Server Version 1.28.0.1681-cc6e807c
Roku Ultra 4800X (software version 9.4.1 build 4236-C2) / Plex Player Version:6.7 Build 9
I’ve been using Plex a couple of years and never had a problem with Blu-Rays. We finally purchased our first 4K TV, the Roku Ultra and bought a few 4K movies. I then purchased a UHD disk player for the computer and used MakeMKV to rip them. Unfortunately, every time that we try to watch any of the movies on the TV, it’s always transcoding down to 1080. I can watch other streams at 4K without a problem, so I don’t think it’s a Roku or TV setting or network issue. (I even ran a cable from my Roku directly to the same 1Gig switch that my server is on.) I double-checked the Plex player settings and the “Local Quality” is set to “Original” with Direct Play is Auto. If I force Direct Play, and try to play the movie, it gives me a playback error saying that “Direct Play is disabled.” I also tried temporarily disabling transcoding on the server and get the same error.
As I’ve been doing research, I’m thinking of how the file was encoded. I decided to select alternate audio streams and sometimes the video would play, but it always had a narrator explaining the scenes and the picture was very distorted with a lot of green and red pixels dotting the screen outlining different objects in the shot.
In looking at the different files, the audio and are not all the same, but the video seems to be “4K (HEVC Main 10 HDR)”, (I was looking for a commonality.)
As I went through some more of the videos (I don’t have many yet), and sometimes it works perfectly for a few minutes and then stops. I have to resume and move it forward a few minutes to get it going again.
I might be having two issues, so any suggestions would be welcome? I’m thinking it will be a simple fix.
When you look at playback info it should have basic info why it is transcoding. During playback bring up the controller bar and select settings icon ( like an equalizer) then scroll down to Stream info then to the right focus on Playback . While that is highlighted, at the bottom it should say why it is transcoding.
I hadn’t heard back and asked the same question in another forum. One of the other suggestions was that Plex was treating the Roku Ultra as a 1080p unit and to see if there was an updated profile for it. How do I do that? (When I went to the Authorized Devices, it shows the device, but doesn’t show it’s capabilities.)
Edit: I think that suggestion is onto something - I found that my LG TV had a Plex app and I can stream fine (full 4K / HDR) if going directly to the TV. For some reason, it’s having problems doing the same thing to the Roku Ultra - and it just might be that Plex is seeing it as a 1080p device rather than a 4K. How can we confirm this?
@BigWheel - Yes, the TV supports it all an. It works perfectly if running the Plex client on the TV and the TV even displays the HDR logo at the beginning of the movies. It’s only having problems when doing the same file on the Roku. I can watch other 4K content through other Roku channels without a problem. Someone in another forum suggested that Plex Server might be seeing the Roku as only a 1080p device based on the profiles. Is there a log to see how the Plex sees the Roku?
Rokus only have 100mbit ethernet ports you won’t be able to stream most Blu-ray remuxes with that network speed, fullsize Remux files have have some really high bitrate peaks that require more than 100mbit…
So unless you have great wifi in the house, you may run into problems with remuxes.
