# Manually added optimized version can't be selected **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux, playback, player-windows\ **Created:** [December 22, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827 "2022-12-22T20:30:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/1 "2022-12-22T20:30:37Z")
Server Version#: 1.30.0.6486 on Ubuntu 20.04 Player Version#: 1.60.1.3413-533a7645 on Windows 10 21H2 I have both 4k and 1080p versions of House of the Dragon. [Following this guide](https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-to-manually-add-optimized-versions/547877), I was able to manually add and use both versions, although I’m not able to play in a way you may expect. In the Plex Web app, [I’m only able to play the 1080p version](https://i.imgur.com/WYJtfam.jpg) on Firefox, this is fine, I assume its a limitation with the web app/my browser. However, in the Windows player, I’m able to play the 4k version, **but not the** 1080p version. ![plex 1080p version not available](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/f/f/f/fff9d17bdce852299cd69e61c22398e601e7d3a1.jpeg) The only option is 1080p 20mbps, which is transcoding (clicking show all doesn’t show any more options). The whole point of adding an optimized version is to avoid transcoding. I don’t have a very powerful GPU for transcoding, so I’d much rather use the 1080p copies. When alternative quality options are available you absolutely should be able to select between them. Made a [suggestion post](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-versions-should-be-listed-in-addition-to-transcode-options/823841) since this probably fits better as a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![federico.rampin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@federico.rampin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/federico.rampin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/2 "2022-12-22T20:45:44Z")
I suggest to remove all bandwidth limitations on player’s settings. Also, you may find helpful to disable transcoding on server’s settings. ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/3 "2022-12-22T20:49:22Z")
> I suggest to remove all bandwidth limitations on player’s settings. Player is set to use maximum quality, which is 4k. However is some cases I may not want to use the full 4k capabilities. > Also, you may find helpful to disable transcoding on server’s settings. I’m not disabling transcoding, it can transcode 4k to 1080p, its just a lot more efficient to send the pre-processed copy instead. ---
**Author:** ![federico.rampin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@federico.rampin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/federico.rampin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/4 "2022-12-22T21:06:37Z")
If you disable bandwidth limitations on player and server, then you disable transcoding, only preprocessed versions will be available. ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/5 "2022-12-22T21:15:45Z")
Disabling a feature to reveal a different feature is not a solution. Pre-processed versions should be listed in addition to transcode options. My storage would fill a lot faster if I kept a pre-processed version of every media item for every transcode possibility. I only intend to have 1080p pre-processed versions for 4k content. The majority of my content is 1080p, transcoding 1080p to anything smaller is quite an easy task for the GPU. Ideally Plex should use the 1080p file instead of 4k when transcoding, but I’ll settle for being able to see the 1080p non-transcoded option along with transcoded options. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/6 "2022-12-22T22:10:18Z")
Versions/duplicates, whether manually added or optimized by server are in the play version menu of the desktop/web app ![Plex](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/c/9/2/c921d58121836444579d6fa975bfc770f3103d75.png) ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 10:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/7 "2022-12-22T22:24:36Z")
Where in a show you have to click the triple dots on the specific episode to see that option. And then this option only applies once to the episode selected. You would have to close the player and repeat every time you start a new episode. This is quite an egregious UI design flaw in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/8 "2022-12-22T22:41:09Z")
> [@diamondpumpkin](#): > > You would have to do this every time you start a new episode. You would also have to change when starting a new episode every time in the quality options as you are saying you want. ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 10:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/9 "2022-12-22T22:46:02Z")
I noticed that as well, perhaps that should be considered a bug? Selecting quality in a video should stick on that device at least. If not, at least I don’t have to close the player, and dig up the the other menu. Which frankly, didn’t even know existed until you pointed it out. Don’t see how someone who’s not tech savy is expected to. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/10 "2022-12-22T22:49:27Z")
Not liking something isn’t a bug. You made your feature request which is fine, and i don’t personally even disagree with your want. ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/11 "2022-12-22T23:00:26Z")
I’d personally consider it a bug because its a pretty poor design choice. Not very user friendly when the settings keep reverting on you. Also resource inefficient if you have a reduced quality option that gets dismissed in favor of transcoding options. Not only am I wasting storage, I’m also using quite limited transcoding capabilities. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/12 "2022-12-22T23:06:36Z")
A bug is something not working as intended with the choice made. Not liking the choice does not make it a bug. if you want to keep a certain quality you can change it for the app as a whole. Just because because someone has multiple optimized version of different episodes does not mean those optimized versions are of the same quality. there could also be multiple versions of same or different quality of the same episode ---
**Author:** ![diamondpumpkin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/diamondpumpkin/32/223385_2.png) [@diamondpumpkin](https://forums.plex.tv/u/diamondpumpkin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/13 "2022-12-22T23:21:56Z")
> A bug is something not working as intended with the choice made. Not liking the choice does not make it a bug. Well I suppose its a good thing this isn’t a bug report. It still presents the element of a very poor user experience. > if you want to keep a certain quality you can change it for the app as a whole. Just because because someone has multiple optimized version of different episodes does not mean those optimized versions are of the same quality. there could also be multiple versions of same or different quality of the same episode This kind of ties into [another thread](https://forums.plex.tv/t/default-all-clients-to-max-internet-streaming/440641) on app-wide quality settings. And lo and behold the driving point for the suggestion is hardware inefficiencies. The client choice comes first, but having conflicting settings for it is an awful idea. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/manually-added-optimized-version-cant-be-selected/823827/14 "2023-03-22T23:22:53Z")
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