DTS problems with PLEX, cannot stream or transcode audio tracks to Dolby Digital

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Hi, I have been using the plex app on my old Samsung F8000 (Direct Play).
1 - I have a problem with DTS movies and shows with a few frames of audio cutting out every now and then. I tried to enable PCM+DD only on the app but then i get no surround sound, only stereo PCM. Tried to force direct streaming or transcoding on these files and i get the error: Unable to connect to the content server. During this, in the plex settings console on the desktop i see this repeat:

Error
Thread
0x7f9ccc3b5b38
Message
[Transcode] ClientProfileExtra: subtitle transcode target already exists for all http

Thread
0x7f9ccc3b5b38
Message
[Transcode] Failed to obtain a streaming resource for transcode of key /library/metadata/12

This appears to be about subtitles but it happens even if i have them set to none.
I can ā€œtranscodeā€ ahead of time files on app.plex.tv/desktop using ā€œoptimizeā€ but then i get copies of all my files plus the options are so few and audio/video quality is degraded and itā€™s not feasible to do this with my whole archive. I would like to just transcode the DTS audio at the beginning of the stream or during it(on the fly) to Dolby Digital and i donā€™t know how. The plex app on the tv is the latest for it(ver 2.013 PMS ver. 1.23.2.4656)

2 - I plan on buying a new tv that has no DTS decoding or passthru(LG CX). Will the new LG store PLEX app work correctly with it to select only AC3 and eAC3 and the DTS files will be streamed/transcoded to Dolby Digital AC3/eAC3 5.1, without affecting the video?

All archive is on a Qnap 453D NAS (havenā€™t found a way for it to transcode and help with this). It appears the NAS only transcodes if i use its own video player on the desktop, not on Smart devices apps or even DLNA.

Thank you

2

The Plex app on the F8000 was developed by a Plex user. Unfortunately, he had to discontinue development quite awhile ago. Someone may know workarounds to get it working for you. However, at some point it will cease to work with current versions of Plex Media Server.

If you wish to continue using the F8000, you would be better served by using a streaming stick/box such as an Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Nvidia Shield, Roku, etc.

A current streaming device will let you take advantage of additional Plex features. It will also be much more responsive than the Plex app on the F8000.

Iā€™ve a family member with a F7100. It has a great picture for a 8+ year old 1080p TV. However, using any app on the TV, including Plex, is painful due to the limitations of the TV (slow CPU, limited memory, etc). They use an Apple TV instead and it does everything they need. Any current streaming device will be better than the apps on the old TV.

Regarding the LG & QNAP, you are running into the limitations of using Plex Smart TV apps and running Plex Media Server on systems with low power CPUs.

The Plex app on Smart TVs is limited compared to other platforms. You will run into issues when using subtitles, namely video transcoding. When not using subtitles, TrueHD & dts audio formats will transcode, but video should play OK.

Running Plex Media Server on the QNAP NAS will also present problems, mostly due to the low-power Celeron CPU. Without a Plex Pass, the NAS will struggle to transcode 1080p video. Even with a Plex Pass, you will run into issues when using subtitles, that can cause buffering during playback.

Depending on your setup, a Plex client such as a Nvidia Shield, Apple TV, Roku, etc may provide a better experience than the Plex app on the LG. They have support for more audio & video formats, resulting in less transcoding and load on your server.

Additional details below.

The Plex LG app defaults to the first audio track that matches the userā€™s language setting. It does not pay attention to the default track flag in MKV or MP4 containers.

As with any other Plex client, you can choose a different audio track before (or during) playback. The app will remember your selection the next time you play that specific movie/show/etc.

TrueHD and dts/-HD/:X will be transcoded by Plex Media Server to a supported format. AC3/EAC3/EAC3+Atmos will passthrough via HDMI-ARC or -eARC if the attached audio equipment supports those formats.

This is how the Plex LG app behaves with subtitles:

  1. Enabling image based subtitles, PGS or VOBSUB, results in a video transcode.
  2. If audio is transcoding, enabling any subtitle results in a video transcode.
  3. If audio is direct playing, text subtitles, SRT & VTT, direct play.
  4. For ASS/SSA subtitles:
    1. If Burn Subtitles = Automatic in the Plex LG app, enabling ASS/SSA subtitles results in a video transcode.
    2. If Burn Subtitles = Only Image Formats, ASS/SSA subtitles, direct play, but formatting information (color, location, etc) may be lost.

