I tried downgrading my server version and it didn’t help. Also rebooted all devices, removed Plex skill and added it back again. Is everyone experiencing this?
As of Thur, 9/30, the Plex skill responds properly but no music comes out on the 1st gen Amazon Echo and the Amazon Tap (1st-ish gen). But it does work with Emby (similar software to Plex, but the Emby skill requires an SSL cert for your home server) as well as Tunein, Somafm, Pandora, iHeart, and Amazon Music.
(The WJST Jet Set Radio skill developed the same problem.)
2nd and 3rd gen Echo Dots have no problems with any of those audio skills.
Both Plex and WJST worked the day before. I did unplug the Echo and powered down the Tap, no luck. Rebooted router also, no difference.
I have noted a little difference in the way those two devices handle Plex; if you tell them to Stop while they are playing music, the last song still appears on the Plex dashboard and may stay for awhile, unlike with any other gen of Echo device. However, it hassn’t created a problem with playing music in the past.
But now, a Plex music request from the 1st gen Echo or the Tap never shows up on the dashboard (Plex Dash app).
Yes, I finally noticed that it’s affecting my 1st gen devices only. Is this an issue on the Plex side, or do we have to buy new Echos?
The other app (WJST) has the same problem, so might be Amazon. I reported it in feedback for both Plex and WJST skills on the Alexa app.
Ok, I guess we give it a few days before going the nuclear option. I don’t see Amazon caring much about an issue that only affects their 1st generation devices. I didn’t feel like dropping 300 this month but it might be time to upgrade them anyway.
I wonder if this has anything to do with it:
I also have Gen 1 dead to Plex when every other Amazon device works. I hope there is a fix for this?
Who knows, although our issue started on the 29th.
I did open a case with Amazon to investigate. Hopefully it gets escalated to the right person.
Can anyone from Plex comment? I don’t know if it’s a Plex or an Amazon issue.
I opened one with Amazon as well.
Still no word from either Amazon or Plex.
Are we going to be forced to buy new devices?
I confirmed I have an Echo Gen 1 and a Dot Gen 2. The Dot works with Plex and the Echo does not. Monitoring on PlexDash shows when invoking Plex on my Echo, there is no connection made between Plex and Amazon. Now we know from past use that PMS communicates with Amazon back end the back end then talks to the Echo. Still can’t understand why Amazon back end would differentiate support between the two gens. I could understand if it stopped talking to PMS altogether. That would be consistent. This just is weird.
Because of the fact that an unrelated audio skill, WJST Jet Set Radio, developed the same problem (1st gen Alexas only) at the same time (9/30), it could seem like it might be on Amazon’s side.
But the widespread Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate expiration problem on 9/30 mentioned above also affected our Plex for TiVo app, which definitely won’t be updated (it has a workaround by telling TiVo’s Plex app not to insist on a secure connection).
That suggests that Plex might have the Alexa ball in their court.
I chatted with the WJST guy, and he pays a 3rd party UK outfit to put up his skill, so he is unaware of any SSL details. I haven’t found the same problem with any of the major audio skills I use (Pandora, Tunein, iHeart, Somafm).
We haven’t heard from Amazon on this, so we don’t know why the problem occurs only with the 1st gen Echo and the Amazon Tap (a 1st gen and discontinued device).
My best guess is that the code in the version of Plex used on 1st gen has reference to the bad cert. I know that Plex behavior on those two devices was a little different than on my newer Echo Dots, so they might well use different Plex code.
(Previously on PlexDash, if you were playing an album, then told a 1st gen Alexa to stop, the currently playing song did not immediately disappear from the dashboard as it did and does with 2nd and 3rd gen Dots.)
My workaround with the portable and rechargable Tap is to Bluetooth WJST sound to it from a Raspberry Pi (the Tap is basically a Bluetooth speaker with most but not all Alexa capabilities). I can get along without Plex on 1st gen since I have Emby as well. The Emby skill requires you to get your own SSL certificate for your server, which is a huge pain in the ass to set up, but really pays off now.
But I would much prefer to have the Amazon devices work the way they should.
same issue, command like “ask plex to play music by Tom petty” result in either silence or “play music by Tom petty” and then silence.
Same thing here, I’m using a 1st-gen echo that seems to find the album I want to play and the artist name, but no sound comes out of the speaker.
When I ask plex to set a player, the only option is a web browser that I have open on my PC. If I say, “Alexa, Tell Plex to play ______ using Microsoft Edge”, then the music starts playing in my PC’s web browser.
I see a similar Reddit post here.
Ironically, I just got a refurb echo yesterday, and have been banging my head trying to figure out why the $##@# thing wasn’t working. Glad to know it wasn’t just me. 
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Yup, that’s my reddit post. Still no information from Amazon or Plex. I don’t have a good feeling about anyome fixing this anytime soon.
Me: “Alexa, ask the Plex engineers why you will not play music through 1st Generation Alexa and Dot devices. In fact, Alexa, please ask them to respond to this question being asked by so many of their loyal and Plex Pass users? Good news or bad, we want to know”.
Alexa: “I will try to find someone to help you”
Days later …
[crickets]
Alexa 2nd gen and higher devices seem to be working. However, 1st gen devices still no love. Linking this issue to Plex not playing music on first generation Echo devices - #6 by goellnjh maybe it will help the devs solve the issue faster.
My 2nd generation echo have no sound either - I have two 2nd generation Echo’s running as a stereo pair with an Echo Sub. Always worked perfectly to have Alexa play music from PLEX from Windows 10 media server. For a long time now, Alexa recognizes the PC/Server, the song/album/artist titles, library radio, etc., it says it is now playing… then nothing ever happens, just silence. So frustrating. Doesn’t work at all. Used to work so great. Now I have two bookends and zero sound from my PLEX library going through the Echo devices. Talk to Alexa who responds perfectly, then… nothing. What changed? It is a PLEX pass feature now? An API issue? I don’t know where to turn. I’m going through the community threads and it appears I’m not alone. 10.22.2021
Same problem here on my Gen 1 Echo. All others in the house are newer and work just fine. Alexa understands the command and responds that she is playing the playlist (or whatever) but nothing is heard. I have a feeling this device is no longer going to work to stream from Plex…
Same problem own 1st Gen Echo. Alexa acknowledges playing song, but silence.
