Server Version#: 1.23.1.4528
Player Version#: 1.31.1.2262-74fdc6b7
When trying to transcode media remotely from my plex server over cellular on ios/iPhone the transcodes are limited to 720p/2mbit. Quality set to max on iOS. No limits over cellular set.
Plex iOS version is 7.17.
Direct play works over cellular on bandwith and resolution far bigger than transcode limit.
Plex says the server is fully exposed and remote connection is working.
linux plex îs installed via docker, plexinc/pms-docker:plexpass
According to the server status bar the playback isn’t using “indirect connection”.
Sounds like your remote setup might have an issue and being re-routed through a Plex relay. When you’re streaming remotely from the iPhone – can you double check the details of that stream in the server dashboard / now playing to confirm if it’s listed as “indirect” or “relayed”?
I believe the „Fjärrserver“ refers to a regular and properly working remote connection.
Do you have any server side restrictions, e.g. Settings > [Server Name] > Remote Access > Limit remote stream bitrate ? (unlikely based on the description of your OP)
I believe so, I’ve de-censored the image so you can see the ip adress now.
No restrictions are set on the page you refer to. “No limit for upload set” and “limit the remote bandwidth” is set to “original (no limit)”.
(Loosely translated from Swedish)
edit: I’ll also add that the limit only occurs when streaming through cellular. If my iPhone is on any other wifi than my own I still can transcode above 720p/2mbit
I take it this means you have both video quality settings in the Plex for iOS client set to „maximum/original quality“ (or at least at a higher quality than what you see).
Just trying to rule out you might have done that for remote streaming but missed the cellular streaming quality.
Edit:
Is Plex providing any details on why it’s transcoding in that particular quality (e.g. in the „playback information“ from the on-screen menu during playback)?
Yes both quality settings in the plex iOS app is set to maximum.
When choosing the highest available transcode quality (720p/2mbit) it says the the app cant direct play the object. Direct play is inactivated.
but I can choose to direct play the file and it works with no remarks in the playback information. This is also reflected in the dashboard/ now playing on the Plex Server web page.
I am also seeing this behavior of being limited to streaming at max 2 Mbit ever since the Server 1.23.X version. Not even cellular, but even just Plex Web in Chrome limited to a max quality selection of 2 Mbit.
Rolled back to 1.22.X and problem is gone.
No mention anywhere in the UI of being connected via relay and a simple version roll back solves the issue, so I believe there is an issue in 1.23.X causing this behavior.
Seems as though this only happens on iOS. I had a friend try it out on android and it didn’t seem to be an issue.
I can also add that when I access the plex server remotely through my vpn server I don’t get capped on 2mbit/720p over cellular.
