# Why does the Android client insist in transcoding AAC to Opus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Players\ **Tags:** android-mobile-legacy\ **Created:** [November 23, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737 "2022-11-23T20:19:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![plxstrm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@plxstrm](https://forums.plex.tv/u/plxstrm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/1 "2022-11-23T20:19:19Z")
Server Version#: 1.30.0.6406 (Ubuntu 20.04) Player Version#: 9.11.1.36576 This is the Plex Android client running on a Chromebook tablet. I have optimized versions on the server, 1080p at ~18Mbps and ~6Mbps with AAC 5.1 audio (created by PMS from a 4K original). When I try to play either, the audio gets transcoded to Opus. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/c/5/1/c5139e299bc58bbb5549223351f88b8f77bad2c2.png) Any ideas why? Is it because of the AAC 5.1? The client quality is set to Maximum for both remote and local and this is playing from the local LAN. ---
**Author:** ![plxstrm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@plxstrm](https://forums.plex.tv/u/plxstrm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/2 "2022-11-23T20:35:30Z")
Should I be surprised AAC is not supported? I thought it was the most supported audio format on mobile devices, but maybe not in the Android emulator on Chromebooks? ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/6/0/d/60d9fd1ef530dfa0bcca20906c3d1d1dc2723bc5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![JaysPlex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jaysplex/32/281767_2.png) [@JaysPlex](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JaysPlex)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 8:41pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/3 "2022-11-23T20:41:59Z")
> [@plxstrm](#): > > Should I be surprised AAC is not supported? IKR That may be your problem on that device but something is still not right My server and all my/remote clients are Windows I’ve noticed the same thing using HTPC The weird thing is it appears to be random, even on the same exact file ![1378108](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/f/6/4/f648c3c1a1c1772701d2deaff6f07a7d76a8b257.jpeg) I found this pretty odd It’s transcoding for me locally but not for my remote user during a watch together? ![Screenshot (764)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/b/6/3/b63621aa6036ad8bc3091513564879b635d83d7d.png) ---
**Author:** ![anon5074910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@anon5074910](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon5074910)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/4 "2022-11-23T21:09:38Z")
> [@JaysPlex](#): > > The weird thing is it appears to be random, even on the same exact file Previously, I’ve seen this specific behaviour when the media being played is on a multi disk RAID NAS and the drives are spinning up but ALL haven’t fully spun up yet. Plex seems to timeout thinking it’s a poor network connection and decides to transcode. Stopping and then starting again resolves it as the drives are spin up then. May not be your issue but it’s a possible explanation. For the OP, I’d imagine it’s correct as the client is not a 5.1 SS so plex has to convert. ---
**Author:** ![JaysPlex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jaysplex/32/281767_2.png) [@JaysPlex](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JaysPlex)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/5 "2022-11-23T21:20:44Z")
That’s possible. I have noticed when I first start to play something, sometimes it says Opus transcode when I first click into the dashboard but then it goes away, even without a stop/start Other times a stop/start fixes it, and sometimes not. It doesn’t seem to make much difference in my CPU usage so I was more curious than worried. I thought it might have just been a false display but your theory makes sense, thanks ---
**Author:** ![plxstrm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@plxstrm](https://forums.plex.tv/u/plxstrm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/6 "2022-11-23T21:28:14Z")
> [@anon5074910](#): > > For the OP, I’d imagine it’s correct as the client is not a 5.1 SS so plex has to convert. But if I play it in the Chrome web player on the same device it does not transcode, it direct plays AAC 5.1 I would think that the Plex client/ExoPlayer should be able to decode AAC 5.1 and downmix it to 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/why-does-the-android-client-insist-in-transcoding-aac-to-opus/819737/7 "2023-02-21T21:28:15Z")
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