Is client side downscaling possible on Roku?

[Jdiesel 1453]

I have one user with a 720p Roku TV and everything they watch requires transcoding as content on my server is mostly 1080p. It seems strange that Roku requires a 720p source and can't scale 1080p down to 720p internally. Is this possible or is it a Roku limitation?

 

2026-06-11 00:18:15.005 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: http/1.1 POST http://emby_remote_ip/emby/Items/2433303/PlaybackInfo?UserId=x_secret5_x&isplayback=false&maxstreamingbitrate=80000000&starttimeticks=00000000. Source Ip: host1, UserAgent: Roku/DVP-15.2 (15.2.4.3442-EG)
2026-06-11 00:18:15.006 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: User policy for User. EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableTranscodingQuality: True
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: Profile: VideoCodecProfile, DirectPlay=false. Reason=Roku SG.Width Condition: LessThanEqual. ConditionValue: 1280. IsRequired: True. Path: /media/tv/Ahsoka (2023)/Season 01/Ahsoka (2023) - S01E08 - Part Eight [WEBDL-1080p][EAC3 Atmos 5.1][EN][8bit][h264][EN+ZH+CS+DA+NL+ES+FI+FR+DE+EL+HU+IT+JA+KO+NO+PL+PT+RO+SK+SV+TR]-LAZYCUNTS.mkv
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 50000000, RemoteIp: host1, IsInLocalNetwork: False
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: Profile: VideoCodecProfile, DirectPlay=false. Reason=Roku SG.Width Condition: LessThanEqual. ConditionValue: 1280. IsRequired: True. Path: /media/tv/Ahsoka (2023)/Season 01/Ahsoka (2023) - S01E08 - Part Eight [WEBDL-1080p][EAC3 Atmos 5.1][EN][8bit][h264][EN+ZH+CS+DA+NL+ES+FI+FR+DE+EL+HU+IT+JA+KO+NO+PL+PT+RO+SK+SV+TR]-LAZYCUNTS.mkv
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 50000000, RemoteIp: host1, IsInLocalNetwork: False
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: Profile: VideoCodecProfile, DirectPlay=false. Reason=Roku SG.Width Condition: LessThanEqual. ConditionValue: 1280. IsRequired: True. Path: /media/tv/Ahsoka (2023)/Season 01/Ahsoka (2023) - S01E08 - Part Eight [WEBDL-1080p][EAC3 Atmos 5.1][EN][8bit][h264][EN+ZH+CS+DA+NL+ES+FI+FR+DE+EL+HU+IT+JA+KO+NO+PL+PT+RO+SK+SV+TR]-LAZYCUNTS.mkv
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 50000000, RemoteIp: host1, IsInLocalNetwork: False
2026-06-11 00:18:15.007 Info MediaInfoService-0HNM2MP3E6U77:00000001: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 2ms. POST http://emby_remote_ip/emby/Items/2433303/PlaybackInfo?UserId=x_secret5_x&isplayback=false&maxstreamingbitrate=80000000&starttimeticks=00000000.

 

ffmpeg-transcode-8004bb22-fc24-4180-8142-9cbfaaba0fb6_1.txt

[speechles 2089]

App: Roku SG 4.1.63
32' onn. Roku TV
User-Agent: Roku/DVP-15.2 (15.2.4.3442-EG)

The "1080p_hardware" argument is deprecated. Apps should use the GetVideoMode() and CanDecodeVideo() functions instead.

Because this is a Roku TV under 43 inches we cannot assume it can decode 1080P. All Roku TV over 43 inches are usually either 1080P or 4K. We have to use GetVideoMode() and then determine what their display is set at to determine the maximum supported resolution of that TV. To answer the question, no, not all Roku TV can downscale. Older models of Roku express also cannot downscale. 

Can they change their resolution to something above 720P on that TV or is that TV strictly 720P? Do they have the option to use 1080P on that TV?

 

 

[Luke 42578]

What is their quality setting set to?

[Jdiesel 1453]

6 hours ago, speechles said:

App: Roku SG 4.1.63
32' onn. Roku TV
User-Agent: Roku/DVP-15.2 (15.2.4.3442-EG)

The "1080p_hardware" argument is deprecated. Apps should use the GetVideoMode() and CanDecodeVideo() functions instead.

Because this is a Roku TV under 43 inches we cannot assume it can decode 1080P. All Roku TV over 43 inches are usually either 1080P or 4K. We have to use GetVideoMode() and then determine what their display is set at to determine the maximum supported resolution of that TV. To answer the question, no, not all Roku TV can downscale. Older models of Roku express also cannot downscale. 

Can they change their resolution to something above 720P on that TV or is that TV strictly 720P? Do they have the option to use 1080P on that TV?

 

 

I believe it's a 720p panel on the TV. The cheapest possible TV you can buy at Walmart

[Jdiesel 1453]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

What is their quality setting set to?

I'll ask, I think it's set on auto quality though.

[Jdiesel 1453]

I disabled transcoding for that user and 1080p content seems to direct stream just fine.

 

 

ffmpeg-directstream-5e55479b-44b9-4900-b128-c1ba723bdc24_1.txt

[Luke 42578]

On 6/12/2026 at 1:30 AM, Jdiesel said:

I'll ask, I think it's set on auto quality though.

Did you find this out?

[Jdiesel 1453]

10 minutes ago, Luke said:

Did you find this out?

Yes it was set to auto

[speechles 2089]

17 hours ago, Jdiesel said:

I disabled transcoding for that user and 1080p content seems to direct stream just fine.

 

 

ffmpeg-directstream-5e55479b-44b9-4900-b128-c1ba723bdc24_1.txt 411.94 kB · 0 downloads

What is the make/model of their RokuTV?

At that time no RokuTV under 43 inches supported 1080P. Times have changed we can change with it. Maybe it should be exposed as an option when the TV is under 43 inches? We can make exceptions for this. Nothing is set in stone here. As things evolve we must with it.

[Jdiesel 1453]

1 hour ago, speechles said:

What is the make/model of their RokuTV?

At that time no RokuTV under 43 inches supported 1080P. Times have changed we can change with it. Maybe it should be exposed as an option when the TV is under 43 inches? We can make exceptions for this. Nothing is set in stone here. As things evolve we must with it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-32-Class-HD-720P-LED-Roku-Smart-Television-100012589/314022535

I didn't even realize that you could buy a 720p in 2026. 1080p panels have become so cheap that I didn't think there was a market for them. This is probably a niche case but maybe there are others out there using the most affordable smart TV money can buy.

[ebr 16445]

We'll see if we can make this work better.

Thanks.