Audio keeps going but video stops during playback

General Discussions
1

Hi, weird problem with some specific content.
On iPad and Kindle Fire the video will not start, just a spinner, server says directplay, buffering.
On Roku 3 the video will play, and then the video freezes while audio continues, server says directplay.
On Windows store Plex app the video plays fine.

Any ideas how to troubleshoot, this drives the kids crazy, and they drive me crazy.

Example of mediainfo:

General
Complete name :
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/isom)
File size : 268 MiB
Duration : 22 min 12 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 1 689 kb/s
Movie name : Epic Sail
Album :
Performer :
Genre : Kids
Description :
Recorded date : UTC 2014-10-28 07:00:00
Encoded date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:11:20
Tagged date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:24
Cover : Yes
Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L3
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 22 min 12 s
Bit rate : 1 561 kb/s
Width : 640 pixels
Height : 478 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (23976/1000) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.213
Stream size : 248 MiB (92%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:05
Tagged date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:20
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.601
Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 22 min 12 s
Duration_LastFrame : -10 ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 126 kb/s
Maximum bit rate : 199 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 spf)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 20.0 MiB (7%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:11:21
Tagged date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:04
Text
ID : 3-CC1
Format : EIA-608
Muxing mode : Final Cut
Codec ID : c608
Duration : 22 min 5 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Stream size : 0.00 Byte (0%)
Language : English
Default : No
Forced : No
Alternate group : 2
Encoded date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:21
Tagged date : UTC 2017-01-21 17:12:23

2

I enabled verbose and debug logging, nothing obvious in the logs.

I’ve now tested with:
2 x Kind Fire Kids, spin no play
Roku3, loose video audio keeps going
2 x iPad3, spin no play
iPad Mini 4, works fine
Windows Store App on Thinkpad notebook, works fine

What is also weird is that when I play on e.g. Kindle Fire Kids, and the Kindle just shows a spinner, the now playing feedback on the server web page shows directplay, and it shows the video is playing, i.e. the video image keeps changing as if it thinks it is streaming, but the device is not working.

Any ideas, or wait for support?

3

I tried to find other ways to contact support, but I’m just directed back to the forum.
How does one go about getting support?

4

Still happening with latest Plex Roku Player 4.3.0 and Plex Media Server for Windows 1.3.4.
I’d really appreciate some guidance?

5

That video is encoded as Baseline Level 3.0. Some devices do not support direct playing the Baseline profile. Can you get me a 30s sample of that video for me to test?

6

Sorry, don’t readily know how to trim to 30s without re-encoding, here is an episode: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AqeqhT0NczrNhY0HID8ggxQKoMv-7g

These episodes are from my own iTunes purchased content for the kids, original format, minus DRM.

7

While I’m waiting for a solution, I verified the file using ffmpeg -v warning, no errors, this is the only output:
“[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0000000002852da0] stream 0, timescale not set”

8

Definitely his level is too low! re-encode with level 4.1
As MovieFan stated… this jumped out to me immediately as well.

9

If this file is not compatible for DirectPlay on some devices, I would expect the server to transcode, I should not have to re-encode my source material?

Can the server be changed to transcode this type of file on e.g. Roku, iOS, Android, but not e.g. Intel thick devices?

10

Your confused… transcode does NOT change the level of the encoding.

11

Ok, tanscode, re-encode, I want the server to make my device play the content I have, I do not want to re-encode my content for specific devices.
E.g. if level 3 then re-encode not directplay.

12

nope… plex does not re-encode the level either. you must.
If your not willing to test this out on that file I cannot help you anymore. I bet any file that is encoded at the 4.1 level works on any device.

13

This file has been encoded poorly by whomever ripped it!

14

I did not say I’m not willing to test it out, you are unfairly being defensive, I will go and convert the file, and as you, I bet it will work.

I do not understand why the server can convert a MPEG2 DVD sourced file to play on my Roku, but it cannot convert a L3 H264 iTunes sourced file to play on Roku?

15

@SiscoPlex said:
This file has been encoded poorly by whomever ripped it!

This files comes from iTunes, I bought it, the same file plays just fine on my iPad 3 when iTunes copies it to my iPad, but fails when Plex tries to play it (after I stripped DRM, but I compared mediainfo before and after DRM strip and it is the same).

16

I am sorry but level 3 encodes have issues on newer devices… Old legacy players will have no issues playing that file but you will have other issues instead being an old legacy player. plex does not re-encode the entire file.

17

@SiscoPlex said:
I am sorry but level 3 encodes have issues on newer devices… Old legacy players will have no issues playing that file but you will have other issues instead being an old legacy player. plex does not re-encode the entire file.

I do not understand why PMS cannot transcode (on-the-fly-re-encode) the file, the same way as PMS lets me play MPEG2 DVD sourced material on the Roku?
I.e. PMS looks at source material attributes, looks at playback device capabilities, oh, L3, or oh, MPEG2, lets transcode this file instead of directplay?

18

As for being defensive, I seem to be one of two people willing to help you right now.
If you would prefer I will just go silently into the night and not even try to help, and you can wait for someone else to happen along your thread.
I DO NOT work for Plex and try to help people on my OWN TIME.
I found this information out the hard way a long time ago about the level being an issue and decided I like my movies and plex so I bit the bullet and re-encoded any file that was previously encoded this way. I bet you do not have many anyway.
Queue them up in handbrake when you go to sleep… wake up… and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

19

Transcode and re-encode are two different things… sorry.

20

@SiscoPlex said:
As for being defensive, I seem to be one of two people willing to help you right now.
If you would prefer I will just go silently into the night and not even try to help, and you can wait for someone else to happen along your thread.
I DO NOT work for Plex and try to help people on my OWN TIME.
I found this information out the hard way a long time ago about the level being an issue and decided I like my movies and plex so I bit the bullet and re-encoded any file that was previously encoded this way. I bet you do not have many anyway.
Queue them up in handbrake when you go to sleep… wake up… and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Thank you, I appreciate your help.

Re-encoding my source material is not a solution for me, it is a workaround.

As for transcoding, I do mean transcoding:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250377-Transcoding-Media

My gut says that the PMS device capabilities can be updated to flag L3 type of media as needing to be transcoded not direct-streamed.