Server Version#: 1.27.1.5916
Player Version#: 1.47.1.3086-6c3d964f
MacOs Version: 10.15.7
I stream files from a distant server with Plex Media Server, but since the last server update when I try to stream a file Plex desktop app freezes (swirling button and crashing) each time.
I have reinstalled Plex for mac (and removed application support, caches, and logs) but the problem persists.
Streaming works from the web app (connection to distant server seems fine).
Not sure what’s going wrong, first time I’ve had any issues with Plex.
So I narrowed down the problem a bit, only one set of files (different episodes with same encoding) seems to be making the app crash, and these same files play fine in the web app. I see only a few errors and warnings in the logs (I could provide them if necessary).
Hello @gbooker02 I just tried disabling hardware decoding but it doesn’t affect the issue.
It’s hard to say, it’s not the codec (H264), the container (mkv) is very common as well.
One thing seems odd in the media info of the crashing files is “Video Frame Rate: PAL”, not sure if “PAL” is a valid video frame rate. After checking, these are the only files that I have that have “Video Frame Rate: PAL” all other files have either “24p” or even “NTSC” and play well.
Other than that there are a few errors in the logs but not sure which one would be relevant. Last thing the logs say before the app crashes is:
DEBUG - [MPVEngine/mpv] vo/gpu/opengl: Initializing GPU context ‘cocoa’
It seems odd that the browser player would play the file fine and not the app (I’d assume codec decoders and such are used both by the browser and app).
The logs would be useful to see here as it would answer several questions.
No. Plex for Mac uses MPV for its playback engine which is vastly superior to any video playback you get in any browser. Playback between these two has no similarity at all.
Ah yes it makes sense.
So I deleted the logs first, then opened Plex for Mac and tried playing the crashing files. Then the app starts spinning and nothing happens anymore.
So this is MPV trying to open the video output. You likely would have similar issues with using the standalone MPV application. Unfortunately there isn’t much that I can diagnose from this but it does seem likely it is something outside of the application and in the system.
It could be system related since I have the same issue with 2 different macs running the same system. But it’s the only time I’ve seen this happen, so something related to the specific encoding of these files as well. I could share you the file I’m using if needed, although just to me this is not really an issue.
Thanks for looking in to it.
