Coming from Plex on 2013 Samsung TV. Just started to use AndroidTV client.
Sorry to say but this the worst experience I’ve had for a long time.
Many many glitches and problems.
Using Kodi and Plex plugin to survive for the moment. Seems to work but not ideal to what I was expecting with Global search functions etc.
If nothing happens I guess it’s time to take the step towards Emby. Just don’t like the idea to switch from something that has been working for years just because one crappy client. 
Any news about this topic?
Apple TV seems to be alot better for Plex at the moment, especially now when they are planning to give it a new player which is much better than the native one (which they should do for AndroidTV too)
This is really frustrating for me as well.
Still isn’t fixed. I’m using a shield and a 4K TV and as soon as I enable subtitles on 4K content it’s just non stop buffering…
Any word on this? What are ways around this?
my shield direct plays 4k/hdr/atmos and subtitles.
Please tell us how? As soon as I enable subtitles on 4K content it’s no longer a Direct Stream, but it starts transcoding and buffers my NAS (DS918+).
is your shield plugged into your TV, or is it plugged into a 4k/hdr/atmos compatible receiver?
Shield is plugged directly into my TV.
That is why.
Your tv is not compatible with the various HD audio streams.
If you select an audio stream that is compatible (typically ac3/dts 5.1, or stereo) plex server won’t need to transcode the audio and thus not need to transcode the video and subtitles.
The only way you will get full direct play with 4k is when the everything in the a/v chain is fully compatible with both the video and audio codecs you are trying to play.
shield > hdmi 2.x cable > 4k/hdr/atmos receiver > hdmi 2.1 cable > 4k/hdr tv.
Here’s some images to explain myself a bit further. One is with subtitles activated, the other with them deactivated.
I’m still a bit confused on your answer (but I do appreciate you in trying to enlighten me 
)
ok, so the shield itself can direct play pretty much anything.
However, it completely depends on what the shield is hooked up to.
hdmi devices communicate what types of content/codecs they support.
so with the shield connected to the tv, which does not support the audio stream, the shield knows this, which tells the plex server to convert the audio.
in your examples above, your shield client is accepting the video direct but the audio must be converted to a compatible audio stream (due to the tv).
when subtitles are enabled, for whatever reasons I don’t know, plex (server) is unable to either send or the client (shield) is unable to receiver subtitles with mixed conversion.
so with subtitles, the server starts to convert the video and the audio just so the subtitles can be displayed.
since your server is not powerful enough to transcode the 4k, that is why it buffers when subtitles are enabled.
Your solution is one of these options;
I guess 4) is you could buy/build a server that is powerful enough to convert 4k, but then you lose both 4k and hdr, which makes the whole point of 4k moot.
that is all you can do.
We have no problem with the fact that it transcodes audio.
The problem is that it starts to transcode, the compatible, video stream if you add subtitle to the chain. That shouldn’t be needed since subtitle is overlayed to the video if you play the same stream with equipment which can play audio without transcode (full direct play).
Why does it STILL transcode the video as soon as only audio is needed to transcode (if subtitle are enabled).
That’s a HUGE problem specially for 4K streams that also loose hdr data when transcoded.
I can’t answer that.
But if you go to the doctor and say your head hurts because you keep hitting your head on the wall, and the doctor says ‘don’t do that’ but you keep doing it anyway, then I guess that is on you.
I think @TeknoJunky is missing the whole point of this thread, which is that if audio is transcoding and subs are enabled the video should not transcode. Period.
Of course converting audio formats would fix it, but this thread is about the bug and getting it fixed.
After some testing, I can confirm that if neither video/audio are being transcoded (DirectPlay), then any subtitles will work just fine. As soon as audio transcodes (no video transcode, so DirectStream?), subtitles don’t work because it starts to transcode the audio.
This is the bug we’re dealing with… 
Can somebody explain this one then?
No audio conversion but still srt-file is burned…
And why does video has to be transcoded?
RUnning nvidia shield server and client…
This isn’t the thread for that. Double check your subtitle burn settings, then just enable the information overlay in the Plex app on your Shield and then play it again and look in the top left. Failing that, check your client logs for lines containing Media Decision Engine.
Subtitle burn settings: only image formats (not the case: it’s srt)
Information overlay: dts audio isn’t supported by the device
Device is Shield? Or my Samsung MU7000?
And why does it transcode the video then and burns the subtitles?
I don’t know why it says DTS is not supported if it’s Direct Streaming.
You should grab logs and start a new thread with them attached, because this is the wrong one:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201573117-android-android-tv-fire-tv-logs/
