Server Version#: 1.16.4.1469
Player Version#: 4.1.1
webOS Version: 4.1.0
My setup:
-Desktop running server via wifi(boo) has AC 5ghz to router. holds steady at 650mbps link speed (through 1 concrete wall)
-Router is nighthawk r7000 with dd-wrt
-tv is LG 65uk6300 with AC wifi (unsure how to test link speed other than speedtest (45mbps+ download speed) but probably a lot more than that actually. TV is ~15ft from router w clear LOS.
Hi All,
I am new to Plex and I am trying to get 4k streaming to my smartTV to work.
I am experiencing buffering (every 30 seconds or so) and it is driving me insane. The picture quality is AMAZING, but for only 30 seconds at a time… with a 5 second break in-between
EDIT: i can transcode it down to 1080 HIGH quality at 20mbps with no issue but the 4k stream at 25mbps still buffers. Not to mention it maxes out my cpu for some reason transcoding 4k down to 1080
I have just tried the following:
-running temporary ethernet cable to TV from router (did not help at all)
running temporary ethernet cable from PC to router (did not help at all)
-copying video file off of HDD to SSD (only took 8 mins to copy from HDD so that cant be the issue right?)
I am really at a loss here as to what is causing the buffering. I have looked at the server logs and cannot make heads or tales of them. checked my network monitoring tool on desktop and video is streaming at ~4Mb/s max
Is there some simple setting like a streaming buffer that I am missing? I have tried to adjust transcode setting but i dont think they have any affect when you are just streaming the file straight up.
My previous setup was a raspi 2b over ethernet at our old place. it never did 4k videos so this is something new i am getting into with trying out plex on the tv.
here it has to be all wifi since the location of all the devices would require the cables to be run up to the ceilings and all over the place (concrete apartment) so cables is not an option (although my testing revealed them to have no improvement anyways)
Any suggestions from anyone on this matter would be greatly appreciated. I am not sure what else to try.
I can see from my router that the link speed to the TV is 130mbit so that must be the issue then. I guess that also explains why i felt it actually buffered more over ethernet as that was probably only 100mbit.
Just ran out and picked up an nvidia shield TV and it streams like a charm. thanks for the help, had no idea tha the AC wifi on the tv was so stupidly slow
Not sure what the actual problem is but I can tell you it’s not just you. I’ve got a fairly beefy desktop (i7, 6770k with 16GB RAM and a graphics card) and full gigabit network, connected to the TV through Ethernet not wifi and I get CONSTANT buffering on files that should play fine. The TV doesn’t understand TRUEHD so I change the audio stream to DTS and although it shows on the Plex server as Direct Play and the network bandwidth is nowhere near under pressure it just buffers every few seconds or minutes and is totally unwatchable. I’ve actually just cancelled my Plex Pass subscription because of this. The very same file plays perfectly fine on the Photo and Video app on the TV, no buffering, no pixilation, no hassle, even picks up the right audio stream. Paid for Plex for well over a year and enjoyed watching lots of HD content on it but it’s just not worth it if it can’t play a 4K file when a native app on the TV will play the same file fine off the Windows DLNA server. Go to Recents, Photo and Video and select the PC Server. If it’s not there you might have to open Windows Media Player on the PC and make sure DLNA is enabled.
Certainly the Plex ecosystem is not for everyone. If your playback is limited to just one or two devices (even better if they’re the same type of device), and you’re the primary user/viewer, then native video apps are often the best solution.
With these LG OLED’s there are three options to streaming:
Built in Ethernet
Built in WiFi
Ethernet via USB Adapter
On my 2017 B7 options 1 & 2 would work for most lossless 4K remuxes I created from my UHD collection. However, high bit rate streams (eg Lucy) would exceed the capacity of the 100MB Ethernet and the WiFi option was never consistently stable enough to make it through a 4K movie without some hiccups, even though it technically had the bandwidth.
The only approach that works 100% of the time is option 3 via a USB3 adapter. Ever since I switched to this option there has been zero issues streaming my 4k movies including all the high bit rate titles that previously caused issues. Unfortunately, I heard the accountants at LG decided they would save a few pennies on these flagship TV’s by going back to USB2 connectors on the 2018 and 2019 models so I’m not certain that option still exists for those with these sets.
Until LG moves to gigabit Ethernet or returns to USB3 then you better hope your WiFi connection is stable enough to handle these type of streams.
