my Panasonic TV, sorry for QLED typo.
My TV is Panasonic OLED TX-55GZ950 (4K ULTRA HD/OLED) and second TV is Sony | BRAVIA XR | MASTER Series | OLED | 4K Ultra HD | High Dynamic Range (HDR) | Smart TV (Google TV)

Both supports the following formats: AVI / HEVC / MKV / WMV / MP4 / M4v / FLV / 3GPP / VRO / VOB / TS / PS, MP3 / AAC / WMA Pro / FLAC / Apple Lossless / WAV, JPEG / HLG Photo

Both are able to play that file from USB Key plugged into the TV, but are not able to stream via Plex client installed on TV.

[Insomnic_1]

On both TVs, do you have the Plex app set for “Maximum” or “Original” for local streaming quality?

I’m not used to those interfaces but in some of the Plex client apps the default for streaming quality isn’t automatically the highest option and that’d definitely cause what you’re seeing.

If you grab logs, the folks that are good at digging into them can help narrow it down if you provide the test file info too.

[RDW_Ita]

The only difference I could notice looking on the logs is in fact that Clients on TVs negotiate H264 or H265 formata while Apple Clients negotiate H.264 or H.265. Indeed, the transcoding on QNAP Plex Media Server is from H.264/H.265 to H264/H265, but QNAP isn’t strong enough to do that on-the-fly because it’s a software transcoding activity.

[Insomnic_1]

In your situation - the QNAP is actually irrelevant to some degree because if it transcodes are not depends on the client communication not the server.

I have a Synology - if the Synology has to transcode it is triggered by the Plex client device telling the server it’s necessary either for format support or bandwidth.

[RDW_Ita]

Yes, everything is set manually Maximum/Original.

[Insomnic_1]

Gotcha.

I’d say at this point if the client settings all look good that next will be two things:

1. a screenshot of the dashboard while playback is transcoding (sometimes helpful)
2. the log files so one of the experienced folks can pick out the specific command triggering the transcoding (I’m horrible at reading the Plex log files).

That’s going to provide the best results. For the logs, if you can run the playback, wait a minute or so and then stop playback and then grab the logs that should work pretty well.

[RDW_Ita]

In attachment the same file played on two different clients.

• Apple TV Plex Client (left)
• Panasonic TV Plex Client (right)

Anything is deployed on the same local Network, managed by Ubiquiti Switch.
All devices are wired LAN connected.

QNAP and Apple TV are in the same VLAN segment, while Panasonic is in VLAN 40, but even moving Panasonic TV to the same VLAN makes no difference.

Preparing logs will take a bit longer.

[RDW_Ita]

As you may notice, Apple TV is perfectly recognized, while Panasonic is recognized as generic.

[Insomnic_1]

@RDW_Ita

Preparing logs will take a bit longer.

If you use the server option for “download logs” under Troubleshooting on the server that should pull them pretty easily for you (zip file you can upload here).

The Panasonic being seen as “generic” definitely seems… odd. The fact it says “remote” is likely part of the problem as well and is probably where the transcoding is kicking in for you so figuring out why your local TV is seen as a remote device is where this will mostly come into play … I’m guessing.

[RDW_Ita]

I’m Senior IT System Engineer and looking on the logs it seems that Plex Media Server compares the Server IP Address and Mask against the Consumer/Client IP Address and Mask to understand if the connection is REMOTE or LOCAL, which makes no sense.

As said before, I can quickly move all devices to the same VLAN (same Mask, Network segment or same VLAN) so that Plex Media Sever recognize Server and Client on the same segment as LOCAL devices, or even move Apple TV away from the network segment where QNAP runs, so that also Apple TV will be recognized as REMOTE, and the behaviour will be exactly the same (already tested).

Apple TV will continue to stream directly being recognized as REMOTE, while Panasonic TV will again transcode, even if recognized LOCAL.

This means that the problem is not the network or if Plex Server recognized the client as REMOTE or LOCAL. Indeed, Plex Server is set for both REMOTE and LOCAL to stream MAXIMUM/ORIGINAL, which means to ignore if REMOTE or LOCAL.

[RDW_Ita]

The log files.

Both of them are taken with fresh Plex Server restart.
On both of them library content and some private data have been removed or anonymized.

AppleTV.log, when played by Apple Device.
PanasonicTV.log, when played by Panasonic Device.

Will try also to play on Panasonic as LOCAL device.

AppleTV_Client.log (282.2 KB)
PanasonicTV_Client.log (2.8 MB)

[RDW_Ita]

Here the same file played on Panasonic TV placed on the same Network segment of QNAP Plex Media Server. Panasonic Client recognized as LOCAL device, but still transcoding with buffering.

No way to solve this problem. It seems that Plex Server decides to reduce the resolution to half the original file resolution from 3820x2160 to 1920x1080 and selects (not sure if selected or proposed by TV Device) the DASH Protocol (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) that is not used during Apple TV session.

Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP

Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP

[RDW_Ita]

Any news or some update here?

[serge35]

Plex immediately falls silent as soon as the discussion begins about Panasonic with forced transcoding in the local network)))

[Jdunbar8]

Puh this terrible! Just wanted to actually sign a Plex Pass but if Plex doesn’t work with my high-end Panasonic TV (the latest JZ series model 1500) then I have to move to KODI.

I actually cannot imagine how this major bug has been not addressed so far.
What’s the status on that Plex team?

[RDW_Ita]

But let me highlight it’s a general issue on every latest high-end TV. I have also Sony and Samsung, both with identical issue. So, it seems that Plex does not work well with MPEG-DASH streaming technique which is used by the majority of 4/8 K devices.

[RDW_Ita]

But let me highlight it’s a general issue on every latest high-end TV. I have also Sony and Samsung, both with identical issue. So, it seems that Plex does not work well with MPEG-DASH streaming technique which is used by the majority of 4/8 K devices.

Do you if Kodi supports MPEG-DASH streaming technique with 4/8 K formats?

[Jdunbar8]

Kodi is the leading solution in the field, so I am sure it provides also for that kind a good solution. I am not that much into it but you will get more info at the Kodi forum I am sure.

To me it’s not understandable how Plex is going a route for Smart TVs when that solution doesn’t work appropriately at all. It seems also that no one from the Plex team is following or answering here in the forum :-/