The Plex app honors the Forced flag for subtitles embedded in MKV & MP4 containers. The app automatically selects the forced subtitle track before playback if it matches the client language settings. Plex remembers subtitles on a per-movie/show basis, so if you select a different track or turn subtitles off, Plex will remember that the next time you play the file.

Bottom Line:
To use the Plex LG app with subtitles and avoid video transcoding:

  • Use text subtitles - SRT/VTT
  • Choose audio tracks that direct play - AC3/EAC3/AAC

The QNAP 453D has a Celeron J4125 CPU.

Without a Plex Pass to enable hardware acceleration, it will transcode some 1080p and lower resolution videos.

With a Plex Pass and using hardware acceleration, it will transcode 1080p and some 4K media.

Note 1: Transcoding 4K HDR material will be problematic due to HDR ā†’ SDR tonemapping issues. Even with hardware acceleration, tonemapping occurs in software when running Plex Media Server natively on the QNAP. You can get around this issue by running PMS in a docker container if you are comfortable doing so.

Note 2: Even with hardware accelerated transcoding, subtitles will still be a problem when using the LG Plex app. If the video is transcoding and subtitles are enabled, you can expect to experience buffering during playback of higher bit-rate media. Adding subtitles to the video stream (aka ā€œburningā€ subtitles), occurs on the CPU, not using hardware acceleration. The Celeron is a low-power CPU and will struggle with the process (this is true for any device with a Celeron CPU running Linux, not just QNAP).

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Thank you for the detailed response, it helped me understand some intricacies better and surely it will help others as well.
I have some additional questions and clarifications after some testing:

1-Old Samsung F8000 app-
I have 2 of these and plan on still using them with PLEX in a limited capacity in the future. Agreed they are very slow in apps but they get the job done.
I would prefer not to use another external streaming device, but is there one that can stream via wifi and be controlled via smartphone as to service both of them and not require wires and remotes as they will be in different rooms and one will only have a power cable and be used solely on Wifi for apps?

2-QNAP 453D NAS-
The NAS had no problems with 3 devices connected and direct streaming at the same time(screenshot1).
When Direct Streaming, the app showed transcoding is done on the NAS(screenshot2). Is this considered hardware or software transcoding as i donā€™t have PLEX PASS yet?
I donā€™t think i need to do anything with it as it seems to work ok by itself. I donā€™t know what a docker isā€¦

3-LG CX(or other modern TV)-
Most modern tvā€™s have removed support of any DTS decoding AND PASSTRHU, and this will raise problems with built in apps and directly connected USB/HDDā€™s if you have any DTS media, and with PLEX for example they will require audio transcoding which leads to video streaming and that could be a problem for the hardware.
Only one TV left with DTS seems to the Sony(any recommandations?), from what i understand they are android TVā€™s which i would consider a plus against proprietary OSā€™s but they are more expensive and I have not checked their gaming capability yet.
The new TV will be the new center using built in apps(hopefuly), connected to my 5.1 receiver(DD, DD+, DTS) via ARC.
The TV will also be connected directly to the PC for gaming via HDMI 2.1. The PC/console cannot be connected via an external device to the tv as it will lose all gaming abilities like 4K @120HZ with VRR(Freesync/G-Sync) and HDR, 4:4:4, 10 bit, Dolby Visionā€¦

4-PLEX app on Android/IOS/webos-
I have now tested the plex app on Android and IOS and the results are good. If the device does not support the respective audio codec it will transcode it to either AAC(Android) and FLAC(IOS).
This leads to the video being streamed, not direct played but both phonesā€™ plex apps handled this beautifully with not much delay and the Nas CPU only spiked at the start or when seeking another chapter via the player timeline, even with 3 devices steaming at the same time.

Subtitles on or off didnā€™t make any diffence on these devices, external srt or internal embedded srtā€™s did not make the player to stream or transcode.

One question about audio transcoding: I have no way to test this new app with the tv+receiver, but does AAC have surround? Will the transcoded DTS/TrueHD turned to ACC by PLEX be correctly decoded by the receiver to a surround sound(at least Dolby Digital 5.1)?
Via the PC HDMI and using the desktop plex player in the browser the ACC was only stereo(hope this is just a broswer thing as i wonā€™t be using it and did it just for testing)ā€¦I can confirm 5.1 works on the PC via HDMI to receiver in surround sound (PCM) games and videos played in VLC.

