Tell me about Plex

[souljacker]

WTF is a Nexus?

Android tablet from 2014 when I posted the initial query.

 

[Sasaferrato]

No bugger has answered my query on reinstalling Windows on the lonely tech post thread.

 

[keybored]

Anyone run their Plex just over WiFi? I've got my little server plugged into the router at the moment, but would be easier if it wasn't. It does half the journey at the moment to the PS4 so wondering if I should bite the bullet and just get another AC WiFi card.

I'm using a PS3 over WiFi (and PS3 only has 802.11g, so 54mbps) with a Synology NAS as a server and it seems to stream fine at 1080p.

I only set this up last night though and what a bag of shit the Plex PS3 client seems to be. Every time I sign in I have to disable the VPN on the NAS (even though both devices are on the same LAN) and skipping through movies seems at best unresponsive, at worst just crashes the stream. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[souljacker]

No bugger has answered my query on reinstalling Windows on the lonely tech post thread.

I did!

 

[dervish]

Sae if ah install plex oan mah pc, ah kin access a' mah media stuff fae mah nexus, aye? kin ah an' a' burn tae mah ps3? does it need a guid connection or is ma shitty powerline connection guid enough? wull it wirk oan mah telly (samsung non-smart bit does hae an inturnet connection)? is thare chromecast support? whit aboot connection remotely?

basically, is it ony guid?

Yes, Yes but I wouldn't bother, get a fire tv/chromecase/apple tv/shield instead the playstation app is crap, doesn't need a good connection but better is better a powerline connection should be fine, if there is a plex app, yes, yes that's the point of plex it will transcode it when streaming remotely.

yes. I run a plex server with about 20 or so regular users. I have a 15MB up connection and can support up to 5 streams.

 

[cybershot]

WTF is a Nexus?

It was google's own brand of phone before they changed it to Pixel. Which would have been about right for the time of souljacker post that you quoted, since he asked the question in 2014?

ETA: Now I also look a dick because I didn't realise that was the last post of the previous page, and not the last post of the thread. Sigh. Dickheads day out.

 

[cybershot]

I'm using a PS3 over WiFi (and PS3 only has 802.11g, so 54mbps) with a Synology NAS as a server and it seems to stream fine at 1080p.

I only set this up last night though and what a bag of shit the Plex PS3 client seems to be. Every time I sign in I have to disable the VPN on the NAS (even though both devices are on the same LAN) and skipping through movies seems at best unresponsive, at worst just crashes the stream. Am I doing something wrong?

I had this exact same problem as my NAS (A QNAP) is always connected to VPN. To get around it, I instead used the Container Station app to install the Docker version of Plex. There is no doubt a Synology version of Container Station, but I've no idea what it would be called.

I have however learned the hard way that with Docker container, it's very easy to lose your config. Rather than trying to upgrade the existing container. I've found its easier to pull down the new plex image from docker when there is one, create a new container and assign the new image to it, and then copy the existing hard mapped config folder that the previous container looks at, to the config folder the new container looks at, fire it up, and then the newer version of Plex retains all your settings. If that makes no sense what so ever, I'll happily record it to whack onto youtube or something.

 

[keybored]

I had this exact same problem as my NAS (A QNAP) is always connected to VPN. To get around it, I instead used the Container Station app to install the Docker version of Plex. There is no doubt a Synology version of Container Station, but I've no idea what it would be called.

I have however learned the hard way that with Docker container, it's very easy to lose your config. Rather than trying to upgrade the existing container. I've found its easier to pull down the new plex image from docker when there is one, create a new container and assign the new image to it, and then copy the existing hard mapped config folder that the previous container looks at, to the config folder the new container looks at, fire it up, and then the newer version of Plex retains all your settings. If that makes no sense what so ever, I'll happily record it to whack onto youtube or something.

Thanks, I'll look into it. I have Docker (that's what it's called on Synology) as I tried to run rtorrent in a container but put that on the back burner when it became too much of a pain to set up. Looks like there is a Plex repo for Docker so I might try that sometime.

 

[sim667]

Thanks, I'll look into it. I have Docker (that's what it's called on Synology) as I tried to run rtorrent in a container but put that on the back burner when it became too much of a pain to set up. Looks like there is a Plex repo for Docker so I might try that sometime.

there can be issues with ports on docker containers

personally I just use quickbox but then I’ve got an Ubuntu VPS. I did a manual setup for Mapped once and drew a schematic but I don’t think I’ve got it anymore, maybe he does. If his is still running it’s fully automated from grabbing media to putting it into plex. Mines been going about nine months now with barely any downtime

 

[sim667]

Oh I do still have the schematic on imgur

 

[dervish]

I had this exact same problem as my NAS (A QNAP) is always connected to VPN. To get around it, I instead used the Container Station app to install the Docker version of Plex. There is no doubt a Synology version of Container Station, but I've no idea what it would be called.

I have however learned the hard way that with Docker container, it's very easy to lose your config. Rather than trying to upgrade the existing container. I've found its easier to pull down the new plex image from docker when there is one, create a new container and assign the new image to it, and then copy the existing hard mapped config folder that the previous container looks at, to the config folder the new container looks at, fire it up, and then the newer version of Plex retains all your settings. If that makes no sense what so ever, I'll happily record it to whack onto youtube or something.

Who's build of plexms are you using? I don't know about QNAP's specifically but the plex and linuxserver.io builds both auto update if you just restart the container. IME with things like this have a look at the permissions, maybe the docker user doesn't have correct permissions to create the folder or something?

