Does Plex Play Flac or simply Trascode it and other hi-Rez formats?

General Discussions
1

It appears that I have been duped - but I hope not. I got Plex to play hi-rez files thru a DLNA-connected home stereo because PLEX said a feature was the capability to play hi-rez FLAC, ALAC and other file formats. Now after spending considerable time configuring and transferring files, I read on the site that hi-rez files are only played after being transcoding into lower-rez fomats. Can someone please clarify? thank you

2

DLNA clients usually get the files as-is, without transcoding.
Only clients for which a suitable hardware profile has been written are able to use the transcoder, if necessary.
But I’m pretty positive that there are no hardware profiles available for audio-only DLNA clients (at least in a default installation of Plex).
Thus, you are hearing the full quality on your DLNA player.

If you however are listening to your music in the Plex Web app, you are hearing a transcoded version, currently.

3

Thank you. I take it you are saying that Plex plays music files at their original source format and quality level WHEN allowed to do so by the device - in my case, the Marantz? When the device does not have the capability to play the source file format/quality, PLEX will transcode to a format capable of being played?

4

@bruce@bruceorr.net said:
Thank you. I take it you are saying that Plex plays music files at their original source format and quality level WHEN allowed to do so by the device - in my case, the Marantz?

Generally yes.
But DLNA devices are somewhat special. They cannot use the full potential of Plex.

When the device does not have the capability to play the source file format/quality, PLEX will transcode to a format capable of being played?

Only if a hardware profile exists for this particular device, as explained above.

5

Thanks again and sorry to belabor this issue. What Plex “potential” is my Marantz unable to capitalize on relative to music files? It plays HD music files and I did not get the impression Plex does.

PS. I am using the free Plex version, not Premium.

Sent from my iPhone
Bruce Orr
214.497.9596

On Feb 11, 2017, at 4:55 PM, OttoKerner forums+d258080-s6025034@plex.tv wrote:

Plex Forums https://forums.plex.tv/
OttoKerner answered your question: Does Plex Play Flac or simply Trascode it and other hi-Rez formats?

@bruce@bruceorr.net said:
Thank you. I take it you are saying that Plex plays music files at their original source format and quality level WHEN allowed to do so by the device - in my case, the Marantz?

Generally yes.
But DLNA devices are somewhat special. They cannot use the full potential of Plex.

When the device does not have the capability to play the source file format/quality, PLEX will transcode to a format capable of being played?

Only if a hardware profile exists for this particular device, as explained above.