Server Version#: 1.24.5.5173
Servers: PR4100 & Shield
I’ve been using Plex for many years with several server types and I’ve never seen this message before now.
The basic description of the problem is that I can only get videos to play on my LG TV (WebOS), my Android tablet, and TVs attached to my Shields. Every video plays easily and flawlessly. (TV, Movie, Home Movie, Internet Video - Everything.)
But if I try to watch the same videos on my new 11th Gen i7 laptop or my more than adequate Windows desktop, I immediately get the error, regardless of the video I’m trying to play. Even simple black and white episodes of old shows. It doesn’t matter. (Those devices can easily play the files through Windows Media Player and the like.) To be clear, I get the error message regardless of the server I’m using - the PR4100 or the Shields.
On my Android phone (S21+), Plex just spins.
Server-side, I have all transcoding disabled and allow Direct Play and Direct Stream. I understand that audio might still be transcoded, but as I said, even old mono and stereo files fail. I’m also only using clients that are local to the servers.
I tried going back to a previous server release but that didn’t help so I reinstalled 1.24.5.5173.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
No idea. Would need to see the logs from one of these servers after reproducing the error to check what’s going on.
I am attaching 2 log zips. One is for the Western Digital PR4100 and the other is for the nVidia Shield. They’re marked. In both cases, I started a video on my Android tablet and let it run for a few seconds. Then tried the same video on my laptop. I then downloaded the logs.
Thank you for looking at this for me.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_10-04-30 (PR4100).zip (1.5 MB)
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_10-11-06 (SHIELD).zip (3.1 MB)
You did not enable debug logging on either of your servers, so there isn’t any information on what is happening. Can you enable that option and reproduce the problem again and get me new logs.
Let’s try again. I have set debugging level to ENABLE on both servers. Please let me know if there’s anything more I need to do.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_12-27-11 (SHIELD).zip (3.1 MB)
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_12-31-38 (PR4100).zip (1.6 MB)
That didn’t work, debug info still not there. To be clear, it’s this setting.
Got it. Third time = charm.
Again, I started a video on my Android tablet, then attempted the same video on my laptop. Then saved the log and did the same from the other server.
Thanks for your patience.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_22-42-37 (PR4100).zip (1.7 MB)
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-02_22-45-57 (SHIELD).zip (3.2 MB)
Huh. Your PR4100 logs show that you tried playing Twilight Zone 5x3. The file is direct playing, so no transcode needed. However, it thinks the file has no audio. This is causing the app to then fail and request a transcode of the audio. You can’t transcode nothing, so that fails and you get the error message.
Can you provide me the xml info for that video? I’d like to see if PMS really thinks there is no audio.
Odd. I’ve attached the XML file.
XML [PR4100].txt (4.0 KB)
That looks fine so I’m not sure why it thinks there is no audio. I do see some strange errors in your logs, not specific to this issue, but maybe more generic PMS issue.
Can you get me a new PMS log after a restart? Let’s just stick with the pr4100 for now.
- restart PMS
- wait 3 minutes without doing anything (no streaming, no browsing, no connection from any client at all)
- grab server logs
Your logs look fine. I don’t see any reason clients wouldn’t be able to connect to the server, so now we need to look at the client end. Which client are you using and what version? Can you reproduce the error and get me the log for that client. If it’s the Plex for Windows client, here are instructions on how to get the logs, Windows/Mac app logs | Plex Support. If you are using Plex Web then Plex Web App Logs | Plex Support.
Here is the client log. (I think.) I log in through the Plex.tv site, then launch. I then choose the file to play. I have tried 3 different web browsers, with and without extensions. All have failed.
PR4100 Client Log.txt (5.0 KB)
That’s the right log but it doesn’t contain any info. Keep in mind that enabling the logging is live. It does not go back in time. You need to enable it, reproduce steps, grab logs.
Okay. I followed the steps again and created the client log. It seems to be the same as the first one.
I went to the PR4100 and turned off Plex and turned it back on.
I waited 3 minutes, then logged into Plex.tv and clicked LAUNCH and waited another 3 minutes.
I then tried to play a video and got the error. I clicked retry and it failed again. That’s when I grabbed the client log by pasting the following into the browser address line of the same window: https://app.plex.tv/desktop#!/logs
PR4100 Client Log 2.txt (5.0 KB)
That’s not how you get the logs from the Plex Web client.
- Launch
- Settings \ Plex Web \ Debug → Debug Level (set to enabled)
- playback a video to generate the error
- Settings \ Plex Web \ Debug → Click to view the debug logs here
- right click, save as
Post this file.
I did as you directed. The file is much more interesting now.
PR4100 Client Log 3.txt (562.3 KB)
The method I was using was from a “Tip” on the Plex site you linked for me.
Tip! : You can also manually adjust the URL to https://app.plex.tv/desktop#!/logs and hit to get to the logs. You must do that in the same browser window.
Ok, I see where it is failing. Can you get me your current PMS logs?
Darn, your logs don’t go back far enough to match up. Sorry for going back and forth like this. Can you redo the playback and grab both the web and server logs at the same time.
