Force Direct Play on Chromecast with Google TV?

Plex Players Streaming Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.21.4.4079
Player Version#: 8.13.1.23036

I have what I hope is an straight forward question:

I have two Chromecast with Google TVs. Both are connected via ethernet with identical Anker USB-C hubs and power sources/cables. Both had been playing 4K files (on the Google TV plex app from the same server on the same wired network) without transcoding with no problems. Now one of the Chromecasts is transcoding the video and the other is not (same file on the same Plex server). The audio stream is direct playing on both. If I switch the now transcoding TV input to Roku (same internet, same file, same Plex server) using the Roku Plex app, I can force direct play and it plays without any issues.

With all of this prelude, is there a way to force direct play on the Chromecast with Google TV Plex app as there is on the Roku Plex app? I have Home Streaming set to Maximum on both Google TVs.

I like the CC with GTV interface, but enough problems seem to be cropping up that I may just switch back to Roku.

I appreciate any info and replies.

Take care.

2

No, this is not an option. If the file is not direct playing, please provide the log from the app and we can investigate. Android, Android TV, Fire TV Logs | Plex Support

3

I appreciate the reply and the info.

I have attached two sets of logs. The first is after playing the file on the TV setup where it the file is transcoding:

Plex Media Server Logs_2021-03-02_08-27-13.zip (4.8 MB)

logging 1.txt (1.2 MB)

The second set of log files was created after playing the same file on the TV setup where the file is direct playing:

Plex Media Server Logs_2021-03-02_08-30-08.zip (4.8 MB)

logging 2.txt (1.1 MB)

Please let me know if there is anything else that I can provide.

Thanks!

4

Are your TV’s identical? Looks like TV 1 does not support HDR so PMS is transcoding to tone map the colors. TV 2 supports HDR, so it can direct play. That sound right to you?

5

No, that is strange. Both are HDR/Dolby Vision capable. The TV models are:

TV 1 is a TCL 65R615 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2018 Model)
TV 2 is a TCL 49S517 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2018 Model)

TV1 used to play the file without transcoding on the Google TV without transcoding as well.

Thank again for looking at this.

6

Does the TV have a HDR setting? Maybe it got turned off?

7

I have checked both TVs and they both have the same HDR settings turned on and both play HDR content on other apps on the Google TV as well as the native Roku TV interface. The Plex Roku app direct plays the 4K file in HDR without transcoding on TV 1. I have toggled the various settings on and off. It makes me think there is an issue with the Google TV device. I have even gone through and just done a factory reset on it, but still no change. This is driving me crazy enough that that I guess I may just give up on the Google TV and go back to Roku. Thanks for your help.

8

Can you get me a new log from the app after doing a force stop and restart of the app. Don’t need to play anything, just let it sit there for about 3 minutes after singing in, then grab the log.

9

Sorry, just had a chance to wrest the TV away from my daughter. I have opened the app, force stopped it, restarted it, then waited five minutes. The log is attached.

logging 3.txt (457.0 KB)

Thanks.

10

Something didn’t work right. There is nothing in the last 5 minutes of that log.

I was able to see what I was looking for earlier in the log so we’re ok. There’s nothing in the log indicating a problem so I’m not sure why it doesn’t detect the HDR on this TV but it does on the other.

11

Okay. Thanks again for looking into this. I will just use Roku when playing the 4K files on that TV.

Take care.

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