Raspberry Pi Plex Server - Transcoding question

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1

Hi all,
So I’d like to build a small Plex server using a Raspberry Pi 2, that I can stream content from, to my new Apple TV, iPad and PS4.
From what I understand, the area where the Pi doesn’t perform so well is Transcoding. How important is this? All my library is made up of 720p and 1080p .mp4 files. I don’t have any .mkv or other file types. Would transcoding be required for that to stream/play correctly?
Secondly, I also stream a lot of content from a source, to Plex, via a plugin. This content is also all .mp4. Again, is any transcoding required for that to playback correctly, across my devices?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Rak

2

If you stick with MP4 content running PMS on an RPi2 shouldn’t be an issue, unless you have subtitles that need burning in, i.e. not external subs as it will need to transcode for that.

I use PMS on an RPi2 for mobile use serving Rasplex and iOS clients with both 1080 and 720 content stored on a USB attached SSD drive.

Remixing audio tracks isn’t a problem if needed.

See the how-to on installing PMS on an RPi in this forum section.

Regards

3

Thanks for that Ned, that’s great news!
Does this also apply for the content I stream from the 3rd party host, to PMS, and onto iOS devices?

Also, assuming I’m away from home, when I stream content via the 3rd party host, does that content also use my home internet bandwidth, or is a direct connection established between in iPad and the host?

Thanks so much for your help.

4

@NedtheNerd said:
If you stick with MP4 content running PMS on an RPi2 shouldn’t be an issue, unless you have subtitles that need burning in, i.e. not external subs as it will need to transcode for that.

I use PMS on an RPi2 for mobile use serving Rasplex and iOS clients with both 1080 and 720 content stored on a USB attached SSD drive.

Remixing audio tracks isn’t a problem if needed.

See the how-to on installing PMS on an RPi in this forum section.

Regards

When you say remixing audio, does that mean I could use a pi2 plex server with mp4s with ac3 transcoding audio to aac for iphones, ipads etc, curious as I am looking to build a mobile plex server with a portable wifi hotspot and 2gb 2.5" hdd

5

Sorry, autocorrect playing up, should have said remuxing.

Regards