Live TV playback stops when hardware transcoding (Intel) is enabled

[dee31797]

Server Version#: 1.15.0.659-9311f93fd
Player Version#: Web Client Version 3.87.2

Live TV playback stops when hardware transcoding (Intel) is enabled

Live tv is coming from hdhomerun, h264 or mpeg2 streams both cause it. Using intel hw transcoding, happens on ubuntu, official plex docker, and unraid plex server versions. Happens when streaming to any device that can’t direct play, roku, web, etc.

It starts during commercials majority of the time, usually right before the show/movie starts back. First the stream loses hw decoding, then loses hw encoding, both switching to software decoding/encoding and all playback freezes. If I stop and then start the live tv stream it works fine again until the next commercial break.
Plex Media Server Logs_2019-02-15_13-09-47.zip (261.4 KB)

[ChuckPa]

What I see is either a damaged codec download (possible but unlikely since it worked at all)

and

A file without valid frame markers. These are common is poorly re-encoded file.

Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.630 [0x7fc65ffff700] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:48710] 206 PUT /video/:/transcode/session/558b8b67-d78d-409a-a170-7fb115831890/8bbb7daa-d7d6-4b35-9395-91a904652423/progress/stream?index=2&id=3845&codec=ac3&type=audio (11 live) 0ms 256 bytes (pipelined: 6) (range: bytes=0-) 
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.666 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.667 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.667 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.668 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.669 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] decode_slice_header error
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.669 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] no frame!
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.675 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.675 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.676 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.677 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.677 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] decode_slice_header error
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.678 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] no frame!
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.681 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.682 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.682 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.682 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.683 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] decode_slice_header error
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.684 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] no frame!
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.704 [0x7fc630f26700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] SPS unavailable in decode_picture_timing
Feb 15, 2019 13:03:38.704 [0x7fc613fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] [h264 @ 0x67ffc0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced

1. Stop PMS
2. Remove the Codecs from /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Codecs and play again.
3. If this does not correct the issue - Encode again wtih HandBrake to put the proper frame markers back in the file.

[dee31797]

Hi ChuckPA,
Thanks for taking a look. About the codecs, I had suspected the same, so those logs were captured after deleting and downloading fresh copies of the codecs.

For step 3 encode with Handbrake, it’s live TV not a saved file, but I did transcode and stream the live TV source with ffmpeg, as well as a similar software solution to Plex using hwaccel vaapi flags for hardware transcoding. The issue did not persist outside of Plex.

[ChuckPa]

If you grabbed the current release of FFMPEG then we have the answer.

The Plex transcoder is getting a number of upstream FFMPEG updates applied now.

I would like to ‘watch’/‘table’ this, if possible, until the transcoder updates? (very soon)

[dee31797]

Yes let’s do it until the update and thank you again.

[dee31797]

ChuckPA,

Any updates on the upstream ffmpeg changes? I’m on the latest Plex server/client versions and the issue still persists.

[ChuckPa]

Two words which should be music to your ears;

IN TESTING

(doing the back and forth dance … test/fix/test/fix)

[dee31797]

thanks