Android TV requests unnecessary transcoding

My setup:

  • server: Synology NAS - DS416 - plex server 0.9.16.3
  • client: Sony Bravia 43X8305C - plex client 4.29.1.7
  • media: H264 high-profile, MP4, 1080p, AAC. 5448 Kbps
  • network: gigabit

Previously, these files were playing perfectly smoothly. Now, the server tries to transcode, hits 100%CPU use and playback is broken.
My most recent change was an reinstalling the PLEX client on the TV, as somehow it had stopped working (would quit during launch, reinstalling fixed that).

It is possible that a new version on the server side got installed too, I’m unsure.

Transcoding happens, even if I put “Direct Play” on Force in the Plex settings on the TV.

Not sure what’s going on, this feels like a bug.

Any idea ?
Thanks

Two new things I checked:

  • playing the same video on my iPhone streams from the NAS in “Direct Play” mode
  • copying the video on a USB key and playing it on the TV works smoothly

These two tests show that there is a bug somewhere on the client or the server that leads to transcoding to happen when it isn’t necessary.

I have also tried other 1080p streams, some work and some don’t without any clear pattern as of what parameter might cause this.

Are you sure you’re not requesting a lower bitrate than your file’s in your client? That would cause transcoding. I’ve been there :relaxed:

@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

Yes, that was it.

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

Yeah 1920x1080 is totally okay for people with limited storage… and many other settings are not fine, and do need changing for some devices no matter what preset you have. So you were saying?

@prittstick said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

Yeah 1920x1080 is totally okay for people with limited storage… and many other settings are not fine, and do need changing for some devices no matter what preset you have. So you were saying?

1080p is a resolution, not a file size. There are multiple presets available for smaller sizes already in Handbrake…

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

Yeah 1920x1080 is totally okay for people with limited storage… and many other settings are not fine, and do need changing for some devices no matter what preset you have. So you were saying?

1080p is a resolution, not a file size. There are multiple presets available for smaller sizes already in Handbrake…

Whatever, man. I prefer to use custom settings, we’re not all the same.

@jmuffat Can you post the XML for a movie that transcodes?

New experiment :

  • install plex server on a PC that can transcode fast…
  • Try same files.
  • Still fail to play (!)
  • make handbrake reencode file, works fine.

So, I believe the problem is those files, on the TV’s Android client. (iPhone plays the files ok through Plex and TV plays the files ok if on USB key).

I have now reverted to using the Synology server, and am going through the extra reencoding step for now.

The files are M4V’s bought from iTunes and DRM-stripped with NoteBurner.

Here is the XML for one file:

XML in attached file

I think the android app is hardcoded to downconvert anything above 640kbps AAC personally (complete guess I might add). I’ve seen files that should direct play get transcoded.

^^ There is an AAC limit, but the file is only 125 Kbps so that’s not the problem. There is nothing in the XML I see that would cause the transcode. You’ll need to provide the PMS log showing the start of the playback attempt.

@MovieFan.Plex said:
^^ There is an AAC limit, but the file is only 125 Kbps so that’s not the problem. There is nothing in the XML I see that would cause the transcode. You’ll need to provide the PMS log showing the start of the playback attempt.

Can you confirm what the limits are for the various codecs? Would be useful information to have. It’s confusing because he says 5448kbps in the op.

@rcrocket said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

Yeah 1920x1080 is totally okay for people with limited storage… and many other settings are not fine, and do need changing for some devices no matter what preset you have. So you were saying?

1080p is a resolution, not a file size. There are multiple presets available for smaller sizes already in Handbrake…

Whatever, man. I prefer to use custom settings, we’re not all the same.

No you are a special snowflake. :wink:

@danjames92 said:
Can you confirm what the limits are for the various codecs? Would be useful information to have.
I take this back. Plex does not have any limits. There are inherent codec limits and some limits placed when transcoding so you don’t end up violating the codec limits in the destination stream, but under normal circumstances, the bitrate of an audio stream should be valid and should not be triggering a transcode.
It’s confusing because he says 5448kbps in the op.
I believe the 5448 is for the entire file. At least that’s according to the XML provided.

I’m not sure anymore that it is actually a transcode problem.

I thought this because when running PMS on the NAS, I got “server not powerful enough” messages.
If it was the case, then running PMS on the PC would have “worked” : transcoding would have happened fast enough. But playback didn’t happen and, watching the PC’s CPU/GPU use, there was nothing special happening there.

I reckon the AndroidTV client gets confused (especially because same file plays perfectly from USB).
Possibly some quirky data in files produced by NoteBurner ?

@danjames92 said:

@rcrocket said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@danjames92 said:

@prittstick said:

@jmuffat said:
@KarlDag : I am not sure I understand the question.

On the TV, Plex is setup so quality is set to “original” for both local and remote sources, if that’s what you’re talking about.

It depends on how you encoded your files, what container their in etc. Here’s a preset of mine I use for both DVD and Blu-ray rips straight out of MakeMKV, it’s a Handbreak preset. This allows for smooth continuous playback while producing good quality files with minimal file sizes. - filedropper.com/720pdirectplay-plex try this if you want and let us know how it works for you.

The default presets work fine…

Yeah 1920x1080 is totally okay for people with limited storage… and many other settings are not fine, and do need changing for some devices no matter what preset you have. So you were saying?

1080p is a resolution, not a file size. There are multiple presets available for smaller sizes already in Handbrake…

Whatever, man. I prefer to use custom settings, we’re not all the same.

No you are a special snowflake. :wink:

Insults aside. You tried to convince me multiple times that default presets are good enough, and I will agree with you. However… I add filters, custom subtitles, audio tracks etc and tend to crop certain media, in return, becomes a custom preset. Having said that, default presets work for most people, like yourself. :slight_smile: