PS4 Plex client getting even worse

The PS4 Plex client has been iffy for me since the start, mainly with occasional buffering issues. However, it has degraded to the point that around half of videos I try to play are unwatchable because of buffering issues (play for a few seconds, the “…” on screen while it pauses, plays for a few seconds, ad infinitum). The same files play mostly OK using the PS4 media player (I’d say 95%), and all play using the DLNA client on my Sony BluRay player. The server is a Mac running the latest available, and CPU usage is always low. Everything plays fine using the web client and iPad client.

What is the status with PS4 development? Are you aware of how bad things have become? Are you working to improve the PS4 client?

Sorry for the rant, but the rest of my family want rid of Plex as it is so problematic. I keep telling them it will be fixed, but things are getting even worse :frowning: Help!

Have you tried it connected wired?

Your WIFI might not be powerful enough.

I have issues with 1080p files over wifi on iOS app with buffering, but rest seams fine.

It’s wired to the server via a 100mbit switch, and I can successfully stream the same movies from pms via Dlna to other devices on the same switch, or even to Sony media player on the same device. It can only be the plex app.

What is the status with PS4 development? Are you aware of how bad things have become? Are you working to improve the PS4 client?

We’re definitely working to make the client better. But, I’m curious, things have honestly degraded? The play>bufffer>play has definitely got to be frustrating.

What is your selected Local Quality?

What sort of video files are you playing? How high bitrate are they?

Not OP, but most of my films play at about 8.4mbps. Both the PS4 and NAS are connected via Ethernet on a gigabit switch. All my stuff plays over direct play.

I’m getting huge buffering issues. The PS4 media player plays video with AC3 great, but I really want Plex.

I get a couple seconds in then it starts buffering. This only happens with 8gb+ 1080p films.

I’m also noticing buffering if you skip back or forward. The PS4 media player doesn’t have these problems.

I’ve heard that the PS4 Plex app runs over a faux remote connection? Is that true? Is it a system limitation of the PS4?

Maybe it would be better to encode the PS4 app to play video using the media player framework and transcode the audio if necessary. I don’t really know what I’m talking about though.

good evening (excuse my english) I bought 5 Euros one month this app Plex thinking they can see the film in streaming (IPTV .m3u) but honestly I am very disappointed, very simple app but you can not upload your own playlist .m3u. If anyone can help me understand how to use file .m3u, thanks. (this app will not recommend to anyone)

I forgot, I bought this app for playstation 4

@Marchissimo I’m not familiar with the functionality you’re trying to achieve. Regardless please post in a new thread so we can stay on topic. Thanks!

@SamBroomby said:
Not OP, but most of my films play at about 8.4mbps. Both the PS4 and NAS are connected via Ethernet on a gigabit switch. All my stuff plays over direct play.

I’m getting huge buffering issues. The PS4 media player plays video with AC3 great, but I really want Plex.

Consistent buffering issues while direct playing 8.4Mbps videos on the PS4? That’s pretty lame for sure. Is there any chance your server has multiple network interfaces? Are we possibly connecting to a wireless interface vs the wired one?

If you want are interesting in creating / sharing some sample files for the videos which buffer while direct playing; I’m interested in checking them out. Make the sample (don’t including “sample” in the file name, our scanner will ignore a sample file under 300MB), try to reproduce. If the buffering reproduces the please post the file to DropBox or Google Drive and PM me the link and reference to this thread. Lots of steps but thanks for the help if you’re available.

I’ve heard that the PS4 Plex app runs over a faux remote connection? Is that true? Is it a system limitation of the PS4?

No, not true. We’ll connect to any available local IP.

Maybe it would be better to encode the PS4 app to play video using the media player framework and transcode the audio if necessary. I don’t really know what I’m talking about though.

That would be a dream come true for me. The PS4 Media Player doesn’t allow seeking in TS files or during Direct Streaming or Transcoding but it direct plays many files so nicely. I’d love if that was an option for us.

A bit more information for you. I was watching a video that had buffering issues during a scene with a lot of fast-changing visuals. I changed the PS4 settings from local: 8MBps 1080p (recommended) to 4MBps 720p, and it played, albeit with a small amount of pixelation during the same scene. Here is the info from PMS:-
Media

Video Resolution 1080p
Duration 1:41:12
Bitrate 4328 kbps
Width 1912
Height 792
Aspect Ratio 2.35
Container MP4
Video Frame Rate 24p
Web Optimized No
Has 64bit Offsets 1
Part

Duration 1:41:12
File qwerty.m4v
Size 3.06 GB
Container MP4
Has 64bit Offsets 1
Has Chapter Text Stream 1
Indexes sd
Web Optimized No
Video

Codec H264
Bitrate 3767 kbps
Language English
Bit Depth 8
CABAC 1
Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0
Color Space yuv
Duration 1:41:11
Frame Rate 23.976 fps
Frame Rate Mode vfr
Has Scaling Matrix 0
Height 792
Level 4.0
Profile high
Ref Frames 5
Scan Type progressive
Stream Identifier 1
Width 1912
Audio

Codec AAC
Channels Stereo
Bitrate 164 kbps
Language English
Bitrate Mode VBR
Duration 1:41:12
Profile lc
Sampling Rate 48000 Hz
Stream Identifier 3
Audio

Codec AC3
Channels 5.1
Bitrate 384 kbps
Language English
Bit Depth 16
Bitrate Mode CBR
Dialog Norm -27 dB
Duration 1:41:12
Sampling Rate 48000 Hz
Stream Identifier 4
Subtitles

Codec TX3G
Language English
Format TX3G
Stream Identifier 5
View XML

My network setup is

PS4->1GB switch #1->1GB switch #2->Mac running PMS

The PS4 and switch #1 are in the living room (there are other devices connected to the switch) and switch #2 is in my office with the Mac connected, The media is stored on a Synology DS414 which is also connected to switch #2. Everything is wired.

