Server Version#:latest
Player Version#: latest
This is all local here at home. Windows Server. Roku Ultra player. Sometimes AC3 2.0 audio gives my sync issues…In roku ultra’s player settings I disabled direct play but allow direct stream…which for whatever reasons fixes any audio sync issues I have…so a file that was previously direct playing both audio and video should now direct stream, no? So then I start the same video and under the sever stats…it was transcoding h.264 to h.264…but direct streaming the audio…so then as I’m watching the server stats…suddenly the video goes from transcoding to direct sreaming on its own…almost like the server thought it was transcoding but it wasn’t…Anyway, am I correct if you have a file that is direct playable by your player…that that file should direct stream if direct play is disabled while direct stream is allowed? No transcoding should happen?
Direct Play is the only “No Transcoding” option, anything else is being processed even if it is direct stream for a multitude of reasons. Could be as simple as converting to an alternate streaming protocol to support the client device.
From what I understood…there is some slight processing going on during direct stream but nothing major…
Yah.
Direct Play means the original file is sent 100% intact to the player. So the player has to parse the container file format, play the correct streams, get timing correct between the container and each stream, and ignore any unused streams in the file.
Direct Stream means the Plex server extracts only the necessary video and audio (and subtitle) streams from the file, muxes them into a very simple container format, with interleaving suitable for streaming, and delivers that to the client.
In many cases, Direct Play is overrated, and Direct Stream is underrated. Direct Stream isn’t very difficult for a server, but it can make a file much more palatable to a client.
I’ve seen the same thing, where the Dashboard changes status. I suspect it happens when the client sends a status update message to the server, but I’m not certain.
Transcoding is just cake.
If your analogy becomes an industry standard, then it needs some standard character names, like crypto Alice & Bob.
Another thing…A tv show episode I checked yesterday…under media info it was encoded using H.264 @ level 4.2 with AAC 2.0 audio…with direct play enabled on the Roku settings this file direct played both audio and video…yet the Max h.264 level was 4.1 (recommended)…so it confused me as to why this was direct playing since I leave that as recommended…That same exact file, with direct stream enabled but direct play disabled…transcoded the video (or so the status said it was transcoding) but I have my doubts that it was actually transcoding…Over the years using Plex if a file starts really fast…it’s usually direct play or direct stream…but if the server has to transcode…it’s slightly slower…oh well… anyway…Just messing around I bumped the level up from H.264 4.1 to 4.2. (with every intention of moving it back) but it direct streamed fine then… I guess I was just under the assumption that if direct plays on my player…then it should direct stream if I turn direct play off…I’m not sure what is UP with Roku Ultra’s and the audio being out of sync…but direct stream has always remedied any sync issues… I think that’s why I never have a problem with AAC audio because Plex forces those to direct stream…but anything with AC3 it will direct play. If you don’t have a Roku you may not know there is a workaround in advanced settings for AAC audio stutter…so anything with AAC audio will direct stream.
On the Roku Ultra, recommended isn’t recommended, bump it up to the 5.1/max especially if you have any hevc/h.265 material.
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