Chinese Subtitles Issue on Plex Windows & TV Apps (Browser Works Fine)

Plex Media Server
1

I’m experiencing a recurring problem with Chinese subtitles when using the Plex Windows app and TV apps. While playback via the web interface shows the subtitles correctly, the native apps on Windows and TV devices fail to render Chinese subtitles properly, instead displaying only small boxes and causing noticeable video shuttering.

Issue Details:

  • Platforms Affected:
    • Plex Windows App: Version 1.107.2.300-7093f413
    • TV Apps: (Devices experiencing shuttering and misrendered subtitles)
  • Platform Working Correctly:
    • Browser-based playback: Subtitles display correctly without any issues.

Background & Reproduction:

  • The problem began approximately a week ago and mirrors reports seen in a Reddit thread (link to Reddit thread).
  • On affected clients, when a movie with Chinese subtitles is played, the subtitles render as a series of boxes. Additionally, the playback is disrupted with frequent shuttering of the video.
  • I have confirmed that the server is running Plex Pass version 1.41.4.9463, and the issue is isolated to the client applications (Windows and TV apps), as the web client does not exhibit these problems.

Steps Taken / Workarounds Attempted:

  • Tested multiple clients: Confirmed that the issue is not present on web browsers, which suggests it’s a client-specific problem.
  • Reviewed Reddit discussions: Users have mentioned temporary workarounds such as enabling the “use older player” option to address compatibility issues. However, these fixes have not provided a permanent resolution for my setup.
  • Other client devices (e.g., Apple TV, iPhone) have also reported similar issues in parallel discussions.

I’m reporting this as a potential bug or compatibility issue affecting Chinese subtitle rendering on non-browser clients. Could the development team review the subtitle rendering engine for these platforms? Any updates or insights regarding this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and assistance in resolving this matter.

Please let me know if you need any further information or logs to help diagnose the issue.

2

Seeing the same thing here as well on one of my Apple TV devices. The other device works fine interestingly enough.

3

I am also having this issue on an apple TV, currently using the ‘use old player’ workaround method as a temporary fix.

4

I figured out what was causing this, it’s BOM encoding on Chinese subtitles. I made this project that should correct it: GitHub - Deenyoro/Bilingual-Subtitle-Suite: Display 2 subtitle languages at the same time in a video