FLAC file bitrate not calculated when file imported to library

timcroydon · January 26, 2022, 4:54pm

Server Version#: 1.25.3.5409
Player Version#: Sonos

Reproduction steps

Add a FLAC file to file store
Update Plex library using ‘Scan Library Files’
File appears in Plex and can be played without issues
Locate file in Sonos - can be discovered and queued without issue
Attempt to play file in Sonos
Get error message in Sonos: ‘Connection to Plex was lost’ and file does not play

Expected behaviour

File plays in Sonos

Problem analysis

When attempting to play ‘faulty’ files, the Plex console includes the error:

[Transcode] Streaming Resource: Bandwidth exceeded: 2147483647 kbps > 8000 kbps

I noticed that some files I had problems with on upload started working when I tried them at a later date. This lead me to believe that some of the overnight scheduled task actions were changing file metadata and correcting this issue. I tried using the ‘analyse’ options against the album and tracks but this had no effect on this issue.

Attached are ‘before’ and ‘after’ XML files from the ‘Get Info…’ option on a problem file. The ‘before’ is immediately following ingest into the library, and the ‘after’ file is after the scheduled tasks have run. Note the presence of the MediaContainer/Track/Part/Stream/@bitrate attribute in the ‘after’ (in addition to some other new metadata).

It appears that some analysis is not being run on ingest (or ‘Analyze’) that needs to be performed to allow the Sonos integration to work correctly.

I have not tried this with other file types, but the problem is occurring consistently with files in FLAC format.

Would be grateful if this could be resolved!

Thanks.

Before

<MediaContainer size="1" allowSync="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" librarySectionID="1"
                librarySectionTitle="Music (NAS)" librarySectionUUID="02206008-f518-4cee-905d-452fac03e66e"
                mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" mediaTagVersion="1642012480">
    <Track ratingKey="26817" key="/library/metadata/26817" parentRatingKey="26816" grandparentRatingKey="25999"
           guid="plex://track/5d08094c403c6402904ea4a6" parentGuid="plex://album/5d07ccec403c640290ec2364"
           grandparentGuid="plex://artist/5d07bea0403c6402906b8334" parentStudio="Metal Blade Records" type="track"
           title="Overture" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/25999" parentKey="/library/metadata/26816"
           librarySectionTitle="Music (NAS)" librarySectionID="1" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/1"
           grandparentTitle="The Neal Morse Band" parentTitle="The Great Adventure" summary="" index="1" parentIndex="1"
           ratingCount="1297" skipCount="1" parentYear="2019" thumb="/library/metadata/26816/thumb/1643203889"
           parentThumb="/library/metadata/26816/thumb/1643203889"
           grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/25999/thumb/1642994237" duration="606013" addedAt="1643203846"
           updatedAt="1643203889">
        <Media id="23190" duration="606013" audioChannels="2" audioCodec="flac" container="flac">
            <Part accessible="1" exists="1" id="34238" key="/library/parts/34238/1643203698/file.flac" duration="606013"
                  file="/data/music/The Neal Morse Band/The Great Adventure/1-01 Overture.flac" size="73213890"
                  container="flac" hasThumbnail="1">
                <Stream id="61896" streamType="2" selected="1" codec="flac" index="0" channels="2" bitrate="966"
                        audioChannelLayout="stereo" bitDepth="16" samplingRate="44100" displayTitle="FLAC (Stereo)"
                        extendedDisplayTitle="FLAC (Stereo)"></Stream>
            </Part>
        </Media>
        <Extras size="0"></Extras>
        <Related></Related>
    </Track>
</MediaContainer>

