LiveTV freezing on Android clients and FireTV only

[waltern]

Server Version#: 1.20.3.3483
Player Version#: 8.8.1.21332 (0798457a)
Tuner Make/Model: HDHomerun HDHR5-4US
Guide/Lineup name:
Using XMLTV?: No
Channel number/Name: ALL

LiveTV playback is failing when streaming from all Android clients. FireTV and Android tablets tested. No issues with Web client, Windows Client, Samsung, or AppleTV clients. Recordings work perfectly.

Client Log repeatedly shows this error:

11-02 10:32:59.765 i: [FFmpeg] [ERROR] [DemuxerPipeline] Failed to open cache.
11-02 10:32:59.765 e: [FF] Demuxer failed to open input from https://192-168-0-8.c6902ccfbf6f457db46215365d3b3e3a.plex.direct:32400/video/:/transcode/universal/start.m3u8?audioBoost=100&autoAdjustQuality=1&directPlay=0&directStream=1&directStreamAudio=1&fastSeek=1&hasMDE=1&location=lan&maxVideoBitrate=200000&mediaBufferSize=104832&mediaIndex=0&partIndex=0&path=%2Flivetv%2Fsessions%2Fb6228ca4-4502-4c29-aa60-10980462a973&protocol=hls&session=a73942b1e7210167-com-plexapp-android&subtitleSize=100&videoBitrate=200000&videoQuality=100&videoResolution=1920x1080&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=a73942b1e7210167-com-plexapp-android&X-Plex-Client-Platform=Android&X-Plex-Client-Profile-Extra=add-limitation(scope%3DvideoCodec%26scopeName%3Dh264%26type%3DupperBound%26name%3Dvideo.level%26value%3D41)%2Badd-limitation(scope%3DvideoAudioCodec%26scopeName%3Daac%26type%3DupperBound%26name%3Daudio.channels%26value%3D8%26replace%3Dtrue)%2Badd-transcode-target-audio-codec(type%3DvideoProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26audioCodec%3Dmp3)%2Badd-transcode-target-audio-codec(type%3DvideoProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26audioCodec%3Dac3)%2Badd-transcode-target-audio-codec(type%3DvideoProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26audioCodec%3Deac3)%2Badd-limitation(scope%3DvideoCodec%26scopeName%3D*%26type%3DNotMatch%26name%3Dvideo.anamorphic%26value%3D999%26replace%3Dtrue)%2Badd-transcode-target(type%3DsubtitleProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhttp%26container%3Dmkv%26subtitleCodec%3Dsrt)%2Bappend-transcode-target-codec(type%3DvideoProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26videoCodec%3Dmpeg2video)%2Bappend-transcode-target-codec(type%3DvideoProfile%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26videoCodec%3Dhevc)%2Badd-limitation(scope%3DvideoCodec%26scopeName%3Dhevc%26type%3DMatch%26name%3Dvideo.profile%26list%3Dmain%7Cmain%2010)%2Badd-limitation(scope%3DvideoTranscodeTarget%26scopeName%3Dhevc%26scopeType%3DvideoCodec%26context%3Dstreaming%26protocol%3Dhls%26type%3Dmatch%26name%3Dvideo.colorTrc%26list%3Dsmpte2084%7Cbt709%7Cbt470m%7Csmpte240m%7Csmpte170m%7Cbt470bg%7Cbt2020-10%26isRequired%3Dfalse)&X-Plex-Device=AFTSSS&X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1&X-Plex-Platform=Android&X-Plex-Platform-Version=9&X-Plex-Product=Plex%20for%20Android%20(TV)&X-Plex-Token=...R41Q&X-Plex-Version=8.8.1.21332.
11-02 10:32:59.767 i: [FF] Releasing demuxer.fire-tv-client-log.txt (1.1 MB) (File removed)

[mfifield01]

I’m having a very similar issue. My Fire TV Stick (4k) updated over the weekend and Live TV crashes. It will go back to the previous screen in Plex.

[doug_f]

I also have the same issue. Appears to only affect Android/FireTV Clients.

Turning off the new player did not help.

Turning off the video interlace appears to fix it.

[edwoody]

I’ve had this same thing with Xiaomi Mi Box 4s. Live TV plays for 4-5 minutes then froze. The last server update changed the behavior. Now instead of just freezing, it stops, then kicks out to the previous menu. I bought a firestick a couple of weeks ago, (it’s just as good as the Mi Box) but same thing. So, it’s not just the fire stuff, it’s the android player. But it did change with the server update, so I don’t know. This has been going on since, I know October if not before. 2020-11-24T05:00:00Z I gave up. I like live TV for the guide, but it’s impossible to watch. The Roku works, no freezes, but subtitles on the roku for live TV only work half the time. So
I’d love to know if other people on Android player are having any better luck. And how? I’ve tried everything I know. You’d think Plex would chime in with something here. Hello?

