Best Way to Stream MKVs to Living Room

[Muadib]

Thanks for the info!!

 

[Nebor]

Actually I wouldn't bet on that. The Xbox One, for certain, does NOT support direct play with Plex:

https://forums.plex.tv/index.php/topic/123720-xbox-one-profile-direct-play-mkvs-help-please/



So unlike what you assume, EVERYTHING will transcoded to the device. You are more likely to get direct play on that Samsung TV, because any number is greater than 0.

How much does the Plex transcoding process improve audio and video? I'm new to Plex.

 

[WelshBloke]

How much does the Plex transcoding process improve audio and video? I'm new to Plex.

From my experience the transcoding isn't to improve the picture. It transcodes down to a lower quality depending on the target client.

So you can have a 1080p surround sound source file on your server but serve, say, a 720p stereo stream to your phone.

 

[tential]

How much does the Plex transcoding process improve audio and video? I'm new to Plex.

Transcoding isn't there to improve quality it's there to make your device able to read the file. At best, you get similar quality but at worse you lose a bunch of quality.

If you are trying to play .xyz format and your device doesn't support it plex attempts to transcode it. It's on the fly encoding to change the format to a format your device can display

 

[slag]

I had issues streaming from my plex server to the plex client over wireless. I see you mention ripping straight to an MKV container without deleting or cutting anything and that will make your files pretty large. I was unable to stream anything larger than about 4 GB without it crashing plex connect, even after manipulating the config file on the plex connect server portion. I have a 4 core AMD processor on the server side and it would chug sometimes while transcoding it for plex connect, but it never maxxed out the cpu or memory so maybe it was a network issue? At any rate, just sharing my experiences.

 

[ControlD]

I had issues streaming from my plex server to the plex client over wireless. I see you mention ripping straight to an MKV container without deleting or cutting anything and that will make your files pretty large. I was unable to stream anything larger than about 4 GB without it crashing plex connect, even after manipulating the config file on the plex connect server portion. I have a 4 core AMD processor on the server side and it would chug sometimes while transcoding it for plex connect, but it never maxxed out the cpu or memory so maybe it was a network issue? At any rate, just sharing my experiences.

I haven't had issues with Plex crashing with large MKV files (6-7 GB in many cases) , but I have had issues with audio being out of sync from time to time when streaming to wireless clients. My server is running on a G530 so I had assumed maybe I just don't have enough horsepower, but perhaps it is network related as well.

 

[tential]

I haven't had issues with Plex crashing with large MKV files (6-7 GB in many cases) , but I have had issues with audio being out of sync from time to time when streaming to wireless clients. My server is running on a G530 so I had assumed maybe I just don't have enough horsepower, but perhaps it is network related as well.

I have no issues at all with 15gb+ mkvs but I'm on a 4770k for my server

 

[ControlD]

I have no issues at all with 15gb+ mkvs but I'm on a 4770k for my server

My understanding (which could be completely wrong) is that if you are using Plex on both the server and client side, then generally there isn't any transcoding going on right? At least if both sides are local I think it just uses direct play. I thought the transcoding muscle was only needed if streaming to another service or pinning the media to be played locally on something like an iPad.

I know when I stream to my Roku 3 which is wired into my network I see no sync issues at all. It only occurs when streaming to my tablet.

 

[slag]

My understanding (which could be completely wrong) is that if you are using Plex on both the server and client side, then generally there isn't any transcoding going on right? At least if both sides are local I think it just uses direct play. I thought the transcoding muscle was only needed if streaming to another service or pinning the media to be played locally on something like an iPad.

I know when I stream to my Roku 3 which is wired into my network I see no sync issues at all. It only occurs when streaming to my tablet.

I thought I read that plex connect can't handle native MKV so it transcodes to MP4 or something like that.. I can't verify this due to firewall restrictions at work, but I had a few large files I couldn't play but when reducing them down, was able to do so. I was wireless as well. I don't have any sync issues, it would just play for 30 seconds to 5 minutes.. and then crash the apple tv 2 device.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I thought I read that plex connect can't handle native MKV so it transcodes to MP4 or something like that.. I can't verify this due to firewall restrictions at work, but I had a few large files I couldn't play but when reducing them down, was able to do so. I was wireless as well. I don't have any sync issues, it would just play for 30 seconds to 5 minutes.. and then crash the apple tv 2 device.

Do you get the same result when you stream the same large mkv to other devices over wifi? Could be an issue unique to the Apple TV.

 

[poofyhairguy]

My understanding (which could be completely wrong) is that if you are using Plex on both the server and client side, then generally there isn't any transcoding going on right?

Depends on what the client device is, and the bandwidth to the server.

If the client device can support playing that media as is using the hardware hooks of that device (as defined by the profile file that can be edited) then you get direct play. Otherwise it will transcode the content to a level that the device/the bandwidth for sure supports. So just having everything on your local network is not a guarantee you won't avoid transcoding if the device doesn't support direct play (such as the Xbox One).

 

[ControlD]

It looks like Windows 8.1 doesn't natively support MKV, so I am guessing the movies I am watching on my Win 8.1 tablet are all being transcoded rather than direct play. That's sort of a bummer.

