Hey everyone,
I’m currently running a setup with Sonarr and Plex, and overall it works really well. Downloads are automated and everything is nicely organized.
Now I’m wondering about optimization:
Would you recommend re-encoding already downloaded files, or just leaving them as they are?
My main goals are:
Avoid transcoding in Plex (Direct Play as much as possible)
Reduce storage usage if possible
Keep good visual quality
I’ve read about tools like HandBrake, Tdarr, and FFmpeg, but I’m unsure what’s actually worth the effort in a real-world setup.
Right now I’m thinking:
For new content → prefer x265/HEVC releases via Sonarr
For existing files → maybe batch convert larger x264 files?
But I’m not sure if re-encoding is really worth it long-term, or if it’s better to just redownload optimized versions.
How are you guys handling this?
Do you optimize your library or just leave everything as-is?
Appreciate any real-world advice 👍