Cache on local disk over slow connections

[gdlgiii]

I have read a few posts where people have asked for a synch feature via the web client or app, but how about a feature that would cache on a Plex client device?

To be more specific, have Plex cache a stream on a local device be it an Android device, a web client or smart TV and cache parts of the stream so it could preserve the higher resolutions requires as if the client were local. When I am remote using a laptop or android smartphone, I have to lower the network rate to anywhere from 320kbps to 1Mps to watch a movie without buffering. The Plex PC is very capable of steaming video with no issue when lowering the network rates.

I would think it could be a great idea if Plex would determine appropriate network speed against the remote Plex server then cache some of the video before starting then play it to preserve video quality of 480p or 720p.

[Jaap_van_Ekris]

Isn’t that where Plex Sync is designed for? I was on holliday and both bandwith and stability of hotel networks left a lot to be desired, so I went the sync-way overnight and was perfectly capable of watching movies…

Jaap

[gdlgiii]

Yes that does work but you have to cache the whole movie and decide ahead of time which one to synch before leaving the house. What I am trying to suggest is a method where it caches parts of the file - just enough to start in higher definition view and has the movie plays, it would release old and cache new as it is playing. That way the whole movie does not have to be loaded in entirety on the device and do not have to set the network bandwidth so low that the picture looks blurry. My ISP allows only 5Mbps upstream so watching a movie remotely from a coffee shop requires me to throttle the network speed on the Plex client. But if I watch a different movie on Hulu or Netflix on SD , the picture is much better but it does take a couple of minutes to buffer before starting the movie. I know those companies and Plex are not in anyway the same and they use other proprietary technologies to accomplish that, just curious if something creative could be done to accomplish the same result?