BUG - Audio problems during playback

[Stealthbat]

(Update) - [See most recent reply for Bug Report] Thank you.

Server Version#: 1.41.2.9200
Player Version#: Plex for Samsung, Platform 6, Client: In-app says: 5.88.1; Samsung TV app store says: 5.64.1
TV: Samsung TV QN90A (2021), Software Version: “T-NKM2AKUC-2220.9, BT - S”
OS: Windows 11 Pro version 24H2
OS Build: 26100.2314

I’m having a problem playing anything on my Plex app on my Samsung TV.

What happens is, I go to a video, I start playing it, and when it reaches a *unique point in the video, the audio stops playing but the video will continue playing like nothing’s wrong.

*No 2 videos have the same unique point, but each video’s unique point is repeatable at the same spot if you replay the same video.

There’s no error message, and if you skip over the problem part, or skip to any other part in the video, the audio comes back.

This is happening exclusively on my Samsung TV.

I have tested this on the following devices:
Samsung QN90A TV, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, multiple Windows 10 & 11 Desktop and Laptop computers, Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K), Xbox One S.

I found that none of them have this problem with the exception of my Samsung QN90A TV.

I have messed around with the settings to see if I could fix it myself. I have tried every combination of settings that I can think of, and I only found one that seems to do anything.

I noticed that under Settings>Video, If I set the Local Quality to “2 Mbps 720p”, or anything below it, the problem then goes away. However, should I set it to anything higher than “2 Mbps 720p”, the problem returns.

This occurs regardless of what other settings are changed.

I am asking for help diagnosing and fixing this problem as I really want to start using Plex on my Samsung TV again since it’s my primary device.

Thanks for reading my post.

(Stealthbat)

[tms330_aol_com]

I have a similar problem with both of the methods of viewing some of my recorded broadcast videos. I use both the Web Player and the Windows Desktop Player and it seems to occur after an audio miss-sync of varying delays. I believe that a broadcast interference starts the whole problem, but I’ve not found a work-around. You’d think that the playback mechanism could eventually resync the audio. Sometimes the problem presents itself as the audio running out before the video.

[Stealthbat]

Yeah, I didn’t know other people had this issue. Mine is exclusive to the Samsung TV plex app though. I need someone to help me diagnose this problem to see if it’s a codec/compression issue or if it’s a bug in the Tizen version of the Plex app.

[Stealthbat]

Can someone please help me with this problem? I need someone to help me create a server-log and help read that log and find out what’s going on. Can someone please help me do that? Thank you.

[Stealthbat]

Someone please help. I have no outlet to contact Plex directly about this issue despite being a Lifetime Plex Pass member. So, I am only able to get support here since all of my Google Fu attempts have failed me. I am desperate to fix this problem. Thank you in advance to anyone willing to respond and help.

[Stealthbat]

Can someone please help me with this? I really need this fixed and I’m very confused on how to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem.

[Insomnic_1]

Here are the details about how to grab server logs and you can upload them right here in the forum post (hit the upload button): https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/

Run the video that has the problem - let it flake out… wait a few minutes and then grab the logs from the server.

These forums sometimes automatically create hyper links to common pages so you probably didn’t notice it automatically linked your phrase “server logs” to that page - that’s easy to miss (did it to mine in this post too). They do that with a few of them - like Plex Dance you only have to type the phrase and it links to the info automatically… I didn’t create that link. It’s easy to miss though.

It can also help if you grab the media info from the “view xml” option and post it here (click the 3 dots to get the sub menu and choose “get info”):

You can also create a test file using one of the files that has the problem but might be best to wait and see if someone asks for it: https://support.plex.tv/articles/201035968-generating-sample-files-from-media/ or at least

[Stealthbat]

@Insomnic_1 Ok. I ran the test like you said, waited for it to “flake out” and then let it continue to play for 3 minutes. Then I exited the app and went to my PC and grabbed both the log and the xml media info. I am attaching both to this post. I hope that you or someone can help me figure out what’s going on with the help of these files. I look forward to your response.
Plex Media Server Logs_2024-09-15_16-24-50.zip (1.9 MB)
12760 xml.zip (1.9 KB)

[Stealthbat]

I am now on a fresh/clean install of Windows 24H2.

I decided to take the opportunity to try doing a clean and fresh install of Plex Media server with me adding my stuff back in manually instead of importing my backed-up data.

