This causes Plex to convert the video/audio codec to something the streaming device can play.
The reason that transcoding happens is that for many devices that can stream content from Plex, the devices may not be able to play the movie because it doesn't support the video/audio codec. While you can try to have your Plex Media Server and clients direct play as much content as possible, there may be times where that isn't possible, and transcoding happens. The goal of managing a Plex server is to transcode as little as possible.
Transcoding, however, can use up to 100% of the CPU, depending on what is being transcoded. The next best option is Direct stream because it uses little system resources but more than direct play. There are three methods that Plex Media Server will use to stream content to a device: direct play, direct stream and transcoding, and out of the three methods, transcoding is used if Plex can't find a compatible movie file to stream to a device.ĭirect play is the preferred method, as it uses the least amount of resources on the server. Plex can play a wide range of video, audio and photo formats without having to install any third party video plugins and can stream online audio and video content served by Plex Media Server.Learning how to avoid transcoding movie files from your Plex server is a common question, as it can cause issues if multiple movies are being transcoded at the same time. The interface is very similar to the one of Plex Home Theater, so the learning curve should not be too steep if you are already familiar with this tool.
Next, you can explore all the available folders and their multimedia contents without too much hassle. To benefit from the functions of this application, you first need to login to your Plex Pass account and link the current device with your account. Plex bridges the gap between your computer and your home theater, doing so with a visually appealing user interface that provides instant access to your media. Top Software Keywords Show more Show less