Plex Player Device Recommendations

[Circaflex]

Curious what everyone is using for Plex playback. I have a nVidia shield, but the ethernet port is going bad, or that is what nVidia is telling me and I am well out of warranty (3 years old) which still is crummy because for the price these devices cost, you would think the nic would last beyond 3 years. nVidia also claims it isn't a recent firmware bug, although other users have reported their link speed being limited to 100mbps and not receiving 1000mbps like the device is capable of. I've replaced my cables just to be sure, removed my 2 10/100 devices (hue bridge and a security camera) just to be sure and this thing wont connect at 1000mbps. I was told by nVidia it is either my cable, the ethernet port going bad or the ethernet controller is damaged. Pretty pathetic considering I have computers older than this with gigabit nic cards that havent just randomly stopped working, I could understand this if you are constantly unplugging and plugging in your cable, but it is what it is and I am now looking for a new device for my Plex playback. I'd like a device that is powerful enough that it can direct play and comes with a gigabit nic. The one nice thing the Shield TV did do, was that it would play everything at original quality so no transcoding was needed. I'd like to keep the price at around $250 and below.

[Max Norris]

Using a couple Rokus myself for multiple sources, Plex included.  One is the little external device, one is a TV that has it built in.  Very happy with the results.  Plex, Sling, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, etc etc, all in one device.  Occasionally watch it via an Android tablet too for giggles.

[Circaflex]

i have looked into Rokus, but even the Ultra only support 10/100.

[Max Norris]

14 hours ago, Circaflex said:

i have looked into Rokus, but even the Ultra only support 10/100.

Just my opinion of course, but a HD stream won't even come close to saturating 100mb, reasonably sure 4K doesn't use all of that either, really no point to more expensive hardware if it's not going to be used, and the convenience factor of the device is through the roof.  A PC serving up multiple streams, sure that's a requirement.  A media device only does one stream at a time, nowhere near the bandwidth requirement. That said, I think the newer Amazon Fire TV device supports 11ac which puts you in that ballpark, similar sort of device.  

[Circaflex]

5 hours ago, Max Norris said:

Just my opinion of course, but a HD stream won't even come close to saturating 100mb, reasonably sure 4K doesn't use all of that either, really no point to more expensive hardware if it's not going to be used, and the convenience factor of the device is through the roof.  A PC serving up multiple streams, sure that's a requirement.  A media device only does one stream at a time, nowhere near the bandwidth requirement. That said, I think the newer Amazon Fire TV device supports 11ac which puts you in that ballpark, similar sort of device.  

Im not talking about HD streams, I am talking local content and I have easily gone over 100Mbps

 

 

[sc302 Veteran]

I stream hd content to my roku 3 and do not have an issue (plex or netflix content). You are peaking at 100Mb/s in that screen cap, you average is far less.  If you were seeing a constant, I would be more worried.  Understand that even streaming true 4k content it will be far less than 100Mb/s.  4k has to exist on Internet packages that are under 1Gb/s.

[dipsylalapo Supervisor]

Nothing special here. The built in app on my TV and occasionally an Amazon Fire Stick. 

 

I don't think I've ever seem my Plex stream even peak at 100. I don't think I hit 20, when pushing 1080p content.

 

Probably a little off topic, but what are the benefits of having a dedicated box (like a Shield) vs using the app on your TV?