Fire Stick 4K Plex app will not start some TV shows or movies and then crashes

Plex Players Streaming Devices
,
1

Server Version#: 1.30.2.6563
Player Version#: 9.13.1.37459
I have three separate Fire Stick 4K units and they all have the same issue.

I can launch the Plex app (newly installed from the Amazon App Store today as part of troubleshooting)
I can see my Plex items
If I single click on a TV show thumbnail, I hear the theme music
If I try to play the episode, the screen goes black and then there is the spinning ring. The ring spins for about a minute then freezes and the Plex app crashes and restarts.
I can sometimes get a different episode to play or a different movie to play.
All my files are encoded for compatibility with my Apple TV 4K, Plex Server, Plex Apple TV, iPad Pro and macOS 10.13 or greater

What am I doing wrong and what can I do to make Plex play my shows and movies on the Fire Stick 4K?

Thank you!

2

Hi, I started to experience this for the first time this week on Firecubes and FireTV. Workaround was on the media I wish to play, select “versions” and select a version.
Have not worked out why yet, but for me seems to be selected media only.

3

Thanks very much for sharing this. Would you pardon my ignorance please and explain where I would choose amongst versions?

Thank you

Ross

4

Select “…” more, then “versions” will appear if you have multiple versions.

ps: sorry I only just realised this issue occurs for me when I have two versions. It’s only just started happening so haven’t worked out the cause yet.

Additional thought for you though, the FireStick has very limited disk space, make sure you have 1GB free, perhaps delete other apps for testing. You may need to turn-off I/O cache in plex\settings (just for testing).
My issue is different, as my App doesn’t crash, just wouldn’t play.

5

Would. you be able to replicate the problem and then fetch the client logs? Details for fetching the logs from a FireTV are available here; https://support.plex.tv/articles/201573117-android-android-tv-fire-tv-logs/

6

Seeing a similar problem on my Fire Stick 4K Max. Some shows play OK, some fail.

My kid was watching Steven Universe S01E10 and about 40 seconds into the episode, spinning wheel of death. I had network logging enabled on the Fire stick but couldn’t access it from my PC. If I hit the back button a few times on the remote, eventually it would back out.

Server version is 1.30.1.6562
Player version is 9.13.1.37459
Debian 11.4

The same episode plays perfectly on my Shield. Looking through the logs, I see this:

Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.468 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - [Req#26486] [Now] User is lazo1953 (ID: 8153548)
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.468 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - [Req#26486] [Now] Device is Android (AFTKA).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.468 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - [Req#26486] [Now] Profile is Android
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.468 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - [Req#26486] [Now] Updated play state for /library/metadata/163828.
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.468 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - [Req#26486] Statistics: (b608a0e24965190f-com-plexapp-android) Reporting active playback in state 0 of type 4 (scrobble: 0) for account 8153548
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:00.472 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed: [172.16.50.168:42724] 200 GET /:/timeline?audioStreamID=177162&bufferedTime=13977&duration=669760&guid=plex%3A%2F%2Fepisode%2F5d9c1059ffd9ef001e9e7a28&key=%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F163828&playbackTime=9053&playQueueItemID=1379797&ratingKey=163828&state=playing&time=115601 (20 live) TLS GZIP 14ms 493 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.456 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 60465601 bytes: 104 - Connection reset by peer
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.456 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42722] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (20 live) TLS 4302ms 60465601 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=14093584-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.464 [0x7f593f3f6b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.464 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42724 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #26492 TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=71520987-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.469 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - Content-Length of /mnt/md0/TV Shows/Steven Universe/Season 1/Steven Universe - S01E10 - Steven's Lion HDTV-1080p.mp4 is 65027587 (of total: 136548574).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.592 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 6153807 bytes: 32 - Broken pipe
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.592 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42724] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (20 live) TLS 127ms 6153807 bytes (pipelined: 2) (range: bytes=71520987-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.646 [0x7f593f3f6b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.647 [0x7f593a5efb38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42726 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #26489 TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=13282897-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:03.652 [0x7f593a5efb38] DEBUG - Content-Length of /mnt/md0/TV Shows/Steven Universe/Season 1/Steven Universe - S01E10 - Steven's Lion HDTV-1080p.mp4 is 123265677 (of total: 136548574).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:04.853 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 19588440 bytes: 104 - Connection reset by peer
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:04.853 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42726] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) TLS 1206ms 19588440 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=13282897-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:04.907 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:04.908 [0x7f593bb13b38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42728 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #26496 TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=26700242-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:04.914 [0x7f593bb13b38] DEBUG - Content-Length of /mnt/md0/TV Shows/Steven Universe/Season 1/Steven Universe - S01E10 - Steven's Lion HDTV-1080p.mp4 is 109848332 (of total: 136548574).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:05.026 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 6275950 bytes: 104 - Connection reset by peer
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:05.026 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42728] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) TLS 118ms 6275950 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=26700242-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:05.081 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:05.082 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42730 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #2649b TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=11173328-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:05.087 [0x7f5939907b38] DEBUG - Content-Length of /mnt/md0/TV Shows/Steven Universe/Season 1/Steven Universe - S01E10 - Steven's Lion HDTV-1080p.mp4 is 125375246 (of total: 136548574).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.482 [0x7f593f3f6b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 25848318 bytes: 104 - Connection reset by peer
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.482 [0x7f593f3f6b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42730] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) TLS 1400ms 25848318 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=11173328-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.533 [0x7f593f3f6b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.533 [0x7f593a5efb38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42732 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #2649f TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=31143809-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.539 [0x7f593a5efb38] DEBUG - Content-Length of /mnt/md0/TV Shows/Steven Universe/Season 1/Steven Universe - S01E10 - Steven's Lion HDTV-1080p.mp4 is 105404765 (of total: 136548574).
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.665 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 7178362 bytes: 104 - Connection reset by peer
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.665 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Completed after connection close: [172.16.50.168:42732] 206 GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) TLS 132ms 7178362 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=31143809-) 
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.717 [0x7f593f1f3b38] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 8153548 as lazo1953
Jan 20, 2023 15:43:06.717 [0x7f593bb13b38] DEBUG - Request: [172.16.50.168:42734 (Subnet)] GET /library/parts/183413/1602429194/file.mp4?autoAdjustQuality=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&mediaBufferSize=74944 (19 live) #264a3 TLS Signed-in Token (lazo1953) (range: bytes=10073376-)

