Any time I try to play an mkv file with dts, plex pops up a server not available message. If I play an mkv with ac3, it works fine. I’m using the plex app on Xbox one.
What’s going on here? Why is plex not transcoding the file with dts?
Could you maybe activate logging in the Plex xbox app and then post Plex Server logs for when this happens?
Xbox app logging => hit the menu button (right to the big xbox button) and then go to settings. There you can enable it.
Logs can be found here: https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250417-Plex-Media-Server-Log-Files
What kind of server are you using?
The main difference between the two files you mention is that MKV with AC3 will direct play and MKV with DTS needs to remux at a minimum. So it is possible that if your server is not powerful (IE a smaller NAS) enough to transcode you are getting the error message.
I’m using a PC for my server. We run plex to a ps3 as well, and it transcodes just fine.
It seems as though it just flat out won’t transcode to the Xbox for some reason. I’ll try turning on logging for the Xbox.
I have the same problem with some of my movies.
They are not MKVs and they don’t have DTS, though.
They only have AAC and AC3 and are MP4s.
Still I get this “Server not available” message.
I use Server Version 0.9.15.0.1621-344f193 and Xbox One Client Version 1.5.0.0
I turned on logging in the client and tried starting Avengers: Age of Ultron.
I have attached the log files.
I also attached an output from Mediainfo that tells you more about the movie file.
Thanks!
@reimannje said:
I turned on logging in the client and tried starting Avengers: Age of Ultron.
I have attached the log files.I also attached an output from Mediainfo that tells you more about the movie file.
According to your log the file is trying to transcode because the bit rate is too high but the server is not powerful enough to transcode video:
Dec 28, 2015 15:23:50 [0x35e87400] WARN - [Plex for Xbox One] MDE: Invalid profile property; bitrate: 4294 > 3000
Dec 28, 2015 15:23:50 [0x315ed400] WARN - [Plex for Xbox One] MDE: Unable to play; server unable to transcode video
Uhh. Ok.
That is true, the Server is not powerfull enough to transcode. That is why I enabled “Direct Play” and “Sirect Stream” so it would not have to.
Any chance I can get the server to not transcode this?
I am actually not sure why it has a bitrate limit in the first place. For the Xbox One that is normally only possible by selecting a video stream limit during playback of the video.
If the video player starts you bring up the menu with any button press, select the …, and switch the video quality on the right column to original.
If you can’t get to the video player I’m going to need to get back to you because I don’t know of any way to remove the bit rate limit except via the above method during playback.
On the movies that dont work i cannot get to the video player.
On the ones that I can play I get to the menu but I cannot set anything in regards to quality. There is this nothing to choose from in the Quality column.
I believe you are looking somewhere wrong.
While a video is playing hit ‘A’ on your controller. Then move 3 times to the right and hit ‘…’.
There you should see Language / Subtitles and Quality in the rightmost column.
I you really don´t see this please take a photo and post it here as it would be really odd 
On a sidenote: I experience this basically after each xbox app update that some videos start with a Quality setting of 3 Mbit => I change it back to original and it stays that way until the next update, but there seems to be some kind of bug here…
Ok. I posted a screenshot.
And like i said, for the ones that dont work, i cant even get there.
Sorry i have no idea how to make a screenshot on the xbox, so i took a photo instead.
OK, this is really odd and looks like something for the dev team …
@reimannje Interesting. Could you create a sample file, confirm the issue still appears with it, and then upload it somewhere for us to download and investigate?
I fixed my original issue. It seems I modified the Xbox one profile at some point (probably while messing with dlna). So I deleted it and reinstalled the server. Now plex transcodes dts just fine
@moussa.uk Ok. Here it is.
Took me a while to get this sample.
Please download it here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8670953/Age%20Test-010.mkv
But i tested it with this. Its the same Problem. I attached a screenshot so you can see the error message.
Oh, and btw. I did not modify anything.
@moussa.uk Have you been able to download the sample file?
Does it help in any way?
@reimannje Thanks for the sample file. I did download it and am having a look at it!
@reimannje Thanks for the sample file. I could not reproduce the first or second issue you reported (the quality list missing, the server error message) but I believe both issues may possibly be related to your server not being powerful enough to transcode? We’re working on improving behaviour in this scenario.
@moussa.uk Ok. Thanks for looking into this.
It is to bad. This is only with the Xbox Client. No Problem when I use my iPad, iPhone or Web Client on my PC.
(Allways the same Server!). The Server is defenetly not powerfull enough to transcode, but it should not trancode anything. I have direct play und direct stream enabled. And like I said, works on my other clients (without transcoding anything).
@reimannje The sample file you sent should direct play just fine. But perhaps the quality has been set to lower on your file? We’re working on adding the ability to choose playback quality on the preplay screen though.
