# Error playing pre-optimized downloaded content - transcode issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Players\ **Tags:** android-mobile-legacy\ **Created:** [July 27, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133 "2022-07-27T11:20:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/1 "2022-07-27T11:20:09Z")
Hello, I also have issues with the transcoded videos - they do not play correctly neither on Android phone nor Ipad. I wonder if anyone has experienced something similar? The source is MKV 1080p, no HDR. I select “Optimized for Mobile” quality (tried also to set up Custom 4Mbps 720p), conversion uses HW encoding (4x - 5x speed). When I sync the optimized version to both Android phone and Ipad, they do not play. Clicking “Play” starts the player, I can hear ~ 5 seconds of sound, but no video, and then the playback freezes. I’ve produced the device logs and the sample files (original and converted) that reproduce the behavior Plex Media Server Version 1.27.2.5929 Android device - starqlteue, model SM-G960U1, Android 10, latest Plex app from Play store. Ipad 8 gen, IOS 15.6, latest Plex app. Original video (50mb sample): [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QZTp95KJ7A7z9sLemx-Dy-4apmrsmRpq/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QZTp95KJ7A7z9sLemx-Dy-4apmrsmRpq/view?usp=sharing) Transcoded video (20mb): [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qd6UaAIunls47QHReXAWo4ertnyjVbiS/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qd6UaAIunls47QHReXAWo4ertnyjVbiS/view?usp=sharing) [PlexServer.log](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/gaeratSb7al2AKHevqN3otToLcc.log) (25.8 KB) [AndroidLogs.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/9axfDIQ2LMJu9Ei8DNfrYKD6uxD.zip) (1.3 MB) [IpadLogs.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/3FdkVbKTYrZoqwFvYdrUBbYes7y.zip) (2.9 MB) ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/2 "2022-08-03T17:42:18Z")
Hello @anon18523487 , could you please help me with the issue descrived above: [https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-issues-with-pms-1-24-x-and-1-25-x-any-details-on-what-the-hw-transcoding-issues-are-and-is-a-fix-in-progress/776594/158?u=vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/t/hardware-transcoding-issues-with-pms-1-24-x-and-1-25-x-any-details-on-what-the-hw-transcoding-issues-are-and-is-a-fix-in-progress/776594/158) Or should I create a new thread? ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/3 "2022-08-03T18:55:28Z")
I moved the thread for you. > [@Vivisector](#): > > When I sync the optimized version to both Android phone and Ipad, they do not play. How did you do this? There is no option to select a “version” to Download. Anyways, the file you provided has no vide, so it did not transcode properly. Let me see if I can reproduce. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 8:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/4 "2022-08-04T08:23:40Z")
> How did you do this? There is no option to select a “version” to Download. I did not express myself clearly, sorry) I ran optimizing for the show with “Optimized for Mobile” settings, and on the devices I select Video Quality 4Mbps 720p HD (High) to download. When I start sync on devices, I see that they download the episodes quickly without conversion, so I _assumed_ that the optimized version is being downloaded. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 8:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/5 "2022-08-04T08:42:15Z")
In case the optimized file was broken by my attempt to generate samples - here is the full optimized version - 440Mb > **[S01E01.mp4](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qq0B6j-qmpNFU17rWttnI9McSYB7E4D5/view?usp=sharing)** > > Google Drive file. and the source episode - 1Gb > **[Man.Vs.Bee.S01E01.1080p.mkv](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QyK3Tw5LFAPAoCJBzxEyD2-CmVZc7q95/view?usp=sharing)** > > Google Drive file. ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/6 "2022-08-04T17:43:22Z")
Are you able to play it if you select “Play version”? It looks broken on my end. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 7:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/7 "2022-08-05T07:45:51Z")
No, I can’t, this is the main issue 🙂 Optimizing on Shield produces unplayable files ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2022, 8:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/8 "2022-08-05T08:13:27Z")
Ok, so this is a transcode issue and not a Downloads issue. Just want to clarify what is going on. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/9 "2022-08-07T16:54:17Z")
Exactly. I’ve also renamed the topic to better reflect it ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/10 "2022-08-08T17:42:49Z")
Actually, that’s still not right. It has to do with the transcode process itself, not playback. Its playing fine. There just isn’t any video info to play. Its a server issue and I’m looking into it. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 7:32am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/11 "2022-08-12T07:32:28Z")
After the update of the Plex Server to version 1.28.0.5999 I see a different behavior. When I try to download the un-optimized episode, Plex transcodes it on-demand, and the downloaded video can be played normally. Maybe this scenario was also working before, I haven’t tested it. But if I try to download the optimized episode - download fails right after start. I believe the issue is related especially with the optimizing process. [plex-log-Vivisector\_new.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/7JWeVtqmxkbsW7Jh5yuduCNpriy.zip) (1.3 MB) [PlexServer.log](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/ojyP37rnPR35lQd7VbLMs3PsxJG.log) (94.9 KB) Here are the new Plex [server log](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) and Android app log ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 1:16pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/12 "2022-09-19T13:16:21Z")
@anon18523487 Did you manage to reproduce the scenario with broken transcodes? ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/13 "2022-09-20T00:48:30Z")
No, I am not able to reproduce the problem. My Shield will transcode that video fine so when I try to download it, it also works fine. Have you tried re-optimizing the file? It’s possible the files were created with a broken version of the transcoder so downloading them gave you a bad file. Since the transcoder seems to be working now when you download the original, it should be able to create a valid optimized version. ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 12:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/14 "2022-09-20T12:26:17Z")
I tried. On my end, it looks like that on-demand transcoding as part of download - works fine, but the transcoding triggered by optimizing (for the same quality) - produces unplayable files. Here are the latest files produced on Version 1.28.2.6151 : Original: 1080p - [S02E10.Original.1080p.mkv - Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rs4qynPVKhXMgWQ1RGyy_lQvyWRIAkAu/view?usp=sharing) Optimized versions (with different settings, all unplayable): - Optimized for Mobile - [S02E10.OptimizedForMobile.mp4 - Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RrVJK2vVmxHKEQ63s1uFP-2mgHhvtN-X/view?usp=sharing) - Custom: Universal Mobile, 4Mbps, 720p - [S02E10.Custom.UniversalMobile.4Mbps720p.mp4 - Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rtb33uLnyGcrpvbDocepWeuHe9yO2mrH/view?usp=sharing) - Custom: iOS, 4Mbps, 720p - [S02E10.Custom.iOS.4Mbps720p.mp4 - Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Run0iZQukuJ9XmNT079MeoQ07-cnKQB2/view?usp=sharing) ---
**Author:** ![Vivisector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d2c977/32.png) [@Vivisector](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Vivisector)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/15 "2022-12-12T17:13:56Z")
@anon18523487 I was wondering if there may have been any released updates related to transcoding in Shield - was something changed? ---
**Author:** ![anon18523487](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@anon18523487](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon18523487)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/16 "2022-12-12T21:15:21Z")
Not sure if it’s related to whatever was causing the transcoder to not work properly for you, but there was a HW transcoding bug that was fixed in the latest PMS 1.30.0.6486 beta. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/error-playing-pre-optimized-downloaded-content-transcode-issue/803133/17 "2023-03-12T21:15:23Z")
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