Please enable AV1 hardware decoding on Plex Client

Plex Players Streaming Devices
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21

Probably worth voting on this feature request - Add native AV1 playback on clients that support it

1 Like
22

Iā€™m pretty sure weā€™re just waiting on the TV manufacturers to approve the latest updates at this point. It seems rather bizarre that you guys think this still needs to be a feature request. The server apps updated with AV1 support, so it goes without saying the players will soon follow. LG is notoriously thorough with their review process though, so that could take a while.

23

Iā€™m pretty sure someone asked about correct support on the server feature request, and the response was that a different thread should be opened about clients to discuss it.

Never hurts to track requests even if it is something thatā€™s coming soon.

24

Correct, they told me to open a new request for the clients so please go and vote. Should be an easy lisft for them, both jellyfin and Emby clients do it no problem and they use exoplayer too.

1 Like
25

Thatā€™s fair. I went and gave it an upvote as well. Canā€™t wait to start using my AV1 collection!

1 Like
26

AV1 hardware decoding is now available.

It was first introduced on Plex for Android 9.16.0.38294-beta

27

I found a bug. Or at least I think it should be one..

Hereā€™s what happening.

Plex is still transcoding any AV1 video that contains a multi-channel track.

It is working as it should when the audio is stereo.

The expected behavior should be just like it is when there is a multi-track (AAC, Opus) with an HEVC video.

Only the audio is transcoded to AC3. Video is Direct Streamed.

This will be a huge issue since is pretty established by The Scene that AV1 is best accompanied by Opus Audio.

Can you have a look at this @anon18523487?

Please, let us know.

Thanks

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1 Like
28

I have a Roku Ultra 2022 which supports AV1, but when I play an AV1 video it doesnā€™t direct play, instead it is transcoding to H.264. My direct play is set to auto, but if I set it to force it plays. Seems like a bug that needs to be addressed. I shouldnā€™t have to force direct play for AV1.

1 Like
29

I have to check, but I believe the Android player only supports AV1 when direct playing. It does not support it or direct stream.

30

Our app needs to be updated to support AV1.

31

Just tried the latest beta today on my Fire Stick 4K Max. Didnā€™t play at all. I just get an endless spinner. Tried again, disabling subtitles, just to rule that out so all it was was AV1 video and Opus audio. No change.

33

The audio track is stereo or multi-channel?

34

Just plain stereo Opus.

35

Then it is most likely there isnā€™t yet support for hardware playback on the Fire OS version of Plex.

36

Yeah, it would be nice of them to specify that in the beta release notes. The 4K Max would be one of the most-popular AV1 compatible players (in the U.S. at least, because Amazonā€¦).

I have a specific build of Findroid installed that supports AV1 as well and when I try to play from my Jellyfin server it almost works. It plays, but playback is not smooth with even moderate action in the video. This is like a ā€œvery firstā€ attempt at it for the Findroid dev and heā€™s even stepped back on Android TV support on his app now. Direct play of this show is fine on my smartphone with Findroid, though.

37

if it showed up on the release note for the Fire OS version then it should be supported and maybe what you encountered is something else,.

Try to generate a log maybe it will come up on debugging.

Maybe it is just a matter of whitelisting your specific device model on the FireOS Plex app.

What I can tell you is that it is direct playing AV1 on my Xiaomi Stick 4k TV that is running Android TV.

The Xiaomi Stick is a stopgap device that I had to purchase since Nvidia wonā€™t release a new version of Shield TV with AV1 Hardware decoding.

I thought about buying a new Fire TV cube 3rd Gen. But I did learn my lesson when I bought the Fire TV Cube 1st Gen. Never again I will pay a premium for an Amazon device since they tend to age poorly and fast.

38

Thanks for the quick reply.

39

@hbbs I think I found an issue with the app. Iā€™m checking with the devs to confirm.

40

I tried another show now and it played. So looking like an issue with playing files for just that specific show earlier. I only have a few series in AV1 so not a lot I can test here.

41

:+1:

Please, keep us inform.

Thanks.