If the LG(or Sony?)app works the same i will definetly get plex pass.

Another transcoding thing: on the smartphonesā€™ PLEX, even the 4k HEVC played Directly(or streamed if the audio required transcoding) but when i tried do convert video(transcoding) it gave the error unable to play media. Hope this is only because i donā€™t have plex pass yet as i will need to use this to send 4k media to 1080p devices(not the old Samsungs i have now as their app does not support it, it appers/will have to look into this).

As a sidenote: i disabled DTS decoding in the Android PLEX player and left only AC3, but the DTS audio was not transcoded and Direct Played as DTS, hope i will not have a problem if i decide on the LG CX with this.

Both smartphones Plex apps crashed on occasion during testing but that is not a big problem (i hope) in the future if i want to play my media. Also on some movies i was NOT able to see the Playback setting and Info when i clicked the details in the player.

Thank you

4

See Plex Documentation ā†’ Casting, Flinging, and Remote Control

Overview provides an example of how this works.
Supported Plex Companion Apps lists Plex apps that can act as controllers, receivers, or both.

You can test it with your current devices to see if it fits your environment. If it does, you could add a Chromecast or similar device to the F8000s.

Audio transcoding always occurs on the CPU.

The NAS will work fine as long as you do not have to transcode video. No Plex Pass required.

As mentioned, you will run into problems if you have to transcode video.

Without a Plex Pass, both video and audio transcoded occur on the CPU.

With a Plex Pass you can enable hardware accelerated transcoding. This lets Plex transcode the video using the Celeronā€™s graphic processor instead of the CPU. When this occurs you will see Transcode (hw) in the Plex Dashboard.

This is where things get as clear as mudā€¦

Different clients have different capabilities.

The Plex apps on different platforms use different video/audio players under the covers. Plex for iOS/tvOS uses mpv.io. Plex for Android/Android TV uses ExoPlayer (part of Android). Plex on LG uses the webOS video player, and Plex on Samsung uses the Tizen video player.

As a result, what direct plays on one platform may transcode on another.

Unfortunately, there is no reference list / spreadsheet / etc of how the Plex app behaves on various devices. Each device varies in its capabilities and limitations, and that affects how the Plex app performs. Any attached audio equipment - receiver/soundbar/etc - can also influence things.

TrueHD: No known TV supports passthrough of TrueHD audio from TV based apps. The audio will be transcoded to another format.

Iā€™ve an LG B7 connected to a Denon 4300 via HDMI-ARC. TrueHD is transcoded to DD+ by the Plex server.

DTS: The Sony should pass dts audio to your receiver via HDMI-ARC. dts will be transcoded when using the Plex app on Samsung and new LG TVs.

If I disable dts support in the Plex app on my B7, dts 5.1 audio is transcoded to AAC 5.1 by my Plex Media Server. The Denon reports DD+ 5.1, so the TV is converting the audio before sending it to the receiver.

Subtitles: Depending on the platform, enabling subtitles can result in a video transcode.

Example: As mentioned earlier, when using the Plex app on an LG, if the audio is transcoding, enabling subtitles results in the video transcoding as well. The same is not true on a Sony Android TV. The Plex Android TV app can direct play subtitles when audio is transcoding.

The error message is expected due to the limitations of the Celeron CPU and lack of a Plex Pass.

FYI, there is a $5 USD/mo option for a Plex Pass. When ready, you could try it for a month and cancel if if doesnā€™t meet your needs.



Let me know if I missed anything.

FYI, hereā€™s my setup:

Nvidia Shield Pro (2015) ā† HDMI ā†’ Denon 4300 ā† HDMI-ARC ā†’ LG B7 OLED
Plex Media Server runs on a Synology DS918+

I rarely use the Plex app on the LG due to its aforementioned limitations. The LG has a great picture but it makes a so-so Plex client.

The Shield direct plays everything I throw at it. I can rip a disc, put the movie on the server, then sit down and watch. I donā€™t have to worry about subtitle formats, if the audio is transcoding, etc. The 2015 model does not support Dolby Vision, but Iā€™ve no DV media, so not a problem.

