Server Version#:1.29.2.6364
Player Version#: on Roku premiere
So I have a computer desktop with windows 11, with an ethernet connection to my roku, but for some reason, it will not stream 4k.
Computer stats are:
Intel I7-4770s CPU @3.10GHz
16 GB of ram
AMD Radeon HD 7900
What setting am I doing that won’t let me stream to my samsung TV?
Before digging further into this… could you clarify what you mean by “it will not stream 4k”?
Does it stream your 4K media in a lower resolution or not at all?
As for why a file might be playing in a lower resolution… there’s a number of possible causes for that.
client side
- client has direct play / direct stream disabled and the server isn’t powerful enough to transcode the media at max. quality
- the client isn’t capable to deal with the media as-is and requests the stream to be transcoded (same as above… resulting in a lower resolution if the server isn’t up to the job)
- client has specified a local streaming quality/bitrate limit that causes the video to be transcoded to a lower resolution
network
- server and client are in different subnets inside your home network, causing the stream to be considered “remote” (or worse “indirect”)
- client applies remote streaming quality restrictions
- server might apply remote streaming bitrate limitation
- some other network glitch, limiting the bandwidth
- LAN ports only supporting 100 Mbps bandwidths which might be too low for high-quality 4K streaming
server side
- server fails to see/use the GPU for hw-accelerated transcoding (or GPU cannot deal with the given video format/codecs)
- server depends on the CPU for transcoding (e.g. if subtitles have to be burned); your CPU definitely not capable to transcode 4K media
…
My primary guess would be a network bandwidth limitation.
The info I could find about the various Roku Premiere models pointed out their LAN port only supports 10/100 Mbps (while high-quality 4K files will easily exceed that).
You should be able to check your stream in the server dashboard (or Plex Dash) to check certain playback attributes (e.g. if it’s considered to be a local/remote/indirect stream, if any tracks are being transcoded…).
https://support.plex.tv/articles/200871837-status-and-dashboard/
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Wow! Thanks for the information. Whenever I try to play a 4k file on my roku, through the plex app, it always says that the server is not able to stream, so you have to reduce it. I try to reduce the size to 720p and it still stutters. I have no problem playing a file that is a 1080p file, but when I try a 4k file, it still have issues at any size.
I have an orbi mesh, but my desktop is connected directly to my orbi, and my roku is connected directly to my orbi. So it shouldn’t be a bandwidth issue, at least I don’t see it. But I actually have a roku 4800x Ultra, so it should be able to stream it.
Thanks for looking into this as I know it’s super hard when you’re trying to help someone when you’re not there and have a complete picture of the setup.
It would be beneficial to read through this thread - there is so much info here that will help you with 4k:
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- roku doesn’t support truehd, so it must be transcoded by the server
- your cpu is old and doesn’t have power to transcode 265
- your gpu is old and doesn’t support gpu transcoding
- if I recall correctly, the premier doesn’t support wifi AC, so it is unlikely to have enough network speed for 4k bluray rips.
roku’s are designed for streaming services (ie netflix etc), not for streaming 4k blurays.
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Thanks! Appreciate all the feedback. I thought it had to be my computer, but wasn’t sure. I am not streaming though, I am hard wired with ethernet.
In your Plex settings, is Local Quality set to Original?
What model TV do you have? Does it support 4K HDR?
Yes, my roku can play 4k. It’s a Roku 4800 ultra. My TV is a series 8, 65". Only a year or 2 old. At any rate it appears my computer and Roku can’t do what I want it to do.
I think you missed my question: “In your Plex settings, is Local Quality set to Original?”
When I play the video, the settings are always set to play original. Is that what you are saying? Thanks!
Open the Plex app in your Roku. At the bottom of the left side panel is the Settings option.
Go into Settings->Video and make sure you have the following:
Local Quality: Original
Direct Play: Auto
Direct Stream: Auto
H264 Maximum Level: Auto
I did all that you said and it still says that the server is not powerful enough . . . Time for either a new CPU or Nvidia Shield, lol!
It’s not your CPU. My Plex server uses an i7 860 which is 3 generations older than your CPU and I have no problems streaming 4K HDR to any of my devices including my Roku Ultra.
What does your Plex Dashboard show in between the moment you press play and before you get the message that your server is not powerful enough? The Video should be Direct Playing/Streaming. It would be helpful if you can post a screen capture.
It doesn’t say direct . . . Thanks for your help so far!!
So the problem here is that your Plex Server won’t direct play/stream video. So getting a new CPU won’t help solve your issue. Please go into your Roku Settings->Video and set the following:
Direct Play: Force
If you have more than one Roku device, please try it on all of them and see if it helps.
You should also try the Plex app on your Samsung TV instead of the Roku to see if there’s a difference.
I’ll try both and let you know. Thanks!
Ok, so once I forced it to do direct, I have no issues . . . why the heck wouldn’t do it direct in the first place? Thanks for all your help!!
Forcing Direct Play is not a good solution because it stops transcoding for both video and audio. If you play a file where audio needs transcoding, you will get video with no sound.
If you don’t figure out why your Plex server won’t automatically direct play/stream, you will continue to have issues in the future.
If you have other devices like an Android or iPhone/iPad. You should see if they behave the same way as your Roku. Remember to go into Plex settings and set Local Quality to Original in all your devices.