**Edit **

It seems that Windows 10 will have native MKV support.

 

[tential]

It looks like Windows 8.1 doesn't natively support MKV, so I am guessing the movies I am watching on my Win 8.1 tablet are all being transcoded rather than direct play. That's sort of a bummer.

**Edit **

It seems that Windows 10 will have native MKV support.

Never tried it with Windows 8.1
XBMC is such a superior tool to use to Plex in that regard there is 0 point in using Plex for that. I only used Plex for a bit, it's just not as good as using XBMC so I stopped using it.

 

[ControlD]

Never tried it with Windows 8.1
XBMC is such a superior tool to use to Plex in that regard there is 0 point in using Plex for that. I only used Plex for a bit, it's just not as good as using XBMC so I stopped using it.

I never really considered Plex and XBMC to be competing products actually. They serve different purposes.

 

[Nebor]

I never really considered Plex and XBMC to be competing products actually. They serve different purposes.

That's the way it appears to me too. XBMC is for HTPCs and Plex is for appliances.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I never really considered Plex and XBMC to be competing products actually. They serve different purposes.

They overlap a little for those who want to play local content in the living room with a WAF setup.

I think of it as comparing a plane and a helicopter. Both can let you fly if all you need is to fly. After that, they start to have distinct advantages each way.

 

[smitbret]

Never tried it with Windows 8.1
XBMC is such a superior tool to use to Plex in that regard there is 0 point in using Plex for that. I only used Plex for a bit, it's just not as good as using XBMC so I stopped using it.

Hammer vs. Screwdriver

They can both be used to build things, but they are not the same.

XBMC can be a great way to use Plex.

 

[WelshBloke]

Never tried it with Windows 8.1

Just out of interest. Why do you need something streamed to a windows box when you can just use a shared network folder?

 

[tential]

Just out of interest. Why do you need something streamed to a windows box when you can just use a shared network folder?

It's the same thing? XBMC accesses shared network folders.

It makes 0 sense for me to use shared network folders over XBMC's interface to find something to watch. I'd never find anything.

 

[WelshBloke]

It's the same thing? XBMC accesses shared network folders.

It makes 0 sense for me to use shared network folders over XBMC's interface to find something to watch. I'd never find anything.

I meant that the built in libraries thing in Windows will access network drives. XBMC seems a bit intrusive just to play a video file over a network in Windows.

 

[tential]

I meant that the built in libraries thing in Windows will access network drives. XBMC seems a bit intrusive just to play a video file over a network in Windows.

Screenshot what you're talking about?
Because right now it seems crazy what you're saying but I may just not be understanding.
Does this have metadata? like genre, imdb rating, plot, actors, etc. all pulled from imdb?

 

[WelshBloke]

Screenshot what you're talking about?
Because right now it seems crazy what you're saying but I may just not be understanding.

All I'm saying is that its pretty easy to access files on a shared folder using windows. You dont really need anything trancoded on a server and windows has a pretty good search function anyway. Yeah if all your using the PC for is to consume media then thats fair enough but if I'm on my PC I tend to be doing other things as well as watching a video in VLC.

For me XBMC and Plex Home Theatre are more for dedicated boxes rather than a PC where you'll want to do other things on it.

Does this have metadata? like genre, imdb rating, plot, actors, etc. all pulled from imdb?

Why would I need that on a PC?

 

[Nebor]

Welshbloke, most people with HTPCs use them basically as appliances, doing little more than movies\Netflix\hulu. They want it to boot right into XBMC and look good on a TV screen.

 

[tential]

All I'm saying is that its pretty easy to access files on a shared folder using windows. You dont really need anything trancoded on a server and windows has a pretty good search function anyway. Yeah if all your using the PC for is to consume media then thats fair enough but if I'm on my PC I tend to be doing other things as well as watching a video in VLC.

For me XBMC and Plex Home Theatre are more for dedicated boxes rather than a PC where you'll want to do other things on it.



Why would I need that on a PC?

XBMC doesn't transcode though, it's a media organizer, and a good search function is useful and all but what if I don't know what I want to watch?
You're saying metadata is NOT important to you on your PC.

Say you want to watch a comedy movie, only from 2013+, with a rating higher than 7 on imdb?
How do you find that in your current library on your PC?

Also, how big is your library on your PC because that may be why I'm so lost. I don't see a way to easily navigate your library without organization but if you have a small library well, then obviously XBMC isn't as useful since you have few options and you know exactly what you want to watch already.

Welshbloke, most people with HTPCs use them basically as appliances, doing little more than movies\Netflix\hulu. They want it to boot right into XBMC and look good on a TV screen.

He's aware of that, he's asking why I use XBMC on my PC instead of just searching through windows folders.

 

[WelshBloke]

Welshbloke, most people with HTPCs use them basically as appliances, doing little more than movies\Netflix\hulu. They want it to boot right into XBMC and look good on a TV screen.

But nowadays theres much lighter devices that will give you that experience without the hassle of having a PC under your TV if youre using network storage.