DLNA client preferences got mad

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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I’m running 1.15.3 Plex version on my QNAP. I’ve suddenly realized that my Roku stick sees all the videos in 320 x … resolution and for days I’ve been trying to figure out why. Finally I’ve found those values in “DLNA client preferences” in the DLNA advanced options.

Before that all videos were seen in their actual resolution, I assume they got somehow auto-changed and I have no clue how it happened.

Anyway, I see a server IP there, followed by a bunch of settings:
IP=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx,DirectPlay=false,DirectStream=false,LocalResolution=320x240,RemoteResolution=320x240,OnlineResolution=320x240,LocalVideoQuality=24,RemoteVideoQuality=24,OnlineVideoQuality=24,SubtitleSize=250,AudioBoost=250,MusicBitrate=192

Can anyone point me to a resource that would explain to me how to modify them accurately?
For instance none of the IPs listed there is my Roku assigned IP, so I got a little confused, as I thought those were the client settings.

And - I assume Plex made those parameters having some internal network issues. If so, why hasn’t it brought them back to higher values, when the network issue was gone?

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You shouldn’t have any need to even enable DLNA client at all to support your Roku. All you need to do is install the Roku Plex Client, and link that client to your Plex Server on your QNAP. No DLNA required or recommended.

DLNA would be used if you had say an early “smart” TV that didn’t have Plex Client support, but did have a DLNA client built into it.

2 Likes
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That’s correct, however apart from Plex I’m also using other DLNA clients on my Roku. It’s mostly to play music, but I happen to watch video clips using them as well. That’s why I keep DLNA option on.

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I am using WebOS with DLNA and experiencing similar issues. I have noticed with the latest versions (1.15.3.876 an the 1.15.x.xxx previous) the problem seems worse than before. I am constantly having to paste in the parameters for DLNA client preferences to the string I need for direct play, primarily for 3.8K(UHD) and 4K videos. This is the string I normally use:

IP=x.x.x.x,DirectPlay=true,DirectStream=true,LocalResolution=4096x2160,RemoteResolution=4096x2160,OnlineResolution=4096x2160,LocalVideoQuality=99,RemoteVideoQuality=99,OnlineVideoQuality=99,SubtitleSize=100,AudioBoost=100,MusicBitrate=384

In previous versions to 1.15.x.xxx, usually, after a reboot, I just needed to check that the DLNA client prefs were still set properly, and it didn’t normally change unless I tried to play a video that wasn’t supported by the LG TV. Now the parameters change as soon I go anywhere else in the menu. For example, after saving the changes, I click on transcode, then back to DLNA my preferences are changed even though I haven’t played a video. The resolution always goes back to 1920x1080, subtitle size and audio boost changes to 250, music bitrate changes to some other random number, usually 64, 192, or 320.

My understanding previously from looking at other posts was that you don’t need to populate the DLNA client prefs with anything as Plex will auto generate the required parameters. This is not true. My LG TV is a UHD model and plays UHD videos as well as actual 4K videos. So Plex is not picking up the resolution from the TV. When I check with the Intel UPnP tools, I can browse all the folders created by Plex, including the “Preferences” folder. This folder has no option higher than 1080p, which I can easily set with the WebOS client. I believe this is why the prefs string keeps getting changed back to 1920x1080. Plex has no setting for 4K, the only options are for 1080p, 720p, 480p, 320p, 240p. So I am unable to set the correct resolution for UHD/4K. I am able to set the options for direct play and direct stream to enabled, and they remain normally in the DLNA client prefs showing as true. The other options like subtitle size, audio boost, music bitrate ignore any options I set using the WebOS client. Plex is obviously aware of UHD if not actual 4K, as I can see the folder created under “Resolution” has 4K, 1080p, 720p and SD, so you can play video files based on resolution, if that particular folder has videos of that resolution. I am using a custom profile for my LG TV which has all the resolution set to 4096x2160, maximum 10 bit for HDR, and level 5.2 as required. The music bitrate is set much higher (I believe 384 is the maximum the client prefs allows), but I have video files where the audio bitrate is 640 or 720 because of Dolby Atmos 11.2 or other multi channel audio. I have 1 video file that won’t play if the bit rate is not set to the maximum 384, the rest that are higher seem to follow the limit I have set in the custom profile.

So, after all this blah blah blah, what I would like is a way to set all these options in DLNA client preferences. Is there a file that can be edited to hardcode my preferences? I have tried the registry thing previously mentioned on the forums here, but Plex always overwrites those, unless someone has had success changing the security settings to read only so Plex cannot overwrite them.

And in case you are wondering WHY?? DLNA, it’s because I have better success with not having Plex transcode videos that the TV doesn’t need transcoded. Meaning no subtitles that need transcoding, no audio needing transcoding, and True 4K video, also supported by the TV, as well as HDR etc.

The LG TV is a 2016 model, latest firmware, latest WebOS. Versions have not changed many months now. Plex version as above. Problems increased after Version 1.14.x.xxx.

:thinking:

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+1
Same issue here, my LG 55B8 2018 model OLED 4K playing .mkv runs better from USB than PLEX client or DLNA serviced by PLEX.
Picture quality, subs and audio all lose out whit these settings.

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Check out this post as well for settings that may help you. Also a lot of 4K videos have higher bitrates, so make sure if your custom profile has any bitrate limitations they are high enough that it won’t cause your video not to play.

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