This guide outlines recommendations and requirements for "Direct Streaming" 4k HEVC HDR MKVs. This is a work in progress and subject to change. Feel free to provide any info on your findings and I will do my best to keep this post updated.
These settings should work for SDR 4k content as well.
MP4 should also work with these settings but it should direct play and not direct stream. Apple does require fragmented MP4 for streaming so you may see it remux from MP4 to MP4.
Basic requirements: You need a 4k capable device (ie. Apple TV 4k) and a 4k HDR TV/Projector
Current Known Working Versions:
tvOS: 11.2.6, 11.3+
tvOS Plex app : 1.24+
PMS: 1.11.3.4803+
Apple TV 4k Settings:
- Video and Audio
- Video
- Format - HDR / Enable HDR or SDR as of ATV Plex app Version 1.26
- Chroma - Either is fine
- Match Content
- Range (Optional but recommended) (Required if SDR is set under the ATV settings)
- Frame Rate (Optional but recommended)
- Video
tvOS Plex Settings:
- Settings
- Video Quality
- Home Streaming - Maximum
- Internet Streaming - Maximum (Only if you wish to view 4k content over the internet, Not needed on your home network)
Tips
- Media re-analysis maybe needed
List of Known Issues:
- DTS - Center channel is mapped to the right channel (DEVs are aware) http://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/1618894/#Comment_1618894 [SOLVED] in Version 1.12.2.4896
- If the ATV is set to SDR and content switching is enabled. The plex app WILL NOT switch to HDR and cause the stream to transcode. (Maybe a bug?) [SOLVED] in Version 1.26
- No audio when converting DTS to EAC3 - This seems like it maybe related to LG TVs.
https://www.avforums.com/threads/optical-5-1-support-on-2016-lg-oled-tvs.2037600/
If all goes well you should see a direct stream of 4k HDR content on the server.
Edit (4/4/18): Some problems have been solved. Changes made to the post to reflect current status.
Edit (4/5/18): No audio issue update.