How to Force Direct Play (with no transcoding at all)?

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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Server dashboard, while Plex is trying to play a video, in a browser, go to https://app.plex.tv/desktop

From the activity icon on the upper right of web page, click, then click on the actual activity. Expand “now playing” by clicking on the expand icon.

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Of course, most computers can play most things; your TV doesn’t have nearly the playback capability of your computer.

That’s the file container and resolution. The dashboard should tell you more; failing that, from the same URL, click on the home button (upper left corner) and then navigate to the movie; then click on the … for more info and then select “get info”. From there, you want the two Codec entries in the right column (the first is for the video format and the second is for the audio format).

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Plex is a complicated because it does a lot. You need to learn how Plex is designed to work with multiple platforms even if you’re only using one or two. Otherwise, just get a DVD/Bluray player and be done with it. It’s dead simple and hassle-free.

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43

So the dashboard is what the rest of us call the home page. Got it.

Just realized I have to put the cursor over the picture to get any information. All I get is “Video: Transcoding HEVC to H264, Audio: Direct Stream”.

I like that URL. Was about to say “yeah, that’s on your system”, then clicked it and it works. Interesting. I bookmarked the IP address and port number…

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Actually, no, but it’s not worth quibbling over.

There is also that funny icon on the right (to the right of “NOW PLAYING”) that I highlighted in the first screen shot.

In any case you’re trying to play an HEVC video and your TV can’t play that. So Plex is doing the “right thing” by transcoding it to a compatible format, H264.

It is pretty useful :slight_smile:

45

Now I’m cooking with gas :slight_smile: Downloaded Handbrake, converting my movie now, looks like it will take 90 minutes. I’ll be in bed by then, see how it works tomorrow.

You cleared a bunch of stuff up, thanks!

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46

You’re very welcome!

47

No, it doesn’t.

Because that’s how Plex is designed to work. That’s always how Plex was designed to work. You simply have a fundamental misconception about what Plex is. To you, it’s seemingly nothing more than a checkbox. In reality, it’s a core reworking of the essence on how Plex’s client-server architecture is designed around.

Jumping up and down angry and flaming in forum posts because you bought a screwdriver and you’re upset it sucks as a hammer isn’t really accomplishing anything. There’s a reason this futile “feature request” has been effectively ignored for years. Because after being argued and explained ad-nauseum, all those involved are just tired and done with trying to educate users who just don’t want to learn/understand/listen and will complain if they don’t get their way, no matter what.

The Plex experience involves transcoding under many circumstances to do what it does. If you need “NO TRANSCODING EVAR!!!” then Plex is not the solution for you.

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48

Then I guess it’s not the solution for me. All I want is a library manager that will stream the video, AS IS, to my machines and let them do all the work. Don’t decode it. Don’t transcode it. Every machine I have is more than capable of doing the foot work. I just wanted a piece of software that, if I go into the options and tell it to do that, does that. Don’t check my system to see if I can handle it, just do it. And if it fails, then I know it’s something on my end that I need to look into.

Again, all you are saying is “It’s hard work”.

To say I’m jumping up and down angry because I “brought a screwdriver (really?)” isn’t correct. Am I upset? Absolutely because I’m tired of the crap excuses (not just from Plex, but from everything in general). And to expect people who are asked to pay for a product, and then tell them to, in essence, piss off, when they ask for something is all the more reason (other) users should be upset. I will freely admit I do NOT pay for Plex, and this is one of the reasons. I will not pay for a product that wont listen to it’s user base and has an attitude towards it’s user. If I could find something that would manage my library half as well as Plex does, I would use it.

It’s obvious this is something a lot of users want, but, because it’s hard work, it’s not going to happen. Make a sticky, one that’s in everyone’s face that simply says that, a single post with the explanation of why it can’t be done and that it’s never going to be done because of X, Y, and Z. Nothing so far as been said of why it CAN’T be done, only that it WON’T be done. Distinct difference.

AND, to be fair, One of the problems I was having, that I wasn’t tracking, was subtitles. As soon as I turned them off, audio stopped transcoding. A simple solution that I obviously over looked and own up to not seeing what was in front of my face on that part.

And, yeah, it does have to be - It’s just not going to be

5 Likes
49

Are you any better off with Emby?

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Then just use DLNA.

Not really. But it does mean using a computer that is better than some low-end thing a few years old that you have lying around. Or some NAS with a CPU slower than a cellphone from 4 years ago. All software has hardware requirements. The “difficulty” in installing and using Plex on the OS of your choice is identical regardless.

It’s not an “excuse”. You’re upset that you’re not having success using Plex in a way it was never designed to be, despite this being made quite clear on the site, the forums, etc. Don’t get upset at Plex et al just because you didn’t do your homework, and/or are trying to shove a square peg in a round hole.

The fact that you frame it as “paying for Plex” further demonstrates that you didn’t do sufficient reading. You don’t “pay for Plex”. You have the option to donate to get early access to new versions and extra features, but Plex is quite usable just fine without a PlexPass and no one is making anyone pay.

