Plex Apple TV app messing with sound/subtitle/video syncing

Plex Players
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1

Server Version#: 1.43.0.10492
Player Version#: 8.45 (9684) Plex for Apple TV

Since a week, I am suffering from a serious issue with the default Plex app on my Apple TV. When streaming different episodes from my series, the sound will play with a delay of around 1 second. This happens with different episodes and series, but not all of them. Examples:

First example: delayed sound

  • Stream: Direct Stream
  • Container: converting (MKV –> MKV)
  • Direct Stream (H264 1080p)
  • Direct Stream (English - EAC3 5.1)
  • Direct Stream (English - SRT)

Second example: delayed sound

  • Stream: Direct Play
  • Container: Direct Play (MKV)
  • Direct Play (HEVC 1080p)
  • Direct Play (English - AAC 5.1)
  • Direct Play (English - SRT)

Third example: no delay issues whatsoever

  • Stream: Transcode (Throttled)
  • Container: converting (MKV –> MP4)
  • Transcode (H264 (HW) 1080p –> H264 (HW) 1080p)
  • Transcode (English - EAC3 5.1 –> AAC 5.1)
  • Transcode (English - SRT –> WEBVTT)

When turning on “Auto-adjust quality” in the Plex app settings on the Apple TV, sound plays just fine, but then my subtitles are completely out of whack. This setting turns the second example in the following:

Second example: delayed subtitles but good sound

  • Stream: Transcode (Throttled)
  • Container: Converting (MKV –> MP4)
  • Transcode (HEVC (HW) 1080p –> H264 (HW) 1080p)
  • Transcode (English - AAC 5.1 –> AAC 5.1)
  • Transcode (English - SRT –> WEBVTT)

These were things I didn’t have an issue with a week ago. My Plex server is running in Docker Compose (version v2.39.4) on an Ubuntu system (version Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS), with a Nvidia GTX 1080ti and an Intel Core i7-8700k powering the (hardware) transcoding.

I’m experiencing the issue on an Apple TV A2843 (128GB) with tvOS 26.3. The issues started around the time this tvOS software update came out and was automatically installed on my device. I’m viewing my content on an LG OLED65C34LA and having the audio played on an LG DS90QY sound bar.

When testing the issue in another player like Infuse, there is no delay in sound or subtitles. Apps like Netflix and Disney+ do not behave this way and also exhibit no delays.

Is someone experiencing the same issues, or am I going crazy? Can anyone help me out here? Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,

2

Same here, after update to 26.3. Strange thing is my newer AppleTV 4 plays the same files just fine… I have no clue though how to solve this.

3

Seems to be related to the “Use Old Video Player” setting under ADVANCED in the Plex app on Apple TV. I had this set to “On” and see this issue. Changing it to “Off” corrected subtitle sync, though that will likely cause me issues elsewhere, since i had this enabled for a reason, some time ago.

Alternatively, downgrading any 1.43.0 release back to 1.42.2.10156-f737b826c corrected this issue without having to modify the local client settings.

4

Hey Guys,

I have the same Problem. Since yesterday, as i watched several episodes, from a tv-series i am watching, they were suddenly asynchron. The first episode was played correctly, the next was played asynchron. as i watched it further the delay whidened more.

as if Audio and Video playback where in a different timeframe. so i tested “auto-adjust quality” and “use old player” but nothing worked for me.

but as i started to convert the video to the next lower setting, the delay disappeared.

5

Don’t use this: auto-adjust quality

Use ‘new video player’, use ‘old audio player’.

6

I ended up with a clean install of tvOS. No problems anymore after that. Bit drastic, but it worked.