# Best client for NAS with no transcoding capabilities **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266 "2016-10-02T16:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/alioua_yassine_hotmail.com)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/1 "2016-10-02T16:36:16Z")
Hi Everyone, I am new to the plex world and must admit I love it ! I am setting up a NAS Synology DS216J with no transcoding capability wahtsoever et was wondering which client would be most appropriate so that it won’t need transcoding ? It needs to be wife approved so I am leaning toward Apple TV 4, Roku 4 or Nvidia Shield (ATV would be best for me !) Most of my movies are 1080P h264 AC3 or DTS. Thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/2 "2016-10-02T16:38:46Z")
An ATV4 is not the best partner for a non-transcoding server such as your little Syno. Even the Roku has its little quirks which prevent it from Direct Playing a few files. The best chances you’ll have with the nVidia Shield. The absolute best client in terms of non-transcoding are the PC clients [OpenPHT](https://forums.plex.tv/categories/openpht/p1#top "OpenPHT") and [PMP](https://forums.plex.tv/categories/plex-media-player/p1#top "PMP") though. ---
**Author:** ![alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/alioua_yassine_hotmail.com)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/3 "2016-10-02T16:58:16Z")
Thanks for the quick reply ! Yeah I figured a PC client would be best, but not very easy to use for the wife/kids… Would my PS4 do the trick ? What are the Roku’s limitations comapred to the Nvidia Shield ? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/4 "2016-10-02T17:13:38Z")
> @alioua\_yassine@hotmail.com said: > Would my PS4 do the trick ? Stay away from it. Way worse. > What are the Roku’s limitations comapred to the Nvidia Shield ? it has a very weird restriction in regard to ‘reference frames’ even though your files is perfectly valid under the H.264 level 4.1 profile. For more ‘peculiarities’ you better ask in the [Roku subforum](https://forums.plex.tv/categories/roku-streaming-players "Roku subforum"), as I personally don’t have one and there for am not the best source. ---
**Author:** ![JuiceWSA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/juicewsa/32/12253_2.png) [@JuiceWSA](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JuiceWSA)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/5 "2016-10-02T17:22:32Z")
… if I may… A quick read down the initial threads of The Nvidia Shield Forum may reveal a general feeling that the thing isn’t quite ready for Prime Time: [https://forums.plex.tv/categories/nvidia-shield](https://forums.plex.tv/categories/nvidia-shield) I’d let the ‘Beta-Testers’ do their work for a while and keep checking in for better news. A Roku is cheap. A Roku 3 is cheap and is user approved and highly recommended, but it - like everything else - has it’s quirks. I have two of them. I also have a FireTV, I\_Stuff, Android Phones and the usual suspects for Computers - OpenPHT, Plex app for Windows and the trusty Plexweb. It doesn’t take a lot of effort on my part to create material that will direct play on a Roku and that miraculously trickles down to a direct play condition on all the other devices that may meld with my server and become one. It’s just a matter of finding the correct recipe (video stream, audio stream and container) that everyone likes and stick with it. Sometimes this does require a little preemptive maintenance, but with the right software and even the odd recode it’s not difficult to do. > @OttoKerner said: > it has a very weird restriction in regard to ‘reference frames’ even though your files is perfectly valid under the H.264 level 4.1 profile. Reference Frames are highly over-rated and IMO only used to excess by those who have no encoding skills to speak of. I use 4 for everything and everybody is happy. ---
**Author:** ![alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@alioua\_yassine\_hotmail.com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/alioua_yassine_hotmail.com)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/6 "2016-10-02T21:34:07Z")
Ok, so final word an openpht such as the raspberry pi would be best, but box wise the roku 4 is the choice to go with. Thanks guys ! ---
**Author:** ![JuiceWSA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/juicewsa/32/12253_2.png) [@JuiceWSA](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JuiceWSA)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/7 "2016-10-02T21:52:07Z")
> @alioua\_yassine@hotmail.com said: > Ok, so final word an openpht such as the raspberry pi would be best, but box wise the roku 4 is the choice to go with. > > Thanks guys ! Nobody said anything about the Roku 4. The Roku 4 is something to be avoided. The Roku 3 is time tested and user approved. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/8 "2016-10-02T23:02:03Z")
> @alioua\_yassine@hotmail.com said: > Ok, so final word an openpht such as the raspberry pi would be best, Although the Raspberry Pi runs a kind of OpenPHT, its hardware prevents it Direct Playing some formats a “full” OpenPHT on regular PC hardware will Direct Play. Namely 10 bit (Hi-)color, HEVC, 4K, and Atmos Don’t get me wrong, it is a fine Plex client, but you have to be aware of its limitations. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/best-client-for-nas-with-no-transcoding-capabilities/161266/9 "2020-01-07T22:00:00Z")