5

I have no experience with streaming devices. If i have 3 tvā€™s should i get 3 Google Chromecast with Google TV connected to each? Even for the new LG as you said the Android PLEX app has better capabilities.
I understand the devicesā€™ apps will show over the TV OSā€™s and would be the only ones used(ex. PLEX, Netflix, HBO Goā€¦) and i can fling media to either of them using my Android phone Plex app with PLEX PASS as long as the tvā€™s and? casts are on.
Can I connect the Chromecastā€™s to the ARCā€™s so i only use the tv remotes? If so, what about the new TV which would be ARCā€™ed to the AVR receiver for 5.1 sound?

In this case the audio decoding/passthrough would be resolved and I would only need to transcode newer 4k media video to the old F8000s as 1080p. Hope my Celeron Gpu would do the job.

How would this affect me? The receiver has AC3, eAC3, DTS, DSD and PCM (all the basics i need for my 5.1 speaker setup).

In my Android phone test from the second screenshot TrueHD transcoded to AAC not AAC 5.1. Is this just because of the phone? I have other media that shows the audio on PLEX as AAC 5.1 so it is not a typo.
Is there a way to force PLEX to transcode audio to AC3, eAC3 or AAC 5.1 for example? Mainly i want for the LG to always have any type of 5.1 surround.

I am ready to order the LG CX and Chromecastā€™s(3 of them if you donā€™t suggest another device) and when they arrive i will also get Plex pass for 1mo to test everything out.
Is Plex pass limited to a number of devices?

To sum up: both the old F8000s will have their own Chromecasts.
The LG:
Google Chromecast with Google TV ā† HDMI ā†’ Yamaha HTR 2071 ā† HDMI-ARC ā†’ LG CX ā† HDMI 2.1 ā† PC

6

Suggestion for new TV:

If you go with a LG/Samsung/etc (non-Android) TV

  • TV ā† HDMI-ARC ā†’ Yamaha Receiver ā† HDMI ā†’ Nvidia Shield Pro
  • Use the Plex app on the Shield or cast to Shield from phone/tablet/etc

If you go with an Android TV such as a Sony:

  • TV ā† HDMI-ARC ā†’ Yamaha Receiver
  • Use the Plex app on the TV

LG/Samsung Comments

  • The Plex app on LG & Samsung has limited capability and is prone to video and audio transcoding. Neither TV supports dts passthrough, so it will be transcoded by the Plex server. Enabling subtitles commonly forces a video transcode (mentioned in earlier post).
  • The Shield Pro direct plays pretty much everything you throw at it. It support 4K HDR10 & Dolby Vision video (DV support in Plex is limited). It supports passthrough for all current Dolby and dts audio formats, including TrueHD, Atmos, dts-HD, & dts:X. Enabling subtitles rarely causes a video transcode (only for ASS/SSA subtitles). Basically, it likely supports everything you have now and gives you some future proofing if you upgrade to an Atmos capable sound system.
  • TrueHD audio will be transcoded, since it is not supported by your current receiver.
  • You can use the TV or Shield remote to power equipment on/off, control volume, etc. Note: The Shield & TV support this. Unknown if receiver supports all the capability.
  • The Shield runs Android TV. You can use the Plex app on the Shield or cast to it from a phone/tablet/etc.
  • Casting to the Shield from a phone, etc will also power on TV & receiver.

Google Chromecast notes:

  • From what I can find online, the Google Chromecast w/ Google TV will not passthrough dts audio. The audio will be transcoded by the Plex server, most likely to Dolby Digital or AAC.
  • It also does not support TrueHD audio passthrough. You would replace it if/when you update your receiver.

Sony Comments

  • Your receiver supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, dts, and PCM audio. The Sony will pass all of those via HDMI-ARC to the receiver.
  • As with the Shield, subtitles are not a problem.
  • Turning on the TV should also power on the receiver, switch to correct input, etc. Volume up/down on TV remote should control receiver volume (The TV supports this. Unknown if receiver supports that capability).
  • You can also cast from the Plex app on a phone/tablet/etc (I donā€™t know if casting will automatically turn on the TV. You may have to use the remote for this).


Suggestion for the Samsung F8000

Chromecast with Google TV
or
Amazon FireTV Stick 4K

Chromecast comments:

  • You can use the Plex app directly or cast/fling from a phone/tablet/etc. Unknown if casting will automatically turn on audio gear, TV, etc like it does on the Shield.
  • Enabling subtitles should not cause a problem (it runs the Plex Android TV app just like the Shield, Sony TVs, etc)
  • dts & TrueHD audio will be transcoded by the Plex Media Server
  • Unknown if it will play 4K content on a 1080p TV without transcoding by the Plex server (I could not find any info on this).

