Buffering is no good... ⛔
If you're experiencing performance issues or want to reduce strain on your Plex server, there are a few settings you can adjust to help.
Use Direct Play or Direct Stream
Direct Play and Direct Stream allow Plex to stream videos without transcoding them. This can improve performance and reduce strain on your server. To enable Direct Play and Direct Stream:
Open the Plex web app and sign in.
Click on the "Settings" icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Select "Player" from the menu on the left.
Make sure that the "Direct Play" and "Direct Stream" options are checked.
Adjust the quality settings
You can adjust the quality settings in Plex to optimize playback for your network conditions. If you have excellent local network conditions, you can increase the quality settings to stream 4K content. To adjust the quality settings, go to Settings > Quality and set the "Internet Streaming" and "Local Streaming" settings to "Original" or "Maximum".
Adjust the Transcoder Temporary Directory
By default, Plex stores transcoded files in your server's RAM. However, if your server has limited RAM, this can cause performance issues. To avoid this, you can change the Transcoder temporary directory to use your server's hard drive instead.
To change the Transcoder temporary directory:
Open the Plex web app and sign in.
Click on the "Settings" icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Select "Transcoder" from the menu on the left.
Find the "Transcoder temporary directory" setting and click the "Browse" button.
Select a folder on your server's hard drive to use as the new temporary directory.
Example:
/home/user/plex/transcodeClick "Save Changes" to apply the new setting.
After changing the Transcoder temporary directory, Plex will store transcoded files on your server's hard drive instead of in the RAM. This can help improve performance if your server has limited RAM.
Quality, Codecs, and File Sizes
When setting up quality profiles in Sonarr, it's important to consider the capabilities of your media player and the storage capacity of your seedbox. Here are some general recommendations for the codec, size, and other settings you might consider:
Video Codec | Bitrate | File Size (per hour) |
H.264 | 8 Mbps | ~3.5 GB |
H.265 | 4 Mbps | ~1.5 GB |
VP9 | 5 Mbps | ~2.2 GB |
Video Codec | Bitrate | File Size (per hour) |
H.264 | 20-30 Mbps | ~9-13.5 GB |
H.265 | 10-20 Mbps | ~4.5-9 GB |
VP9 | 15-25 Mbps | ~6.8-11.25 GB |
AV1 | 20-30 Mbps | ~9-13.5 GB |
Setting up Quality Profiles
When setting up quality profiles, it's important to consider the capabilities of your media player and the storage capacity of your seedbox. Here are some general recommendations for the codec, size, and other settings you might consider:
Video Codec: If your media player supports it, it's best to select H.264 or H.265 as your preferred video codec. These codecs provide high-quality video while keeping file sizes manageable. Sonarr should be able to automatically detect which codec a particular release uses.
Resolution: If you have a high-resolution display, such as a 4K TV or a high-DPI computer monitor, you'll want to select releases with matching resolutions. However, keep in mind that higher resolutions also mean larger file sizes, so you'll need to balance quality and storage considerations.
Audio Codec: For audio, you can select either AAC or AC3 as your preferred codec. AAC provides better quality at lower bitrates, while AC3 provides better compatibility with older media players.
Bitrate: You can set a maximum bitrate for both video and audio in your quality profiles. Lower bitrates mean smaller file sizes, but also lower quality. Higher bitrates provide better quality, but also larger file sizes.
File Size: You can also set a maximum file size for each release. This can be useful if you have limited storage space on your seedbox. However, keep in mind that selecting a lower maximum file size may limit your options for high-quality releases.
Subtitles: If you prefer to watch your media with subtitles, you can also specify which subtitle formats and languages you prefer.
These are just general recommendations, and the optimal settings for your specific use case may vary. It's important to experiment with different settings and see what works best for you. Additionally, keep in mind that some private trackers may have specific rules or requirements for acceptable file sizes or codecs, so be sure to check with the tracker's rules before selecting your quality profile settings.
Troubleshooting Your Local Network
If you're experiencing performance issues with your Plex server, it may be due to issues with your local network. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to improve your network performance:
Run a speed test: Use an online speed test tool, such as Speedtest.net, to check your network speeds. If your speeds are lower than expected, this could be causing performance issues with your Plex server.
Reboot your modem and router: Sometimes, simply rebooting your modem and router can help resolve network performance issues. Unplug both devices, wait a few minutes, and then plug them back in.
Reboot your local PC: If you're experiencing performance issues with your Plex client, try rebooting your local PC. This can help clear out any background processes or memory leaks that may be causing performance issues.
By following these troubleshooting steps, you may be able to improve your local network performance and resolve any issues that are impacting your Plex server.
For the ultimate guide to 4k Plex streaming check out our awesome blog post below!
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