Server Version#: 1.18.4.2171 (running on Windows 10)
Player Version#: 2.012 (Samsung TV App player)
The Samsung TV is a UE55JS8500 model from 2017.
If I put sample 4K content on a USB stick and plug the USB into the TV, the content plays the 4K HDR content fine, no problem at all.
However, when I play same 4K content through Plex Server an App, the playback resolution is reduced to 1080p.
During the 1080p playback, I can see the Plex Server status says it is transcodng from 4K to 1080p.
The workaround is to change the playback mode on the Samsung Plex Player from AUTO to Direct Play. Then it plays fine at 4K.
Another interesting note is that when forcing Direct Play, the Plex Server status says it is idle with nothing playing. Is that not odd?
Q1. Why does AUTO in the Plex Player not choose Direct Play automatically?
Q2. Why does the Plex Server not see Direct Play as activity?
Q3. Is this a bug in the Plex Server or the Samsung Plex player or both?
A1-A3: There is no DirectPlayProfiles for x265/h265 in the Samsung profile (Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Profiles/Samsung.xml). I assume the Plex for Smarthub client does not notify the Server regarding nativly supported codecs and the Samsung profile is used instead.
I observed the same on my JS8000: 4K playback only works if “direct play” is explicitly selected.
Btw. this is not a Tizen-App, it is build for the previous plattform (I don’t remember the name). The application is EOL and will receive no updates. You might want to look out for a new client platform - which is a pitty, because the video quality is by far supperior to most clients.
Also, you might want to remove the “samsung-tizen” tag and replace it with “samsung-smart-hub”.
Thanks for that info. I assumed all Samsung TVs were “Tizen” - thanks for the correction. It looks to be called “Samsung Smart Hub”.
I’ve searched more about this and it seems the Plex player is developed by a 3rd party person on this very site (Orca).
When you say to “look out for a new client platform” do you mean this TV obsolete now? I got rid of the media PC under the TV a few years ago when I got this TV and found the native TV apps were just as good if not better. It would be a shame to have to go back to a media PC connected with HDMI again in order to run a new client platform.
Unless there is a custom firmware/software for Samsung that restores full 4K functionality for Plex?
My next TV will definitely NOT be a Samsung with their shockingly poor software support time frame window. I can see why they do it to get you to buy a new TV every 2-3 years but it shouldn’t be allowed.
The 3rd party player by Orca is no longer in development as that individual has stepped aside due to health reasons (last I read).
Smart TVs are anything but smart. Avoid them like the plague. Apps are crap, and support and updates are hit or miss, mostly miss. You are far better off using a streaming device, be it computer, dedicated streamer, etc. You can replace those without needing to throw out your entire TV.
Your next TV should just be a TV, ignore the sales pitches for the latest and greatest SMART TV, for any brand. Get the TV, then get the streamer separately, and replace that as needed.
Honestly, until I hit this 4K issue with the Plex app, the built-in apps were actually impressive. The TV remote control has a pointer like the wii and the main apps used like netflix, youtube, tunein and plex were fast and great quality.
When I had the old PC media box I used to have a keyboard/mouse device but I much prefer the TV remote / pointer on the samung.
It sounds like I’ll have to research now to get something new and use the TV as just a screen.
Unless… Can I edit the Plex Server “Profiles/Samsung.xml” file to somehow tell it the TV supports 4K?
I deleted the following files on the server and rebooted:
all in the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Plex\Plex Media Server\Resources\Profiles\
Samsung SmartTV.xml
Samsung Tizen.xml
and
Samsung.xml
Next, in the Plex Player, I drilled down to:
preferences - player - playback mode and I changed from AUTO to DIRECT PLAY.
Now all the 4k videos are playing fine with sound and they are popping up as playing on the server status now too.
I haven’t done too much testing but so far all is working perfect including with subtitles.
I always thought this was an official Plex Player app. Reading up more about Orca and the wonderful work he/she did with this app I am very sorry to hear of their health problems.
I am quite sure you would have had the same result without deleting the profiles
Good thing is the (old) Samsung platform has a wide range of supported media codecs, thus allowing the Smarthub client to playback almost everything you throw at it!
Eventualy breaking changes on the Server side will break features in the Smarthub client. I am just saying that you better be prepared for that moment.
With an Amazon FireTV attached to the UE8000 using the official Plex client, I notice micro stuttering (it feels like some frames are skiped) and that the colors are not as vibrant as they are with the SmartHub client.
I think it is also safe to say that the SmartHub client is the player with the best 3D support. When 3D movies where still a thing, I used to play H-SBS mkv’s and self muxed 3D MVC m2ts files. Worked like a charm. Of course the TV automaticly switched into 3D mode.
The Smarthub client is what actualy made me buy 4 Samsung TVs (1x C, 2x F, 1x JS) and making friends and family buy them as well…
