What’s new

MKV files now play right in Portage, AV1 films convert, HDR films keep their HDR, and Portage runs on macOS 12 Monterey.

MAC

• Runs on macOS 12 Monterey and later
• Dialogs fit their content, with matching headers and buttons

PLAYBACK

• Downloaded and streamed MKVs play in Portage's own player, with seeking, audio and subtitle tracks, AirPlay and picture in picture
• Streaming an MKV plays the original file, so your server has nothing to convert
• DTS and TrueHD soundtracks play, in MKVs and MP4s alike
• Subtitles inside MKV files show up in the subtitle menu
• Dragging the timeline on a downloaded MKV shows previews

CONVERT

• AV1 films convert to HEVC or H.264 on Macs that can't play AV1, where they used to say they couldn't be played
• HDR films convert to HEVC with their HDR kept, instead of coming out washed out
• On a Mac that can't encode HDR video, Convert says so instead of making washed-out copies
• Dolby Vision profile 8 films convert as HDR10 or HLG
• A conversion that pauses partway no longer loses sound, so DTS, TrueHD and Opus soundtracks come through whole
• Sound in converted files lines up exactly with the picture
• Converting some MKV recordings no longer gives sound over a black picture

SUBTITLES

• On a Plex account set to a language other than English, picking a subtitle or audio language finds the right track
• Subtitle files stored next to a film on your Plex server show up when you stream it
• A film with an unnamed subtitle track plays instead of failing with an error

CAST

• Casting to a TV's web browser now connects on older LG and Samsung TVs that stalled or kept saying "Reconnecting…"
• Samsung TVs can skip and seek in videos cast over DLNA
• The DLNA list leaves out speakers and shows only devices that play video
• Casting a large file to a Chromecast no longer gives up with "couldn't start this file" while the TV is still loading it

Meet the Compatibility Engine: Portage now shows when it adapts a film as it plays, and you choose whether it does.

COMPATIBILITY ENGINE

• A badge in the player shows when Portage repackages a file or converts its sound as it plays, and tapping it shows exactly what's being done
• It follows what's really playing, on this iPhone or on the TV you AirPlay to
• Settings › Compatibility Engine turns it off, or just its sound conversion
• When a film needs the engine and it's off, one tap turns it back on and plays from where you were

FIXES

• HDR films in MKV files play, instead of saying the server couldn't be reached

AV1 films convert to formats your iPhone plays, and HDR films keep their HDR when they convert.

CONVERT

• AV1 films convert to HEVC or H.264 on iPhones that can't play AV1, where they used to say they couldn't be played
• HDR films convert to HEVC with their HDR kept, instead of coming out washed out
• Dolby Vision profile 8 films convert as HDR10 or HLG
• A conversion that pauses partway no longer loses sound, so DTS, TrueHD and Opus soundtracks come through whole
• Sound in converted files lines up exactly with the picture

SUBTITLES

• On a Plex account set to a language other than English, picking a subtitle or audio language finds the right track
• Subtitle files stored next to a film on your Plex server show up when you stream it
• A film with an unnamed subtitle track plays instead of failing with an error
• The subtitle menu no longer lists the machine-translated subtitles iOS adds by itself

MKV files now play right in Portage, downloaded or streamed.

PLAYBACK

• Downloaded and streamed MKVs play in Portage's own player, with seeking, audio and subtitle tracks, AirPlay and picture in picture
• Streaming an MKV plays the original file, so your server has nothing to convert
• DTS and TrueHD soundtracks play, in MKVs and MP4s alike
• Subtitles inside MKV files show up in the subtitle menu
• Dragging the timeline on a downloaded MKV shows previews

FIXES

• Converting some MKV recordings no longer gives sound over a black picture

Browser casting reaches more TVs, Samsung TVs can seek over DLNA, and the cast list shows screens, not speakers.

CAST

• Casting to a TV's web browser now connects on older LG and Samsung TVs that stalled or kept saying "Reconnecting…"
• Samsung TVs can skip and seek in videos cast over DLNA
• The DLNA list leaves out speakers and shows only devices that play video
• AirPlay lists TVs and other video devices first

FIXES

• Tapping a finished-download notification no longer crashes Portage on iOS 27
• An empty Up Next shows its message centered, and every "…" button looks the same

Casting keeps going when your iPhone loses Wi-Fi, recorded MKVs seek again, and Continue Watching gets a new look.

