Media Server always transcoding

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: 1.25.9.5721
Player Version#: Plex for Windows 1.43.3.2951-1d73e3f3

Hi,
from one time to now every video file I play on any remote client is transcoded by PMS, even if I set the original/maximum quality @ client settings.

I have a Samsung TV connected remotely with Plex App installed and it was working perfectly with direct stream/direct play but now all files I play are transcoded.

I have been testing with a remote PlexWindows client and it happens the same: I have configured quality for remote connections to original/maximum and the files are video-transcoded as you can see in the following PMS logs:

<Player address="127.0.0.1" machineIdentifier="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" model="standalone" platform="windows" platformVersion="10.0.18363" product="Plex for Windows" remotePublicAddress="127.0.0.1" title="XXXXXXX" version="1.43.3.2951-1d73e3f3" local="0" relayed="1" secure="1" userID="11111111" />
<Variants>
<Variant id="168ec982-f7a4-431e-9f15-11a22db37f71" targetBitrate="718" context="streaming" sourceVideoCodec="h264" sourceAudioCodec="ac3" videoDecision="transcode" audioDecision="transcode" protocol="http" container="mkv" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="opus" audioChannels="2" transcodeHwRequested="0" transcodeHwFullPipeline="0">
<Media id="23706" videoProfile="high" audioChannels="2" audioCodec="opus" bitrate="683" container="mkv" duration="9355072" height="200" videoCodec="h264" videoFrameRate="24p" videoResolution="SD" width="480" selected="1">
<Part deepAnalysisVersion="6" id="23746" requiredBandwidths="11257,8381,5999,5681,5616,5616,5616,5616" videoProfile="high" bitrate="683" container="mkv" duration="9355072" height="200" width="480" decision="transcode" selected="1">
<Stream bitrate="530" codec="h264" default="1" displayTitle="1080p (H.264)" extendedDisplayTitle="1080p (H.264)" frameRate="23.975999832153320" height="200" id="54376" requiredBandwidths="10168,7293,4910,4652,4652,4652,4652,4652" streamType="1" width="480" decision="transcode" location="direct" />
<Stream bitrate="153" bitrateMode="cbr" channels="2" codec="opus" default="1" displayTitle="Espa&#241;ol (AC3 5.1)" extendedDisplayTitle="Espa&#241;ol (AC3 5.1)" forced="1" id="54377" language="Espa&#241;ol" languageCode="spa" languageTag="es" requiredBandwidths="640,640,640,640,640,640,640,640" selected="1" streamType="2" decision="transcode" location="direct" />

Why is this happening? I need the PMS not to transcode video files because I have PMS installed on Synology NAS and it hasn’t CPU capacity to transcode.

Thanks in advanced.

2

More logs:

Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.412 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Found session GUID of 8df0f1171o9pv65k2uykckhj in session start.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.412 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] TranscodeUniversalRequest: using profile Plex Desktop
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.413 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Downloading document http://127.0.0.1:32400/library/metadata/10841?includeBandwidths=1&offset=0&X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=kx0qw0s6s4l50ar8moi53361
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.413 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Auth: authenticated user 28421168 as Jorge (Ingenia)
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.429 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] It took 10.000000 ms to retrieve 112 items.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.446 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] It took 0.000000 ms to retrieve 112 items.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.450 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Audio Stream: 54395, Subtitle Stream: 0
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Selected protocol http; container: mkv
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: analyzing media item 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): Direct Play is disabled
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): selected media 0 / 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Calculated bandwidth of 9016kbps exceeds bandwidth limit. Changing decision parameters provided by client to fit bandwidth limit of 720kbps
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Determining preferred transcode encoders through transcode only decision.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.459 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Reducing playback quality for 685kbps stream bitrate: video resolution to 480x202, audio channels to 2, quality to 35, disable video DS as 7946kbps is > the 530kbps available, disable audio DS as 640kbps is > the 153kbps available
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Selected protocol http; container: mkv
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: analyzing media item 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): Direct Play is disabled
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] <Filename removed> - video.width limitation applies: 1920 > 480
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] <Filename removed> - audio.channels limitation applies: 6 > 2
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): Direct Streaming is disabled, so video stream will be transcoded
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no remuxable profile found, so video stream will be transcoded
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Cannot direct stream video stream due to profile or setting limitations
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): Audio Direct Streaming is disabled, so video's audio stream will be transcoded
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Cannot direct stream audio stream due to profile or setting limitations
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): selected media 0 / 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.461 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Adding session 0x7f83de0698:kx0qw0s6s4l50ar8moi53361 which is using 718kbps of WAN bandwidth.  Used is now 718kbps
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.461 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Adding session 0x7f83de0698:kx0qw0s6s4l50ar8moi53361 which is using transcoder slot.  Used slots is now 1
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.461 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Added session 0x7f83de0698:kx0qw0s6s4l50ar8moi53361
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.462 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Reached Decision id=10841 codes=(General=1001,Direct play not available; Conversion OK. Direct Play=3000,App cannot direct play this item. Direct play is disabled. Transcode=1001,Direct play not available; Conversion OK.) media=(id=23713 part=(id=23753 decision=transcode container=mkv protocol=http streams=(Video=(id=54394 decision=transcode bitrate=530 encoder=libx264 width=480 height=200) Audio=(id=54395 decision=transcode bitrate=153 encoder=libopus channels=2 rate=48000))))
3

is your server correctly connected or are you stuck connecting via relay?

random snips of logs aren’t going to help diagnose much.

