Best Plex player device? My LG E7 isnt upto it due to LG saving of 50p on a 100 Mbps Ethernet socket

[NeilF]

OK, I noticed on some larger (higher rate) files Plex on my LG TV suffers in two ways:-
1) Because LG decided to save 50p fitting a 100 Mbps ethernet connector instead of a 1000 MBps connector, on a premium cost TV, at times Plex stutters simply due to the data rate.
2) ARC from the TV to the Amp does not support True HD or Atmos etc. Only upto 5.1 so transcoding takes place.


So, what is the best/simplest unit I can run Plex on to plug into my amp over an HDMI lead to give me top quality 4H HDR video, with pass through on?

I thought there'd be a Roku candidate for example, but there isn't?

 

[NeilF]

Android option is the nvidia Shield. Apple option ATV4K with the infuse app as the plex client.

Is there not a cheaper alternative.

ps: And I hate Apple with a passion

 

[NeilF]

I had the same issue with my C8 and I got an Apple TV 4K. It was my first apple device and it's been great with infuse it steams everything with zero issues, plus the Apple TV store had pretty good deals on 4k films I'm building up quite a collection now. I don't bother using the built in Netflix or Amazon apps on the TV now just the apple tv.

So Infuse connects straight onto Plex? And gives a nice friendly interface like Plex?

And the Apple TV 4K is happy with HDR and will passthru audio to the amp?

ps: See it does Dolby Vision!

 

[NeilF]

I just have infuse looking at a network share on my NAS, it orders all the films, gets meta data and thumb nails ect. It doesn't need Plex to transcode it's powerful enough to do it all it's self. I've no idea about passthru as I haven't got an amp. I was really against apple products but the TV 4k has really impressed me.

So if I do a standard windows share my route Plex media folder from my server PC the Apple TV will then build up its own index from it?

 

[NeilF]

Is your PC not near the TV? Run a long HDMI from PC to AMP, what I do.

No... And I'd always want a nice friendly experience from another box. ie: A simple interface and remote.... Else I wouldn't go there...

 

[NeilF]

I have an LG B7 play 4k rips via Plex without any issues.

I used get the message that my network connection wasn't fast enough. But it actually turned out to be the HDD was the bottle neck. If was trying to write to at the same time as reading from it.

What size files roughly? 20-30GB files are fine for me...

It's when we get into the realm os 50GB that I get problems. And indeed, if I look at the Plex information in the status panel, I can see for example their data rate is listed as >100mbps, which of course is more than the TV can handle, which I guess is the issue!

 

[NeilF]

Use the Wi-Fi? Pretty sure the E7 has AC so should be fine, I use AC on my shield and it’s perfectly happy with 4K remux

Tried - Didn't help (even on dedicated 5ghz). Might be poor wifi from 12ft away through a double wall?

 

[NeilF]

yes look at the tv codec specs isn't it limited at 60Mb/s, irrespective of media location (like i said for sony https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding_tiers_and_levels) 4k discs raw can be ~ 100-128Mb/s

12ft&wall probably won't cut it .. anyway - 4-5ft was what the sony AC benchmarks had used.

I did some experimenting with a 55GB file. Plex status reported it had a data rate of 112mb which instantly breaks the LG E7's ethernet port. It suttered more than once a second.

I noticed the atmos soundtrack was being transcode. I removed all audio, now the stuttering happened periodically at busy scenes (eg: glass shattering). Guess still down to the LG E7's ethernet port.

I shifted over to dedicate wifi 5GHhz. Little/no difference.


Ultimately, smaller files (eg: 25-50GB) with a lower data rate (eg: below 50mbps) all play fine, even with atmos being transcoded to 5.1. I just think it's a limitation of the TV/its networking?!

 

[NeilF]

Try this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED/comments/9jsw19/lg_oled_wifi_slow_fix_here/

Thanks, but doesn't seem to make any difference.

And it's hard to test as my internet speed is a max of 25mbps, so testing the speed to the TV is hard.

But moved to a dedicate 5ghz network, and did what is says in that link resulted in the same buffering/stutters.

 

[NeilF]

Just tested The Dark Knight Rises 4k rip, which is an 85GB file with a 74mbps bit rate and direct plays both audio and video from my Plex server.

John Wick 2 only buffers when I select the True HD 7.1 audio track and the Plex server has to transcode it. If I drop the audio to Dolby Digital 5.1 then the audio is direct played by the TV and doesn't buffer.

So as suggested maybe try changing the audio track to something the TV can direct play.

Thanks for the test.

Well with a large test file I have I've removed the audio completely and tested it and stutters at some busy scenes.

But then in the plex servers status it reports its 112mbps which clearly should burst the Ethernet.

And I've tried that over 5ghz wifi with the same outcome.

These are 10bit HDR 4k tests for me...

 

[NeilF]

I think I have two options:-
1) Just accept the limitation of the TV. eg: It cannot process/handle files (over Plex) larger than say 40GB.
2) Get a Vero 4K+ and use Plex on that.

At the moment I'll veer towards (1) if only because using the inbuilt app for Plex is so darn easy/convenient... Rather than having to turn on another device etc etc...

ps: Can't believe the only put a 100mbps ethernet socket on my TV... Let alone did the same to the 2018 models too! I assume the 2019 ones will end this daft trend!

 

[NeilF]

I had this same issue with my B6 OLED, I find it staggering that they did this on a premium TV. I just bought an NVIDIA shield. Hooked up 1gbps ethernet, plugged into A/V receiver and have had no problems playing anything.
4K - Tick.
4K HDR - Tick.
Atmos - Tick
DTS:X - Tick
90GB 4K HDR remux - Tick.

Expensive but a great device.

And even the 2018 units had this limitations (100mbps ethernet) too I believe.

I'll try and just carry on with sub 40GB files to keep the bandwidth within the limitations of the TV. If it proves an issue the Vero4K+ looks like a good unit...

 

[NeilF]

The C9 also has a 100mbps ethernet port on it . It's annoying because eARC solves the HD audio problem, so you are just left with a crappy ethernet port from the 1990s!

The Shield also does game streaming if that is your thing, it is also well supported by NVIDIA. I think I paid about £160 inc £10 Steam voucher. The only chink in its armour is the lack of Dolby Vision playback.

Well, that's just appalling!

I think the only device supporting Dolby Vision is the Apple TV. But (a) I hate Apple, and (b) I think you need to use their media client, not Plex on it.

ps: Even if they had gigabit device/socket you plugged into one of the USB sockets for £50 that would be OK IMHO!

 

[NeilF]

It's all a bit of a minefield, if only Apple would allow HD audio bitstream then we'd finally have a box that could do everything. I use a Shield for 90% of things but it's still annoying I have to cast Channel 4 / 5 catch up and also no HLG support for iPlayer.

Hence why I'll limp along with Plex on the LG E7 if I can...