 

[cybershot]

Who's build of plexms are you using? I don't know about QNAP's specifically but the plex and linuxserver.io builds both auto update if you just restart the container. IME with things like this have a look at the permissions, maybe the docker user doesn't have correct permissions to create the folder or something?

This one. Docker Hub

it’s been updated today so I’ll see what happens when I restart the container.

 

[cybershot]

Who's build of plexms are you using? I don't know about QNAP's specifically but the plex and linuxserver.io builds both auto update if you just restart the container. IME with things like this have a look at the permissions, maybe the docker user doesn't have correct permissions to create the folder or something?

Thanks, this pointed me in the right direction, you need to ensure you're using the 'public' tagged image and not any of the 'latest' or version number images. THEN it auto updates itself. Should have RTFM.

 

[cybershot]

A weird 17% discount using the code USETHEFOURTH if anyone wants a cheaper lifetime sub. I know the offers on that are few and far between. Brings it down to £79.16.

I know it’s been less in the past but who knows if it will ever be £70ish again. For the sake of being impatient I bit the bullet especially as the gf is enjoying using it and my current sub was going to end in 2 days.

 

[dervish]

I bought my lifetime pass the last time it was discounted, think it was about £60, was well worth it.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm getting some weirdness at the moment. I've got files that play with the sound effects, but no voice on my PS4. However if I use the Plex app on my android phone, they work fine. Most infuriating.

 

[dervish]

convert them to the same resolution, or try transcoding to the highest resolution. my PS4 struggles with some audio formats.

 

[cybershot]

The new Apple TV OS seems to have introduced some audio sync issues. At least when using a homepod as your audio output.

reverted back to the ‘old’ player in settings and that seems to have fixed it. Bit annoying mind. About to log a bug report.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

convert them to the same resolution, or try transcoding to the highest resolution. my PS4 struggles with some audio formats.

Maybe I'm being daft but I thought the whole point of plex was to not have to worry about this.

When you say convert them to the same resolution, I'm not quite sure what you mean? I'm working through broadwalk empire and they are all at 720p. Deleted the first lot I downloaded as thought it was in a codec that Plex didn't like, but the second set I've got do the same thing.

 

[cybershot]

Maybe I'm being daft but I thought the whole point of plex was to not have to worry about this.

When you say convert them to the same resolution, I'm not quite sure what you mean? I'm working through broadwalk empire and they are all at 720p. Deleted the first lot I downloaded as thought it was in a codec that Plex didn't like, but the second set I've got do the same thing.

mid there an option to use the ‘old player’ in the settings on the PlayStation app.

 

[dervish]

Maybe I'm being daft but I thought the whole point of plex was to not have to worry about this.

When you say convert them to the same resolution, I'm not quite sure what you mean? I'm working through broadwalk empire and they are all at 720p. Deleted the first lot I downloaded as thought it was in a codec that Plex didn't like, but the second set I've got do the same thing.

It's not really, but sometimes things will be encoded in a weird format that plex can decode but if it's direct streaming the player doesn't know what to do with it. Transcoding to the same resolution means it won't lose much quality and the audio will be re-encoded to a format that the ps4 can understand.

So if you have a file that is 1080p 6mbps choose a transcode target that is close to that, 1080p 8mbps would be fine and the audio should work.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Ah gotcha. I've just been using Plez on my phone and casting from that, but I think there is a small quality hit, so will try it.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

So I bought a 4k firestick in the recent sale. Despite me replacing the Celeron with an aging i3 in the HP Microserver, it still struggled with some transcodes.

Spent a while setting up Kodi on the Firestick, but it's just not quite as slick. Tried Plex on it and it runs a dream. Tried some 265 files which would normally guarantee a stutter fest and they play perfectly. Happy days.

 

[cybershot]

I did wonder why you were pissing about with kodi but thought you must have a grand plan or prefer it so didn’t butt in. Glad you’ve found a solution.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

How do people find 4k content works? Is it fine over WiFi or do you have ethernet to your TV? Does it put much more strain on the server if you aren't transcoding. And how big has your media collection got?

 

[cybershot]

How do people find 4k content works? Is it fine over WiFi or do you have ethernet to your TV? Does it put much more strain on the server if you aren't transcoding. And how big has your media collection got?

I would like to say it's fine over WiFi, but I have no reason to watch 4K on my mobile phone screen, but when I've been doing various testing scenarios it's been fine using direct play from my TS-253A QNAP Upgraded to 8GB of RAM (5 years old now) to an iPhone 12 Pro. My Plex server is ran out of a Docker Container.

Everything else is wired so no problem.

Media collection isn't huge as I delete most stuff after watching. Very few things I'll rewatch.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Thanks. That's good to know. Wired is always better, but not always the neatest. It's what I'm going to try and do if possible, if not then hopefully an AC access point in the same area which will be wired to the server will be what I'll use. Think I'll get an additional AX access point, but other then my work laptop, I don't think anything else supports it!

 

[sim667]

We’ve decided to get rid of cable tv and we don’t have a rooftop aerial so it looks like it’s plex and streaming services from here on. I’m glad they’ve introduced that feature that amalgamates all your streaming services to tell you where stuff is available.

 

[cybershot]

We’ve decided to get rid of cable tv and we don’t have a rooftop aerial so it looks like it’s plex and streaming services from here on. I’m glad they’ve introduced that feature that amalgamates all your streaming services to tell you where stuff is available.

Mine aerial is the loft and works like a dream, might be easier to do yourself.

 

[sim667]

Mine aerial is the loft and works like a dream, might be easier to do yourself.

To be honest streaming services are really good now so we’ll see how we get on