Any way to stop PLEX converting the video with SRT subs enabled?

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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Server Version#: 1.18.7.2457
Player Version#: 4.22.2

Seems like i’ve tried to change all of the available settings, but PLEX just can’t stop converting the video if i enable SRT subs. This causes massive buffering problems. If i turn them off, everything plays fine.

Is there a way to prevent this, maybe i didn’t manage to find the thread where the issue has been resolved and the instructions were given?

The TV is LG 50UM7300. This is definetely not a connection issue, cause i use Ethernet and all other DNLA options work seamless no matter the size of the video file.

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Is the audio transcoding? If so, choose an audio track that direct plays. SRT subtitles should then direct play.

Enabling image based subtitles, PGS & VOBSUB, forces a video transcode.
If the audio transcodes, enabling SRT subtitles forces a video transcode.
If the audio direct plays/streams, enabling SRT subtitles does not force a video transcode.

3

Both video and audio are always shown as “direct play”, but if i enable SRT subs, then the PLEX icon in the menu bar of Mac OS says there is a transcoding session going, but the status on the streams still says “direct play”.

4

I’m wondering if the system is direct streaming (repackaging the audio & video streams), instead of transcoding. I don’t run Plex Media Server on my Mac, so I’m not sure how the menu bar icon behaves. See Streaming Media: Direct Play and Direct Stream for additional information.

What is displayed in the Plex Dashboard when playing the movie with and without SRT subtitles? Click the gold rectangular icon to the right to expand the view. See Server and Dashboard for additional information (note some features, such as bandwidth, require a Plex Pass).
https://app.plex.tv/desktop# -> Status -> Dashboard

Also, what is CPU utilization with & without subtitles?
Applications -> Utilities -> Activity Monitor

If the video is transcoding, the CPU will be noticeably higher, probably 50%+, depending on the video type and CPU in your Mac.

Transcoding audio will make the CPU utilization jump just a few percent (10 - 20).

Direct Streaming requires very little CPU.

5

I have the same issue, LG webos, but a prior version, 2.1.3 wich is the latest for my tv
Here are some of my log entries

Player address=“201.215.206.233” device=“” machineIdentifier=“23ypcn7mzvkjpcuzujrmrfj6” model=“60LB6500-SF” platform=“webOS” platformVersion=“1.4.0” product=“Plex for LG” remotePublicAddress=“201.215.206.233” state=“” title=“” vendor=“” version=“3.13.28” local=“0” relayed=“0” secure=“0” userID=“22224126”
Variant id=“89e59aaa-51a8-406c-a145-cab12e81e964” targetBitrate=“1527” context=“streaming” sourceVideoCodec=“h264” sourceAudioCodec=“aac” videoDecision=“transcode” audioDecision=“copy” subtitleDecision=“burn” protocol=“hls” container=“mpegts” videoCodec=“h264” audioCodec=“aac” audioChannels=“2” transcodeHwRequested=“1” transcodeHwDecoding=“vaapi”** transcodeHwDecodingTitle=“Intel (VA API)” transcodeHwFullPipeline=“0”>
<Media audioProfile=“lc” id=“2163” videoProfile=“high” audioChannels=“2” audioCodec=“aac” bitrate=“1453” container=“mpegts” duration=“6809535” height=“536” protocol=“hls” videoCodec=“h264” videoFrameRate=“24p” videoResolution=“720p” width=“1280” selected=“1”
Stream burn=“1” displayTitle=“Español (SRT External)” file=“/home/media/Plex/Media/Peliculas/Edge of Tomorrow (2014)/Edge of Tomorrow.spa.srt” id=“5855” key=“/library/streams/5855” language=“Español” languageCode=“spa” selected=“1” streamType=“3” decision=“burn” location=“segments-av”

you can see its burning the subtitles so it transcodes the full video, but i don’t know why

6

Please note the latest version for LG is not 2.1.3, that is a loader found in the LG content store.

If you check you server Setting/ Authorised Devices, you should now find 4.27.1

We are all waiting for the fix.

1 Like
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THANK YOU! My audio track wasn’t directplay compatible so i switched to one that was and then the video successfully played with srt subs on and no transcoding or loss in video quality

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