Server Version#:1.21.2.3943
Player Version#:Apple TV 7.12 (22653)
Plex server works well on PC’s in local network. Apple TV content in the same local network is unviewable due to slow speed feed. Remote Access in Plex server s flagged “your server is signed into Plex, but is not reachable from outside your network”. Tip, it looks like your server may be connected to the internet through multiple routers… This is definately the case – but the Apple TV is in the same network router as the PC’s which work fine. How do I fix this??
Additional data 2/4/2021. After fighting with this problem for about a week, I resolved the “multiple routers” problem by connecting both the server and the Apple TV to the internet through the primary router. The server is now fully visible outside my network. At the suggestion of another user, I purchased a “Plex Pass” to enhance the ability of other family members to access my Plex Server. None of this resolved my problem – Apple TV is choppy playing Plex video content on the local network. .
Investigating further I learned that my Plex Server is “launching” video content at about 50 mbit/sec, but the Plex App on Apple TV is “consuming” data at 12 mbit/sec. That of course gives rise to buffering and choppy playback. Apparently the Apple TV Plex App forcibly shuts down the established video stream when it “chokes”. This causes the system to re-establish the stream. Hence the choppy playback.
Apparently the PC’s in my local network have no problem.
The Plex server transcodes the 1080P content using H264 and reduces the local bit stream to 13 mbit/sec. This plays fine on the Plex clients on my PCs.
So the question becomes, how does the Plex Server on my network recognize the Apple TV and appropriately adjust the speed content?
**Update 2/5 - ** I changed the topic of this inquiry since the problem is related to the transcoding of media and not the relay service. I also added Apple-TV to the topics that will show up in a search. I have the same problem with my iphone (IOS14.4). The Dashboard shows the video content being 1080p and content being “Direct Play”. The bandwidth dashboard shows peak bitrate being about 50 mbit. I think the maximum bit rate the Plex apps on IOS can handle is about 12 mbit – so the playback stutters. If I pause for awhile, playback is normal for a few seconds after restart – till the buffer empties. Then it begins to stutter again. The server Plex app is configured (Settings/Remote Access/) with a 10 mbit upload stream bit rate – but this stream is local, so the limit does not apply.
Update 2/6 So it became clear that the Plex server didn’t know the capability of the Plex clients on Apple TV or iPhone 10 and served them a bit stream related to the recorded material.
I found an option in the Plex Client playing on Apple TV called /Playback settings/quality/convert automatically. This option causes the Plex app on Apple TV to communicate with the Plex Server and reduces the bit rate from 50 mb to 13 MB. The transcoding occurs on the Plex Server. This option is accessed by “swiping down” on the remote while the file is playing.
This must be done every time the file is played. The Plex player does not remember this is needed.
A similar strategy works for the iPhone. In this case you enter the settings through the “3 dots” in the lower right side of the screen. /Playback Settings/Quality/Convert automatically
I hope this may help someone struggling with setting up Plex on a local server…