After setting things up with the bare minimum, I tried using my Samsung TV Plex app (which I also did a clean install. Wiped data, cache and reinstalled the app) to test if running everything with fresh data on the latest software would fix things.

It didn’t.

I even tested the new setup on other devices. I could not replicate the problem on other devices regardless of platform (except Samsung Smart TVs).

This, without any shred of doubt, proves that this is a problem with the Samsung Tizen Smart TV Plex app and not my setup.

I hope someone will read this and tell the people who need to know that there is a definite bug in the app.

[Stealthbat]

After doing a ton of research, I now know that my previous Log submission is not good enough. I will be redoing my log again soon and will post it here.

[Stealthbat]

[Bug Report]

Here’s the log and xml data that I promised.

The issue recorded in the log occurred at 9:15 PM (CST) November 19th, 2024.

Exact timestamp when problem occurs in the video: 00:16 seconds.

Issue: Video plays normally until 16 seconds in, all audio stops playing for remainder of video.

How to reproduce: In Samsung Smart TV Plex app, under Settings>Video, set the Local Quality to anything higher than “2 Mbps 720p”. Then play the video.
(Note: I haven’t found a single pair of videos that encounter the bug at the same timestamp as each other.)

Hardware and Software:

Plex Media Server:
Server Version#: 1.41.2.9200

Plex Samsung TV app:
Plex for Samsung, Platform 6,
Player Version:
In-app says: 5.88.1
Samsung TV app store says: 5.64.1
(Note: Samsung Smart TV App Store says the app was last updated on 1/19/2024 or January 19th, 2024)

TV info:
TV: Samsung TV QN90A (2021)
Software Version: “T-NKM2AKUC-2220.9, BT - S”

Windows info:
OS: Windows 11 Pro version 24H2
OS Build: 26100.2314

XML Media Info - 2024-11-19_21-15-42.zip (3.3 KB)
Plex Media Server Logs - 2024-11-19_21-15-42.zip (4.8 MB)

[Stealthbat]

I have new information to report.

My family just recently bought a brand-new Samsung TV (Q60D - 2024 model) and the Plex for Samsung app was recently updated on Jan 24th, 2025, for both my family’s Q60D and my current QN90A (2022).

I can now report that I’ve tested the Plex for Samsung app on the new Q60D with the latest update and it does not have the problem that I’ve reported.

However, at the same time, with the newest update, the Plex for Samsung app on my 2022 QN90A still suffers from the problem despite also being a Samsung TV.

This is very confusing, and I have no idea why this is happening.

Furthermore, I really don’t want to have to go out and buy a brand-new TV just because one app is having problems.

I really wish someone would help me with this because I cannot find a way to get support from Plex directly on this issue.

I hope someone will volunteer their time to help me as currently I feel all the efforts I’ve put into these reports is falling on deaf ears.

My apologies if that is offensive. I am desperately needing help with this, and no one is responding, while I see others having more success with their support requests.

Here’s hoping someone will respond soon. Thank you for your time.

[Stealthbat]

If anyone reads this, please read my thread here and see if you can help me.
If you can, please reply. I would greatly appreciate the help.

[Stealthbat]

I hope someone will reply to my thread soon. I could really use some help. Thank you in advance.

[Stealthbat]

@ChristianKent

wow this thread is old. But it sounds like what you’re describing here is that your Samsung TV plays fine when transcoding but has problems direct playing.

Are you saying this happens to all your media or just some? If some, can you post the mediainfo data for one where this happens?

Yes I’ll post it here in a short bit. Give me about 30-45 minutes.

[Stealthbat]

@ChristianKent

wow this thread is old. But it sounds like what you’re describing here is that your Samsung TV plays fine when transcoding but has problems direct playing.

Are you saying this happens to all your media or just some? If some, can you post the mediainfo data for one where this happens?

To answer your question, It doesn’t seem to happen to all files, just most of them. Also, when it does happen, it’s 100% repeatable in the exact same spot where it happens for each file, right down to the second.

Here’s the mediainfo data for the video file I keep using to test new updates, to see if a Plex player update has fixed the issue.

For this video file, it always occurs 15 seconds into the start of the video.