There’s asking for a feature, and then there’s asking for a fundamental reworking of the basic structure and concept of an application. “I like this car, but can I have a button that turns it into a boat? NO??? WTF, all I’m asking for is a simple button!!!”

People have listened, and explained to you why what you’re requesting is unreasonable, incompatible to what Plex is, and not going to happen. Not catering to every user’s demand for every feature is not “not listening”. You just didn’t like the answer.

Again, you’re mischaracterizing the situation to suit your argument. It’s not that “it’s hard work”. It’s fundamentally contrary to the core way Plex is designed. The sooner you can accept that, the easier your anger-management will be. Just because the Plex team won’t rebuild the whole app from the ground up to cater to your wishes isn’t the sign of an arrogant team just out to spite you and piss off its users.

You mean like a FAQ?
https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250377-transcoding-media/
https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/plex-media-server/direct-play-direct-stream-transcoding/
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201774043-what-kind-of-cpu-do-i-need-for-my-server/
https://support.plex.tv/articles/205002628-why-do-i-get-the-this-server-is-not-powerful-enough-to-convert-video-message/
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201566396-how-are-direct-play-direct-stream-and-transcoding-different/

The information is there. In the FAQ. In the forums. You either didn’t read it, or refused to accept what was being said.

See this image? This is what Plex advertiszes itself as:

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That’s the promise of Plex. That’s the advertising on the box. That’s what Plex describes itself as being. To pull that off requires transcoding a lot of the time. Period. End of story. That’s what Plex is: the magic “play anything on anything” experience. You’re upset that Plex isn’t what it was never meant to be, and upset that they won’t change Plex fundamentally to be something it wasn’t ever designed to be. You want a dumb “pump the file to the client, formats/codecs be damned” server. Plex was never designed to be that, because other things like DLNA already did that. Plex was filling a void. That’s the use case. Not yours. So stop taking your anger out on Plex.

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51

Then I guess I didn’t do my homework, and I am wrong in what Plex is supposed to be. And I’ll also admit, I was missing some of what you were saying

I can’t answer the Emby question as I’ve looked at it, but haven’t done anything with it as of yet, so i don’t know over all.

And if I was angry (and in need of anger management), you’d know it

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I’m 60. I’m an embedded software engineer. I’ve been hearing
about “dashboards” for 2-3 years now, but have never heard a
description of what it is.

  So.  What the hell is a dashboard, if in my old fart ways I think

of it as a home page how am I wrong?

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A Home Page is the top level of a web site — usually there’s nothing after the first slash “/“ after the domain name in URL of the website.

A dashboard web page may or may not be the home page of a website. In the case of your local Plex server website, the dashboard is not the home page.

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54

Hey man,

Sorry to highjack slightly, but I’m actively aiming to avoid transcoding too as my server/win 10 computer cannot cope (until it’s upgraded) and stumbled across this post.

Can I ask what your setup is on the client side to get a 4k HEVC Main 10 to direct play? Before upgrading my PC, I’m looking to upgrade my client (currently using a chromecast 2nd Gen) and after researching have decided that the most codec-compatible is the new Roku. Are there any other options?

Cheers,
Timmeh

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I’m using an AppleTV 4K connected to a 4K/HDR capable TV (with a 4K capable receiver in between). It should work best with the ATV4K set to Match Content / Frame Rate and should work fine with Direct Play or Direct Stream settings in the Plex app.

1 Like
56

You have to manually edit the Profiles, which are in the main program files folder of Plex, under Plex Media Server/Resources/Profiles folder.

This will only work for files that have no subtitles or disabled. You’ll also need to be 100% sure that the audio is compatible… otherwise it wont work… most of the new tv and Android devices support ac3 at least, so dont forget the add ac3 to every directstream profile!!

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If money is no option, I’ve had great luck with the Plex client on the Nvidia Shield direct playing everything without transcoding. It supports all the video formats, including direct streaming all HEVC 4k and 1080p videos. It will pass-through all audio formats to your receiver also. It also direct plays the LiveTV that my Plex DVR outputs.

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When someone makes of feature request for a product they pay for, “Use the competitor” LOL

2 Likes
59

When you want to make a crazy point, take someone’s comment completely out of context in order to make it :slightly_smiling_face:

If a certain product isn’t meeting your needs, why continue using it?

60

So someone can help me understand this. My source file is a 1.5GB, 1 hr file encoded with H.264 and AAC. I’m trying to play it on my Windows 10 Laptop Chrome browser using Plex desktop. It REFUSES to direct stream or direct play. If I select original quality it just hangs!! If I select 1080p 8 Mbps it transcodes and plays it. No way my original video is more than 3Mbps.

So why does Plex refuse to direct play on my browser ? It definitely supports H.264 and AAC

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Log from Plex Web please. https://support.plex.tv/articles/201611836-plex-web-app-logs/