Server Version#: 1.6.3.1009-57cf57c8 (Intel NUC NUC8i3BEK)
Player Version#: Rasplex 1.8.0 (Pi 3 B+)
Hi, I’m having problems using Plex with my (Sony VPL-HW40ES) projector. I’ve done a lot of troubleshooting and will go through it all here. The Pi can be ignored - I’m just getting Plex setup and that was just to be used as a client until I get an Nvidia Shield. It has been bypassed during trouble shooting. Testing with 1080p files ~10mbps.
In a nutshell, I have the output of the client going into a Sony STR-DN1040 receiver, with the HDMI outputs going to the TV and Projector. The TV works fine, the Projector is stuttering like crazy. I assume it’s dropping frames?
I ended up connecting the NUC directly and using it as the Plex client, first through the receiver and then to the Projector. No improvement. Checked all projector settings, nothing there (I pretty much have everything switched off anyway).
Tried playing video files using VLC Player on the NUC and they play absolutely perfectly on the projector. Definitely looks like an issue with Plex
In Plex Web look at the Dashboard. Under “Now Playing” make sure you have “Show Details” expanded. What does it show when playing an item on the TV, and then what does it show when playing on the projector? What you are looking for is if both audio and video are direct playing, direct streaming, or transcoding.
It may be that when playing to the TV it is direct play or direct stream, and then when playing to the projector it is transcoding. Plex makes this choice based on what is reported as the capabilities of the connected device for both video and audio. You could post snapshots of the “Now Playing” section if you aren’t familiar with this.
The NUC8i3BEK is showing as having an i3-8210U processor with a UHD 620 GPU. Do you have hardware transcoding enabled in Plex? When using the NUC as a client, what client were you using - web, PMP, Plex? What OS are you running? Are you using subtitles?
For the client on the NUC, I was using the Plex Desktop application. It’s Win 10 and no subtitles. I need to setup again to test and will post the pics from the Now Playing setting as requested. I’ll stick with the Pi as the client because that doesn’t seem to be making any difference?
OK, you mentioned the Now Playing section but I couldn’t find that so hopefully you meant snapshots under the Dashboard? Here are the two for comparison -
I totally forgot that hardware transcoding was Plex Pass only - sorry. Plex Pass does give you that, as well as DVR functionality. If you are not CPU constrained then in this case a Plex Pass may not help you with this specific problem.
The “Now Playing” section should appear at the top of the Dashboard above the network and wifi graphs. When something is playing I’m looking to see something like this because it provides potentially valuable info:
Make sure to click the button on the right to expand the details that show the resolution, play type, etc. If you don’t expand details, then it will look like the following and not be very useful.
Are the screen shots for network/CPU you provided both for the same video item being played on the TV, and then the Projector? The network bandwidth utilization when using the projector is approximately twice that of when the TV is connected. If you can now find them on the dashboard, can you get the “Now Playing” screenshot for TV, and another for Projector?
Let’s get the Now Playing info, but my instinct is to start with a setup as simple as possible: No Pi/Rasplex and no receiver. Just the NUC connected directly to the TV or the Projector. Get that working for both the TV and Projector. Then add back other components one at a time that may or may not be causing issues.
Thanks for the info on network connections. I had typed a question to see if anything was wifi!
Do you have Resolution Switching activated in Plex? Disable it.
Also, when powering up, do the projector first. So the player can read the supported display modes correctly.
If there is an AVR in between player and projector, unplug any secondary screen you might have connected to it for now.
Sorry for the delay. I connected the NUC directly to the PJ and ran a movie via the Web App (wasn’t sure how to grab the info if I was using the Desktop App. This is what comes up -
Looks like everything is Direct. To be honest, I could do without Transcoding - all I’m looking to do it to play direct to one device for now (replacing my Popcorn Hour) but this will probably grow to two. Will never use externally.
OK, so I did what you suggested - powered up the PJ first and then connected it to the NUC. Only then did I power up the NUC (the NUC was first up previously). Unfortunately, this didn’t fix it.
I couldn’t find the option for the Resolution Switching anywhere? Has it been renamed to something else??
One thing about the resolution, here is a comparison with how Plex looks on the PJ and on the PC desktop (both are 1080p). Perhaps this is a clue.
The Direct Stream and Direct Play look great. I thought you might be transcoding when connected to the projector, which was a problem I had with my roku/projector setup at one time.
In the Plex Player for Windows, in Settings -> Plex For Windows (on the left) -> Player, make sure “Show Advanced” is checked. Do you have “Use Hardware Decoding” enabled? It says to turn it off if you have “unexpected playback problems”. I’d say this qualifies to give it a shot. Apologies if this again is a Plex Pass only feature - documentation I could find was specific to the server side.
No doubt Plex is streaming 1080p from the Now Playing info, but that projector picture looks to my eye to be scaled or resolution different as you say. Even the MS Windows components/graphics look like they are taking proportionally more real estate. If you go to your Windows desktop, right click, and select “Display Settings” what is the “Display Resolution” that Windows is reporting when connected to your projector, and then when displaying on your TV where it is ok? Is “Scale and Layout” different? Does your projector menu have any scaling/resolution options that may be set?
Tried that, doesn’t make any difference unfortunately
So that’s the Desktop Player, Plex Media player, Chrome browser and RasPlex device all giving the same problem. Testing with the NUC and Rasplex directly connected to the PJ and the PJ fully up and running before connecting to the NUC or RasPlex.
Just to confirm, this all works perfectly with the existing Popcorn Hour connected to the PJ and on the NUC, the videos play perfectly with VLC player.
I found the problem causing that issue. For some reason, Windows sets the Scale & Layout to 150%. Setting it to 100% gives the Player a perfect layout.
Glad the scaling was helpful. Yay…I guess… we solved a non-critical problem. You are right, the client decode setting shouldn’t do anything since you aren’t transcoding, but I thought it worth a try since we don’t get to see all of the coding behind those checkboxes.
Does it have the problem on the projector if you start the playback in Plex Media Player, and then switch the resolution down to 720p? I’m not suggesting this as a solution since it will force PMS to transcode - just a test case.
Possibly it is time to post logs to see if there is anything there… both Plex Media Player Client and Plex Media Server? Make sure for the server that you have verbose logging off and debug logging on. If you can also post the date/times for a successful play (TV) and a problem play (on the Projector) it helps narrow down where to look in the logs. Please play the same media for both test cases.
Ok, so I think I have this resolved. It’s a bit bizarre and I still don’t get how it didn’t affect the Popcorn Hour (for years!) and also VLC player on the NUC, only Rasplex on the Pi and Plex on the NUC.
Anyway, root cause appears to be a random setting on the projector. It has a load of settings but everything was pretty much switched off. There is a setting called Film Mode and playing with this seems to have worked. Page 34 here - https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4534/45347611M.pdf
Will be watching plenty of movies this weekend but fingers crossed that it looks good so far. I’m delighted because I loved Plex from the get-go.
Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions, I really appreciate your help
button on the right to expand the details that show the resolution, play type, etc. If you don’t expand details, then it will look like the following and not be very useful.
