Possibility to change temporary transcode folder on Shield

Hey there,

i just installed a SanDisk micro SD as internal storage on my shield and set the temp transcode folder to /internal/SanDisk/ (thats the path to the microSD). Even after a reboot i can’t see Plex using this folder as the transcode folder…

I would like to outsource the temp transcode folder to a microSD card as i only have the 16GB version of the shield and would like to sync movies to my iPhone/iPad… transcoding large files that are well over 16GB themselves is only possible if i can use a microSD (that is formatted as internal storage) as the destination for transcoded material…

Isn’t this possible? I looked through the Shield Community and the Plex Forums and only found the issue that you cannot move the metadata folder as of yet…

One more thing: In case i get the transcode temp folder to be on my microSD, will this microSD be used as the final storage for the transcoded material or will i still get an error message as the PMS will only use the microSD as a “temp” folder while transcoding and afterwards try to add it to the (not available) internal storage afterwards?

Thank you! :slight_smile:

Hi @“André.Je”,

I don’t have a 16GB Version, but I could use “/sdcard/Plex Media Server/transcode/” as place for the transcoding files. I have a PRO without any USB or SD-Cards attached.

And to your second point: The files are only temporary in this folder.

Hope this may help you :slight_smile:

Hey @AndyMcSchopf

so if the transcoded files are only temporarily on my microSD then there is no chance to get syncing to work with a 16GB Shield in any way, right?

Hey @“André.Je”,
to get you right, are you talking about the “optimized version” feature (Transcoding for eg. “Optimized for TV”), or the realtime transcoding?

Hey @AndyMcSchopf

a right I mistook the temp transcoding folder with the optimize feature :slight_smile: Then again it’s not about the auto optimization but rather the manual syncing from inside the iOS or android App to take movies with me on plane travels. This (and the optimize feature then I guess) won’t work on any 16GB shield when the movie is larger than 10-16gb, right?

Well I think that might be a problem… :wink:
But I don’t really know.

The transcoding folder can be set on an external storage device. It’s the metadata that can’t be stored there, yet.

Yet syncing files to iOS devices does not seem to work. Should it work already?

How do you find out what the folder path has to be? Why is there no selection option for the field, makes it very hard to work out unless you just “know” the path structure.

Plex server on my 16GB Shield can only stream movies to my ATV4 but not to my PC. the shield internal 16GB storage has only 4GB available.

after using Cosair 128GB USB 3 drive as internal storage for my Shield, it can stream any movies to both ATV and PC. I tested streaming 5 movies at the same time without any issue. Folder cache\Transcode\Sessions from internal storage increased from 2.5GB to 12GB during these 5 movie playback.

this transcode folder is automatically pointed to my USB drive after adapting it as internal storage. no need to set the path.

@KnightNZ said:
How do you find out what the folder path has to be? Why is there no selection option for the field, makes it very hard to work out unless you just “know” the path structure.

Same question here! - How do I know what to set this to? And do I format the USB as expandable or internal?

I’ve found while you can change the realtime transcode directory to imported/external storage, the sync to device is locked to the system storage. I’ve run into the issue in the past where I can’t sync larger files as the sync transcode takes up too much space.

As for setting the realtime transcode folder without a browser, I found the easiest way to do it is use the add a library feature to get the folder structure required, then copy and paste that into the transcode setting.

Setting the storage to removable or adopted is down to individual use case. If the device is never leaving the system and is a decent speed then go adoptable, if you move it back and forth between the Shield and a PcC (for example), then keep it as removable.

I use this directory “/sdcard/Plex Media Server/Transcode/”, Its pointed to my SSD adoptive storage inside the Plex Media Server folder that’s created by default when PMS is setup on the Shield. Open your Plex PMS in a browser, Then go to “Setting/Server/Transcoder” & add “/sdcard/Plex Media Server/Transcode/” to “Transcoder temporary directory” & hit save.

setup transcoder to usb disk directory

but still fail to transcode… any body can advice ?

019 00:58:36.924 [13335] Warning — Low disk space: 10.54GB source file, 11.05GB capacity, 6.64GB available on “/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.plexapp.mediaserver.smb/cache/Transcode/Sync+/31286086/55”
Feb 24, 2019 00:58:36.926 [13335] Debug — BPQ: setOverrideState for generator 47: failed/diskFull

The Shield TV can only write to its own folder created on the external USB device. Should be named something like NVIDIA_SHIELD. Point the transcoder to that folder on your USB.

same issue with NVIDIA_SHIELD…


Add a / to the end of NVIDIA_SHIELD/

/storage/5C5E-A52D/NVIDIA_SHIELD/

nothing changed… :frowning:
may need to change something else?

Try restarting the shield/PMS to make sure the changes take affect? I know it works because Ive done so myself. After a restart, Try again & see if anything is created inside that folder. Monitor that folder while trying to transcode.

If nothing is created, Make sure the USB ID is correct. You have listed 5C5E-A52D. I know mine was alot longer than that, Like 12-16 characters.

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does not help :frowning: the directory is correct - i see it from interface of adding movies