Amazon FireTV Stick 4K Comments

  • Plays 4K HDR media on 1080p SDR TV without transcoding on the server. The FireStick scales the video itself, instead of relying on the Plex server.
  • Subtitle support same as other Android TV devices.
  • You can fling/cast to the Plex app. However, you have to power on the FireStick first (I tested this with my FireStick 4K).
  • dts audio is transcoded on the FireStick to Dolby Digital (or DD+) instead of transcoding on the Plex server (so no load on server to play dts audio). dts passthrough is not supported.
  • TrueHD audio is transcoded by the Plex server. TrueHD passthrough is not supported.
  • Uses Amazon app store, not Google Play store. Most major apps (Netflix, etc) are available, but check before buying. Apps are slower to update (the Plex app via Amazon is typically several releases behind the Google store release).

Additional Comments / Answers

I think I answered this above. Let me know if I missed anything.

No.

The TV apps are still there and available for use. If you want to use a TV based app youā€™ll access it like you do now.

I did not see anything in the documentation that states a Plex Pass is required to cast/fling media.

You can test this with your current setup and see if it works. See Casting Flinging & Remote Control for list of supported devices.

The device is attached to (a) an HDMI input on your receiver/soundbar/etc, or (b) an HDMI input on the TV. Basically, you connect it like you would connect a cable box, DVD player, etc.

When the TV/receiver/etc is switched to the HDMI input youā€™ll see the streaming device menus, etc.

You attach the device to a ā€œregularā€ HDMI input. The HDMI-ARC port is used to send audio from the TV to an attached receiver/soundbar/etc.

Streaming Device <ā€”> HDMI <ā€”> Receiver <ā€”> HDMI-ARC <ā€”> TV
or
Streaming Device <ā€”> HDMI <ā€”> TV <ā€”> HDMI-ARC <ā€”> Receiver

This depends on the device and the TV.

I tested flinging a movie using the Plex app on my Android phone to my Nvidia Shield, which runs Android TV.

When I selected the Shield as the destination in the Plex app, it turned on itself, my receiver, the TV, and switched the TV to the correct HDMI input.

That happened because all three devices support control over the HDMI interface (the HDMI CEC protocol). The capability is supported by pretty much all current TVs, streaming devices, etc. It is supported by the F7100 I mentioned earlier and a 10+ year old Vizio I use as a computer monitor.

Note that when I finished flinging the media, I could not turn the TV & other equipment off via the Plex app. I can turn off the app using LGā€™s app or the TV remote. Doing so also powers off the other equipment because they all support control via HDMI.

According to this Google support article, Chromecast devices also support HDMI CEC (I donā€™t own one, so cannot test it myself).

As mentioned above, you can also fling to the Plex app on a FireTV. However, I had to turn on the FireTV & my TV first. Pressing the power button on the FireTV remote also powers on the TV, receiver, etc. So just one extra step.

It would be preferable to avoid transcoding if possible. See earlier comments regarding the FireStick scaling 4K media to a 1080p display. The 2019 Shield Pro also has this capability.

I donā€™t know if a Chromecast device can do so.

Example: Your receiver does not support TrueHD audio. If you play a movie with TrueHD audio it will be transcoded to another format.

There is no way to force audio to transcode to a specific type.

This is why, when using a streaming stick, it should be connected to the receiver/soundbar when possible. It takes any ā€œTV weirdnessā€ out of the equation.

Real world example (which I cannot fully explain):

Plex app on LG B7 OLED ā†’ Denon 4300 receiver
Play a movie with dts 5.1 audio. The Denon receives dts 5.1 audio. Expected.

FireStick 4K ā†’ Denon 4300 receiver ā†’ LG B7 OLED
Play a movie with dts 5.1 audio. The Denon receives 5.1 DD+ audio. Expected.

FireStick 4K ā†’ LG B7 OLED ā†’ Denon 4300 receiver
Play a movie with dts 5.1 audio. The TV sends the Denon 2.0 audio. ???

7

Same thing happens with my PC now. From the research i made it appears the tv AND receiver need to have eARC and all connections must be made with good quality high speed HDMI cables. I got new HDMI 2.1 cables and still no joy with only ARC on the receiver.