Next I will find a long network cable and try connecting the PS4 directly into switch #2, to at least eliminate one switch and cable.

Thanks for offering to look into this.

I will try playing back some other videos that would buffer on the 4MB setting and see how they go.

Setting local playback to 4MB 720p hasn’t solved things. The following is constantly buffering, every few seconds.

Media

Video Resolution 720p
Duration 42:11
Bitrate 4311 kbps
Width 1280
Height 720
Aspect Ratio 1.78
Container MKV
Video Frame Rate 24p
Part

Duration 42:11
File xyz.mkv
Size 1.27 GB
Container MKV
Indexes sd
Video

Codec H264
Bitrate 3841 kbps
Language English
Bit Depth 8
CABAC 0
Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0
Color Space yuv
Duration 42:11
Frame Rate 23.976 fps
Frame Rate Mode cfr
Has Scaling Matrix 0
Height 720
Level 3.1
Profile high
Ref Frames 2
Scan Type progressive
Width 1280
Audio

Codec AC3
Channels 5.1
Bitrate 384 kbps
Language English
Audio Channel Layout 5.1(side)
Bit Depth 16
Bitrate Mode CBR
Dialog Norm -27 dB
Duration 42:11
Sampling Rate 48000 Hz
Subtitles

Codec SRT
Language English
Format SRT
Title CC
View XML

Definitely getting worse. AAC 2.0 channel seems to be transcoded for the PS4 app instead of direct streaming it. Turn off direct stream/play and the movie plays and the server transcodes… mp4 file with H.264 and AAC 2.0… that should be direct stream no problem… IOS app plays it no issues … See my post… Play/Pause button flashes. Never happened before… something in the last 2 or 3 updates. Video quality seems worse as well …

I have had ZERO issues with the PS4 app, recently. I USED to have issues, but it was actually the SERVER side. Had it running on a desktop that was having issues. Bought a dedicated server, no issues since then.

Last week, my wife and I watched The Island (2005) on the PS4. Not a single buffer, or pause or anything. I have both the PS4 and the server wired to a 1 Gig 24 port switch, both confirmed running at 1 gig. Server is 10 feet off switch, PS4 cable is ~50 feet give or take a few. The only modification I have made to my PS4 is a hard drive. I upgraded the 500 Gig drive (was filled) to a 2TB drive, internally, no issues.

File info:
The Island (2005)
Size: 40.04 Gig
Container: MKV
Video Codec: H264
Bitrate: 40,618 kbps
Audio Code: DCA
Bitrate: 1,536 Kbps

PS4 settings:
Video - 20 Mbps 1080P
Direct Play enabled
Direct Stream enabled

@SamBroomby said: I’ve heard that the PS4 Plex app runs over a faux remote connection? Is that true? Is it a system limitation of the PS4?

@mattseeley said: No, not true. We’ll connect to any available local IP.

I use my PS4 ALOT while at home, as does my wife for her shows, and any movies for the kids. While the Plex App on PS4 MAY run directly to a local server, there is a HUGE flaw (in my opinion) in the app itself. This flaw became apparent to me this weekend when our internet service was down all day. In order to use the Plex App on PS4, you MUST be signed into your PS account. I am curious if this is a requirement from the Plex team, or the PS team…?

I’m sorry, I was not happy about this software “plex” for Play Station 4, my interest is to see IPTV .TS file, or list .m3u for video streaming, I thought that I could see with plex, but I can not see, I’m sorry Hello everyone and thanks

I use my PS4 ALOT while at home, as does my wife for her shows, and any movies for the kids. While the Plex App on PS4 MAY run directly to a local server, there is a HUGE flaw (in my opinion) in the app itself. This flaw became apparent to me this weekend when our internet service was down all day. In order to use the Plex App on PS4, you MUST be signed into your PS account. I am curious if this is a requirement from the Plex team, or the PS team…?

I also feel your pain. Same on PS3. Pretty sure it’s a requirement from SONY. There’d be no value for PLEX making it a requirement of their app. For this and soooo many other reasons, planning a HTPC build.

Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on this, moderators.

My ps4 plex app works great. If im having trouble playing a video on my firetv with plex, it usually plays just fine on the ps4.

The big problem with that player is also how the PS4 handle subtitles…They have to be transcoded from the server…it is complicate when you a have server which is not capable of transcoding (only direct play)…

@NighthawkBNE said:

I also feel your pain. Same on PS3. Pretty sure it’s a requirement from SONY. There’d be no value for PLEX making it a requirement of their app. For this and soooo many other reasons, planning a HTPC build.
Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on this, moderators.

Same thing with Xbox One. I think it’s more that this requires Plex Pass because the console apps are in beta. The requirement might not exist once they go ‘gold’ per se.>

We’re currently required to connect to PSN at every launch. Yeah, trouble when PSN is down.

The latest platform updates suggest that some PSN regions have relaxed this requirement. We’ll look into relax it as much as we’re allowed in our next PSN update.

Hi,

I’ve been experiencing the same issue for about a month now. I borrowed my friends Roku 3 and found no buffering issues there while using the same bitrate. I’ve tried with direct play enabled and disabled with the same result (on the PS4).

SM

Have a reference at this article:


You can better configure your computer CPU for fixing the video buffering issues.