After

<MediaContainer size="1" allowSync="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" librarySectionID="1"
                librarySectionTitle="Music (NAS)" librarySectionUUID="02206008-f518-4cee-905d-452fac03e66e"
                mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" mediaTagVersion="1642012480">
    <Track ratingKey="26817" key="/library/metadata/26817" parentRatingKey="26816" grandparentRatingKey="25999"
           guid="plex://track/5d08094c403c6402904ea4a6" parentGuid="plex://album/5d07ccec403c640290ec2364"
           grandparentGuid="plex://artist/5d07bea0403c6402906b8334" parentStudio="Metal Blade Records" type="track"
           title="Overture" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/25999" parentKey="/library/metadata/26816"
           librarySectionTitle="Music (NAS)" librarySectionID="1" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/1"
           grandparentTitle="The Neal Morse Band" parentTitle="The Great Adventure" summary="" index="1" parentIndex="1"
           ratingCount="1297" skipCount="1" parentYear="2019" thumb="/library/metadata/26816/thumb/1643203889"
           parentThumb="/library/metadata/26816/thumb/1643203889"
           grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/25999/thumb/1642994237" duration="606013" addedAt="1643203846"
           updatedAt="1643203889">
        <Media id="23190" duration="606013" bitrate="957" audioChannels="2" audioCodec="flac" container="flac">
            <Part accessible="1" exists="1" id="34238" key="/library/parts/34238/1643203698/file.flac" duration="606013"
                  file="/data/music/The Neal Morse Band/The Great Adventure/1-01 Overture.flac" size="73213890"
                  container="flac" deepAnalysisVersion="6" hasThumbnail="1"
                  requiredBandwidths="1091,1091,1091,1091,1091,1091,1091,1091">
                <Stream id="61896" streamType="2" selected="1" codec="flac" index="0" channels="2" bitrate="957"
                        albumGain="-8.92" albumPeak="1.000000" albumRange="11.112029" audioChannelLayout="stereo"
                        bitDepth="16" endRamp="-6.00 0.11;-2.19 1.21;0.58 4.01;3.19 7.71;6.27 10.21;" gain="-8.92"
                        loudness="-10.95" lra="9.11" peak="1.000000"
                        requiredBandwidths="954,954,954,954,954,954,954,954" samplingRate="44100"
                        startRamp="-51.00 0.00;-39.96 1.60;-29.80 4.00;-22.79 6.20;-21.00 7.70;-17.72 14.20;-14.62 14.60;-11.87 16.70;-8.25 19.20;-4.97 20.30;-2.45 20.70;0.08 46.50;3.34 134.50;6.27 134.70;"
                        displayTitle="FLAC (Stereo)" extendedDisplayTitle="FLAC (Stereo)"></Stream>
            </Part>
        </Media>
        <Extras size="0"></Extras>
        <Related></Related>
    </Track>
</MediaContainer>

raspberryheads · February 22, 2022, 2:17pm

This also happens with the app Prism.

bbhocking_yahoo_com · February 22, 2022, 8:13pm

I have this issue, as well. Only for newly added tracks to my library when trying to play via Sonos. Is resolved the following day, but looking for away to be able to play the same day they are added. Note, I don’t have the same issue via PlexAmp or Roku, just with Sonos. Help!

timcroydon · February 23, 2022, 9:58am

A non-ideal workaround is to change your scheduled tasks to run just after you’ve added a file. e.g. add a file at 13:45, set it to run at 14:00. As I say, far from ideal, but at least you only have to wait <1 hour rather than overnight!

This is definitely a bodge workaround and not a solution - needs fixing properly in Plex.

timcroydon · February 23, 2022, 9:59am

Basically any client app that relies on the MediaContainer/Track/Part/Stream/@bitrate field.

timcroydon · May 12, 2022, 12:30pm

Can confirm this is still an issue in version 1.26.0.5715.

Please can someone at Plex provide an update on this - there are some other posts where this is the probable cause of issues too.

I’ve highlighted the problem and what needs fixing and multiple people have confirmed the error. The scheduled tasks fix the problem so the code obviously exists within Plex already - it just needs triggering on FLAC import. Surely can’t be that hard to resolve?

vgrund · June 8, 2022, 10:25pm

Can confirm, still an issue in version 1.26.2.5797.

timcroydon · June 14, 2022, 4:39pm

Still an issue in version 1.27.0.5897

vgrund · June 20, 2022, 3:46pm

That’s weird. The issue seems solved for me in 1.27.0.5897.

timcroydon · June 29, 2022, 8:37am

Sure it didn’t just coincidentally coincide with your scheduled tasks running and updating the metadata? I’m still seeing the issue even in 1.27.1.5916.

vgrund · June 29, 2022, 3:12pm

Not 100% sure, no.

bbillings · August 31, 2022, 6:33pm

I stumbled upon this thread after trying to figure out why I was running into the same behavior. I added some new FLAC’s to my library today and started getting playback errors through sonos. It’s due to the improper calculation of the bitrate and it exceeding my “external” bandwidth limit. Moving the scheduled task to run at the next hour (rather than overnight as I usually do) fixed it.

This still exists in Version 1.28.2.6151

timcroydon · October 28, 2022, 3:38pm

And still a problem in 1.29.1.6316.

Benni-chan · December 21, 2022, 5:39pm

still a problem in latest server verision (1.30.3.6509).

ChuckPa · December 21, 2022, 7:40pm

Please report in the Forum Preview thread as this code is pre-beta

system · March 21, 2023, 7:40pm

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

Topic		Replies	Views
SONOS not playing specific files Plex Media Server server-synology , sonos	40	1017	April 26, 2022
Some flac music files not able to play using Sonos using Plex server on synolog NAS NAS & Devices server-synology , plex-web , sonos	1	443	October 31, 2020
Playing flac files to Sonos Plex Media Server server-windows , sonos	6	149	April 28, 2022
Failing FLAC playback: ongoing "Streaming Resource: Bandwidth exceeded" errors Streaming Devices sonos	3	165	February 12, 2023
Plex server optimized capability for music playing on the Sonos General Discussions	1	63	January 7, 2020