• Gundam AGE - S01E01.mkv

Media

• Duration 24:13
• Bitrate 2940 kbps
• Width 1920
• Height 1080
• Aspect Ratio 1.78
• Video Resolution 1080p
• Container MKV
• Video Frame Rate 24p
• Audio Profile lc
• Video Profile main

Part

• Duration 24:13

• File Gundam AGE - S01E01.mkv

• Size 510.08 MB

• Audio Profile lc

• Container MKV

• Video Profile main

• Codec H264

• Bitrate 2609 kbps

• Bit Depth 8

• Chroma Location left

• Chroma Subsampling 4:2:0

• Coded Height 1088

• Coded Width 1920

• Color Primaries bt709

• Color Range tv

• Color Space bt709

• Color Trc bt709

• Frame Rate 23.976 fps

• Height 1080

• Level 4.0

• Profile main

• Ref Frames 4

• Scan Type progressive

• Width 1920

• Display Title 1080p (H.264)

• Extended Display Title 1080p (H.264)

• Codec AAC

• Channels 2

• Bitrate 331 kbps

• Language English

• Language Tag en

• Audio Channel Layout stereo

• Profile lc

• Sampling Rate 48000 Hz

• Title Stereo

• Display Title English (AAC Stereo)

• Extended Display Title Stereo (English AAC)

[Stealthbat]

If you want it, here’s the XML file with the same mediainfo data that was grabbed directly from Plex Media Server.

12760_xml.zip (1.9 KB)

[Qtip]

Ich würde mal eine dieser Dateien mit Handbrake neu codieren - nur das Video mit gleicher Bitrate (den Ton so lassen, wie er ist). Dann diese Datei am TV abspielen. Tritt der Fehler immer noch auf, dann als nächstes mal den Ton dieser Datei neu codieren (Audacity). So könnte man feststellen, ob es am Video oder am Audio liegt. Vielleicht reagiert dieser TV besonders heftig auf Ton-Übersteuerung?

Frage: Wenn der Ton weg ist und du die Lautstärke des TV änderst, werden dann diese Änderungen noch mit dem TV-Lautsprecher angezeigt?

PS: Ich habe den gleichen TV, nur als QN90C FW v-2024.1, Tizen 8 , Plex 5.89.
Ich habe seit 2023 nie solche Probleme gehabt.

[Stealthbat]

@Qtip

Ich würde mal eine dieser Dateien mit Handbrake neu codieren - nur das Video mit gleicher Bitrate (den Ton so lassen, wie er ist). Dann diese Datei am TV abspielen. Tritt der Fehler immer noch auf, dann als nächstes mal den Ton dieser Datei neu codieren (Audacity). So könnte man feststellen, ob es am Video oder am Audio liegt. Vielleicht reagiert dieser TV besonders heftig auf Ton-Übersteuerung?

Frage: Wenn der Ton weg ist und du die Lautstärke des TV änderst, werden dann diese Änderungen noch mit dem TV-Lautsprecher angezeigt?

PS: Ich habe den gleichen TV, nur als QN90C FW v-2024.1, Tizen 8 , Plex 5.89.
Ich habe seit 2023 nie solche Probleme gehabt.

The thing is, it plays just fine on all other devices, including my family’s newer Samsung Tizen Smart TV. It’s just my TV that has this problem. I can’t figure out why. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is completely factory resetting my TV to see if it would fix the issue.

Also, to respond to your question about re-encoding the files, Handbrake is the program I used to create these files.

With the fact that it plays fine on all other devices, I think that it’s either my TV’s specific model that is having a problem with the Plex app, or My TV is malfunctioning and is causing problems with the app. Either way, now that you have told me that you have a similar model (QN90C) and have no problems, Now I’m beginning to think it might be the TV and not my files.

[Qtip]

Meine Frage: Was ist zu sehen, wenn Sie die Lautstärke des TV ändern, während der Ton aussetzt, wurde noch nicht beantwortet! Wird dann immer noch die Lautstäke der TV-Lautsprecher geändert, oder die eines anderen (Smart-Home) Gerätes?

Wurde die Möglichkeit bedacht, dass vielleicht eine Ton-Übersteuerung (NUR BEI DIESEN TV) den Fehler auslöst?

Sie könnten auch mal versuchen, den Samsung Smart-Hub zurückzusetzen.

Könnten Sie mir vielleicht die erste Minute Ihrer Datei “Gundam AGE - S01E01.mkv” schicken? Ich würde die gerne mal analysieren, was in den ersten 15 Sekunden passiert!