Plex transcodes movies despite selecting direct play & 'original quality' but VLC plays them direct

Hi! I have a library of movies; AVI and some MKV and MP4’s on my Macbook pro. I want to play these files without transcoding where possible. I set the quality to ‘original,’ tick ‘direct play’ in settings - but it still usually says ‘transcoding’ when I check in ‘Now playing.’

If I play the same files using VLC they all play without being transcoded. Shouldn’t Plex be able to also play them without transcoding as VLC does? Is it because I’m playing via web which limits codecs that are native? I ticked ‘direct play’ in settings, I have also ticked Local quality ‘original’, selected ‘original’ in the quality as opposed to 720 kbps or 320 kbps. I am using MyCloudPR2100 as the plex server and the Plex client is Web App on a Macbook Pro, safari (9.1.1).

Also - The settings say browsers support direct play with 'MP4 videos with h264 video & AAC audio - seems limited surely you can direct play more than that. :slight_smile:

You can only Direct Play h.264 video with 8 bit color in Plex web. No subtitles.
As soon as your video codec parameters exceed this narrow frame, transcoding will happen.
If you want to avoid transcoding you will have to either

  • convert all your video to h.264 8bit, “burn in” subtitles
  • use a client which supports direct play of other codecs and subtitles, like OpenPHT or PMP

Post the mediainfo XML of the video and I tell you why it doesn’t direct play.

Hi thanks OttoKerner,

Thats really useful! I’v got some work to do looking at my file formats. I want to use Plex where possible, but want to keep the movie quality. Hope you don’t mind me asking you a few more questions .

  • By OpenPHT you mean Plex Home Theatre and PMP you mean PlexMediaPlayer (still only via Plexpass).
  • As long as 2 are matching (h.264 8bit, “burn in” subtitles) all other variables will be ok for direct play?
  • By 8 Bit colour do you mean what appears as ‘bit depth’ in Plex info?
  • To change a video to h.264 and 8 bit color would I do that say via Hand-break? Does that mean it will get resampled (transcoded) and lose some quality?
  • Why doesn’t Plex web app just have the ability to play directly any file like VLC can (if desired)?
  • is there a way to see how ‘much’ it is being transcoded - i.e. how much quality that is lost (that maybe for another post).!
  • Are there other formats that are the same as h.264 under another name?
  • Do you think PMA and PHT could play as many file types directly as VLC.
  • Does it help if I set all the player steaming quality options to Original (see screenshot)
  • Does it help to set transcoder quality to automatic, higher quality or make my CPU hurt.! (see screenshot)
  • by ‘media info XML’ do you mean like the following link? I clicked on XML in info but just this : https://86-148-119-22.f72d20ab8a5c4a89b1750464cdc41cdb.plex.direct:28095/library/metadata/106?checkFiles=1&includeExtras=1&X-Plex-Token=DUjBYPfwjGknn2G3AtZa

I attached a screenshot of movie thats being transcoded (probably because it is MPEG4?

Thanks again!

@seangreensean said:
By OpenPHT you mean Plex Home Theatre and PMP you mean PlexMediaPlayer (still only via Plexpass).

precisely

As long as 2 are matching (h.264 8bit, “burn in” subtitles) all other variables will be ok for direct play?

yes, i Think so

By 8 Bit colour do you mean what appears as ‘bit depth’ in Plex info?

yes

To change a video to h.264 and 8 bit color would I do that say via Hand-break? Does that mean it will get resampled (transcoded) and lose some quality?

yes, but not as much as if Plex transcodes it on-the-fly

Why doesn’t Plex web app just have the ability to play directly any file like VLC can (if desired)?

Because it runs in a web browser. And web browsers are not multi-format home theatre applications.
That’s what the real HTPC apps are there for - like [see above]

is there a way to see how ‘much’ it is being transcoded - i.e. how much quality that is lost (that maybe for another post).!

Only you can be the judge. It depends highly on your screen (its size, mainly) and your eyesight.

Are there other formats that are the same as h.264 under another name?

The other moniker of h.264 is AVC. It may be embedded in different ‘containers’ though.
I’ve seen h.264 in AVI, MKV, MP4 files.
But this does not mean that every AVI, MKV or MP4 file contains video in the h.264 codec

Do you think PMA and PHT could play as many file types directly as VLC.

No. But they support enough which are used for home videos and movies.

Does it help if I set all the player steaming quality options to Original (see screenshot)

Of course it helps. But the network connection between player and plex server must be fast enough to deliver the data in the original quality. Which is no problem if you have a GBit ethernet wired network. Not so much if it is just WiFi or 3G.

Does it help to set transcoder quality to automatic, higher quality or make my CPU hurt.! (see screenshot)

It does only make a slight difference quality-wise, but a big one in cpu load. Leave it on Automatic

by ‘media info XML’ do you mean like the following link? I clicked on XML in info but just this : https://86-148-119-22.f72d20ab8a5c4a89b1750464cdc41cdb.plex.direct:28095/library/metadata/106?checkFiles=1&includeExtras=1&X-Plex-Token=DUjBYPfwjGknn2G3AtZa

I can’t see the file because that would require access to your plex server.

I attached a screenshot of movie thats being transcoded (probably because it is MPEG4?

Yep. Browsers can’t play MPEG4.

Hi thanks Amazingly helpful… Il need to work out how much transcoding Il need to do it using PHT or PMP which sounds like way forward, so il look into what formats they allow. Also I need to find out more about how to tell which of my AVI, MKV, MP4 files contain h.264 (really helpful to know!!) . Many thanks.

Once you add them into plex the mediainfo will tell you the video and audio codecs.

If you want to inspect files at the OS-level, I use this https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo
(Careful, the installer comes with an “optional” payload. Make sure to clear the right checkboxes when installing!)

Cool, thanks very much have a good evening! Didn’t see an “optional” payload it automatically installed after I payed for it.

one more thing, I cant find a way to view the transcoding or direct play status in PHT - in Plex Web app it is found under ‘now playing’ opened in a second browser window. I ind have this option in PHT do you know where I can see it please?

@seangreensean said:
one more thing, I cant find a way to view the transcoding or direct play status in PHT - in Plex Web app it is found under ‘now playing’ opened in a second browser window. I ind have this option in PHT do you know where I can see it please?

During playback, tap the i key.
In the info overlay, you’ll find the info on the lowest line, at the end.

You could also keep both Plex Web and PHT open and then after starting playback in PHT, use task switching to Plex Web and inspect the Activity there.

Thanks! Sorry what’s task switching?

@seangreensean said:
Thanks! Sorry what’s task switching?

It might be called “application switching” on the Mac.