Playback failures using subtiles

Server Version#: 1.41.4.9463 using official Docker image running on podman
Player Version#: 10.26.0.2578

Hello,

I have an odd case of playback failure from an Android player to my PMS. I have several files (TV shows) that are 4K HEVC and the following behavior:

  • Play without subtitles: works
  • Play with burn subtitle to always: works
  • Play with subtitles + quality set to 1080p + disabling quality auto detect: work (using HW transcode)
  • Play with subtitles + quality set to 1080p + enabling quality auto detect: fails and I see it tried to play 4K directly

Looking at the logs, I see the client gets a 404 error trying to read the subtitles and I see PMS killing the transcode session, but I don’t see why.

It is unlikely a performance or network issue as it does work fine (4K + subtitles) for example on some movies:

If any other tests are needed, please let me know.

Extract:

Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.302 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] TranscodeUniversalRequest: using augmented profile Android
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.302 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Downloading document http://127.0.0.1:32400/library/metadata/4793?checkFiles=1&includeBandwidths=1&offset=-1&X-Plex-Incomplete-Segments=1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.306 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] We're going to try to auto-select an audio stream for account 1.
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.306 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Selecting best audio stream for part ID 6275 (language: xn)
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.306 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Audio Stream: 26842, Subtitle Stream: 26843
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.308 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Found session GUID of 655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android in session start.
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.308 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Using session GUID 655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android for new transcode session.
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.308 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Destroying existing session, reference count = 5
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.308 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Cleaning directory for session 655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android ()
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Deleting stale file "/tmp/pms-fe07ee40-16ec-464c-acc1-302327a22988/EasyAudioEncoder/Convert to WAV (to 8ch or less)/655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android_49569-0-0.wav"
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Deleting stale file "/tmp/pms-fe07ee40-16ec-464c-acc1-302327a22988/EasyAudioEncoder/Convert to WAV (to 8ch or less)/655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android_49569-0-0.ec3"
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Killing job.
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Signalling job ID 49569 with 9
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Job was already killed, not killing again.
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.309 [138239940401976] DEBUG - [Req#c95a8/Transcode] Stopping transcode session 655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.328 [138239935687480] DEBUG - [Req#c95e0/Transcode/655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android] Cleaning directory for session 655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android (/transcode/Transcode/Sessions/plex-transcode-655c558ea2b44d28-com-plexapp-android-a775a759-dd47-414c-96ff-eb9f444e73c3)
Feb 19, 2025 21:33:06.367 [138240034609976] DEBUG - Jobs: '/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder' exit code for process 49569 is -9 (signal: Killed)

plex_android.log (48.9 KB)
pms.log (154.9 KB)

This is a long standing issue with the android app’s automatic quality setting and subtitles. Don’t use that setting or don’t use subtitles.

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