Plex HTPC on Linux vs Windows

[RuleZero]

Hello, I am using Windows 11 for a Plex HTPC, and have some annoying bugs that I can’t fix. The two main ones are the intermittent loss of audio when skipping back and forward through video, and a black screen after an HDR video stops, and the system auto switches back to SDR.

I can usually recover if I switch the AVR to a different input and then switch it back. But, the issues are not present at all in Kodi, so difficult to know if it is software or hardware.

I was thinking of trying to replace Windows 11 with Linux, to see if that would improve things. I have never used Linux before so it will be an adventure, but I just want to check that Linux will do everything I need it to do, mainly, auto HDR switching, and HD audio, and auto refresh rate changing. I have an Intel Arc A380 GPU in the system.

Also, which version of Linux for an absolute beginner - Ubuntu desktop?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

[Mitzsch]

@RuleZero

The two main ones are the intermittent loss of audio when skipping back and forward through video

Is this with a specific audio codec and passthrough enabled?

@RuleZero

Linux will do everything I need it to do, mainly, auto HDR switching, and HD audio, and auto refresh rate changing.

auto HDR switching: no, not supported
HD audio: yes, supported with alsa - however relies on a working hda_intel kernel driver for your GPU
auto refresh rate changing: yes, with “native” x11 desktop (not wayland or x11 on wayland)

For absolute beginners, use Ubuntu Desktop, it’s pretty straightforward to install and use.

For the ultimate HTPC experience, use Windows 11 with an NVIDIA GPU - it works flawlessly.

[HDR Metadata Passthrough] - Plex HTPC for Windows

True HDR Metadata passthrough with Plex HTPC on Windows (For problems with Windows 11 24H2 and HDR switching scroll down to the end of this post) Here I just want to write a small guide on how to achieve a true HDR experience with Plex HTPC, now that it´s released and the main Plex HTPC thread is closed. Please read until the end and also keep in mind true metadata passthrough is in an experimental (but working very well…) state as of 05/2024! You may ask why? Didn’t Plex just recently gain…

[RuleZero]

Hi, thanks for the response.

The intermittent loss of audio when skipping through video is with passthrough enabled and seems to mainly be Dolby Digital Plus. But has occurred with other audio.

The lack of HDR support in Linux is a deal breaker, so that is out for the Plex HTPC, I might try it on the server though.

I switched out my Nvidia card for the Intel one as I was having other problems with the Nvidia, random dropouts of audio, not due to skipping, just whilst watching video, the audio would drop out for a second or two, then come back. At least that doesn’t happen with the Intel card.

I have ordered an EDID emulator, as run out of other things to try.

[Mitzsch]

@RuleZero

mainly be Dolby Digital Plus. But has occurred with other audio.

Okay, in case of truehd, you might want to look at a modified mpv build => Dolby TrueHD passthrough - modified mpv build

plex htpc on linux has hdr support but only in the form of hdr to sdr tonemapping…

Have you tried setting the power value of your Nvidia card to “maximum power”? Users have stated that after doing this, the audio dropouts vanished…

[RuleZero]

Hi, I have tried the modified build and unfortunately it didn’t help with the issue.

I sold my Nvidia card when I got the Intel Arc 380, I didn’t know about this setting then!

[RuleZero]

I have an update on this, it may help anyone else having similar issues.

I have switched to connecting my GPU to my AVR via a Display Port 1.4 to HDMI adapter, rather than via the GPU’s HDMI port, and so far, it is working perfectly. I am also able to output 4K / 50hz / 10 bit / RGB this way, whereas with the HDMI port I was only able to achieve 4k / 50hz / 10 bit / 4:2:2.