I have a Synology DS1512+ which I upgraded the RAM to 3072MB. I am running Plex 1.11.3.4803-c40bba82e. I have the HDHomeRun Extend. When I try to watch television shows recorded in Plex through my Roku Ultra running 5.1.1.4433-081ec78e-Plex all shows buffer regardless of how high or low I set the video quality in the app for local playback. I even put it on 320Kbps and it buffers. I have tried this on both Roku players and it buffers on both. Any help would be appreciated. I stopped Plex, restarted it, tried to play the video, and generated the attached logs.
Interesting to note, I can play HD video in Plex through the Roku app just fine. This only happens on shows recorded.
How high is the CPU of your synology while watching recorded content? It has to transcode it and I don’t believe your synology can handle it in real time. You could set up your library to create an optimized version for TV so that it can direct play instead of transcoding (at the cost of more storage use)
@jpirotte is correct to try setting the Extend trancode settings in Plex. Since you mentioned a Roku from what I understand the Roku can not handle deinterlacing video. The issue you are probably experiencing with OTA is with any recordings broadcast in 1080i video. Since the Roku cannot handle deinterlacing the 1080i video Plex must do it. There are several transcode settings on the Extend in Plex. I would recommend the High Quality setting not the Highest Quality as the Highest Quality does not deinterlace.
I checked your logs to see if there were any entries starting a recording and did not find any but did see your log is full of messages regarding disk space issues:
Feb 23, 2018 19:54:40.110 [0xef847b40] ERROR - [Notify] Failed to add watch for /volume1/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Media/localhost/b/d484a196568b76e0658f3a42d4cae3098fc31cd.bundle (28: No space left on device)
@jpirotte said:
How high is the CPU of your synology while watching recorded content? It has to transcode it and I don’t believe your synology can handle it in real time. You could set up your library to create an optimized version for TV so that it can direct play instead of transcoding (at the cost of more storage use)
I checked the DS1512+ while playing back a recorded show and the CPU usage was 30%. I had the setting in Plex set to original format. Is that what you are referring to with direct play? If so, should I be having this issue? I checked in the actual setup of the HDHomeRun Extend and the transcode is set to none.
It seems like from what @johnm_ColaSC is saying that Roku is not the best way to use Plex for OTA. I installed the Plex app for the LG TV and it works better, although from time to time on a 1080P recording it will pixelize and/or freeze for a split second and then the audio/video gets out of sync as the video speeds up to catch up. On a 720p recording it seems to play fine on the TV app.
I do not mind using the Plex app for the TV and I want the best possible video/audio. Is keeping the transcoding on none and in Plex to original format the best option? Also, if we change those transcoding settings, does that automatically effect what is recorded or does it only take effect on things recorded in the future?
@johnm_ColaSC said: @jpirotte is correct to try setting the Extend trancode settings in Plex. Since you mentioned a Roku from what I understand the Roku can not handle deinterlacing video. The issue you are probably experiencing with OTA is with any recordings broadcast in 1080i video. Since the Roku cannot handle deinterlacing the 1080i video Plex must do it. There are several transcode settings on the Extend in Plex. I would recommend the High Quality setting not the Highest Quality as the Highest Quality does not deinterlace.
I checked your logs to see if there were any entries starting a recording and did not find any but did see your log is full of messages regarding disk space issues:
Feb 23, 2018 19:54:40.110 [0xef847b40] ERROR - [Notify] Failed to add watch for /volume1/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Media/localhost/b/d484a196568b76e0658f3a42d4cae3098fc31cd.bundle (28: No space left on device)
I have 2.07TB free on the server. Why do you suppose it states no space left? Could this error be causing my problem? How do I correct this error? I am not sure why the log did not capture me playing back a recording.
@JWTESQ The majority of shows are broadcasted in MPEG2, which most players (with the exception of xbox one & Shield TV… might be others I’m not aware of) cannot play. So it has to be converted in one of 3 places:
by the extend before the stream even gets to PLEX (probably the best solution)
by optimizing your library which makes a converted copy of each file after it’s been recorded
if the file is still not compatible by the time you watch it, Plex will transcoded on the fly.
Even if you have “original format” it will still need to transcode if the file is not compatible. However 30% seems low if it’s doing that. To see if it’s direct playing, or transcoding, log into Plex while the roku is playing and go to status->now playing and highlight the video. It’ll tell you what it’s doing.
I would @johnm_ColaSC 's instructions first as that should solve your problems.
@jpirotte said: @JWTESQ The majority of shows are broadcasted in MPEG2, which most players (with the exception of xbox one & Shield TV… might be others I’m not aware of) cannot play. So it has to be converted in one of 3 places:
by the extend before the stream even gets to PLEX (probably the best solution)
by optimizing your library which makes a converted copy of each file after it’s been recorded
if the file is still not compatible by the time you watch it, Plex will transcoded on the fly.
Even if you have “original format” it will still need to transcode if the file is not compatible. However 30% seems low if it’s doing that. To see if it’s direct playing, or transcoding, log into Plex while the roku is playing and go to status->now playing and highlight the video. It’ll tell you what it’s doing.
I would @johnm_ColaSC 's instructions first as that should solve your problems.
I checked and on Chicago PD, the show I was playing when I commented earlier, it shows as direct play and 1080i MPEG2VIDEO in the Plex status. On the Plex LG app, it shows it as 1080P. Does this tell you anything?
If I change those transcoding settings, does that automatically effect what is recorded or does it only take effect on things recorded in the future?
