Samsung Tizen and HDHomerun transcoding live TV instead of Direct Play

Plex Players Smart TVs
1

Server Version#: 1.14.1.5488
Player Version#:3.84.3

I am having an issue with Plex wanting to transcode live tv with mpeg2video/ac3 5.1 to h264/aac from the HDHomerun Quattro for my Samsung TV. If I record a show it appears to end up in the same format and then it direct plays. The activity for both shows the same source format for the live tv vs the recorded show, yet live streaming transcodes. It acts the same for 480/720/1080. It’s clear the tv supports the format because it can direct play the recorded version.

Here is the MDE portion of the log for the live tv decision to transcode.

Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.122 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: Selected protocol hls; container: mpegts
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.122 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: analyzing media item -1
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.122 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: : no direct play video profile exists for http/mpegts/
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.122 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: : no direct play video profile exists for http/mpegts//
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.122 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: : codec is unavailable for analysis
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.123 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: : codec is unavailable for analysis
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:25.123 [0x7ff7e0bfe700] DEBUG - MDE: : selected media 0 / -1
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Selected protocol hls; container: mpegts
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: analyzing media item 20804
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: Direct Play is disabled
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: no direct play video profile exists for hls/mpegts/mpeg2video
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: no direct play video profile exists for hls/mpegts/mpeg2video/ac3
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: no direct play video profile exists for hls/mpegts/mpeg2video/ac3
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: Direct Streaming is disabled, so video stream will be transcoded
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: no remuxable profile found, so video stream will be transcoded
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Cannot direct stream video stream due to profile or setting limitations
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: Audio Direct Streaming is disabled, so video’s audio stream will be transcoded
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Cannot direct stream audio stream due to profile or setting limitations
Feb 17, 2019 10:38:27.682 [0x7ff7e9ffd700] DEBUG - MDE: Live Session pay5kxnwuoqd4gr8efs2z7jr: selected media 0 / 20804

Jeff

2

Having the same problem. My Samsung will play the exact same format through direct play when recorded, but won’t when watching Live. This wouldn’t be such a problem, except that Live TV constantly buffers every 30 second or so even though the server is transcoding the stream fine, and the Samsung isn’t having to handle any higher bit rate or resolution than if it were using direct play. Setting the conversion to use a lower bit rate doesn’t help through the Samsung app. The only way I can get rid of the buffering is to set the transcoding quality on the HDhomerun Extend to use “High Quality”, which downgrades the stream to 720p for everything. I have already paid extra to swap from a Duo to an Extend, and hate to throw any more money at this when I know everything is plenty capable. Any help, or at least a fix for the buffering would be greatly appreciated.

3

The latest update still has the same issue. It pixelates at times and takes a while to start streaming. Interestingly, I have Emby installed to evaluate it and live TV streams from the same HDHomerun on it direct play to their Samsung client. So it appears Plex is not properly realizing that it does not need to transcode.

4

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.