Hi everyone…
Have a question about file formats and native player support. I basically have a little bit of everything in my house trying to play my 500+ HD movie and 1000+ TV series collection. So basically, have a new AppleTV, FireTV Stick, new FireTV, a Sony (android) TV and Samsung TV which all have Plex clients on them.
I’m having server capacity issues trying to transcode my MKV files for all these clients when 2 or more are concurrently playing. I’d like to have a setup where everything could be played in DirectPlay (I can’t afford the disk space to create multiple versions of each file).
So my question is, is there a matrix outlining what native file container/format each of these plex clients support? Ideally, I’m happy to transcode all my files once to a “magic” version that could be direct played on all of these.
Any ideas folks? Is there such a video format, audio format and container that doesn’t need transcoding? Assuming everyone is running at “original” quality - I know it’s not a network issue.
Much appreciated.
Thanks.
Regards,
-Dipen
If there was ever a — it depends question… hehe
It really depends on many factors like file size, bitrates, quality loss you are willing to accept etc…
If you are a plex pass user, do you use/want sync or would you rather download direct to the ipad/iphone without another transcode etc…
For me I do this… ymmv:
For DVD: Makemkv into an MKV container of the original content (title only)
For Blu. Makemkv into MKV container with the original content (title only)
Handbrake
I handbrake both DVD and Blu into a ATV3 preset, sometimes using the tune for film etc… this is a 30fps or less and will encode at native fps usually 23.9… constant quality of 20 and an M4V container which in essence is the same as Mp4… which almost everything out there supports… haven’t found a client yet that doesnt like it.
This results in a reduced file size 10-20% of original, with both AAC and AC3 5.1 soundtracks. You can manage it with itunes to your i devices as well and it will play in itunes as well.
I use the foreign audio subtitle burn in so that the needed forced foreign only subs are in the file and not a sidecar… this is usually only blu rays but most of the time the film already has the forced burned in anyway but it ensures that you have them.
That way all clients can play the stream direct, it can be downloaded to my i devices much more quickly than syncing, and when plex plays them, any movies with foreign audio subs don’t force the server to transcode them to burn them in … its already burned in. I have and can play the full version as I add the blu and dvd folders to my all movies library and plex stacks them into a single entry and on most players it allows you to decide which format to play. My HTPC for instance will direct play a blu MKV DTS/VC1 but if its going to an ipad it will transcode it if I select to play the original… if. Select to play the m4v version, it will direct play…
Now this is an M4V container which doesnt alllow sidecar files for multiple subs tracks… but I don’t use subs… so for me its not an issue…
Again ymmv
As for monitoring … i HIGHLY suggest using a plexpy install… its an awesome app that will track everything going on with your server
You can see who is playing what in realtime and it will show you what is transcoding vs direct play, how far ahead each is buffered etc… its a MUST if you are trying to keep the wheels on the streaming bus since plex UI provides no info and the new streaming brain is a dumbshit…
