Plex low quality transcodes

Plex Media Server
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1

Server Version#:1.42.2.10156
Player Version#: multiple it seems (Roku mostly) - 8.6.9.10646-4939bd20e-Plex

I’ve been trying to find something to help with my issue but so far nothing has helped. I tried custom profile for roku (7). but still the remote user keeps getting forced to transcode. There are times that it’s legit, and when that happens they APPEAR to get a decent transcode, still HD. But most of the time they are getting forced to transcoded 480p content. I even “tricked” plex into thinking they were local and same issue.

The remote client is set to local quality Original

Quality suggestion is checked

Maximum remote quality is unlimited

Direct play auto.

I know I wasn’t supposed to turn on verbose, I had hoped I might see something which of course I didn’t. I’m not set back to debug logging only.

On the server remote streams allowed is unlimited.

transcoder I even changed to make my cpu hurt (I do have a gpu).

I’ve tried the hvec settings on and off. Still having the same issue though.

I’m fine with them transcoding if their player actually needs it. But the remote user can manually change to direct play and it works just fine. They can also adjust quality to 1080 and it will transcode and play just fine. I really want to figure out why this keeps happening.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Plex Media Server Logs_2025-10-20_18-15-23.zip (3.1 MB)

2

Forcing the roku to direct stream WORKS which is even more frustrating as it feels like the source files aren’t the issue but I want to try SOMETHING. Attached are a new copy of the logs file. There has been more usage.

Plex Media Server Logs_2025-10-21_13-59-42.zip (3.7 MB)

3

My issue is actually the same one in this older post. Can’t believe there’s no server side fix for this!

4

Incase this is helpful for anyone else I’ve got the attached replacement profile for Roku-7.x. Was built by Perplexity.AI. So far it’s allowed all my roku’s (3 inside network and 3 outside) to direct stream content that is ACTUALLY supposed to direct stream but plex isn’t able to “understand”… Maybe this will help others.

Roku-7.x.tar (4.5 KB)