Newbie not able to play only some 4K content on new LG TV

Plex Players Smart TVs
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Server Version#: 1.24.5.5173
Player Version#: 5.28.2 (client) 6.2.0 (platform)
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-25_15-45-51.zip | attachment (282.4 KB)

I just upgraded TVs to an LG OLED65C1PUB and some 4K HDR content is not playing. I thought it was an audio problem not playing 7.1, but after I selected EAC3 5.1 it still won’t play. I have other files that I think are the same format that do play.
My sound system is Sonos ARC + two One + Sub.
Thanks in advance for any advice & education on what I’m going wrong.

For example:

Content 1 - Does play

  • 23Mbps, 4K HEVC Main 10 HDR
  • EAC3 5.1
  • MKV container

Content 2 - Does not play

  • 9.2 Mbps, 4K HEVC Main 10 HDR
  • AC3 5.1
  • MKV container
2

I’m going to try encoding with Handbrake to see if changing audio from 7.1 to 5.1 fixes the issue. I suspect even though I selected the 5.1 dropdown in Plex, it’s not actually changing the playback.

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@simmy213_gmail_com

Hold up on that a bit. Let me look at the logs.

I have the LG OLED48C1PUB. (just got it)

  1. There are some tricks to getting the EARC output working
  2. MUST use good cabling if playing through HDMI

FYI. 9.2 Mbps 2160p HEVC? Are you 1000% certain that was reduced correctly? (I see a LOT of bad re-encodes around here).

Let me review your logs and share my findings in the next post

4

I see a lot of MPEG2TS in your logs. I am not seeing HEVC.

I would like you to enable Transcoder DEBUG logging so I can see the invocation.

  1. Create a scheduled task - User script
  2. Runs as user root
  3. Email you the output (which will be your Plex token for future reference should you ever need it)
#!/bin/sh
Token="$(cat "/var/packages/PlexMediaServer/shares/PlexMediaServer/AppData/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml" | tail -1 | sed -e 's/.*PlexOnlineToken="//' | sed -e 's/".*//')"
curl http://127.0.0.1:32400/:/prefs/set\?TranscoderLogLevel=debug\&X-Plex-Token=$Token
echo Keep this token confidential.
echo Plex Token=$Token

After running this script 1 time, then disable, Please create the failing playback and capture fresh logs.

You’re burning subtitles but need to see what FFMPEG is being commanded to do.

1 Like
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There are subtitles being burned into the video when playing the LOTR movies.
Nov 25, 2021 15:27:15.274 [0x7fa68c563b38] DEBUG - [Transcode] MDE: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002): selected subtitle cannot be converted to a compatible format, burning into video stream

Suggest leaving subtitles disabled when testing audio codec support.

The Plex LG app has limited subtitle support and it is easy to force a video transcode

This is how the Plex LG app behaves with subtitles:

  1. Enabling image based subtitles, PGS or VOBSUB, results in a video transcode.
  2. If audio is transcoding, enabling any subtitle results in a video transcode.
  3. If audio is direct playing, text subtitles, SRT & VTT, direct play.
  4. For ASS/SSA subtitles:
    1. If Burn Subtitles = Automatic in the Plex LG app, enabling ASS/SSA subtitles results in a video transcode.
    2. If Burn Subtitles = Only Image Formats, ASS/SSA subtitles, direct play, but formatting information (color, location, etc) may be lost.
1 Like
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@ChuckPa thank you for taking the time to review my logs and comment.
Am I 1000% sure it was reduced correctly? Absolutely not! I don’t know how to read these logs but forum your comments I think I’m dealing with multiple file issues. I had started the encoding process with Handbrake prior to your post and that did allow for playback when changing to 5.1 audio, though it may have been a fluke I stumbled upon. Honestly I don’t want to waste any more of your time investigating with the issues you’ve already identified. And I’m not sure how to do any of these follow up items, lol, hence the newbie qualifier :slight_smile: I’m going to delete the file and start over. Thank you again for your help!!

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@FordGuy61 interesting find and info about LG! Thank you for looking and taking the time to respond! I will pay attention to the subtitle settings more closely knowing LG is a little quirky. Thank you again!

8

It’s not LG that’s quirky.
It’s Pretty much any smart TV app.
LG is one of the better ones but still at the lower end of all Plex clients.

1 Like
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