There’s something wrong with the different quality settings in the sync feature with audio files.
When I use “Plex Web” in my browser and choose to sync an album to a mobile device, I can change the quality (“Plex will transcode your files…”): 96kbps, 128kbps, 192kbps or 320kbps, nothing else. It doesn’t matter what bitrate the original files are or if they are mp3/flac/whatever.
When I try to sync the same files using the android app on my mobile device where I want the files to go, I get the same quality options but, additionally, I can choose “original” quality.
I tried the different quality setting for sync and it appears to not really have a direct influence on the outcome: Sync an existing mp3 (@227kbps) with the option “96kbps” --> synced file is 124kbps. Same song synced @“128kbps” --> synced file is 153kbps. Same song synced @“192kbps” --> synced file is 227kbps (which is exacty the original file’s bitrate - probably wasn’t converted at all?). It’s all the same when I sync with option “320kbps”.
So, let’s try a lossless FLAC. “96kbps” --> synced file is 79kbps. Same song synced @“128kbps” --> synced file is 106kbps. Same song synced @“192kbps” --> synced file is 129kbps. Same song @“320kbps” --> synced file is still the original FLAC (!).
There’s no difference if I choose to sync via “Plex Web” or the andoid app.
Sooooo…
- Why is the option to sync “original” quality not available in the web app?
- Why does “320kbps” lead to a sync with the original file?
- Please give the option to sync “original” file AND a real “highest” quality (“320”) transcode setting.
- Am I right that files only get transcoded if the original would be bigger than the synced one - so it’s like a “max. kbps” that one can choose?!
- The different kbps of the synced files show that they are not transcoded with constant bitrates like written - why not just call the options “low” (equivalent to LAME setting -vbr6?), “mid” (-vbr2), “high” (-vbr0) and “highest” (-cbr320)?
