Decision inputs#
Reel evaluates the source media and the Roku's reported capabilities before asking PMS for playback. The relevant inputs include the container, video codec and profile, audio track, subtitle selection, requested quality, display capabilities, and connected audio equipment.
The client does not assume every Roku can consume the same streams. Capability checks shape the request; PMS then determines the delivery it can provide. The same source file can therefore take different paths on two TVs.
Delivery modes#
| Mode | What changes | Owner implication |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Play | The client plays a compatible source directly. | Source compatibility and the network path are central; a compatible source does not need video conversion. |
| Direct Stream | PMS repackages compatible streams into a usable delivery format. An incompatible audio stream may need conversion. | A changed container does not necessarily imply video re-encoding. |
| Transcoding | PMS converts video and/or audio to satisfy playback requirements. | Conversion resources and server policy become part of whether playback can start and continue. |
Reel's Original quality setting requests source quality. It does not force Direct Play. Unsupported media, an incompatible selected track, or subtitles that need to be burned into video can still require conversion.
Player controls#
Reel supplies its own playback interface for transport, audio, subtitles, and quality. Track selection can alter the delivery decision: changing to another audio or subtitle track may require a different server response even while the picture appears to be the same title.
Playback progress and watched status are synchronized with Plex. The client interface and the server's completion records are separate pieces of the same playback session, which is why a resume or completion problem should be distinguished from an inability to decode video.
Show the player controls with the audio, subtitle, and quality choices visible.
Diagnosing an unexpected transcode#
Record the actual Roku model, connected display/audio path, source format, selected audio and subtitle streams, and quality request. Compare that session with PMS's playback status. “The file is 4K” is not enough information to establish codec, HDR, audio, or subtitle compatibility.
Try to identify which requirement changed before changing server-wide policy. A different audio output path or a subtitle choice can explain why the same video previously played directly. A lower quality request can also intentionally require conversion.
The owner can publish a default quality and decide whether viewers can override it. That policy applies to Reel's request; it does not guarantee a fixed delivery mode or provision transcoder capacity on PMS.