Can Plex replace my existing setup? (no transcoding)

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

Associate
Joined
6 Jun 2005
Posts
1,856
Location
Cambridge
Hi,

I currently have a NAS which simply exports a NFS share to a HTPC running Openelec. It can hardware decode h264 as well as passthrough any audio stream to my receiver which supports a plethora of codecs including DD, DD+, DTS, DTS-Master, and so on. I currently have no requirement to transcode anything and there is nothing in my library that I cannot pass to my receiver.

But I really like the look of Plex, and I'm going to experiment this weekend with a Amazon Fire TV to combine my prime membership with my internal catalog of media from a single device. Can Plex simulate what I currently have set up? IE, can it simply present media to a plex client (in this case being on the Amazon TV) without the need to transcode or adjust the stream in any way? My "NAS" is a HP Microserver n54l, and therefore doesn't have a whole load of grunt.

Thanks
 
In general use it will work in a very similar way to your existing setup with no transcoding etc, should the client support whatever you're trying to stream (which you've said it does).

Advantages of Plex are it's server/client based, so you can access your single library from any device, unlike Kodi which has runs a library database on each client. Plus Plex is natively supported on everything such as any web browser, consoles, TV streaming sticks, etc. The client apps are generally better finished round the edges than Kodi too, just feels nicer to use.

Disadvantages are if something does need the video transcoding the chances are your server probably won't cope, though it will handle audio fine. Kodi does any required transcoding on the client, which is usually also a disadvatage as you tend to watch on low power devices which can't cope either. Swings and roundabouts really.

I prefer Plex!
 
Last edited:
dbmzk1 said:
In general use it will work in a very similar way to your existing setup with no transcoding etc, should the client support whatever you're trying to stream (which you've said it does).

Advantages of Plex are it's server/client based, so you can access your single library from any device, unlike Kodi which has runs a library database on each client. Plus Plex is natively supported on everything such as any web browser, consoles, TV streaming sticks, etc. The client apps are generally better finished round the edges than Kodi too, just feels nicer to use.

Disadvantages are if something does need the video transcoding the chances are your server probably won't cope, though it will handle audio fine. Kodi does any required transcoding on the client, which is usually also a disadvatage as you tend to watch on low power devices which can't cope either. Swings and roundabouts really.

I prefer Plex!
Click to expand...

Thanks, freenas appears to have a built in plugin for Plex with the latest version, so I had a bit of a play around with it. Playing through chrome accessing the plex url invokes the transcoder (understandably), and I can see it if i SSH to my NAS and do a "top" - I see "Plex new transcoder" daemon fire up, which closes when I stop watching it.

Conversely, I installed Plex Home Theater on my PC and streamed the same film, which did not invoke the transcoder daemon, so that does seem to back this theory up well.

wellibob said:
You can set any plex client (say on Amazon fire) to direct play only.
Click to expand...

Ah that looks exactly like what I need to do with the Amazon Fire. Providing it can passthrough to my receiver over HDMI (which apparently it can) should be a good combo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom