The basic idea is that it would be nice if I could have my audio collection in one, lossless format and Plex would convert it to a lossless format that is best supported by the client (WMA lossless on WP, ALAC on iOS etc.). Right now I believe that Plex already supports transcoding e.g. FLAC -> MP3, but this feature is strictly about lossless formats. It might require an option in the clients, since I believe that people don't always want to use lossless.
Yes please add this or at least allow syncing without transcodes as an audiophile with out support for lossless audio output Plex's mobile clients are useless to me.
Correct me if I am wrong, PMS support two method of playing media in original quality
DirectPlay (plays media stored locally with Plex App)
DirectStream (plays media stored on PMS to Plex App)
Both methods only works if device running App support the media format
For example for iOS Apps Plex can do both method for ALAC (as iOS support ALAC natively)
If media is not supported on device running Plex App, PMS transcode media to format supported by the device
Problem:
I have nothing against transcoding as long as the quality is retained (if user choose to be so) and herein lies the problem.
At the moment if media is not supported on device running Plex App, PMS transcode media to AAC (for iOS) and MP3 (for the rest)
For example FLAC gets transcoded to AAC by PMS at the moment to be played on iOS … this is bummer as FLAC is lossless and AAC is lossy … loose quality in the process
Request:
For devices that support lossless file format (eg ALAC for iOS) … but not the one stored on PMS (eg FLAC) … transcode lossless to lossless if user chose original quality for playback (eg playback of FLAC to iOS under original quality setting transcodes FLAC to ALAC)
This goes for sync too … include Original Quality in setting as of now only 320kbps(Highest) is available
I would love this as well. I have a FLAC library, so it would be really nice if it transcoded to ALAC for playback on ATV4. Also, is that anyway to output native sample rate? Ripped audio CD’s are in 44.1 KHz but playback of 44.1 ALAC files by the Plex app on ATV4 sample-rate converts to 48.
@RocketDogGTR said:
I would love this as well. I have a FLAC library, so it would be really nice if it transcoded to ALAC for playback on ATV4. Also, is that anyway to output native sample rate? Ripped audio CD’s are in 44.1 KHz but playback of 44.1 ALAC files by the Plex app on ATV4 sample-rate converts to 48.
If you like this feature, please click like on the first post by @ripla … at the moment there are 10 people like this (10 votes) … your vote will bring it to 11
As for ATV … its 48kHz at hardware … if you want 44.1kHz via AirPlay, then use AirportExpress
I agree with the original post, but it would also be nice to have the option to sync high 24bit lossless files to 16bit CD quality lossless for mobile storage. I have room on my phone for plenty of 16bit FLAC but definitely not 24bit. Currently I can sync my 16bit FLAC in original quality, but I have to either pick “original” and occupy too much space or downgrade to 320k.
I would also like to see a FLAC —> ALAC transcode option.
I can direct stream my high res flac to my iphone and they play well in my AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC. But all my DSF, and APE and other lossless formats are not supported, so they become aac.
Add or is useless. It always converts to aac.
