Hello everyone! Use Plex Media Server on Nvidia Shield. I can not optimize a movie for TV or for Mobile. He tells me that “Converted files can not be written to the server disk”.
Can I solve it in any way?
Just FYI, unless someone else has run in to this, you will likely need to provide logs and server and client version information.
Also more information about your Shield TV… is it Pro or standard.
Shield TV OS versions?
Do you have external storage (USB /SD Card) or NAS connections, etc.?
More detailed information up front (beside logs/etc.) helps get to root cause of issue (and hopefully solution) faster.
The Shield is 16GB with and I use a 64GB USB Sandisk as internal memory. The Smart TV is a Samsung 43-inch (I had already asked for help with regard to problems of buffering but I did not have a response). As for the log, where do I find it?
edit: I wanted to try to optimize the files because with the TV that is not connected to Shield, I often have problems with buffering.
What ShieldTV version are you on?
Where are your library files stored?
Is the issue only specific to one movie file or multiple files?
If only 1 file, please post a screenshot of the media information for the file.
Investigate Media Information and Formats
Here is how to generate troubleshooting logs.
Plex Media Server Log Files
Anyway … I’ll explain my configuration:
- Plex Pass subscription
- Nvdia Shield 16GB (Version 7.2.2) with USB Sandisk 64GB as internal memory. 4 TB external hard disk connected to Shield.
- Shield connected in ethernet to the wi-fi router and via HDMI to a Smart TV.
- Other Smart TV with Plex App connected in wi-fi to a range-extender.
I hope I have been as specific as possible 
My REAL problem is the buffering I have with 4k movies when I try to watch them on TV NOT CONNECTED directly to Shield.
Your buffering issue is most likely an issue due to using WiFi via Range-Extender. Only real fix for those kind of issue typically is going either going to a hard-wired NW connection (Ethernet, MOCA, etc.) or significantly upgraded Wireless NW (think Google Mesh/Ubiquiti AmpliFi or UniFi, etc.)
See here to verify if that applies to your transcoding issue:
Limitations When Running Plex Media Server on NVIDIA SHIELD
Could I solve if I connected the TV directly to the router in wi-fi and not to the range extender?
Possibly…
WiFi presents challenges for streaming. Your router, neighbors wifi traffic, building construction, other devices, etc. all have an impact on that.
Add on top of the varying level of HW quality/performance that different manufacturers embed in their TV’s also can cause buffering issue even in a fairly “good” WiFi environment at times.
Again to get to “real” answers, we will need the server & client logs to see exactly what is going on.
Ok! I have downloaded the log in zip format. Do I have to load the .zip file or a particular file?
Just attach the zip file is all.
There he is. I hope it can be useful. However today I did several tests with the Smart TV, but unfortunately with the 4k movies I always have problems. This does not happen with movies of other resolutions.
Some news?
Sorry it has taken a while to look into this.
Here is what I am seeing:
Feb 09, 2019 20:21:36.615 [7905] DEBUG - Completed: [192.168.1.3:50254] 200 GET /playQueues/1 (14 live) TLS GZIP 51ms 1030 bytes (pipelined: 6)
Feb 09, 2019 20:21:38.898 [18140] ERROR - Error creating directory "/storage/BC08EA6208EA1B62/Media/Movies/I/Plex Versions/Optimized for TV": boost::filesystem::create_directories: Permission denied: "/storage/BC08EA6208EA1B62/Media/Movies/I/Plex Versions"
Feb 09, 2019 20:21:38.898 [18140] ERROR - TranscodeJobManager: [Running] directory is not writable: "/storage/BC08EA6208EA1B62/Media/Movies/I/Plex Versions/Optimized for TV"
Feb 09, 2019 20:21:38.900 [18140] DEBUG - BPQ: setOverrideState for generator 114: failed/diskUnwritable
Feb 09, 2019 20:21:38.903 [18140] DEBUG - BPQ: generator 114 changed state: pending -> failed
Basically it can’t create the transcoding folder needed to do the conversion. I would try connecting to the SD card via this method: https://support.plex.tv/articles/220347688-accessing-shield-storage/
You might also want to look at this as well: https://support.plex.tv/articles/220391808-media-storage-options-for-nvidia-shield/
If you are using the card for Medias storage, it is recommended to have it configured as Removable Storage.
See if you can create a file/folder in that path referenced above. It could be something has become corrupted on the SD card or even a Shield OS related bug. For this step, the error is coming from the underlying Android TV OS and Plex is just reporting it.
In terms of the streaming info, I did see this:
Feb 09, 2019 19:12:45.474 [7905] VERBOSE - We didn't receive any data from 192.168.1.2:50820 in time, dropping connection.
Is 192.168.1.2 the IP of your Smart TV that is on the range extender?
No. that’s the Shield’s IP
If I can solve the buffering problem, I can also ignore the conversion problem
In chatting with a fellow Ninja, we think we have identified your issue.
It looks like your media files are on an external USB drive. When you attach an external USB, the Shield creates an Nvidia Shield folder on that drive. Only files/folders within the Nvidia Shield folder will have read/write access from Plex.
Optimized versions of media reside within the media folder, which you don’t have read/write access to due to their location. You will need to move all your media files/folders into the Nvidia Shield folder (and most likely have to delete/re-add them to your library).
Ok! Actually I use an external hard disk connected to the Shield. Moving the folders and files inside the NVIDIA Shield folder should I solve the conversion problems right?
Can something be done for buffering? Since it only happens with 4K
Yeah moving the files should fix it. External USB drive just refers to the connection method (USB) irregardless of the media itself (thumb drive, hdd, ssd, etc.).
So yes moving your files into the NV Shield folder will fix that.
Like I said though you will need to delete/recreate your library when doing that. Make sure and do an “optimize DB, clean bundles, empty trash” after you have removed all the old folders locations PRIOR to adding the new ones (inside the Nvidia Shield folder).
I need the logs files from the Smart TV Plex Client to see what it is showing on it’s side, with matching PMS Server logs when it is occurring to dig further on the buffering issue. What brand of Smart TV is it?
The TV is Samsung.
I was trying to replicate the problem of buffering in order to publish the log and … did not give me any problem! It seems done on purpose!
