HEVC -> h264 Unnecessary Transcode for Remote Client

General Discussions
1

Hi everybody, This is driving me nuts and I cannot seem to find a solution. I have a latest generation FireTV Stick. Here at home (wireless) it Direct Plays my HEVC files as expected with zero problems. When I take it out (the very same device) and connect to another wireless connection the server ALWAYS transcodes (the very same file) from HEVC to h264. I have tried to find every server and client setting to get it to direct play, but to no avail.

The file is:
Video: 1280x720P - 1.6Mbps
Audio: AAC - 160kbps

I am frustrated because:

  1. I cannot seem to force Plex to direct play the superior quality HEVC. If it is going to transcode at least transcode from HEVC to HEVC!
  2. The resulting h264 playback is slow to start, slow to skip forward and back, often stalls, and looks worse
  3. The client reports “resolution or bitrate exceeds maximum allowed” but I have no limitations set (that I know of)
  4. Even if this is (under the covers) a network bottleneck problem, I would prefer to choose to fall back rather than Plex choosing it for me.

I would like to find someone whom has had this problem and solved it and can give me pointers. I do not need anyone telling me “Plex transcodes to overcome limitations” or “Plex only transcodes incompatible files” I know all this and have gone to great lengths to ensure my files are compatible and they play perfect locally.

Please don’t think I am in any way down on Plex. Most the time I like the fact Plex transcodes for me and stuff almost always plays. I am pretty sure I am just missing a setting or something simple.

Thanks!

2

Newbie to plex myself, but when you say

When I take it out (the very same device) and connect to another wireless connection

I presume you are taking it to another location and hence streaming over the internet - either that or plex thinks you are, as the network details are different from your home servers network.

In that case the internet stream settings come into play (Settings | Web | Quality). Maybe if you set video quality to “Maximum” and check “Play smaller videos at original quality”, that will stop the transcoding.

3

Hi Lindsay,
Thanks for replying. Yes, streaming over the internet. :slight_smile:

On my server…
Settings->Web->Quality I have “Video Quality” set to “Maximum” and “Play smaller videos at original quality” checked. I am not sure if this setting would affect the FireTV stick as I think it is for the web client, but set them anyway.

Settings->Server->Remote Access I have “internet upload speed” set to 1.75Mbps (well above my file encoding of 1.6Mbps) and “Limit remote stream bitrate” set to “Original (No limit)”

On my client (FireTV Stick)…
Settings->Video Quality->Adjust Automatically off
Settings->Video Quality->Home Streaming Maximum
Settings->Video Quality->Internet Streaming Maximum
Settings->Video Quality->Play Smaller videos at original quality on
Settings->Audio Quality->Internet Streaming Original

I can’t find any other, what I think is relevant setting.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

4

@ElGordito said:
Settings->Server->Remote Access I have “internet upload speed” set to 1.75Mbps (well above my file encoding of 1.6Mbps) and “Limit remote stream bitrate” set to “Original (No limit)”

Plex will only try to use 80% of your upload limit, so 1.4 Mbps, which makes it lower than the file, so it ends up transcoding. Set your upload limit higher.