Server Version#: 1.25.2.5319, Plex Pass
Player Version#: NVidia Shield 2019, latest
I recently installed “plexinc/pms-docker” image on my Synology DS918+. With a new OLED and Atmos-capable sound system, I’ve been ripping my UHD discs to serve from Plex. I’m seeing issues where Direct Play is only occasionally working when using PMS from the Synology. But I have a 100% success rate of the exact same files that properly Direct Play when being served from PMS on an Nvidia Shield.
Previously, I was serving a few of these files (residing on an external USB drive) from an NVidia Shield Pro (2017) to an NVidia Shield Pro (2019) as the client (this one is connected to the new TV and sound system via eARC). This worked flawlessly and audio and video would Direct Play without issue.
With UHD rips, I obviously ran into the need for more space and wanted to store (and host) these files on the Synology. But after I installed the PMS/docker setup, some of these same files will Direct Play, and others will not. Transcode reason says it tried to play TrueHD and it couldn’t.
Here is the strange bit – if I swap to an alternative audio track and then swap back to the TrueHD audio track it will Direct Play. I can replicate this in 100% of the problematic cases. This happens to some, but not all, of my UHD rips when being served from the PMS/docker on Synology.
While troubleshooting the issue, I have now mounted the SMB file share from the Synology (for the exact same media files) to the 2017 Shield and created the library for the PMS on that Shield. I can use the 2019 Shield as the client and every single file will Direct Play perfectly (being served from the 2017 Shield, using the Synology’s SMB share).
Any thoughts on what is going on with the Synology/docker setup where it won’t always Direct Play?
You have 100% success with the Nvidia Shield app because the player is a “Thick” player. It has access to all the decoding codecs itself. It can read the file, pull it apart, then leverage everything “Shield Experience 8” gives it.
There is only one caveat. Set subtitle burning to AUTO. If you try to force it, you will cause PMS to force-burn subtitles.
If there’s no way to handle the higher codecs, Transcoding audio is trivial. I would not sweat that. I have Audio Passthrough enabled so my AVR grabs it and does what’s needed.
@ChuckPa Thanks for the quick response. Although, I have to say, you have me a bit confused.
In all instances, the Nvidia Shield is the “player”. The difference in my scenario is whether the files are being served from the synology/docker PMS or the Shield (2017) PMS. The exact same files; but different outcome from the Shield 2019 client.
I also have audio passthrough enabled, it just doesn’t seem to trigger all the time if Synology PMS is hosting the media.
That is interesting. I apologize for missing that point.
I’ll setup a PMS server on the shield and see if I can replicate your results.
It’ll be a few days until I can. Please ping me if I forget. I have to deal with a small forest fire (packaging problem) and want to get ALL the NAS boxes done before people discover it and complain
No worries, I appreciate your input and testing. I probably could have done a better job of explaining.
To be clear, I’m accessing the exact same files in both scenarios. The files themselves exist on the Synology. What is changing is my PMS server, not the client. Here are the two scenarios:
Synology/Docker PMS:
I will occasionally see the TrueHD audio transcoded
Some files will Direct Play perfectly
If I’m not seeing Direct Play, I can swap to an alternate audio track and then back to TrueHD and it will Direct Play.
I can replicate this fix 100% of the time that the issue occurs.
Nvidia Shield (2017) PMS:
The same files will always Direct Play, 100% of the time.
In both scenarios, I have a separate NVidia Shield (2019) that is the player/client. Going forward, I would prefer to only run PMS from the Synology; I only have the second PMS up right now for troubleshooting purposes.
Means analysis wasn’t done properly. If the track is compatible, it should have known it and selected it. … UNLESS you have an audio preference preset to override
