Direct play ruins subtitles (srt) on new Plex app "Plex for Windows"

Plex Players Desktop Players
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Server Version#: 1.16.5.1554
Player Version#: 1.3.0.910-77ef46d6

Whenever I directplay something and the subtitle (only tested srt) is external the subtitle is non-existing. If the subtitle is built into the movie then it works. External subtitles also work if the stream is transcoded. Plex Media Server Logs_2019-09-13_15-17-50.zip (3.9 MB) Been waiting for a fix ever since the relase of new plex app but since there has been atleast 2 updates now and still no fix I fear the issue is local. I have tested reinstalling. In the logs I try to play “Angel of mine” with english external subtitles in direct play with no subtitles showing.

In a checklist of things to fix for plex for windowns in a official plex forum i saw “subtitle issues”. Is this it? It feels like a VERY basic thing to be playing some external subtitles so I’m going to assume this is not it.

Best regards Sebastian

1 Like
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This is a good report, and I can reproduce the issue on Plex-1.3.0 for Mac.

Workaround: While the film is playing,

  • click Settings on the lower right,
  • choose Subtitles None
  • choose again Subtitles: English (SRT External)

Sub updates are coming soon™

3

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately this workaround don’t seem to work for Windows :frowning:

Best regards
Sebastian

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Player version - 1.3.1.916-1cb2c34d
No subtitles are working what-so-ever.

Chrome plays them just fine, though.

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You’re welcome. We can work on debugging this, or you can use Plex Media Player instead.
Plex for Windows is a different player than Plex Media Player. The former is new and not nearly as functional as PMP, which is stable and does so much more. Let me know.

Make a new thread, give us all the details about your hardware, software, network, file naming, an provide server logs in debug mode demonstrating only the problem after rebooting everything.

6

Try the beta server mentioned here: Subtitles stop working after a short time in MKV

7

Beta didn’t fix it.
Rolling back to player version 1.2.0.875-b7362913 allowed shows with embedded subs to work, but it still doesn’t like external subs.

8

Just to be sure we’re on the same page, it’s a beta server, not client.

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Yup. Updated the server, no subs. Rolled back the client, embedded subs came back.

10

Sorry to hear it. It seems to work for me so far.

11

Testing now Plex-1.3.1 for Mac against the new experimental PMS-1.17.1.
The problem still exists, but I have a few variables to try to reduce.
When I choose an external SRT for my film, which I know plays fine in PMP,
instead of the external, it plays an embedded PGS.

12

Thanks. I don’t need this new player tbh, I’m just curious if the issue is local or if the problem lies with plex.

Best regards Sebastian

13

Nothing to worry about on your end sir, given a properly named External SRT
and sensible Plex Settings (e.g. you’ve defined your language etc).

All these happen in the Plex-1.3.1 player’s code:

  • The Machine Decision (MDE) is external SRTs are supported.
  • The Player Decision (PDE) is to use the external SRTs
  • mpvengine then switches to internal subs (often PGS)
  • mpvengine works with mpv’s cplayer to display those subs.
  • Because the PDE was SRTs, that’s what Plex says are being used, but it’s wrong.
  • The PMS reports what Plex told it, not what mpvengine is actually doing.

The devs are looking into the code that’s being sent to mpvengine.
Hang in there!

14

How can this still be an issue?? It’s been more than 2 months and external subtitles still won’t play when steam is direct play…

15

It was probably addressed in the Plex-1.4.0.924 preview release. They would be happy if you tested that and reported any issues in a new topic.

The release of 1.4.0 has been delayed while they try to do extra testing in an effort to put out the best version they can. That’s what the announce said.

16

Tested the Plex-1.4.0.924 preview release. Same issue. Nibbles, can you test and see if you experience the same problem?

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So am I correct the steps to reproduce are

  • given an mkv with a single non-english audio track and only an external SRT
  • Attempt to Direct Play that with Plex-1.4.0 and enable the subtitle track
  • Issue: the video is always transcoded, unlike in PMP that will Direct Play the video + subs.

Let me know if that’s right, and I’ll test it.

18

Not entirely correct.
Given ANY mkv which has external subtitles. (audio track is irrelevant)
Attempt to Direct Play that with Plex-1.4.0 and enable the external subtitle track
Issue: The video will be direct-played BUT the subtitle is not present. If there is an built-in subtitle in the mkv, that subtitle might be played instead.

So two scenarios:

  1. There are only external subtitles available = No subtitle is showing.
  2. There are both internal and external subtitle available = An internal subtitle will show (not the selected one, if auto enable subtitle is on in settings)

Note: If I manually pick a quality so the stream gets transcoded, then the external subtitle works fine.

19

I have exactly the same problem with the new windows desktop app. I am on latest versions of client app and server. I have mkv + external .srt. I do not see subtitles in the desktop app, on all other client apps (Xbox one, android) the subtitles do work. It does work when I select another quality manually: 0.3 Mbps, 240p., but that quality is too poor. Please fix, thx.

20

Not entirely correct.
Given ANY mkv which has external subtitles. (audio track is irrelevant)
Attempt to Direct Play that with Plex-1.4.0 and enable the external subtitle track
Issue: The video will be direct-played BUT the subtitle is not present. If there is an built-in subtitle in the mkv, that subtitle might be played instead.

So two scenarios:

  1. There are only external subtitles available = No subtitle is showing.
  2. There are both internal and external subtitle available = An internal subtitle will show (not the selected one, if auto enable subtitle is on in settings)

Note: If I manually pick a quality so the stream gets transcoded, then the external subtitle works fine.