Streaming & Quality
Zuno always tries to play your files exactly as they are, untouched. These settings, all under Settings → Playback, decide what happens when your connection can’t carry the original, and which copy of a title Zuno reaches for when there’s more than one.
Direct play and transcoding
Section titled “Direct play and transcoding”Playback Mode controls how Zuno handles a file your connection may struggle with:
- Adaptive Streaming: starts on the original file and, if your connection can’t keep up, drops to a lower quality stream from your server, then climbs back to the original once it recovers. This is the best choice for most people.
- Direct Play Only: always streams the original file exactly as it is. Nothing is ever re-encoded, so quality is untouched, but playback can buffer or fail if your connection (or your server’s remote bandwidth limit) can’t carry the full bitrate.
- Transcoding Only: always asks your server to re-encode the file before sending it. Useful on a limited or capped connection, but picture and sound quality are reduced, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are unavailable, and your server works harder.
Streaming quality and bitrate
Section titled “Streaming quality and bitrate”When Zuno does stream a lower quality version (under Adaptive or Transcoding Only), Maximum Bitrate sets the ceiling it asks your server for:
- Original Quality uses the file’s full bitrate.
- Or cap it at 20 Mbps (4K), 12 Mbps (1080p), 8 Mbps (1080p), 4 Mbps (720p), or 2 Mbps (480p).
Anything below Original Quality means your server re-encodes the video, so Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos won’t be available on those streams. This option only appears when Playback Mode isn’t set to Direct Play Only, since Direct Play never transcodes.
Choosing a version
Section titled “Choosing a version”Some titles exist on your server in more than one version, for example a 4K copy and a 1080p copy of the same film. Preferred Version decides which one Zuno opens by default:
- Highest Quality
- Lowest Quality
- Original (First)
This simply picks between copies your server already has. It never re-encodes anything, so it’s separate from Maximum Bitrate above.
Lower Quality on Cellular overrides your choice while you’re on mobile data, always reaching for the smaller version to save bandwidth.
See also
Section titled “See also”Plex is a trademark of Plex, Inc. Jellyfin and Emby are trademarks of their respective owners. Dolby, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Zuno is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.