Server Version#:1.16.0.1226-7eb2c8f6f
Player Version#:7.17.0.10904-cdcb9f75
Stream bitrate original works maybe as intended. But why spiking to full bandwidth…
Stream bitrate limitation of 20Mbps doesn’t work. Still full bandwidth spikes.
Stream bitrate limitation of 12Mbps, 10Mbps and lower forces NAS to transcode, therefore plays nothing.
Stream bitrate original, but limiting bandwidth to only 20 plays video smoothly without spiking and transcoding. (setting I would like to achieve, but this way not applicable for more simultaneous users…we are limiting bandwidth…)
Any suggestions please? Why stream bitrate limitation of 20Mbps doesn’t work? Now I need to run 2 separate servers on two separate devices, limiting bandwidth and making 2 simultaneous remote users each watching on its own server to fit them both into the 55Mbps uplink.
I just need original stream quality to not make NAS transcode. And I need that 20Mbps stream limit to work, because it’s absolutely enough for original stream and 2x20Mbps fits 55Mbps uplink, right.
Please help
P.S. There are many posts about per user limitations. Well, would be nice to have at least that stream bitrate limitation working and we would be able to type there custom number.
plex delivers streams in chunks not necessarily continuous streams, so you will see peaks and valleys where chunks are sent until buffer full, then pauses, then resumes again when the next chunks are needed.
the bw limits are average not exact caps
upload speed should equal your internet upload speed (or the total upload you want to dedicate to all plex streams)
limit remote stream limits the max (ave) speed of any particular connection
you should simply leave the remote stream bitrate at original, properly set your upload speed, and then plex will divide that total upload amongst all streams.
But that is one of the problems. Original stream bitrate quality and bandwidth setup for proper uplink number makes one user use 45-50Mbps and other user can’t even buffer the stream. Plex isn’t balancing usable bandwidth at all.
client should be set to automatically adjust quality which will help adjust bw/quality dynamically for the client
BUT if a stream starts out with direct play, then another stream comes on, the first stream will continue to direct play while the other will get less bandwidth. Plex won’t switch from direct play to transcode during the middle of the playback.
I don’t think there is any workaround for #2
the only real solution is to have a server that is properly capable of transcoding, so you can set the remote stream limit to ~12 or 20 or whatever.
If direct play, then second connected user will be left aside.
If stream limit, then expensive NAS with good CPU.
Well that’s pity. I thought, it could somehow work like on the last graph, where bandwidth was limited to 20Mbps and there were no spikes and play was smooth.
I will just stick to 2 PLEX servers with bandwidth limits in both of them. Would be even cheaper to buy second NAS for another directplay with bandwidth limit, than one with reasonable transcode capability. I must run now one server on NAS and one server on PC.
I feel the same as you do about the server cap should take priority to all other settings from the end user…
for the last couple of years I’ve been trying to come up with a setup between end users and the server… at the end of the day I’ve come to realize Plex algorithm always prefers to transcode.
If you throw in audio it just confuses everything even more, for example if the file is DTS and the end user can’t play it. I’ve even had 5 different versions to accommodate any all players and Plex uses the Highest quality and trans-codes it down to something similar to whats there.
At one point I though it would choose the file with the closest bit-rate to my cap without going over but even that doesn’t happen. So choosing Direct Play always has issues.
I won 't even mention sub-titles as adding to the complexity.
Richard, not sure what to take away from your post, but the server does have the priority to control outgoing bandwidth, at both stream level and total outbound (upload).
It doesn’t matter if the client is set to original, if the video exceeds either the stream limit or the total upload limit, then plex must transcode to honor your stream/upload limit.
the only time the client will be priority over the server, is when the client is set LOWER than the server.
If the server is 20m per stream with 50 upload, and the client is set to 4mbit, then the stream will be ~4mbit (and the server will transcode down to the bitrate to get there if the original is more than 4mbit).
if the client is set to 10mbit, and tries to play a video that is ~ 6mbit, then it should simply direct play.
The crux of the issue is the 2 points made previously;
by default the client does not allow dynamically change quality/bitrate
and the server will not switch from direct play to transcode mid-stream.
if
clients are set to auto adjust (this really should be a SERVER setting for remote clients)
all remote streams start out transcoding
then plex server will automatically adjust each stream to even out the quality/bandwidth up to the stream/upload limits.
Yep I had to have serious words with one of my users the other day. They had their Roku set to 2Mbps apparently. I think at some point in the past they or I had a “bad internet day” and they dropped the Roku as low as that. Trouble is it had been like that for months apparently.
They also use the app on their Samsung and fortunately that’s is set to play original quality.
If they connect to my local server my users get 12Mbps (H/W transcoding so no issue if the file is a larger bitrate.) I have had at least 8 transcodes in the past.
My online server is the opposite. It can probably manage 2 or 3 software transcodes, however the gigabit duplex means they’re all on unlimited bandwidth.
Generally with a combination of users on different clients between the two servers it works pretty well. As long as they leave their goddam settings alone.
The bottom line is I tell everyone they must leave their clients set to original quality.
My point is that, what you explained thoroughly, is how I expect it to function. But in reality the more variable that get introduce the more it default to transpose everything even if there are matching option available…
case in point (common occurrence)…
usually happens because the user doesn’t know all the megapixel details about the affects of them changing settings/players… in this case he want he user connect to be allotted up 20m without affect the other users or cause his server/network to go into hyper mode.
so end the end the person managing their server has to do constant Matrix Algebra to get things to run the way they want…
Yeah but that’s just it. If they leave their client settings alone, then on the whole my “set once” server settings just work which ever server they use.
If the audio isn’t supported it usually direct streams at worst so even on the online server it isn’t particularly taxing.
With regards to subs. Well I only need Forced subs. I have external srt for all movies where they are required.
The exception being my HDR Remuxes that only I play. The ATV 4K is need more than capable of direct playing PGS etc…
it should… but it doesn’t.
if you add more than 1 version of the movie or have multiple audios things don’t behave as expected… and if the end user get a new toy, they may throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing with out knowing…
I should be able to limit the end users as I need, if that’s how i would like to manage my resources.
Well I don’t know what to say mate.
Apart from that one blip with their Roku I have never had any issues.
Generally my users mostly connect to my server so maybe its the stunning job that HW transcoding does.
For me it really doesn’t matter if the default audio is a True-HD track that needs to be transcoded, when there is an AC3 track included. HW acceleration takes care of it so I don’t even monitor it any more.
That said I know there is work being done on the playback choices being smarter. As far as I know it’s still a work-in -progress.
Right now Plex looks at all the information from the client side player, audio settings, bandwidth, ambient temperature etc… and comes up with the ideal file format for that instance… it does this Very, very well.
it then looks at your file and if it’s ideal, it just send it. The reality is that 90% it’s not ideal so it says TRANS-CODE (we have endless amount of resources). Yes, I am aware that Plex is very efficient in its functioning but if the existing file works any trans-coding is inefficient and a waste.
My Personal view is, given all that good stuff that Plex can do, please don’t; just play the MKV/720p/AC3 5.1 file directly. If they can’t play it, they can request a refund at the front desk.