For many reasons I ended up buying the LG CX and 2 Chromecasts with Google TV for the old Samsungs.
It took a few weeks of tinkering and tests and i can confirm some things and am also puzzled by others:

CC (Chromecast with Google TV):

  • The CC does not decode or passthrough DTS and even if itā€™s a google tv(android) i cannot enable PGS subs on direct streamed or transcoded DTS media.

  • Ac3 is direct streamed by CC (not direct played) even if the tvs can do DD and DTS, DTS is direct streamed although it should be transcoded as the chromecast has no DTS decoding or passthrough?! EAC3 is transcoded to AAC as it should? (although I saw somewere the tvs also support dd+).
    On CC, enabling surround sound is useless on Auto as it behaves as if itā€™s Disabled; Enabled on manual shows that all formats are unsupported by the tv:
    Atmos with DD+(expected), AAC(unknown if the tvs support it, but if Plex transcodes DD+ to ACC and the tvs play itā€¦), DD(incorrect), DD+(the tvs maybe should support it).
    If forcing DD on manual on CC (and manually selecting DD in tv audio settings instead of PCM and setting Audio HDMI passthrough in Plex settings), Plex media with DD direct plays but all other sound formats give an error(DTS and AAC, EAC3 plays with no sound).

  • My conclusion is if you only use stereo/internal speakers, the surround sound should be disabled on CC and hdmi passthrough on Plex app disabled, but then Plex on CC will always direct stream or transcode the audio(hence direct stream the video *at best) and it will never direct play. This will strain the NAS especially if using Plex remotely as i understand it.

  • CC turns tv ON when flinging media to it IF the CC is plugged into power outlet; if plugged into the Samsungā€™s 1A USB it gets enough power to work but it will turn off with the tv(as the USB on these models is not ON in standby). And it takes a minute to fully boot up.
    BTW the LG CX has no USB port able to power the CC.

  • Actors are selectable on CC Plex media details but nothing happens when clicked as opposed to the LG plex app and Plex web desktop where when clicked, it shows all movies in library with that specific actor.

LG CX:

  • LG Black Frame Insertion(OLED motion Pro) is greyed out on onboard apps, guess if using the nVidia Shield it should work. The stuttering of objects on slow panning shots and fast action on 4k HDR media itā€™s distracting and i will need this ON even it it dims the display even more(temporary compromise is to have a minimal motion interpolation active). Will also try if frame rate switching works when connecting a CC to it.

  1. Does the LG plex app have TrueHD audio option only if the receiver supports it?
    The CX can pass TrueHD but if itā€™s not supported on the native plex app itā€™s another reason to get a Shield for it.

  2. Using Plex without internet acces on the same wifi network:
    I entered my IP/netmask into the Plex server settings and the old Samsungs native plex apps work, also CCā€™s Plex apps work(except one of them that does not auto connect to the saved wifi when internet is off, needing manual connection).
    The LG Plex app works as long as the app is opened when internet cuts off and even then, 4k movies buffer constantly. If app is opened after the internet cuts off, says it canā€™t connect and it wonā€™t open the app even if i entered the manual server IP and Port of the NAS in its settings beforehand. Does Auto sign in make any difference in this case?

Subtitles:

Subs are always on for me, so i could go through the tedius process and get srtā€™s online for all my media to at least avoid the PGS problem.

  1. Are downloaded subs via Plex app usable only by Plex(no srt file physically downloaded anywhere) and are they supposed to disappear when changing the sub or exiting the app as is my experience?

  2. About 2 months ago I remember getting a sub for a tv episode in my library via the Plex app and all the episodes from the series automatically got good subs by this; it was great but no longer seems to work like that, was it only my imagination?

Everything was tested without Plex PASS, i will get it soon and report any changes.

  1. Plex Pass will be available on all my devices? What about the Plex app, Plexamp and Plex Dash on Android\iOS (these seem to require a one time purchase, is this included with the Plex Pass?)

Planning on getting a Denon 3700 on Black Friday or maybe a newer AVR without the 2020 modelsā€™ HDMI 2.1 chipset bug, like the ONKYO TX-RZ50 for 5.2.4 Atmos, eARC etc.

  1. Most 4k media i have with TrueHD 7.1 Atmos encoding has 7.1 + 11 dynamic objects, yet on Plex theyā€™re only displayed as TrueHD 7.1 with no Atmos labeling. Is this normal and will Atmos work with Plex when i get a new receiver?

