Running the latest Plex app and PMS and with the latest update all my transcode settings changed back to default. I reset everything so I am getting as little transcoding as possible and the highest quality to the ATV but everything looks like it’s playing in SD instead of BluRay quality 1080p.
I’ve tried disabling the enhanced video player but that didn’t help. Any clue what’s going on? Everything I watch looks awful now.
I texted on my computer and with the PMS web client it looks great. It seems to be an ATV issue with the client/app.
Still looking great on my Apple TV.
What’s your exact configuration for Plex video quality on your Apple TV and what version of the app / what version of tvOS are you using?
Also… what information is showing in the “now playing” tile for that playback on the Plex server dashboard?
Yup, just confirmed via the Dashboard that it is transcoding to SD when my computer is connected to a VPN. When it is not connected to the VPN everything is fine and it looks great. Everything is set to maximum quality (Home, Internet, etc. on both PMS and in the ATV app).
This was not happening before the latest update(s). I was connected to my VPN and still playback was fine.
Also, it seems PMS is failing to find the server when I connect/disconnect from the VPN. I have to completely quite Plex and then restart it and it works again.
Something about your VPN setup is throwing Plex off.
Plex thinks this is a remote connection but remote access isn’t properly configured / working. That’s why you’re getting only an indirect connection (which is limited as it’s consuming Plex’ own bandwidth).
Fix that and you should be able to get your full-quality streams back.
Been working with the VPN provider today and the issue is resolved. It was a setting in their new client that was enabled by default.
However, Plex remote access is configured properly because I share it with a family member across the country, and it has been working for her to watch content on my server. Also, I have the bandwidth set to 10mbp 1080p for remote connections, so it’s concerning as to why Plex doesn’t seem to be respecting this and is transcoding remote connections to SD.
While my current issue is resolved, I would definitely like to address why remote access connections are transcoding to such low quality.
did fixing the VPN resolve the issue that Plex was getting an indirect/relayed connection? (as per your original screenshot)? If you have a regular “remote” connection, you’ll no longer see the bandwidth limitation to 2 Mbps.
The issue was that the setting was an active firewall which blocks all LAN traffic when connected. Once I disabled that, all my LAN stuff started working properly again and Plex is streaming over my LAN as it did before.
I guess my question is why, if Plex is properly configured to stream in HD over remote connections, it was ever limiting itself to 2Mpbs.
