Android tablet; Transcode to SD "resolution or bitrate exceeds maximum allowed"

Plex Players Mobile Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.25.2.5319 w. Plex Pass
Player Version#: 8.27.2.29938

I have issues with several movies/shows being transcoded from HD to SD on my Android tablet (Samsung Tab5e). The same files are playing without issue in VLC on the same the device.

The problem mostly happens when I’m “remote” from the server:

  • I don’t have Plex Remote Access enabled
  • Instead I reach the Plex server with VPN
  • The VPN ip rage is added in Networks to Plex - so the streams are treated as playing “local” when I check the Now Playing Dashboard (as opposed to playing “remote”)
  • Both Home streaming and remote are set to “Maximum” on both server and client.

My Plex server upload speed is set to 150Mbit (way above the files actual bit rate, and well below the actual internet speed capacity.)

Still, why does Plex transcode down to SD quality? There’s no quality setting in either server or Android client that specifies that.

2

Can’t say. Would need to see the full logs to check what’s going on.

3

Thanks, I’m not sure exactly what to capture. This is (a part) from Plex web interface - Manage - Console while playing the movie:

Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.139 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — [Now] Device is Android (SM-T720).
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.139 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — [Now] Profile is Android
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.139 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — [Now] Updated play state for /library/metadata/9297.
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.139 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — Statistics: (89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android) Reporting active playback in state 0 of type 1 (scrobble: 0) for account 1
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.141 [0x7ff5cebb2b38] Debug — Completed: [10.168.173.4:35534] 200 GET /:/timeline?audioStreamID=32966&bufferedTime=739413&column=2&duration=6199000&guid=plex%3A%2F%2Fmovie%2F5d7768606f4521001eaa4262&key=%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F9297&playbackTime=75551&playQueueItemID=13938&ratingKey=9297&row=1&state=playing&time=4108108&token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (13 live) TLS GZIP 4ms 781 bytes (pipelined: 29)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.895 [0x7ff5cc923b38] Debug — [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 505 - 608 (608)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.895 [0x7ff5cc870b38] Debug — [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 505 - 609 (608)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.909 [0x7ff5cd287b38] Debug — [Transcode/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android] Returning segment 608 from session
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.909 [0x7ff5cd287b38] Debug — Content-Length of /transcode/Transcode/Sessions/plex-transcode-89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android-976ad58f-5e1b-4b64-9725-acc5ad648778/media-00608.ts is 225971 (of total: 225971).
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.983 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — Request: [10.168.173.4:35730 (Allowed Network (WAN))] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android/base/00609.ts (13 live) TLS Signed-in
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:51.983 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — [Transcode/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android] Asked for segment 609 from session.
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.031 [0x7ff5ceb8fb38] Debug — Completed: [10.168.173.4:35734] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android/base/00608.ts (13 live) TLS 922ms 225971 bytes (pipelined: 52)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.031 [0x7ff5ceb8fb38] Debug — Removed transcode data consumer, active count 1 => 0
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.082 [0x7ff5cc900b38] Debug — Request: [10.168.173.5:60410 (Allowed Network (WAN))] GET /statistics/bandwidth?timespan=6 (13 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (Johan L)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.084 [0x7ff5cebb2b38] Debug — Completed: [10.168.173.5:60410] 200 GET /statistics/bandwidth?timespan=6 (13 live) GZIP 2ms 2480 bytes (pipelined: 23)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.158 [0x7ff5ccb55b38] Debug — Request: [127.0.0.1:53954 (Loopback)] GET /identity (14 live) Signed-in
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.158 [0x7ff5ceb8fb38] Debug — Completed: [127.0.0.1:53954] 200 GET /identity (14 live) 0ms 398 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.652 [0x7ff5cd287b38] Debug — [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 505 - 610 (609)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.652 [0x7ff5cc870b38] Debug — [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 505 - 610 (609)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.684 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — [Transcode/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android] Returning segment 609 from session
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.684 [0x7ff5ccf05b38] Debug — Content-Length of /transcode/Transcode/Sessions/plex-transcode-89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android-976ad58f-5e1b-4b64-9725-acc5ad648778/media-00609.ts is 176766 (of total: 176766).
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.686 [0x7ff5cebb2b38] Debug — Completed: [10.168.173.4:35730] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android/base/00609.ts (13 live) TLS 702ms 176766 bytes (pipelined: 53)
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.686 [0x7ff5cebb2b38] Debug — Removed transcode data consumer, active count 1 => 0
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.760 [0x7ff5ccb55b38] Debug — Request: [10.168.173.4:35734 (Allowed Network (WAN))] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android/base/00610.ts (13 live) TLS Signed-in
Jan 08, 2022 15:58:52.760 [0x7ff5ccb55b38] Debug — [Transcode/89bf512b31952639-com-plexapp-android] Asked for segment 610 from session.

4

That’s the server. I need the android logs. Please attach the entire log, don’t cut and paste please.

5

Thanks! I have pm:ed you a link with the logs.

6

Got your log. It shows you playing an episode of a tv show and it is direct playing. There is no transcode at all. Are you sure you were seeing it said trancoding on your server?

7

Hello and thanks for the reply. I have recreated the problem:

Played a clip on the Android device when not on VPN: Direct Play is used
Played the same clip while the Android device: Transcoded to SD
VPN network is in Settings - Network in Plex
Plex Dashboard shows it’s playing “local”.

I have PM:ed you new logs (taken just after the clip was played), plus a screen shot from the Dashboard while playing over VPN.

8

I see several playback events in your logs. First on 1/9 around 1:50pm. This shows as being local and direct plays.

2nd, also 19 around 4 pm. And 3rd on 1/10 about 8:20 am. Both of these show as being transcoded to 720kbps.

For the last 2, it shows you have enabled the option to Automatically adjust quality. In the first playback, this setting was off. That setting forces a transcode.

9

Hello,

I have disabled Automatically adjust quality now in the Android device. It makes no difference:

If I play the clip when not on VPN, it’s using Direct Play
If I activate my VPN on the device (again, it’s showing as playing local in the Dashboard as the VPN ip range is set in Plex) I get the transcoding:

720p (H.264)

SD (H264)—Transcode

Quality in the Android device and Server are set to Maximum for both Remote and Home streaming.

What can I do to not get the Transcoding while on VPN? Obviously the device itself is able to play the file.
I have a new set of logs as PM.

On a side note, if I select Disable video stream transcoding on the server, I cannot play the clip at all on the Android device while I’m on VPN (unable to play media). When I disconnect the VPN, it’s plating as normal with Direct Play.

10

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