Server Version#: 1.40.3.8555
Player Version#: latest available on samsung tv store
Hi. i have this problem with transcoding video files. My Plex server runs on machine with i7-3930K and Intel Arc A380 graphic and on SSD. I have really old videos in XVID codec which my Samsung TV cannot play directly because of the lack of XVID codec support from Samsung on newer TV’s. I was hoping that the Plex would transcode it to codec that would be playable on my TV which it does but the video is pixelated as hell. Original video looks good. Well it’s 719 kb/s 512x384 source but when played on PC it’s ok and watchable. When it goes through Plex transcode only difference you can tell are the colors, but it makes it looks like Minecraft… The devices are on the same local network, it doesn’t go through Plex relay or something and the dashboard says its direct play. The live transcode of unsupported video codecs is just horrible. I have set it up like this:
On TV I have set up the maximum quality and everything. Still the Plex transcoder goes poorly.. I’ve also tried to optimize the videos. So it would be converted into playable codec for the TV. Same result. The converted videos are still pure Minecraft… I have to manually convert all of them via Handbrake and that is somenthing I really don’t want to do because there is 200+ of them… What am I missing? What have I set up wrong? I’m really lost here…
Yep, very limited options with something like that…I would just do a batch handbrake, let it go overnight. It’ll only take you a few minutes to setup, no big deal.
Not a solution that I like. I’ve paid for lifetime Plex pass in belief that it would solve all of my problems with video compatability etc. If I have to manually do everything via Handbrake I could stayed on Kodi for free… Also source material is not the problem… I have also source material like this:
And after Plex optimalization/transcoding it looks like Minecraft too… So there must be something wrong with Plex itself or in my settings.
The Plex just totally ignores what settings I make… I’ve picked general optimized for TV, original quality and even my own and chose the bitrate manually, every output is 200kb/s bitrate and it makes the movies/shows unwatchable…
I’m just clarifying since you think this has something to do with Plex features “I’ve paid for lifetime Plex pass in belief that it would solve all of my problems with video compatibility etc.” - it doesn’t. Sorry I can’t point you in another direction, I’ve never encountered that issue on any files.
These are my settings on a relatively low power Celeron for reference and everything I throw at it is perfect. BUT my transcodes are all from remux 4k files down to 1080p and such. I don’t use anything low quality.
Disable hardware accelerated transcoding.
The CPU can handle the transcode.
Play the movie using Plex Web on a PC. Do not enable subtitles.
This will force a video transcode, since browsers (Chrome, anyway) do not support VC-1 video.
Monitor playback using Plex Dashboard → Now Playing + Expanded View.
It should show software transcoding (no (hw)).
Is the stream local, remote, or indirect?
How does the video look?
If the video still looks bad, please pull the server log files (settings → troubleshooting), and upload the zip file to the thread.
Looks good now… So it’s the HW acceleration… but why? I bought the A380 card especially for this purpouse when multiple streams needs to be transcoded. Now when I play the one 1080p in VC-1 the CPU goes to like 90% usage and rest of the server is unusable… But now I can at least debug someting specific. Thanks a lot! You are really ninja
I’m not sure how well the A380 is supported by Plex. There could also be issues with the Intel drivers.
I loaded Plex Media Server on my old desktop, 4790K CPU & Nvidia 750 Ti. It transcoded VC1 video fine using the CPU, the HD4600 graphics in the 4790K, and with the 750 Ti. My main Plex server is a i5-10500T running Ubuntu. It has no problem transcoding VC1 video with either the CPU or UHD 630 graphics.
I don’t have an ARC card, so no way to replicate your setup. Only suggestions are rather generic: (a) make sure the Intel drivers are up to date; and (b) make sure you’re running the 64-bit version of Plex Media Server (it will be installed in c:\program files, not c:\program files (x86). If you happen to be on the 32-bit version, download the 64-bit version from plex.tv. The installer will uninstall the 32-bit version first. It updates the binaries, the plex data folder and media are not touched.
Hopefully someone with an ARC card can assist with troubleshooting.