Hallelujah! Yesterday 4/12/2021 I updated Plex Server and, just for fun, thought I’d try the firestick on live TV. Because I’m half deaf, I just keep Closed Captions on all the time. And guess what? Everything works! …and Closed Captions on Android TV work even better than the Roku!!
So thanks to the people who made this happen!

[bilditup1]

Server version 1.21.1.3830
Player version 8.11.0.22186
Tuner: HDHR3-CC-US
XMLTV: Yes
Channel number/name: all

Same issue here. Playback also does not appear in the dashboard though it is accounted for in the bandwidth chart.

Player log shows the playlist simply can’t be found anymore, followed by a failed keepalive request, and that’s all she wrote.

12-23 18:39:45.334 i: [PlaybackTimeBehaviour] Time: 216217 IsStarted: true
12-23 18:39:45.463 i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [https @ 0xcdc2b000] Opening ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ for reading

12-23 18:39:45.506 i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [https @ 0xd34b9000] Opening ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/00219.ts?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ for reading

12-23 18:39:45.723 i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [https @ 0xcdc2b000] Opening ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ for reading

12-23 18:39:45.756 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [https @ 0xcd0fc3c0] HTTP error 404 Not Found

12-23 18:39:45.769 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [hls @ 0xcc0d1c00] keepalive request failed for ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ when parsing playlist, retrying with new connection: Server returned 404 Not Found

12-23 18:39:45.771 i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [hls @ 0xcc0d1c00] Opening ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ for reading

12-23 18:39:46.025 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [https @ 0xeff55160] HTTP error 404 Not Found

12-23 18:39:46.039 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [hls @ 0xcc0d1c00] Failed to reload playlist 0

12-23 18:39:46.043 i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [hls @ 0xcc0d1c00] Opening ‘https://url.redacted:443/video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8?X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1’ for reading

12-23 18:39:46.085 i: [PlaybackTimeBehaviour] Time: 216968 IsStarted: true
12-23 18:39:46.295 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [https @ 0xeff55160] HTTP error 404 Not Found

12-23 18:39:46.312 i: [FFmpeg] [WARN] [hls @ 0xcc0d1c00] Failed to reload playlist 0

The server log (I have redacted the user and remote IP) shows playback just timing out, for no apparent reason.

Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.279 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:52975 (Loopback)] GET /livetv/sessions/c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/00218.ts (21 live) Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.279 [6196] DEBUG - Content-Length of C:\transcode\Transcode\Sessions\plex-transcode-c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1\media-00218.ts is 1556076 (of total: 1556076).
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.279 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:52976 (Loopback)] GET /livetv/sessions/c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/00219.ts (21 live) Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.280 [6196] DEBUG - Content-Length of C:\transcode\Transcode\Sessions\plex-transcode-c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1\media-00219.ts is -1 (of total: -1).
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.364 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 216 (216)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.364 [10620] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.14:33688] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/00215.ts (21 live) TLS GZIP 2384ms 1033584 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.364 [10620] DEBUG - Removed transcode data consumer, active count 217 => 217
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.365 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 217 (216)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.400 [9824] DEBUG - Using X-Forwarded-For: REMOTE-IP-REDACTED as remote address
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.400 [9824] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 1 as bilditup1
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.400 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.1.14:33698 (WAN)] GET /statistics/bandwidth?timespan=6 (21 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in Token (bilditup1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.403 [10620] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.14:33698] 200 GET /statistics/bandwidth?timespan=6 (21 live) TLS GZIP 3ms 3868 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.455 [9824] DEBUG - Using X-Forwarded-For: REMOTE-IP-REDACTED as remote address
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.455 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.1.14:33700 (WAN)] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8 (21 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.455 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode] Found session GUID of bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android in session start.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.455 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode] buildLiveM3U8: min 0 max 217 ended 0
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.457 [9824] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.14:33700] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8 (21 live) TLS GZIP 1ms 1266 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.495 [9824] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:52975] 200 GET /livetv/sessions/c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/00218.ts (20 live) 215ms 1556076 bytes (pipelined: 116)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.495 [9824] DEBUG - Removed transcode data consumer, active count 220 => 220
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.497 [9824] DEBUG - Using X-Forwarded-For: REMOTE-IP-REDACTED as remote address
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.497 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.1.14:33702 (WAN)] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/00217.ts (21 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.497 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Asked for segment 217 from session.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.497 [6196] DEBUG - [Transcode/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Returning segment 217 from session
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.498 [6196] DEBUG - Content-Length of C:\transcode\Transcode\Sessions\plex-transcode-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android-e8d077ad-41e8-4ae1-ae53-9351b77f84e2\media-00217.ts is -1 (of total: -1).
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.511 [9824] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 33694621 as HOME-USER-REDACTED
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.511 [6196] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:52992 (Loopback)] GET /livetv/sessions/c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/index.m3u8?offset=0.000000 (21 live) Signed-in Token (HOME-USER-REDACTED)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.512 [6196] DEBUG - buildLiveM3U8: min 0 max 219 ended 0
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.512 [10620] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:52992] 200 GET /livetv/sessions/c860e6d5-bf1e-4984-ae84-bca24a5192b1/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/index.m3u8?offset=0.000000 (21 live) 0ms 14208 bytes (pipelined: 217)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.906 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 217 (217)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.907 [9824] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.14:33692] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/00216.ts (22 live) TLS GZIP 1485ms 1070441 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.907 [9824] DEBUG - Removed transcode data consumer, active count 218 => 218
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.909 [5972] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 218 (217)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.983 [10620] DEBUG - Using X-Forwarded-For: REMOTE-IP-REDACTED as remote address
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.983 [9496] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.1.14:33704 (WAN)] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8 (23 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.983 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode] Found session GUID of bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android in session start.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.983 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode] buildLiveM3U8: min 0 max 218 ended 0
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:45.984 [9824] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.14:33704] 200 GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/index.m3u8 (23 live) TLS GZIP 0ms 1268 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.027 [10620] DEBUG - Using X-Forwarded-For: REMOTE-IP-REDACTED as remote address
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.027 [9496] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.1.14:33706 (WAN)] GET /video/:/transcode/universal/session/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android/base/00218.ts (23 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.027 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Asked for segment 218 from session.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.027 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode/bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Returning segment 218 from session
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.027 [9496] DEBUG - Content-Length of C:\transcode\Transcode\Sessions\plex-transcode-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android-e8d077ad-41e8-4ae1-ae53-9351b77f84e2\media-00218.ts is -1 (of total: -1).
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.254 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 219 (219)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.265 [9496] DEBUG - [Transcode] Transcoder segment range: 0 - 220 (219)
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.669 [5184] DEBUG - Subscription: Timing out idle sub with id 3438 for session bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.669 [3296] DEBUG - [Grabber/603-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Recording for ‘Live TV - Session bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android’ on channel 603 stopped with status complete.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.669 [3296] DEBUG - [Grabber/603-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Using recording status.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.669 [3296] DEBUG - [Grabber/603-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] This was a rolling sub, not assimilating.
Dec 23, 2020 18:39:46.669 [3296] DEBUG - [Grabber/603-bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android] Grabber: Operation for ‘Live TV - Session bf669d79f79bf1a0-com-plexapp-android’ on channel 603 completed with status complete (Success)

NB, am using a local nginx reverse proxy in tandem with Cloudflare. But that doesn’t seem to have caused problems for other clients (I am not 100% sure, however).

[bilditup1]

This is a known issue with several threads here; these are but two. The second one appears to have actually been engaged with. Maybe we should consolidate conversation there.

Live Tv issue on Android TV( shield TV 2019 and Google TV chromecast) : playback stops after some minutes

Hi, I have an issue with shield TV 2019 and live TV. After some minutes on a channel, the live tv closed and come back to the guide. (around 4-5 minutes) Regardless of channel, it is systematic. What is Strange is that on panel “Now playing”, I didn’t see anything when the live tv works but the activity show that we have a session. No problem with movie or serie of my library. [Plex (3)] I tested with my TV philips with Android TV and I don’t have this problem. (same client version). I supp…

Failed to Find Consumer error; live TV stops a few minutes after initiating playback (seems to be android tv client related)

I have the latest updates, and Live TV playing on Nvidia Shield has been working without any issues which is a pleasant surprise.

Regardless, I’m surprised there’s been no progress or updates for an entire quarter: the last response from a Plex employee is from literally three months ago now.

[edwoody]

Yes this has been ongoing since Sept. 2020. I don’t hear well. I use subtitles. My hearing is shot. I like the TV Guide so I don’t have to wear my thumb out channel surfing. So.
This morning I accepted the fact we’re on our own on this. OK. I still prefer Plex to anything else. What I found was for me it’s the subtitles If I turn them off, it works!! Yeah! Which sort of explains why this goes on so long, not everybody uses them.
but then I found this

• Closed-captioning or alternate audio channels are not currently supported for Live TV. Yeah! looking for a solution I found that. Oh.
  So if maybe for the New Year somehow this gets fixed that would be appreciated by me at least. Hearing is golden. Turn the volume down.(File removed) (File removed)

[shep444]

Same issue on my Shield and on my Chromecast w/Google TV.