I’ll be honest, at this point I’d be happy with some sort of ETA.
This has been going on for quite a while now with no end in sight.
We see a lot of promises, but no commitment to a firm ETA. And yes, this is still a very frustrating problem!
This is how it should work (in my opinion):
Go through the steps of setting up your library (as a user), set your sources, then an interactive speed test to see what your client/network capabilities are and set remote streaming accordingly whilst informing the user at the same time.
More granularity there too, as 20mb/s then maximum/original is too broad.
Better detection for 4k playback capabilities (why in the world does PMP direct play 4k on non 4k ready devices is beyond me! What a waste of bandwidth!)
Additional to that, if a network change is detected, re-run the test (startup screen, keep the user informed)
Store the networks and speed tests associated with them together with your user’s settings.
Sync those settings across devices (maybe use cloud sync?)
This is all QOL improvements and should be a no brainer! And I don’t think it’s asking too much when you’re asking us to pay a sub every month (or a one off for lifetime).
Plex is a good product, but could be so much better! Let’s start with basics here!
Because transcoding 4k is a pain and will bog down your server. If you have a server with multiple users transcoding 4k is not an option at all. Remember the first rule of transcoding 4k: Don’t.
But serving multiple 4k streams bw wise is super easy and won’t hurt servers.
I never had a non 4k device direct play 4k though.
That won’t work for mobile devices, since those change network all the time. Even on the same network speeds vary greatly depending of time and day and moon-phases.
I already have something in place that stops 4k transcoding. What I’m trying to avoid is devices that don’t support 4k still direct playing 4k due to the peculiarities of Plex Media Player.
As for mobile devices, how many times do you find yourself using it for plex? Even that being the case, maybe restrict this only to static devices? Just a suggestion of course
Not everyone has fast connections, not every server owner has low bitrate media on their server.
If you default to play original quality, then what happens when that hiccups all the way? You’re back to having to talk to your user and explain that if the default setting doesn’t work, go into settings, change remote streaming options, bla bla bla.
Then you set it to transcode, but you don’t transcode by default to everyone on the planet.
The average internetspeed in my region is around 30mbit+, that is enough for most 4k content.
If you do special bitrate stuff and your servers, then explain that to your users, but the vast majority of users should not have to suffer.
That is your usage scenario and your average internet speeds in your region.
Plex should cater for the lowest common denominator whilst still being intuitive and clever in terms of auto adjusting the quality. Even if you don’t have an interactive speed test every time, at least improve the auto quality detection algorithm so that it is selected by default and sets the remote streaming speed according to the user’s usage scenario whilst being unobtrusive.
Setting it by default to original solves no problems.
I disagree. Catering to the lowest common denominator usually results in a bad experience for most ppl.
You set default settings so its good for most users. The current default settings are ■■■■■■ for everyone. People with a bad internet connection still have to manually adjust since 720p is too much and ppl with good internet connections also have to adjust it. The average internet speed in the western world is more than capable of playing original file. So yes, setting it to original would solve the problem for most people. You can’t solve it for everyone 100% of the time.
The problem with “Auto” is that it can never direct play. (iirc) That could be fixed, I guess? Idk.
So Auto, in the current incarnation at least, is out, if it is improved, maybe but that may lead to netflix/prime issues where the first few seconds sometimes are grainy AF till their algo figures out I have 250mbit and can stream properly. That happens especially on 2.4GHZ wifi and is annoying.
Anyhow, we have to wait and see what plex comes up with. Maybe it’s super nice and works like a charm and we are all super happy and sing kumbaya my elan, kumbaya.
I directplay everything at home, due to having a combo of nvidia shield/500mbit broadband. However most of my users don’t have good devices and/or decent connections.
Just chiming in here do say PLEASE do this. Every friend I have is transcoding for no reason and it’s infuriating, and explaining to them they have to jump through a bunch of settings instead of me (the admin of the account who should control the default settings) doing it is very very annoying
Let’s all calm down a bit. What we’re working towards will ensure the best playback experience possible for as many people as possible, regardless of connection speed
Ohhh yes!!! , my few shared users default to 4mb and excess internet speed to play without transcoding.
In fact, everything would have to be much more customizable from the server and not so much from the client (or both). I’m also referring to, for example, the library anchor (any other thread to vote for this?)
100% of my few shared users do not understand so much customization.
It kind of scares me that you’re framing this from the user/streamer POV, when the original intent of this request was to help the server admins.
I understand why Plex would be more concerned about the streamer from a business perspective, but given how this is progressing it seems like another case where Plex is going to throw us server admins under the bus.
I’m not interested in magic, and best playback experience for as many people as possible. I have my users. I know what’s best for them AND what’s best for my server.
That’s why two years ago in the OP, I asked for the ability to set the default on the server. Seems like a simple enough change (conceptually) that works for most (if not all) folks here. Most importantly it probably could’ve been developed and released relatively quickly. Then you could’ve moved on to this big magic solution and taken however long you need to get it right (and honestly even then it should be optional).
That has just as much potential for misconfiguration and user headaches as the current situation, and while servers can set a maximum bitrate from their server, the quality has always been set on the client, as it’s dependent on the connection that client has to the server, and what if they have access to multiple servers? We’re working towards a solution that covers as many users as possible here
But not everyone does, Plex caters to a wide variety of people, and internet connections are rarely consistently at the same speed for everyone all the time, and there is more to consider than a 1 server to 1 user scenario. While the solution we’re working towards may not be exactly what you want or envisioned, it will still solve the core issue of unnecessary transcoding and maximising quality, and there are also other technical reasons for approaching things this way, which paves the way for other future work
And again, I’m not saying not to build your magic solution. Just let us opt out of it, and also provide us with the optional control of our system the way we want it to run.
What’s more, a shared user who has problems with video playback stops, immediately learns to lower the video quality from the same playback. The one who does not learn is the other shared user for whom everything is going well and therefore does not know that this reproduction can see it at a better quality and not force the server to transcode.
I am impatient to see that solution that is discussed, thank you very much.
Not so much these days.
Made my morning.