Issue playing 4K on Windows (image stuttering, audio fine)

Plex Players Desktop Players
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1

Server Version#: 1.27.0.5897 (DSM 7 Version)
Player Version#: 1.47.1.3086-6c3d964f

Hello,

I have an issue playing 4k DV files in x265/hevc. I tried different configurations to be sure that the issue really come from Plex and not from my laptop nor my network.

When I play them from Plex, the image is stuttering but the audio don’t have problem. I tried the same file on my phone on the same network and I have no issue (so file and network are fine). I tried the same file played in VLC from my computer and everything is OK (image and audio) (so my computer is able to play this type of file).

By digging a little more, it seems that Plex uses only the GPU integrated of the CPU and not my dedicated graphics card. I tried to force Plex (through Windows settings) to use only the graphics card but it stays on the CPU. On the plex server I have enabled hardware transcoding.

Does anyone have a lead that can solve my problem?

Thanks

2

Your computer GPU probably is overloaded and dropping frames. Plex has higher CPU utilization than VLC Media player. It’s about twice as high.

Depending on the computer hardware, you may be able to view the GPU utilization by opening Windows Task Manager, click More Details, and then clicking the Performance tab.

3

Thank you for your answer.

The problem is that PMP uses the CPU (integrated GPU) instead of my dedicated GPU while VLC and Plex Home Theater for PC can use a dedicated GPU.

And my CPU doesn’t have the ability to play 4K movies but my graphics card is there for that. PMP doesn’t allow the hardware to be used to its full potential.

When no movie is playing :
Idle

Home Theather for PC using the right GPU (GPU 1 with no stattering and movie is fine) :
HTPC 4K

PMP using the GPU of the CPU (GPU 0 with stattering) :
PMP 4K

Both PMP and HTPC where playing on the same screen, same hardware and same network. Currently I’m using HTPC but the UX is really not good compare to PMP.

The only issue is that PMP doesn’t allow to decode on the GPU we want (GPU1 in my case). Maybe in a future update we can use the GPU instead of the CPU on PMP.

4

PMP is an old and unsupported app. I’m guessing you are really meaning Plex for Windows and just using the wrong name?

Windows has app settings where you can tell it which GPU applications use. Given the above that sounds like your solution.

5

Thank you for your answer.

Yes, I meant Plex for Windows.

Unfortunately, it is one of the first options I activated. This option works for Plex HTPC, VLC and all other software. But Plex for Windows doesn’t seem to take it into consideration at all and keeps using the wrong GPU.

As you can see on the screenshot, the option is enabled for Plex for Windows but it continues to be on the wrong GPU.

image
image964×519 39 KB

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