Same file starts audio conversion in one Samsung TV 2020 and doesn't start in Samsung TV 2018

Plex Players Smart TVs
1

Macmini
Server Version#: 1.28.2.6151

SAMSUNG TV 2018 APP
Player Version#: 5.45.3 platform version 4

SAMSUNG TV 2020 APP
Player Version#: 5.45.3 platform version 5.5

Hi,
I’m having trouble using direct play to a Samsung TV, the same file starts audio transcoding (even with the transcoding option off in the server) , but an older TV doesn’t start the audio transcoding. The old tv plays the video just fine, without lags or buffering. But in a newer SAMSUNG TV the audio is transcoded, and starts buffering every time. The only difference I could find was the platform version. Both tv are cabled (1gbit convection)
How to fix this? is there a way to avoid audio transconding?

file info:
Overall bit rate…: 25.2 Mb/s

Video
Codec…: HDR.HEVC
Resolution…: 3840x2024
Aspect ratio…: 1.897 (1.897)
Bit rate…: 24.4 Mb/s
Frame rate…: 23.976 FPS

Audio
Format…: E-AC-3 ()
Channels…: 6 channels
Bit rate…: 768 kb/s
Sampling rate…: 48.0 kHz
Language…: English

2

Enable playback information during playback and it should say why it is transcoding overlayed on video.

The transcoding option on server only affects video stream

3

I did that, on the newer samsung TV the audio is being transcoded from EAC3 to AAC, and the old samsung TV is not transcoding. I checked in the Plex dashboard on the server and playing both video at the same time the dashboard displays video direct play for both Plex client, but only the client on the newer samsung tv the dashboard displays audio transcoding (the older TV is direct , never buffered with smoth play but the newer tv buffer in 10-15s and if I wait to complete the buffer an error is displayed. What is the platform displayed on the about option of the client?

4

Check the Plex app audio settings. If there is an option for EAC3 audio make sure it is enabled.

6

Couldn’t find this settting , this is on server ou client ?

7

I found that on both TV players the transcoding reason are the same. One missing information is that I’m using srt subtitles, I saw that this is a known issue for 4k videos, but what doesn’t make sense is when playing in differents TV one just work fine, the other buffers all the time ending with a reproduction error (both with the same srt subtitle) Any clue?

8

The audio setting exists in the app on LG TVs. I thought it was on Samsungs as well.

If you play the video without subtitles does it play OK in both sets?

9

There is an audio setting on samsung app, but it only lets you choose the audio track (and the file has just one) Without subtitles both plays the 4k file smoothly, but if subtitle is active, one tv plays smoothly, the second one (Samsung Q60T 2020) buffers in 10-15s and end with a reproduction error.

10

How many subtitle tracks are in the movie?

Is the 2020 TV local to or remote from the Plex server?

Maybe the log files will show what is happening.

  1. Configure server for debug level logs
    Settings → Server_Name → General + Show Advanced

    Screenshot (1203)
    Screenshot (1203)715×154 23.1 KB

  2. Configure the 2020 TV to log to server at the debug level (in the Plex app settings).

  3. With no other server activity (streaming, scanning, etc), play the movie on the 2020 TV for ~30 seconds, then stop playback.

  4. Wait 2 minutes.

  5. Pull the server log files (Settings → Troubleshooting) and attach the entire ZIP file to this thread (drag it into the message window, it will insert at the cursor location).

11

HI FordGuy61, the 2020 TV is local (hardwired 1gibt conection and the 2018 TV too). The file has PGS subtitles (not in use, 5 of them), and one set downloaded directly from plex app in use. This is the log file, as requested.
Plex Media Server Logs_2022-09-05_10-13-31.zip (28.2 KB)

12

Thanks for the additional information.

Unfortunately, the ZIP file contained just the Plex Transcoder Statistics.log files, which do not contain the necessary information.

Please upload the entire ZIP file, or DM it to me if you wish.

If the ZIP file you uploaded is what was downloaded from your server, then something is wrong with your Plex Media Server installation.

13

The zip file is what has been downloaded from the server, the 30s playback crashed, I’m not sure if this is a problem logging (probably not, just additional information) I will redo the steps later just in case and let you know.

14

You can manually pull the log files as well.

  1. Stop Plex Media Server (closes any open files).
  2. Navigate to the Plex Data Folder.
  3. zip the Logs directory.
  4. Upload to thread.

The logs directory should have many files.

The specific files of interest are Plex Media Server.log and its rollovers, .1.log to .5.log.

The other files are sometimes needed, but Plex Media Server.log is usually the starting point.

15

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