Server Version#: 1.40.4.8679
Player Version#: 8.38.2 iOS, 8.28.1 TvOS, 10.19.2.1191 GoogleTV
Server is a Mac mini m1. Speed tests report 300mbps+ down and 300mbps down.
Clients are on a connection reporting 360mbps down.
I have very rarely ever had Plex working reliably but every year or so I give it’s another try. It was working somewhat well a month or so ago until I foolishly updated and now I can’t stream any sizable file without being told I don’t have enough bandwidth. But I definitely do.
I’ve checked every limiting setting I know of so that the fries direct play without restriction. I’ve turned off relay. Nothing allows the fillers to play smoothly. I’ve tried a second iOS device at a 2 other remote locations and same issue. Apple TV is about a year old, Google tv is a high end 2023 model. I can’t possibly imagine this is a hardware issue or an actual bandwidth issue. Any suggestions? I can pull logs off it just give me some direction as to what I should be logging.
If a client requires a transcoded version of a file but the server cannot deliver the stream packages fast enough, clients can sometimes mix this up with the network not being fast enough / having sufficient bandwidth.
You can check the details on the now-playing card of the impacted stream on the server’s dashboard to see what’s happening.
I don’t see any indication that the clients require a transcoded version though. In fact, I just remembered that my Channels DVR server can play media files and have been streaming a high bitrate file for 45 minutes straight without a single buffer. I don’t have it transcode.
When you say to check what’s happening, what are you suggesting I look for?
I’ve also noticed a similar issue. When playing larger files, I’ve selected audio and video streams that don’t require transcoding. The playback is direct without anything being transcoded, and it runs smoothly. However, about halfway through a movie, a buffering/loading UI appears, indicating that the bandwidth might be insufficient. After buffering for a few seconds, the playback resumes normally without any stuttering.
This suggests that my bandwidth is sufficient for my playback needs, but I’m not sure why there is one or two instances of insufficient bandwidth warnings, after which it continues to play smoothly.
I understand but I don’t know what information from that screen he thinks I should share or would be helpful for troubleshooting. Everything is direct play.
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT: I gave in and turned on automatic transcoding on the client side (TvOS). It turned a very high bitrate (109mbps) 4K file into a 10gbps (yes the app reports gbps) 1080p stream. But it worked. Here’s the interesting part: I changed the server setting for transcoder quality from “automatic” to “make my pc hurt” to see if I could at least stream 4K. No change until I restarted the stream and now my client went back to “play original quality by itself and it’s direct playing again but without issue!
I’ll be honest, this is what I can’t stand about Plex. Countless hours of frustration and years of not using it due to issues that don’t even make sense. If I have one suggestion to the developers please make streaming more reliable, including silly stuff like this that makes it seem like the app simply doesn’t work at all when it could if some settings were changed that aren’t at all straight forward.
I am still hitting a ceiling of around 60mbps for some unknown reason. It stutters around there (looking at the graph on the Plex dashboard).
I’ve found the client option to direct play/stream smaller files is buggy when approaching the max stream size setting of the server. If turned off and the server transcodes everything for the client it plays back without the network bandwidth error.
