[Pjrm68]

iPhones, as I understand it, cannot play FLAC files natively. Instead, they transcode them to whatever format is acceptable to the phone.

So here's my question: if I stream a FLAC file from Plex to my iPhone, but connect the phone with a lightning cable to my head unit (which can play FLAC), will the file still be transcoded, or will the unit receive the pure FLAC file?

Just wondering if I can get away with keeping all my FLAC files intact and not have to worry about converting to ALAC (the Apple equivalent).

 

[sbeezy]

all i can say is try with a test file, but what you propose seems as if it would work. since my 80prs doesn't play FLAC i have to transcode to ALAC for my ipod.

if it doesn't work you might have to download DB Poweramp. (thats what i use for xcode)

 

[Jepalan]

I have never tried this, but...

By default, PLEX will transcode the FLAC file to (an IOS compatible format) *before* streaming it to your iPhone unless you force it not to by manually modifying the DLNA profile used for the IOS device.

Even then, I am not sure if iPhone will accept a non-transcoded FLAC file via streaming.

Honestly, if you set the PLEX IOS transcoding profile to a very high bitrate IOS compatible format (without joint stereo encoding), I can't imagine you would hear a difference.

I don't remember which XML file you need to modify to alter the PLEX stream for IOS - check on the PLEX forums.

 

[subterFUSE]

All I know is that iPhone's maximum supported audio file specs are:

24 bit 48kHz



I keep my FLAC files in one Library, and a separate iTunes Library for my ALAC files for iPhone. Sucks, but that's all I know that works.

 

[sbeezy]

^ Thats exactly how my files are

 

[Pjrm68]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try it at the highest transcode setting and see what it sounds like. And if it doesn't sound right, looks like I have some converting to do.