I’m not sure exactly when this happened (app update or PMS update I’m not sure) but when playing any video with TrueHD audio plex has issues… it used to just transcode the audio, but it’s no longer that simple.
The main issue seems to be will 4K HDR files. previously (and this has only recently changed) a HDR file with a true HD audio track would get the audio transcoded and the video would play directly, but now the whole file is being transcoded, smashing my CPU and losing the HDR. But if I switch the audio track to the 5.1 option, then everything direct plays. am I missing an option somewhere to auto transcode the audio only? or can I make plex default to the 5.1?
the other issue is that if the file is SDR then it seems just direct play the video, but’s its a complete mess (like a single colour filling the screen) but the audio is transcoded and works, but if I force a full transcode then everything works (as a side note, setting the transcode to maximum but play smaller files directly, it transcodes a 6Mbit file to 30Mbit :-/ so I’ve knocked it down to 8Mbit and that’s solved that one, very annoying i need to do that with each item with this issue though)
Playing on my LG TV or my PC through the app or the web all create the same results (I initially thought it was the early access LG update, but trying more options it seems not).
these issues are ones I can work around, but considering I used to have no issues and they all just worked it’s rather annoying to have to mess with settings to watch certain items.
PMS version is 1.19.4.2865 on a freenas 11.3 system
The issue is with the Audio now forcing a full transcode, even on my PC. admittedly I’ve not tried on the Xbox yet, but I don’t have that at home at the moment.
I even get an issue with TrueHD 5.1 audio with SDR 1080p content (although i don’t have much of that so that issue may have been there for a while and i’ve only just come across it)
Plex has started doing it when it didn’t before. LG app has previously been fine doing a transcode of the audio only on the 7.1 audio stream and leaving the 4k HDR video intact. Something has changed and i don’t know what that is.
the 4k or 1080 is not the issue, you are correct, however the link above will does explain potential problem and solution.
TRUEHD regardless of 4k or 1080 or 720, cannot be passed through or direct played with a tv or through a tv app.
Unless you have an nvidia shield connected to an a truehd/atmos receiver/soundbar, then truehd will always be converted.
this alone is not normally an issue, you can still direct play the video while the audio is being converted.
You do not mention it anywhere that I saw, but if you have sub titles enabled, then this causes another problem.
When converting the audio, and subtitles are enabled, then plex will transcode the VIDEO too, to keep everything all in sync.
You have 2 solutions.
change to non-truehd audio and/or remux/remove the truehd so its not the first audio stream
turn off subtitles
There could also be a problem with the LG app itself, I am not familiar with it, I do not have an LG tv, but there is an ongoing update posted about the new app @ New LG webOS App Preview which you can try or not.
Otherwise, there is not much else anyone can do to help unless you start providing logs reproducing the problem and maybe some screenshots of the plex server dashboard to see exactly what the server is doing to the stream.
thank you, i’ll do a bit of digging and look into the logs
i’m not using subtitles, i’m aware of the issue they cause
i was /hoping/ there was a setting or update that has changed someone may be aware of, as you say, usually transcoding the audio alone is not an issue, but now it is.
if i play the 4k hdr 7.1 file, everything transcodes, if i switch to the 5.1 audio stream, everything streams, switch back to the 7.1, evreything encodes
it’s very strange and only a recent issue, previously ive had no problems simply letting plex decode the audio as default so i can just click and play without issue.
Of course. Web browsers are very limited. You’ll get AAC & Opus to direct play in Chrome. Everything else will transcode.
If you intend to watch Plex on a PC, you’re much better off using Plex for Windows. It direct plays almost everything. It also tonemaps HDR to SDR, so your 4K HDR material still looks decent.
No idea why you can’t adjust video. I use the hosted version of Plex Web, https://app.plex.tv/desktop, and I see the option to adjust, even when direct playing.
I’ve redone the SDR files that were giving me issues and removed the TrueHD audio track, so they’re just working now
Full 4K HDR TrueHD Films are still an issue, though, i really dont want to have to go through an edit them all just becuase plex seems to no longer transcode TrueHD without touching the video by default, i can just change the audio track when i play it, but i never used to have to do anything, they just played
