Hi to all, my first time post here, only been testing Plex for a few weeks from a long time with Kodi.
The main reason I’m looking at Plex is the Alexa integration, I’m running multiple platform clients with the main one being PMP Embedded as this is how I’m running the main Librelec session, but, also run Raspberry pie and Windows 10 cleints.
My Nas is an Synology running DSM 6.2. also running the PMS and is the latest PMS public release 1.18.6.2368 with the latest PMP public versions on client. Router is BT Smart Hub 2 version B.
Currently running Alexa via Windows 10 app or IOS app.
All media plays fine from clients via standard Plex controls, Plex will also cast any media, in addition I can play any media form outside of LAN.
Alexa will also play music from Plex directly to IOS app.
External access is green and port forwarding is all good.
I cannot get Alexa to play media to clients, to be fare that’s not exactly true, the behaviour I have is if I ask Alexa to play “Star Wars” on Chrome, it replies that it is playing and enjoy watching star wars, but, nothing actually starts, now I’ve seen this reported on the forums.
This is the strange thing, If I ask Alexa to play a genre, in this case “Sci-Fi” on Chrome, it will play a random Sci-Fi film, this is the case for any genre I ask, but, not if I ask for a specific title.
Here’s another strange thing, when it plays the film is says "enjoy watching MUSIC by “SCi-Fi”, I don’t have any music like that, and to confirm if I do ask Alexa to play music by Sci-Fi, it confirms I do not have music of that name.
This happens on any cleint, embedded, windows 10 or chrome direct to the synology app.
I have captured 2 logs, one called “family” and the other called “Star Wars”, so the first is asking for a genre and the second for a specific title, I also have 2 short video examples of the behaviour.
For what it’s worth, I tried this out here and was able to somewhat reproduce your issue; in my case all clients worked as expected except for browser-based ones (Safari, Chrome, Plex Media Player, Plex for Mac). Example working clients: Apple TV 4K, iPad, iPhone, Fire TV, and Roku Premiere.
ME TOO. Please tell me there’s an answer! I have exactly this issue: enjoy the show/movie or “would you like to resume from where you left off?” (I say yes, Alexa says ok enjoy) and nothing plays!
I’m so glad I’m not alone but…this is a huge deal for my future investment in smart speakers and Plex if this integration just doesn’t work.
You have to set your player through Alexa. Use the command “Alexa, ask plex to change my player” It will return with some options to set your player to whichever device you want. Best practice is to set your device name in the plex app so Alexa gives you a name that makes sense to you. I’m having issues getting Alexa to consistently see my players, which is why I’m surfing the forums, so hopefully you have better luck than me.
Matt, nope, no fix for this, and absolutely no response from the forum at all, I’ve seen folks with this issue for like 3 years, I don’t use Plex as the ability to use Alexa and Plex was my intention.
Chris, I know how to change the player, its not the fix mate.
I find it works pretty well for music, but sporadically at best for video.
Also, even when it works Alexa seems to have trouble understanding. I asked for Star Trek and got the The Americans. I asked for Mystery Science Theater, and got NOVA from PBS.
