Server Stable Version#: 1.41.8.9834 - 1.42.2.10156
Server Beta Version#: 1.41.8.9834 - 1.43.0.10162
Player Version#: 2025.17.0 - 2025.27.0
iOS Version#: 18.5.x - 18.6.x
iPadOS Version#: 18.5.x - 18.6.x
iOS downloads seemingly broke in 2025.17.0 because they worked fine in 2025.16.0 from what I remember. When downloading a TV show or movie, with quality set to original or high, the download completes but the file cannot play online or offline when starting it from Downloads. Just spins on a black screen forever and playback never starts. Moving the slider to a different part in the episode doesn’t change it either.
I’ve read several topics here regarding workarounds/tips and none of them work. Toggling Wi-Fi Only on or off doesn’t change anything. I also read a previous topic here where this may be fixed in 2025.18.0 and it is not, having just tested it. Server logs show nothing except the client downloading the file. On that note, regardless of quality setting in the iOS app, the server never transcodes to the set quality.
Is this a known issue that we’re all waiting for a fix for? Or something I can do to further troubleshoot?
Edits: Updated affected server and player versions above.
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I just wanted to let you know that I also have the same issue on my iPhone.
Link to my Post
It’s the same on iPadOS 18.5 as well.
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This is not a known issue.
Could you send me your server logs and your app logs after the download fails to play?
Also could you share information about what media you were downloading?
Could you also send me the same?
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okay, i have send you the logs via pm
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I have same problem as well. I have send you the logs via pm
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Logs sent via PM, thanks.
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Same issue here. Can’t view some downloaded shows anymore which worked on a previous version of the app.
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Hello everyone,
i did some more experiments with this issue and did find out how to reliable trigger the bug.
The issue on hand surfaces when opening a downloaded video, the player loading but the video just not playing.
I found out that this issue is only happening if the selected audiotrack uses DTS.
For example one file which had this issue had two audio tracks one AC3 and one in DTS:
Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital
Codec ID : A_AC3
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID : A_DTS
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 509 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
If i select the dts track of the downloaded file it doesnt play. If i select the AC3 track of the same downloaded file (no redownload) it plays just fine.
In general EAC3 and AC3 seem to work just fine. I have not tested any other codecs, nor the other varieties of dts.
I hope that maybe helps narrowing it down a bit.
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I also have an update. I was just able to replicate what @lordy11 mentioned above regarding DTS vs. AC3 audio tracks. DTS results in no playback, but AC3 does. I can also confirm this issue persists on iOS player version 2025.18.0 and the newly released 2025.19.0, so the latest player has not fixed this specific issue. @Craig_Holliday hope this helps narrow down the root cause.
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Just tested the new Update:
I can confirm that the bug is still present in 2025.20.0 .
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After doing a bit more experimenting, this only affects downloads. When I play the same file I’ve been having issues with while on my home network, it plays as Direct Play for both video and audio, and has no issues playing back the DTS 5.1 audio. Downloading that exact same file and playing it from downloads results in the same bug we’ve been seeing.
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Check if the video you are trying to watch has subtitles. I was helping another user and i find the app trying to burn in subtitles, which obviously will not work. Turn off the subtitles and see if the video plays.
The video I am trying to watch does not have subtitles, and I changed Burn Subtitles to Off in Settings and re-downloaded the video just to test.
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Ok. Then provide the app logs after recreating the issue.
Already provided both server and app logs after reproducing the issue to Craig on June 17th via PM, as did the others in this thread experiencing the same issue. See prior replies.
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Just tested 2025.21.0 and this issue still remains.
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I get the feeling nothing is going to get fixed that has to do with the old use case for the App, watching your media streaming from a local server and occasionally downloading these to your device when you go traveling.
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I certainly hope you’re wrong, but it really is a bit frustrating.
Especially considering that many of us have already provided relevant logs to @Craig_Holliday, yet there has been no further communication on the matter (aside from being asked for logs again).
We also have a fairly reliable way to reproduce the bug, and it seems clearly related to files with audio encoded in the DTS codec family.
If the bug is genuinely too difficult to fix, there should at least be a toggle to always convert audio tracks before downloading regardless of the selected quality profile.
If I recall correctly, this was actually a feature in some of the older versions of the app, but it was removed at some point during the various reworks of the download functionality over the years.