4

@JorgeMLG1974

It’s really tough to know definitively what’s happening the but from what you show, it looks like the player setting is the problem.

Go into the app and check the video quality settings.
Also check the server settings for bandwidth utilization (Remote Access)

From what is shown:

Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.413 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Downloading document http://127.0.0.1:32400/library/metadata/10841?includeBandwidths=1&offset=0&X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=kx0qw0s6s4l50ar8moi53361
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.413 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Auth: authenticated user 28421168 as Jorge (Ingenia)
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.429 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] It took 10.000000 ms to retrieve 112 items.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.446 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] It took 0.000000 ms to retrieve 112 items.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.450 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Audio Stream: 54395, Subtitle Stream: 0
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Selected protocol http; container: mkv
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: analyzing media item 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): Direct Play is disabled
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.457 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/ac3
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: <Filename removed> (2022): selected media 0 / 23713
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Calculated bandwidth of 9016kbps exceeds bandwidth limit. Changing decision parameters provided by client to fit bandwidth limit of 720kbps
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.458 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Determining preferred transcode encoders through transcode only decision.
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.459 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] Streaming Resource: Reducing playback quality for 685kbps stream bitrate: video resolution to 480x202, audio channels to 2, quality to 35, disable video DS as 7946kbps is > the 530kbps available, disable audio DS as 640kbps is > the 153kbps available
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: Selected protocol http; container: mkv
Apr 11, 2022 13:37:28.460 [0x7f86a26aa8] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: analyzing media item 23713

In the future, please provide the full zip.
PM will be made available if necessary

5

If I disable the relay proxy from PMS the remote connections stop working, I don’t know why. Ports are correctly opened and the remote access on PMS is green, but remote users cannot connect.

After reading the post you have published I think the problem is that, because I had the relay switched on and it seems the free users are limited to 1 Mbps maximum for streams

Any idea?

6

When relay is active, this means you don’t have a direct connection inbound to the server.

Free users are limited to 1 Mbps for Relay Remote.
Plex Pass users are limited to 2 Mbps for Relay Remote.

It really is important to get the firewall & port forwarding working.
Caveat: Some ISPs are using CGNAT (Carrier Grade NAT) where they assign a 100.64.x.x address as your WAN IP.

You can easily check this by signing into the Modem/router and looking
-or-
looking at the PMS logs (downloaded about 2 minutes after startup) where you’ll what PMS found for both your modem/router IP and what Plex.tv sees as your IP.

7

Hi Chuck, I don’t have CG-NAT, my internet IP address is a real one and I have the port 32400 TCP/UDP correctly forwarded to my synology NAS.

This is happening from one or two weeks by now (i didn’t realized before the relay was on).

The Internet IP address is present on logs:

Apr 11, 2022 16:44:45.878 [0x7f8cd28aa8] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Got public IP from http://plex.tv: 188.84.126.179
Apr 11, 2022 16:44:50.770 [0x7f8cd28aa8] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, public address is 188.84.126.179
Apr 11, 2022 16:44:50.771 [0x7f8cd28aa8] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET https://188-84-126-179.4b5da7bd91584c51b3d84f7a654fdf8e.plex.direct:32400/identity
Apr 11, 2022 16:44:50.773 [0x7f8ce94aa8] WARN - [HttpClient] HTTP error requesting GET https://188-84-126-179.4b5da7bd91584c51b3d84f7a654fdf8e.plex.direct:32400/identity (7, Couldn't connect to server) (Failed to connect to 188-84-126-179.4b5da7bd91584c51b3d84f7a654fdf8e.plex.direct port 32400: Connection refused)
Apr 11, 2022 16:44:50.882 [0x7f8cd28aa8] DEBUG - MyPlex: Got response for 3a35ddea6f9cfe39e1e54cfd5318b98761395553 ~ registered 188.84.126.179:32400

It seems there’s a problem connecting to the PMS due to the Warning. I’m investigating why…

8

This looks like DNS rebinding protection in your modem/router (common).

Do you have the ability to add exceptions in your modem/router?

If so, you want to add and allow plex.direct domain in your DNS Resolver config.

On pfSense, it looks like this:

Screenshot from 2022-04-11 10-57-40
Screenshot from 2022-04-11 10-57-40938Ă—211 17.9 KB

9

Hi, I’ve been able to solve it. Thinking it could be a malfunction on my router (telnetting to port 32400 from outside didn’t work) I have disabled remote access on Plex, deleted the port forwarding on the router, re-configure port forwarding and enabled remote access on plex without relay. And voilá!! It’s working now…

Thanks very much for your support!!!

1 Like
10

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