Nvidia Shield TV pro 2019 - very slow Plex app since 8.2.1 firmware

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: 1.20.5.3600
Player Version#: 8.9.2.21619
(File removed)

Hello,
Since the 8.2.1 firmware update of Nvidia Shield TV, Plex app on Android TV is extremly slow to launch a movie even if transcoding is not needed.
It takes nearly 20/30 seconds.

My tests:

  • with VLC, no issue, movie is directly played.
  • with Plex Player for Windows and Mac : same issue, it’s very slow to launch the movie
  • with Plex Web player, no issue, movie is directly played
1 Like
2

I tested with the beta release of PMS : 1.21.0.3608
Same issue, movies are really slow to play

3

Can you provide client side logs? Details are available here: https://support.plex.tv/articles/201573117-android-android-tv-fire-tv-logs/

4

Im getting simular issues since update. Plex, in general, has been slow to load and encounters errors reaching server but if I go back into the video it displays everything.

When playing a video it will take longer to load and will be stuck on buffering after a min or so of playing.

Im not sure if this is a general problem with Android as ive tried it on my other android devices such as Samsung note20 phone, 4k firestick and I’m getting same issues.

Tried it through my laptop and all is streaming perfectly fine so not sure what has happened since the past couple of updates from plex?

5

Hello!
Yes, of course.
the player logs: (File removed)

11-23 19:42:57.528  i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [Cache] Seek found to 8538371096 bytes.
11-23 19:43:27.942  i: [FFmpeg] [INFO] [Cache] Seek complete to 8538371096 bytes.

It takes a very long time between these two tasks…

Here are the logs of Windows App too if needed.
(File removed)

6

Same here after update today on Android TV 9 (Sony X950H).
from instant play to 30sec + buffering.

7

Can you confirm it this is a known issue with plex and if it is getting looked into as I can’t use plex on any of my android devices.

I even tried it on a new nvidia shield pro 2019 I got for the bedroom and exact same issues are happening

Thanks

8

It is not a known issue. We’ve just started investigating.

2 Likes
9

Hopefully can be resolved soon. I have sent my logs to marekszulik.

Plex is unusable on any of my android device right now :tired_face:

10

Not sure if my problem is the same as yours but have also been noticing 20-30s start times for videos in my library although it only happens in the case of directplay. If trancoding is used (e.g. Plex webapp, or media not supported on the device) then it usually loads much faster (2-10s).

Once the videos have started, there are no buffering issues and skipping to other parts of the video buffer basically instantly and without issue. Only the initial start has an issue

I was seeing the issue on Shield v8.2.0, and continues on v8.2.1. I was on PMS 1.20.4.3517 but upgraded to the current version on the play store (1.21.0.3616) and issue persists.

12

On my system, most new movies never load, Plex just show an hourglass forever, no issues with VLC. Also, when it load, most of the time it seem that there are buffering issues.

13

yep, same problem here. I upgradet from shield tv to shiel tv pro. Shield tv had no problem at all.

14

Everything was working perfect on my Shield until Nvidia force installed the 8.2.1 firmware update on my device.

I don’t know why they make these updates mandatory, I would really like to roll back to the previous firmware.

As usual with updates, one step forward, two steps back…

15

i have same problem. my pms run on dsm. iphone works fine. shield pelx app can’t play any movies at all. continuous buffering.

16

I also have same issue (Shield TV Pro 8.2.1, Plex app 8.11.0.22186, Plex server app v1.21.1.3795).

I have always 30s delay before playing (most) media (at least for H264 or HEVC with AC3 or AAC), also always with Direct Play. When there is transcoding (I can force audio trascoding for instance by disabling HDMI passthrough on the client), then delay is 8s.

If I play the same media on the embedded web application (with or without transcode), then there is almost no delay, only 3s max.

17

Obviously, I had to cross another media that doesn’t show the 30s delay but the smaller 8s on the Plex App. Currently I have:

30s delay:

  • MKV container, H264 or HEVC, SD or 480p, AC3 5.1 or AAC 5.1

8s delay:

  • MP4 container, H264, HD 1080p, AAC stereo.

I’ll make some more tests…

18

I did some tests and with transcode or direct stream, the issue is the same.
With Kodi/Plex add-on, movies doesn’t start because it’s too long (timeout)

19

I also have the same issue. But it lags out the entire shield OS for about 30 seconds. If I force close Plex (when it lets me), it’s usable again

20

Here the summary of my tests.

I transcoded a few movies in either MKV or MP4 container, using AAC or AC3 audio with various downmix, and with VOBSUB or none subtitles. For testing, I used either the Plex app on the Shield or the Kodi add-on as player, and the Shield Plex server or the NAS Plex server.

The results are straightforward:

  • In general remote or local , MP4 or MKV , with or without VOBSUB are always direct played without delay, on any player using any server.
  • The exceptions are:
    • On Plex app, remote MKV media are direct played with 30s delay , and MP4 + VOBSUB are transcoded (reason is Direct Play was attempted but failed, fallen back to transcoding).
    • On Kodi add-on, remote MKV media are direct played with 20s delay , or sometimes fail to play.

So, ignoring the glitch of VOBSUB + MP4 transcode, the only cause for 30s / 20s delay in my tests are whether files are local or remote for the Plex server. This only occurs for MKV files. So to avoid this delay, one must either use the NAS Plex Server when using MKV on the NAS, or store the MKV on the Shield filesystem when using the Shield Plex server (or wait for a fix on the Plex server of course…).

The related issue is Shield TV Beta - 20 to 30 second delay when playing media.

My setup:

  • NVidia Shield TV Pro, FW 8.2.1, Plex app 8.11.0.22186, Plex server app v1.21.1.3795.
  • Synology NAS, with Plex server 1.21.1.3830.
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