I have some 4k movies, but only 1 TV in my house will display it in it’s original format. So I am optimizing them for 1080p for the rest of the TVs. However, if I watch it remotely (say from my phone at work), when Plex transcodes, will it be “smart” enough to transcode from the 1080p version instead of trying to use the 4k version? I would assume transcoding a 4k file is significantly harder than a 1080p file.
Based on watching the optimization process this is true. Normally I can transcode 5 or 6 1080p streams, but the optimization for 1 4k file is maxing out my CPU. Perhaps it would slow down if someone started streaming something else (I have the background transcoding setting set to “Very Slow”).
I think I answered my own question. I finished optimizing a movie…then turned off my phone’s wifi and started to stream the movie. On the web app, it says it is transcoding from HVEC to H264, which tells me it’s transcoding the 4k file.
I wish the server was “smarter” and would transcodethe 1080p file.
However, a silver lining is that if I manually choose to play the 1080p file, it will transcode from that one. I just have to remember that and somehow teach my family to double check the “version” before they play a movie away from home
curious if this is still the case, i have some 4k movies that i DO NOT EVER want live transcoded - currently going to run your test and see if this is still the case, it would make sense for plex to transcode from the closest settings (if 1080 or lesser playback is suitable, then transcode from the the 1080 optimized version) we will see
I believe it is still the same, but I have not tested since. I have just told family friends which settings to use and it is only in their benefit to do so as it just won’t transcode 4k currently. Even my optimized versions are bad because the HDR -> SDR conversion is so bad so I"m going back and ripping the 1080p blurays that come with my movies…I have to test if in that scenario. That is to say will it transcode from 1080p when requesting a 720p version if there is also a 4k version. I think it will come down to which file was added first, which is stupid in my opinion, but that is just a guess right now.
Nope, still not transcoding from the optimized version unless you select it before playing. I remember used requesting this feature before but to no avail. I’m keeping my 4k in a separate library for now but I have bigger issues with the Plex client on Samsung KS series but that’s another never ending story