CAST

• If your iPhone drops off Wi-Fi mid-cast, the TV keeps playing and Portage reconnects to it, showing "Reconnecting to…" until it's back
• Recorded MKV files seek again when cast, including to DLNA TVs
• Your TV decides what it can play: TrueHD, DTS and other formats are tried before anything is converted
• Picking an MKV while connected to a TV plays it on the TV
• Casting large files to a DLNA TV no longer makes Portage quit
• A stream the server drops while casting reopens by itself

WATCH

• Continue Watching shows wide artwork with the poster and the time left
• Detail pages on iPad get a bigger banner, poster and title
• Videos this iPhone can't decode, like AV1 on older models, say so and offer casting instead of failing, and models that decode AV1 play those originals directly
• Stats for nerds now shows memory use for Portage and the Chromecast

FIXES

• Rotating with Search open no longer crashes
• A Plex account with one reachable server is no longer shown as offline
• Converting a file with MP3 audio re-encodes the sound, so the copy isn't silent
• Converting with a preset you didn't change names the file after the preset

Casting keeps going when the connection drops, recorded MKVs seek again, and Continue Watching gets a new look.

CAST

• If your Mac loses the connection to a Chromecast mid-cast, the TV keeps playing and Portage reconnects to it, showing "Reconnecting to…" until it's back
• Recorded MKV files seek again when cast, including to DLNA TVs
• Your TV decides what it can play: TrueHD, DTS and other formats are tried before anything is converted
• Casting large files to a DLNA TV no longer loads the whole file into memory
• A stream the server drops while casting reopens by itself

WATCH

• Continue Watching shows wide artwork with the poster and the time left
• Detail pages get a bigger banner, poster and title in wide windows
• Videos this Mac can't decode, like AV1 on Macs before M3, say so and offer casting instead of failing, and Macs that decode AV1 play those originals directly
• Stats for nerds (right-click the player or press ⌥⌘I) now shows memory use for Portage and the Chromecast

FIXES

• A Plex account with one reachable server is no longer shown as offline
• Converting a file with MP3 audio re-encodes the sound, so the copy isn't silent
• Converting with a preset you didn't change names the file after the preset

Casting from your Mac now does everything the iPhone does, and more of your library plays without a fuss.

CAST

• Cast Plex streams and original MKV files to Chromecast, subtitles included
• Switch audio tracks while casting, set the TV's volume from your Mac, and resume a cast where you left off
• Every TV and receiver plays the audio and subtitle track you chose, or tells you why it can't
• Auto streams try the original quality first, then step down to what your TV can show and play
• When a TV can't play something, the player says why and offers the fix, like Convert or Use AAC Audio
• Jumping far ahead in a stream the server is still converting now works
• AirPlay sends the video, not just the sound
• DLNA lists only renderers that are online and shows the tracks the TV really plays

UP NEXT

• Portage suggests what comes next and plays it automatically, keeping your subtitle language
• Line up what to watch with Play Next and Add to Queue; a Chromecast can carry on through the queue by itself
• After a few episodes in a row, Portage asks if you're still watching

WATCH

• Stats for nerds: right-click the player or press ⌥⌘I to see resolution, bitrate, buffer and download speed
• Pick a stream's video codec and resolution separately, with HEVC from Jellyfin when the server can make it
• Each server shows how it's reached: Local, Internet or Relay
• Seasons open with their first few episodes, with Show all for the rest
• The last video you played is waiting in the bar when you open Portage

DESIGN

• Redesigned Downloads and Conversions, with thumbnails, progress bars and clearer empty states
• Sign-in and subtitle windows look like proper Mac dialogs

FIXES

• Servers you added directly are no longer lost when the keychain is locked
• One failing Emby library no longer empties the whole catalog, and Emby movie and TV libraries list films and series instead of folders
• Menus no longer flicker while something plays