There are older receivers with TrueHD but no Atmos support, hope this is not a similar thing.
Regarding missing Plex labeling(audio transcoding showing as sending AAC and other times AAC5.1) i can confirm AAC is decoded as DD by the receiver with 5.1 discrete channels.
At the same time on the LG Plex app, if transcoding DTS to ACC there is a noticeable A\V sync issue\delay, and without Plex Pass only 1080p DTS movies can be played and with not even srt subs enabled.

Also planning on getting a 2019 Shield Pro(or a newer model if they release it) to go with the LG and new receiver:

  1. Do you have to also use the shield remote for anything? I hate to use other remotes beside the TV one(even if i will lose the air mouse). My current receiver(CEC) with only the PC plugged in, it shows the pc output when i select the receiver input on the tv, but what happens when i also have a shield and other things connected to the other receiver inputs? Can this be done with just the TV remote? I guess pushing the input button on the receiver box as itā€™s remote will also be stored away.

  2. I see the shield is able to host a plex server on it, what does that mean as my current plex server is on the NAS? Itā€™s not the same as the LG Plex app and will this allow connection to the NAS on the same wifi when there is no internet?

8

No TV based app, including Plex, can passthrough TrueHD audio due to LG restrictions. AFAIK, the same is true for any TV from any manufacturer, not just LG.

If you play a TrueHD audio track using the Plex LG app, it will be transcoded by Plex Media Server to another format such as AC3/EAC3/AAC. Any accompanying Atmos information is lost in the transcode process.

I donā€™t know of a good way to make Plex work w/o Internet, no matter which client is used. If my Internet goes out, which is rare, I just donā€™t use Plex.

This may answer your questions: [HowTo] Use Plex with No Internet

The one-time fee is not a Plex Pass. It just removes the 1 minute playback limit from the mobile apps.

A Plex Pass unlocks the Plex mobile app for the Plex Pass holderā€™s account. The on-time purchase is not required.

It does not unlock the mobile apps for others with whom you share media. They must have their own Plex Pass or pay the one-time purchase ($5 USD).

Exception: Plex Home.

If the Plex Server admin (i.e. you), has a Plex Pass and you invite someone into your Plex Home, their mobile apps will also be unlocked.

Plex Home is meant for people you live with and trust. If you use it, youā€™ll want to have a PIN on your account to prevent others in your Plex Home from switching to your account (and gaining admin rights). Read the documentation very carefully before using this capability.

Plex Free vs Paid

Plex Home

This is a display issue.

The Plex app on the Shield passes TrueHD Atmos & EAC3 Atmos if supported by the attached audio equipment. The front display on my Denon 4300 says ā€œAtmosā€ when I play a movie/show with Atmos audio.

See this feature request someone recently opened. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

I use both the Shield and the TV remotes. The TV remote can control the Shield, but Iā€™m not sure to what degree. Iā€™ve never dug into the details. It would be nice to just use one, but using both isnā€™t a deal killer for me.

Iā€™ve the 2015 Pro, which came with the quite horrible ā€œsliderā€ remote. I replaced it long ago with a 3rd party remote that looks similar to the current Nvidia remote (no longer listed on Amazon or Iā€™d link to it).

I use the Shield for two things: Plex and YouTube TV.

For both of those I use the 3rd party Shield remote. I press the power button on the remote and it powers on the Shield, receiver, and TV, and switches to the correct HDMIs port on the receiver & TV (via HDMI-CEC). It also controls the volume from the receiver. When Iā€™m done I press the power button again and the Shield/receiver/TV turn off.

It is easy and reliable. Even my non-techie friends can use it.

I use the TV apps & remote for streaming from Netflix and Amazon.

The TV remote has dedicated buttons for Netflix & Amazon. I press either button and it powers on the TV & receiver, switches to the correct receiver HDMI port, and launches the app. When Iā€™m done I press the power button on the TV remote and everything shuts off.

It is easy and it works.

I could get to one remote by using the Amazon & Netflix apps on the Shield. However, the way it works now is easy enough, so I havenā€™t bothered.

The Shield Pro has the Plex Android TV client. It also has a separate Plex Media Server application (Pro model only).

The Shield OS has a built in SMB client. You mount a NAS share on the Shield just like you mount one on a PC. When adding a library to the server, you navigate to find the desired folder just like with any other PMS installation.

