So, since Plex is doing the DVR functionality of creating the file for playback, is there any benefit to getting the HomeRun Extend over the HomeRun Connect?
I would be hard wiring the device to my network, not using WiFi, so the N vs AC is not in the equation.
I’m not yet familiar with the performance of LiveTV for Plex (no compatible client devices), however, Extend has built-in transcoder.
IMO, that’s always a good thing as it may use less CPU for the device being used to watch or stream it.
I own an Extend.
@JamminR - Thanks for the response.
I guess the question really is - does Plex use the trans-coder on the Extend or does it ignore it and do it’s own trans-coding?
We definitely leverage the transcoder in the Extend if it’s there, allowing your media files to be stored as H264 without us having to do any transcoding, so highly recommend the Extend, thats what I have.
Many thanks @keithah, that is exactly what I am wondering. The Extend it is, especially with the Plex Pass discount.
I have both connect and extend models, but this is misleading. The H264 (video) is not the problem, the audio (AC3) is the problem. The plex server has to transcode (again) anyway, unless your device plays AC3 directly, in my case Roku’s do not.
@robak1965 - FYI - Newer (at least since 2013) Rokus do support AC3 pass-through directly if in an mp4 container with h264 encoded video stream. See the formats description for what media Roku will play directly (if it has USB, but, most apps such as Plex follow the same info (https://support.roku.com/article/208754908-how-to-use-roku-media-player-to-play-your-videos-music-and-photos)
And honestly, for most low-end CPUs such as that in NAS, yes, the video/h264 is the problem. Audio is in most cases less cpu intensive than video.
@keithah said:
We definitely leverage the transcoder in the Extend if it’s there, allowing your media files to be stored as H264 without us having to do any transcoding, so highly recommend the Extend, thats what I have.
I tried setting the Extend to 480p while setting Plex to “original” and ended up with 450mb file in 10 minutes.
Setting the Extend to ‘none’ while setting the Plex to 480p gives a 88mb file in 8:43 (m:ss).
With both devices set to 480p the file size is 696mb in 62 min.
It really looks like Plex is bypassing the transcoder in the HDHomeRun Extend device and pulling the raw feed then manipulating it. This is disappointing as I explicitly got the Extend to take the transcode load off the Plex server. Otherwise I would have purchased the HDHomeRun Connect.
BTW: Plex version: 1.8.0.4109 on Windows, HDHomeRun Extend Firmware: 20161119
Do you have a recommended setting to ensure that the Extend is doing the transcoding (for recording, i realize transcoding for playback might be different)
@rgraville - I’m pretty (90%) sure that Extend setup page setting for ‘default’ is exactly that. It’s the ‘default’ setting if no setting parameter is passed to the HDHR from whatever client is requesting it’s feed. Plex passes it’s settings to the device depending on what you select in that Plex setting dropdown, therefore bypassing the HDHR Extend’s ‘default’ setting, not it’s transcoder.
@JamminR - Wait, so you’re saying that if I leave the Extend on default and then set Plex to Medium Quality it tells the Extend to transcode to 480p?
Ok. That can make sense. However when I am recording a show I see a bunch of “*.ts” files show up in the Plex path:
“I:\ProgramData\Plex Media Server\Cache\Transcode\Sessions\plex-transcode-*”
After recording is complete I end up with a consolidated *.ts file in the show’s library directory. I thought that if the HDHR transcoder was used I’d end up with an mp4 file rather than a ts file. Hence my confusion.
I do see that the encoding is h264 which is what I would expect.
Maybe everything is working as it is supposed to, I just expected an MP4 file not a TS file.
I know from a little of my experience some ‘commercial removing’ apps/scripts expect an input stream in the TS container, so perhaps that was part of the design decision.
I’ve seen/read somewhere some other reasons why it’s kept as a .ts file, but I can’t find it. Thought it was the wiki, but unable if it is.
Ah, interesting. I will need to look into the commercial removing tools. I hadn’t thought about automating that procedure.
I too am noticing that the plex server is doing all the transcoding. I played with the setting to see what would work. If I set it to None in the hdhomerun it shows in the Now playing in the web interface, as converting mpeg2 to H264. If I set it to like Heavy in the hdhomerun, and highest quality in plex, it will show in now playing as converting h264 to h264. I also am logging into my synology NAS and watching the cpu usage. It will go all the way up to 97 to 99 percent.
So did some more testing. It seems to use the encoder on the HDhomerun when I record a show, but its when I do live tv the server seems to do the encoding.
@ellerbestyle - Is the device your watching live stream on capable/and settings set to, the highest quality Plex setting for HDHR Extend is set for? If your watching on a device that’s set to 8mbps 1080p, and you’ve set Plex Extend setting to Highest Quality, that’s likely to be a 15+mbps 60fps live stream, meaning, your server is transcoding it from that to whatever device setting is capable.
@JamminR said:
@ellerbestyle - Is the device your watching live stream on capable/and settings set to, the highest quality Plex setting for HDHR Extend is set for? If your watching on a device that’s set to 8mbps 1080p, and you’ve set Plex Extend setting to Highest Quality, that’s likely to be a 15+mbps 60fps live stream, meaning, your server is transcoding it from that to whatever device setting is capable.
That makes a lot of sense. I was able to get my cpu way down to like 30% usage after I realized that the ios plex app was set to the highest setting possible. I sort of wish there more fine grain control, because none of the setting seem to match up. So there is so sort of transcoding going on no matter what.
