Hello, I currently watch large video files on the local network (about 90GB) and I have the maximum quality/original option. The problem comes from the fact that it requires about 90 mb/s of transfer to not have cuts.
From a technical point of view, the cuts can be due to three main reasons: 1) speed of reading the disk where the file is stored, 2) speed of the local network and/or 3) speed of conversion.
The first reason is sometimes a problem, since I store the video files on external USB hard drives whose maximum speed sometimes reaches those 90 mb/s, but which fluctuates causing the viewing to have stops. The second reason I understand that in principle is not a problem, since I have a 1gbit connection throughout the LAN. And the third reason is in principle ruled out, since I tell Plex to send the original quality of the video file, so it does not do any conversion.
I need Plex in this case, when checking that there could be cuts in the network connection speed between server and client and/or the reading speed, to manage the data intelligently so that cuts do not occur. Either by making an advance copy in parts to the hard drive of the C drive of the server computer (for example, in my case it is an SSD hard drive so it would solve the problem of slow reading), or they send parts in advance to the client device of Plex so that normal playback of the video file never reaches the data gap and these cuts occur.
I know that there is an automatic quality option that adapts to all these inconveniences according to the circumstances of each moment (conversion, reading, network), but to be honest I want to enjoy the highest quality of my video files, regardless of what they weigh. All this obviously until the arrival and massive adoption of the network speed of 10,000 mb/s. Could you take a look at this part of the code and make this management more intelligent and that Plex can use SSDs as caches in the case of having them and an anticipation regarding the local network speed? It would be great.
It would help to know what client you are using on what device as this might be an issue with the hardware the client is using especially if the client is being run on a TV.
First of all thanks for answering.
The same thing happens in both the LG TV Plex client and the Xbox Series X console. Both clients and the server have the latest update installed. I changed the video file from the external hard drive to the internal SSD hard drive of the computer that acts as the server and the same thing happens. I think it is because the transfer data per second of the video reaches the limit of the local network speed of 1 gbit (about 100 mb/s real). At the beginning of the reproduction it works well, but it must be that the speed of the network fluctuates and when it is worse it produces those cuts in the reproduction. When I change the quality from original to 1080p the chopping is fixed (it changes the data transfer rate from 90mb/s to about 20mb/s). This happens with very large 4K video files that are around 90gb or more until the implementation of 10gbit networks, which will happen again when video files become large again due to 8K video quality .
For this reason, I think that Plex should manage this streaming playback more efficiently and intelligently by taking a few seconds before starting the playback of these videos and in these conditions to create a storage cache both on the fastest disk of the server (SSD if is available -usually as drive C:/ in Windows-) as well as in the cache of the Plex client, so that at no time during the playback of the two and a half hours of the video file there is no cut and always maintain the highest quality of viewing. Fixing this issue will also help in the future with much larger video files.
I believe that the solution is for Plex to take a few seconds before starting to play the video in order to store part of the video file in advance, first on the server’s SSD, acting as a first cache, and then forward a few minutes on Plex client device cache and then start playback while continuing to cache the next bits of video that will be used minutes later in order to avoid any cut off as normal video playback will never reach the data not yet stored in the caches.
I have no issues playing large high bit rate 4k files. I use the Shield Pro for my client. TV clients are limited to the hardware on the TV and normally is not very good. Most TV only have 100 mbps Ethernet adapters so you my want to try wireless as you can better speeds sometimes. As for the X-Box, it is also known that it has issues with some files and is not a good platform for Plex. I would recommend investing in a Shield Pro as it can play just about anything you can throw at it and I believe it is the only device that supports True HD Atmos audio.
