Plex 4k content

[pmaroun]

Server Version#: nvidia shield pro
Player Version#: nvidia shield pro
Nvidia Shield has an 128gb drive used for storage
Synology 1520 NAS
Everything is wired directly to the Asus AC5300 router (no wifi)
1080p TV playing through an older 5.1 Onkyo Receiver.
PlexPass Subscriber

This is my first post. I am a long time user of Plexx–but I am not what I would consider a power user.

I have some 4k content and some of it plays fine (direct stream). However, some of it is being transcoded and causes the player to stop / crash / pause.

Some guidance on how I should approach this?

• Should I avoid 4k content? If so–which content would be suitable (as some of the 4k is fine)
• What determines the requirement for the server to transcode? Would upgrading my receiver and/or TV fix the issue?
• I was under the assumption that the Nvidia Shield Pro could handle 4k. Is there any settings / tweaks I could make to improve the situation?

Thanks!

[tom80H]

4K content can put your setup to a test. With high-quality / high-bitrate files you can put some network components to their limit – in your case the Nvidia Shield has a 1 Gbps port which is fast enough… you’ll need to verify the other parts of your setup have a similarly fast connection.

When it comes to troubleshooting why some of the files don’t play ok you should first look at the server’s now-playing dashboard – specifically check if any tracks are being transcoded.

https://support.plex.tv/articles/200871837-status-and-dashboard/

There’s an extensive thread in the tips & tricks section about how best to deal with 4K material.

[INFO] Plex, 4k, transcoding, and you - aka the rules of 4k

NOTE: for 2022 – Plex has come a long way since this FAQ was originally written, HW transcoding has become more available and more stable, and tone mapping was recently added to address the hdr/sdr color conversion issues. The first 4 ‘rules’ generally are no longer as important as they once were, but may still be a good thing to bear in mind. Dolby Vision, is an entirely other mess. THIS thread/FAQ is NOT about DV. DV work is still in progress, and there are no perfect TV’s or external devic…

[pmaroun]

Yes, the ones having problems playing are being transcoded… hence, I am wondering what triggers the transcoding for some 4k content but not others.

[TeknoJunky]

@pmaroun

1080p TV playing through an older 5.1 Onkyo Receiver.

if you don’t have a 4k tv, and a 4k compatible receiver, then things will get transcoded.

enabling subtitles can also cause unnecessary transcoding in conjunction when the audio is being transcoded.

I believe the shield will automatically downscale 4k to 1080 for the video, but if you want to avoid audio transcoding, you either need a new receiver, or disable pass through so that the shield will decode to PCM and pass that to your receiver.

in general, all the answers are in the thread tom linked.

you may need to read and re-read the whole thread multiple times to fully understand.

4k is not simple, or just plug and play, even with a shield.