Since the October Update of Xbox One, it natively supports many video formats, including mkv. By using the Media Player app (dlna), you can see that it will use DirectPlay. However, the Plex app will still stream these formats, either with DirectStream, or in worse cases, full transcode.
What is required to make the Plex app use DirectPlay for all native formats? Is a new app needed, or can the profile be updated?
What is required to make the Plex app use DirectPlay for all native formats? Is a new app needed, or can the profile be updated?
What is needed, at least in the case of MKV, is for Microsoft to allow third party access to the codec/container libraries on their system. This is the same case with Windows Store applications as well. MKV is present in MS first party applications, but 3rd party applications have not been granted access. This is not likely to change until Windows 10 is released.
What is needed, at least in the case of MKV, is for Microsoft to allow third party access to the codec/container libraries on their system. This is the same case with Windows Store applications as well. MKV is present in MS first party applications, but 3rd party applications have not been granted access. This is not likely to change until Windows 10 is released.
Sorry for the very basic questions but I would like to understand this. So my xbox one is capable currently of playing a lot of these files natively but as plex is a 3rd party app the file is not being played natively instead my NAS is doing some of the work?
Also it's likely that Microsoft will allow 3rd party apps access to these codecs/containers some time soon? When windows 10 drops for instance?
If this is the case would an update to the xbox one plex app be required? If so I would hope they would push an update for this feature fairly quickly but I'm not sure if everyone thinks it's as important as I do
It's a Microsoft thing, they specifically dictate what third party apps are allowed to use for containers and codecs. This is not to say it's something that cant be changed down the road. Once windows 10 is released and the whole integration between windows and xbox deepens maybe things will change.
I realise this is frustrating, so hopefully a bit of 'under the hood' details will help. It's no big conspiracy or Evil M$, or (hopefully) Stupid Plex ;)
Generally MS will extend the codec support on their apps, and then (over time) that filters down to the stuff we can use via the SDKs we have access to. We then test out how they work on our 3rd party app (it's not necessarily the same as the 1st party apps, for a variety of reasons, sometimes us, sometimes MS). When we're happy with the support, we'll release an app update with that support. All these steps take time, I'm afraid.
For example, we got access to MKV support back in January, but we found serious issues with it when playing over slower networks which meant we had to wait for an MS fix. We chatted to the guys at MS, and the good news is that we're testing some fixes now.
Sorry you guys have to wait, but it should be worth it!
OK. I think we, at least I, got a better understanding of the reason and future for mkv support. Hopefully it will not take too long until we get it.
However, does this apply to other formats as well? I can live with DirectStream for mkv's because it won't affect the server that much and it won't degrade the quality of the movie. But I have a lot of videos in .ts format (mpegts/mpeg2video/mp2) which gets fully transcoded on the server, but they play directly on the Media Player app. Not only will it consume 100% cpu on my server and cause lags, the video quality is degraded.
Yes. Same story. We need to have support in the SDK, then we need to test it under the way Plex works and measure it against what we think is acceptable for everyone.
I realise this is frustrating, so hopefully a bit of 'under the hood' details will help. It's no big conspiracy or Evil M$, or (hopefully) Stupid Plex ;)
Generally MS will extend the codec support on their apps, and then (over time) that filters down to the stuff we can use via the SDKs we have access to. We then test out how they work on our 3rd party app (it's not necessarily the same as the 1st party apps, for a variety of reasons, sometimes us, sometimes MS). When we're happy with the support, we'll release an app update with that support. All these steps take time, I'm afraid.
For example, we got access to MKV support back in January, but we found serious issues with it when playing over slower networks which meant we had to wait for an MS fix. We chatted to the guys at MS, and the good news is that we're testing some fixes now.
Sorry you guys have to wait, but it should be worth it!
We appreciate your candidness, Dom C - thanks! That said, can you constantly please please PLEASE drop the hint to MS to increase the 20 Mbps bit rate cap for MKV playback? The Xbox One is more than capable of handling higher bit rate playback, and it being capped at 20 Mbps is insane. :(
Yes. Same story. We need to have support in the SDK, then we need to test it under the way Plex works and measure it against what we think is acceptable for everyone.
The trouble with adding early support for stuff like this in the Plex Pass release is that many are using it as their primary client, and we don't want to destabilize that. It also still takes time (and effort :D) to get the release certified (quite reasonably. MS don't want borked apps on the XB1). They don't lessen the requirements for it being an 'early access Plex Pass' release.
Sorry about that. Hope to have better news for you soon.
