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Plex streaming

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Sr. Member
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Jan 21, 2009
655 posts
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Montreal

Plex streaming

Hi guys,

I hope this is the right place. I've been using Plex from my PC to stream contents to my TV (Sony x900e). I noticed the sound is awful when playing with Plex vs USB stick. Anyone would have a solution for this?

Thank you
23 replies
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
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East Gwillimbury
You can also install Plex directly on the TV since it is Android TV

However, I am not a fan of Plex

I suggest you install MX Player Pro and ES File Explorer Pro to access your videos
Deal Expert
Oct 6, 2005
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xaznxplaya wrote: I hope this is the right place. I've been using Plex from my PC to stream contents to my TV (Sony x900e). I noticed the sound is awful when playing with Plex vs USB stick. Anyone would have a solution for this?
Are you getting surround sound with the X900e? Does it support bitstreaming audio?
Gee wrote: However, I am not a fan of Plex

I suggest you install MX Player Pro and ES File Explorer Pro to access your videos
Or you can use MX Player Pro with Plex (on Android you can use an external player). Another option is Plex on Kodi... that works OK too.
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Jan 21, 2009
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Thanks for the replies guys, I forgot to add I'm using a soundbar with the TV ( Samsung HW-k450). Plex is installed on the Android TV as well. I like customization of Plex, that's the reason why I'm using it. I have 16gb USB stick that I use to put movies/TV shows on it then plug it on the TV but by Plex you can simply navigate through the TV and choose whatever you want. How do I check if it supports bit streaming audio?

Thanks
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Oct 3, 2012
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xaznxplaya wrote: Thanks for the replies guys, I forgot to add I'm using a soundbar with the TV ( Samsung HW-k450). Plex is installed on the Android TV as well. I like customization of Plex, that's the reason why I'm using it. I have 16gb USB stick that I use to put movies/TV shows on it then plug it on the TV but by Plex you can simply navigate through the TV and choose whatever you want. How do I check if it supports bit streaming audio?

Thanks
Generally you can set your playback settings to what you want. By default plex will transcode your audio and video to formats it knows your hardware will support. However, if you are able to play the files directly from USB, then you probably don't need transcoding at all. As such just set your settings to direct stream, and you'll get much better video and audio.
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Jan 21, 2009
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facebook259 wrote:
Generally you can set your playback settings to what you want. By default plex will transcode your audio and video to formats it knows your hardware will support. However, if you are able to play the files directly from USB, then you probably don't need transcoding at all. As such just set your settings to direct stream, and you'll get much better video and audio.
I'll have to check my setting on Plex again, pretty sure I put everything optimized. I do play from USB as well but it's not as convenient as using Plex.
Gee wrote: Is your Sony connected via ethernet or wireless?
Wireless
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
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East Gwillimbury
xaznxplaya wrote: Wireless
Try connecting via ethernet and see if you have the same problems. When you use a USB stick, it is local and fast. When you run on wireless, you are streaming and if there isn't enough bandwidth, something has to suffer
Deal Addict
Mar 13, 2012
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Not sure if this is applicable, but for another data point I got a X690E on Boxing Day and I noticed that if I played my files using Plex DLNA I get funny audio compared to when I use the Plex App via Vewd. Unfortunately the Plex app within Vewd is trash and says that I’m missing codecs for most of my content.
Deal Addict
Dec 14, 2004
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Does your soundbar display what type of audio stream it is playing? I'm curious if it's something along the lines of what Gee is saying in terms of the audio stream. For example, when using Plex is the sound being downmixed as that is something that would account for lower levels of volume. Do you have access to the Plex Server?
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Aug 29, 2001
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I have a 810c, I loaded up Kodi and it works great with my media collection. I've never liked plex client or server side.
my stereo is old, so I need toslink for DD or DTS - works fine with Kodi.
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Feb 29, 2008
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facebook259 wrote: Generally you can set your playback settings to what you want. By default plex will transcode your audio and video to formats it knows your hardware will support. However, if you are able to play the files directly from USB, then you probably don't need transcoding at all. As such just set your settings to direct stream, and you'll get much better video and audio.
Yeah I wish it was that simple. If Plex thinks your target doesn't support the codec it WILL try to transcode regardless. In the case of Android, the Plex app uses an android built in library for teh playback and supports whatever codecs the backend supports.

It's really dumb, but if I play a video in plex on my shield, it will try transcode. If I play the same video using the plex addon for kodi, it will NOT transcode, because kodi natively supports the codec.
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Jan 21, 2009
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Gee wrote:
Try connecting via ethernet and see if you have the same problems. When you use a USB stick, it is local and fast. When you run on wireless, you are streaming and if there isn't enough bandwidth, something has to suffer
Yah, I'll give it a try. I have no issues regarding the audio with Netflix though.
mre wrote: Does your soundbar display what type of audio stream it is playing? I'm curious if it's something along the lines of what Gee is saying in terms of the audio stream. For example, when using Plex is the sound being downmixed as that is something that would account for lower levels of volume. Do you have access to the Plex Server?
Im not sure how to check for the soundbar audio stream, I've gone through Plex setting but haven't found anything that really help unfortunately.
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Jul 15, 2003
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Can you qualify what you mean when you say your sound is awful?
Sr. Member
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Jan 21, 2009
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SecretSauce wrote: Can you qualify what you mean when you say your sound is awful?
Soundbar volume at 15/16, I barely hear when they're talking. Volume has to go up to 20, by USB stick. At 16 it's loud, I can hear clearly.
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Jul 21, 2005
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Alberta
This definitely sounds like Plex is transcoding because it doesn't know the profile for your TV. I use Roku players for my TVs, and when playing anything via Plex, you can press the * button on the remote and it will pop up a menu, in there you can choose how the video is played back. Guessing yours is transcoding, whereas it appears that it may support direct play, which is where Plex just sends the file as is, and lets the TV "transcode" the signal. With transcoding you can make sure your videos will work on any platform, be it a TV, Roku, Phone, Tablet etc, but some devices will play better natively, so you can adjust the plex settings on the device to play natively. In native mode you may find that some files will work, other's wont, this has to do with the various types of codecs out there, and if your TV doesn't support a codec, it won't play natively.

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