Iā€™ve never tested using the Shield Plex Server when the Internet fails. I do not know how it would (or wouldnā€™t) work. I suspect it would not be much different than with any other Plex server. The client and server still function like any other client and server.

Note: If the Shield is going to be on WiFi (vs wired Ethernet) and the media on a NAS, I suggest not using the Plex Server on the Shield. The SMB file sharing protocol between the Shield and the NAS is very ā€œchattyā€ and has a lot of overhead. Also, it does not handle network disruptions well, which can easily happen on a wireless network. Nothing breaks, nothing is damaged. You just might see a lot of extra buffering, time-outs, etc.

Note 2: Iā€™d still try running PMS on the Shield just to see how well it works. Nothing prevents you from running multiple Plex servers. No license restrictions, etc. One nice thing is that PMS on the Shield has hardware accelerated transcoding enabled even without a Plex Pass.

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Voted! :grinning: :+1:

Do you have any ideas about the 3rd and 4th subtitle questions i asked?
For the 4th is it possible it happened while adding a library and choosing localized subtitles in library language, but that only applies to extras, right?

Transcoding problems and PlexPass:

I managed to play DTS content with SRT and PGS subs by unchecking Disable video stream transcoding in Plex transcoder options.
No longer gives an error and with a little buffering at the beginning; the Qnap CPU load was at around 95% with all 3 Plex apps(2 CC + LG) playing the same transcoded 1080p movie and tv show.

I got 1 month PlexPass and enabled HW Transcoding and encoding:
The same files that worked great with SW Transcoding now are unplayable with 1 min of buffering for 1 sec of content then buffering again, but at least the Nas CPU is at 40% load :roll_eyes:
Tried signing out and signing back in on the apps, tried all transcoder quality settings, with encoding off, no luck.
My Nas should work with HW transcoding as stated by PLEX:

qnap compatibility
qnap compatibility2268Ɨ219 118 KB

So if a solution isnā€™t found i will keep HW Transcoding off and use the PlexPass only for skipping intros and HDR tone mapping until it expires.
BTW I see no difference with HDR tone mapping ON as opposed to before.

  1. Does the Shield Pro HW transcodes as a client or if you use it as a server?

  2. Is PlexPass nedded for remote streaming?

  3. When is HW encoding used?

*LG CX Plex oddity: For these tested files i also have 720p versions with AAC and AC3 tracks and they worked on CCā€™s(AAC direct played and AC3 direct streamed) but on the LG app there is no sound going to my receiverā€¦

Already tried everything there and the LG Plex app simply wonā€™t open when internet is off.
The Android phone app had the same problem but worked after manually setting the PMS IP.
Itā€™s not such a big deal now and will be solved with the Shield.

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I donā€™t use downloaded subtitles. I tried them long ago (years) and did not care for them.

If I remember correctly, downloaded subs are stored in the Plex server database, not in the directory with the media.

Transcoding, as referenced in Plex documentation, is performed by the Plex server.

Some Plex clients perform tasks such as scaling 4K to lower resolutions, tonemapping HDR video to SDR video, converting audio formats, etc. These tasks occur on the client and the server is unaware they are occurring. While these might meet a technical definition of transcoding, Plex does not refer to it as such.

No.

A transcode consists of two parts: First, the stream is decoded from the existing format; Second, it is then encoded to the desired format.

Depending on the capabilities of the Plex server and how it is configured, Plex may use hardware acceleration for just the decode, just the encode, or both parts of the process.

For example, Intel Quick Sync Graphics in 4th Gen CPU (ex: i7-4790K), cannot decode HEVC video. It can encode to H.264 video. Therefore, when transcoding a HEVC video stream using hardware acceleration, the decode will occur using the CPU and the encode will occur using the QSV GPU.

The Intel QSV in 7th Gen and later CPUs (ex: i7-7700K) can decode HEVC video (including 10-bit). Therefore, the QSV GPU would be used for both the decode and encode if transcoding HEVC video with hardware acceleration enabled.

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This is expected.

As mentioned above:

This is how the Plex LG app behaves with subtitles:

  1. Enabling image based subtitles, PGS or VOBSUB, results in a video transcode.
  2. If audio is transcoding, enabling any subtitle results in a video transcode.

When using the Plex LG app on your TV, dts audio will be transcoded. Transcoded audio + subtitles = a video transcode. If you disable video transcoding on your server, Plex cannot play the movie/show.

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