Why Plex is Transcoding Live TV

Live TV & DVR
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1

Server Version#: 1.43.4.10903
Player Version#: 2026.20.0 (971050504) [NVIDIA SHIELD PRO 2019]
Tuner Make/Model: HDHomeRun HDHR5-4DT
Guide/Lineup name: Freeview - Melbourne (59 channels)
Using XMLTV?: No
Channel number/Name: 020 AHVCANZ

Transcoding as mpegts

Reasons Cannot direct play with protocol: hls, codec: h264.

Reason: Live TV direct play is not allowed Cannot direct stream with protocol: hls, codec: h264.

Reason: Live TV direct stream is not allowed

Cannot direct play with protocol: hIs, codec: mp2. Not found in profile.

Cannot direct stream with protocol: hls, codec: mp2.

Not found in profile.

Direct play not available; Conversion OK.

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IMG_47341920×1080 454 KB

2

Enabling “Force Direct Play” in Settings > Video and Audio on Android TV App resolved the transcoding and now playing direct.

3

They fix one thing and they break another. For the longest time, there was no option to force direct play on Android TV. Now there is and it works.

At the same time, iOS/tvOS has had that option for a while, and it used to work to force direct stream of Live TV… but they broke it in 2026.19.0, fixed it in 2026.19.1, and broke it again in 2026.20.0. So don’t be surprised if it stops working in a future update!