Server Version#: 4.69.1
Player Version#: Plex for Apple TV 4K os 15.2
Plex stutter not buffer with local playback
I’m trying to start adding more 4K content to my library but I’ve hit a wall. So when I run certain files from my Plex server I get stuttering in the image every 5-10mins for a few seconds. To be clear this is delayed frame rate not buffering or pausing, it’s like the frame rate drops in half. Sometimes more sometimes less. It doesn’t effect the sound and the app doesn’t give the buffer wheel. It just stutters or jerks then will smooth back out. This only seems to be an issue with 4k videos coded in either h.264 or h265. I haven’t had it effect any dvd or blue ray files even those I have in 10bit as well. It doesn’t seem to make a difference if it’s mkv or MP4 as it occurs with both file types. And it happens in files with bitrates 15mbs or 45mbs so seems to be exclusive of bitrate. It also doesn’t affect Every 4k file just a large percentage of them. I assumed it was a Wifi issue with stability but despite switching to a wired connection it still happens. And on speed test with Apple TV wires running 1gig. And the server logs will run up to 300-400mbps initial spikes then drop back into the 30s with expected spikes into the 80s to low 100s; so doesn’t have a data bottleneck. I also tried infuse app and while the stuttering was definitely less it still occurred. Also have seen that subtitles can sometimes cause compatibility issues but this occurs with them on or off with similar frequency and across files with different subtitle file types. It’s also not file corruption as I can open the file directly on a wired Mac with VLC and the files play without errors. I’m out of ideas. Does the Apple TV 4K not buffer enough? I even saw a thread mention changing Apple TV setting to “match source” which I did but it didn’t chnage anything. I encode all my own files with handbrake. Frame-rate set to same as source and again plays fine in VLC so not intrinsic to the file. So I’m at a loss, if anyone has an idea what’s going on I’m needing something cause I can’t find any other ideas in the threads I’ve found.
NAS run off a synology 920+ with IronWolf drives in Raid 5 with 8g of memory and 1TB cache ssd. On the Plex server it says it’s running 30-40mbs on average with occasional spikes but nothing above low 100mbs and there is no correlation with spikes and stutter, if anything with the larger spikes it plays smoother for the next few mins. It’s all direct play with no transcoding on video or audio when monitored on Plex dash. The NAS never runs more then 15% utilization of memory or 10% CPU on its resource manager. So it’s not a transcoding issue. The Apple TV is brand new 4k with os 15.2. Tv is new Samsung Qled q80. Plex server is version 4.69.1