I see some ‘client disconnected’ errors but it’s odd that if I restart the fire stick and play the same episode again, it freezes in the EXACT same spot every time.

A few hours before this, my kid and I sat and watched a movie on the HBO Max app on this same fire stick and after the problem with Steven Universe, we watched a few more things on the HBO app and the network connection was rock solid the entire time so despite the error, I highly doubt my wifi connection is the culprit but who knows.

Attaching logs from the server side.

Plex Media Server Logs_2023-01-20_17-00-16.zip (5.0 MB)

8

I figured out my problem. Doesn’t make sense but it’s working.

The file I’m trying to play is a 130 meg mp4 file with a bitrate of 1.6Mbps. My quality settings in the app is set to ‘play original’ for home and ‘automatically adjust quality’ is on.

When I play the file back, it stops at the exact same point.

The fix… start playing the episode and immediately go into settings and adjust ‘playback settings’ to ‘convert automatically’. It then displays something along the lines of ‘Detected as 1080p 20Mbps’ (I forget exactly… didn’t get a screenshot and too lazy to go back upstairs :slight_smile: )

OR, if I go into the apps settings and make ‘local streaming’ 720p 4Mbps’, the file also plays perfectly.

I don’t understand why it chokes playing the file when set to ‘maximum’ (1.6Mbps) but is good to go when I limit it to 4Mbps??!

9

I am having this same issue, and only workaround I have found is to force it to transcode the video. hopefully this is fixed soon.

10

Check your H.264 maximum level in settings.

It should be set at the “Recommended” level, but if for whatever reason the setting it at is too high, it will crash like that… Try dropping it down a level.

12

Does the issue disappear if you disable refresh rate switching?

14

I had to drop it down to 4.0 before it would play perfectly. (Leaving local streaming quality at ‘maximum’.)

15

Made no difference.

16

Interesting! I have the Fire Stick 4K as well ( about 2 years old) and it is set at 5.2 and I don’t have any problems.

From what I gleaned from experience, that setting is basically a format threshold for when it will start automatically doing what it does when you manually select “convert automatically.”

If you look at that same file that is playing while set at 4.0, it’s probably transcoding?

17

I guess this is as good a place as any to post a similar prob…

“Top Gun Maverick”, a new Blu-Ray rip, will not play on my Amazon Firestick 4K in my Samsung TV. I can play the mkv directly from my PC using VLC, and I can watch the movie in the browser version of Plex (https://app.plex.tv/desktop). I can also play it on my iPhone SE2 using the Plex iOS app.

But when I try to play it on my Amazon FireStick using the Plex app I get the spinny icon. I’ll let it sit for 2-3 minutes, no difference, and I can back out of it any time. FireStick is connected to my network via wired Ethernet.

I tried re-encoding it from ~13GB to ~8GB, hoping maybe it was too large a file, no difference. Though I’m not confident it’s a file size issue, because I can play my 13GB Blue-Ray version of “Apollo 13”, no problem.

The primary difference between these two that I can tell is that “Apollo 13” is Codec DCA while “Top Gun Maverick” is Codec TRUEHD. Both are H.264

All my symptoms indicate this is a problem with the Amazon Plex app itself. What can I provide to assist in resolving this? I’d really like to watch this on the big screen…and Saturday night was to be the night…but we were denied.

18

Plex Media Server version?

1.30.0 & 1.30.1 have a TrueHD transcoding bug. It is fixed in 1.30.1.6550.

Options:

  • Play the AC3 version of the audio track.
    Blu-rays with TrueHD also have an AC3 version of the audio.
    The FireStick direct plays AC3 audio. TrueHD is transcoded by Plex Media Server.
  • Update to 1.30.2.6563, the current public version of Plex Media Server.
  • Fall back to PMS 1.29.2.
19

“Plex Media Server version?”
1.30.2.6563

Recall I can play this movie on the iOS Plex app as well as the web browser version.

“Play the AC3 version of the audio track.”
How do I do that?

“Fall back to PMS 1.29.2.”
How do I do that?

Any idea on when this will be resolved for the Amazon FireStick app?

Thanks. - GA

20

In the Plex app settings on the FireStick, check the setting for Refresh Rate Switching. If enabled, disable it.

If available, select the audio track from the movie pre-play screen.

You’re on the most recent release. No need to downlgrade.

21

“If available, select the audio track from the movie pre-play screen.”

I don’t see where that’s available, could be the way I ripped the disc.

Here’s something interesting though. Based on the conversations above, I used the web browser interface to create an alternate play version. I tried to do one “for TV” but it said that was already there…ok, so I selected “Original Version” and it took over an hour to create that.

Went into Amazon Plex app to try the alternate…and it’s showing two “original versions”, one 12.35GB and one 8.2GB, only difference is the Mbps…and now both will start (the larger one takes a second or two longer to start).

I have no idea what’s going on. But it plays, so we’ll just go with it. - GA

22

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