Server Version#: 1.40.2.8273
Player Version#: several
Hello everyone.
I am facing the following issue that I am unable to understand how I can correct it.
My Plex Server has remote access enabled and “Plex relay” is also active.
External users connect to the server using Plex authentication.
I noticed that if “Plex relay” is not active, the server is not available to the external users although it is reachable on http://External_IP:Address:32400/web/index.html#!/
With “Plex relay” active, one friend of mine tied to play a movie in his home using Samsung TV and his laptop.
While playing in the Samsung TV, the stream was being converted from 1080p to 480p, transcoded and using Plex Relay at a maximum speed of 2 Mbps.
While using Plex Web, the same movie was played without transcoding and as direct play.
Tested with another friend using one LG TV and it plays directly without transcoding.
Is this a known behavior/bug of the Samsung TV’s?
Is there a way to configure Samsung TVs to use direct play instead of using the Plex relay?
It might be worth checking the DNS server configured on their TV or their router in general. Sounds like their setup might have a problem directly connected to / finding your server (or Plex‘ backend except the relay hub).
You can further reduce the chance of issues with remote access by NOT using the default port number of 32400 for your internet-facing network connection.
Thanks for the input but the DNS server is the same on the Samsung TV and the computer. It is given to the clients by the router.
I think this is not a DNS issue because one of the clients plays directly and the other client plays through the relay. Note that both clients are on the same network.
I can certainly give it a try, but what do you mean by “issues with remote access”? Does this include the case of two different clients in the same network having access to the same server but behaving differently?
I may have misunderstood the part about the Samsung then. If this TV is in your own home network, then you might actually be affected by a different issue.
verify that you haven’t set “Secure Connection” to “required”. (In your server settings)
if you have access to your router’s settings, try the measures listed in here https://support.plex.tv/articles/206225077-how-to-use-secure-server-connections/
(Under the heading “Why isn’t it working?”)
If you are using an additional DNS based Internet filter (e.g. pi-hole), make the configuration changes in its settings as well.
a split local network can cause the same issue. Make sure that all your client devices are connected to the same network. Things like an additional router, or PowerLAN bridges, or MoCa bridges can separate the devices behind them from the local network of the main router.
Found the solution to the Samsung TV problem.
Long story short, a Samsung TV on a friends house was connecting to my shared plex server using plex relay instead of direct play.
Also in my friends house, he could directly connect (direct stream or direct play) to my shared plex server while using other clients.
Only Samsung TV was using plex relay and having a very pixelated resolution due to the 2 Mbps limited bandwidth.
Solution?
In my friends Samsung TV I needed to go to Plex settings / Video / Force Direct Play and set it to on.
After that, Plex on the Samsung TV was able to play direct stream with full resolution using higher bandwidth rates and not using plex relay.
I suppose that many other Samsung TV users experiencing poor resolution while using a shared Plex server may try this solution and see if it helps.