Server Version#: 1.19.1.2701
Player Version#: 4.22.3
I have a movie in a MKV container with multiple audio tracks and multiple subtitle tracks. The container has ONE audio track set as default and forced, all other audio tracks are set to NOT DEFAULT and NOT FORCED. This is the same for the subtitle tracks. Based on Plex’s documentation here: https://support.plex.tv/articles/201097958-remuxing-files-to-mkv/,
“Forced” tracks always override Language Preference. However a “Forced” track will not override when subtitles are shown, only what track is used."
If I under this correctly, a forced audio or subtitle track will take priority as the track to use, despite any other Plex setting. This is not the behavior I am seeing. Plex is using to the ‘English’ audio track and selecting no subtitle track, despite there being a single forced audio track that is not English and a forced subtitle track. I have done the Plex Dance with this file multiple times to no effect. Can someone please shed some light on this issue? Am I misunderstanding the documentation? I can post logs if needed.
You can’t flag an audio track as forced.
You can flag it ‘Default’.
You can flag a subtitle track as forced - and it will be auto selected most always - unless Plex is so confused by ‘Unknown’ it can’t find it’s butt with both hands.
Public Enemies #1 thru #10 are:
Audio/Subtitle tracks are UNIDENTIFIED (Unknown) - leaving Plex no option other than to be confused.
Misconfiguration of Language/Subtitle Settings - Per Account. There is no ‘Global’ setting for Languages and Subtitles. The settings you select are ONLY for your account.
Yes - DEBUG logs will probably need to be prepared.
Make CERTAIN - VERBOSE logging is disabled and DEBUG logging is enabled - await further instructions:
server/settings/general
How are your audio/subtitle settings configured?
How are your audio and subtitle tracks flagged?
How are your files and subtitle files named?
We’ll start there - it is, after all, the beginning.
First, for movies with both, Plex prefers external forced subtitles over embedded forced subtitles. Personally, I’m good with this since my external subtitles are all SRT and they’re less likely to transcode than internal PGS/VOBSUB subtitles.
Second, Plex remembers your last chosen audio and subtitle track. If you change subtitles from forced to another track, Plex will remember the next time you play the movie. It will not default back to the forced subtitle track. The only way to reset to default behaviour is to Plex Dance the movie & associated subtitle/etc files. Important if your testing “What happens if I set track X to forced/default/etc.”
What do you mean “you can’t flag an audio track as forced”? The Plex page I linked in the original post has the verbiage:
Plex will use the Language, Default and Forced Track attributes in selecting what to use and play if there is more than one that can be used. These options are useful for both Audio and Subtitle Tracks.
Also inspecting a MKV file with MKVToolNix shows the Default and Forced flags for subtitles, audio, and video tracks.
'Prefer Audio Tracks in ‘English’
You have none of them marked as the ‘Default’.
The ‘Forced’ sub track you have flagged - is ASS - and may want to transcode - causing even more issues.
and
You apparently have 98 various audio/subtitle tracks you don’t need, or want.
Where to begin?
Here’s where I’d begin:
MKVToolNix - to mux out all that crap you don’t need - and properly flag what you do need:
I’m gonna gracefully bow out here - and let Lt. LeFordie ( @FordGuy61 ) take over 'cause I’ve got 463 bad files that look pretty much like those you have, going through MKVToolNix right now - for the repair - and am pressed for time…
You are in capable hands - Mine are capable, but I need about 20 more…lol
All I know, at this point, is if properly configured - I get the expected result:
I think you missed Audio track 5 being set as ‘Default’.
The Plex setting ‘Prefer audio tracks in English’ should not be in effect because I have unselected “Automatically select audio and subtitle tracks”, correct? Even moreso, per the linked Plex article, “Forced” tracks always override Language Preference.”, so any of the Language settings in Plex should have no effect on playback with this file.
I have done the Plex Dance and unfortunately Plex still doesn’t respect the forced tracks. If I have done the Plex Dance correctly for this file, AND if this line from the documentation is correct:
“Forced” tracks always override Language Preference. However a “Forced” track will not override when subtitles are shown, only what track is used.”
then it appears there is a bug in Plex’s functionality. My forced tracks are not overriding my Language settings. Despite having unselected “Automatically select audio and subtitle tracks” in Plex’s Language settings, changing the “Prefer subtitles in …” setting is actually changing the subtitle track that is auto-selected in the movie’s pre-play screen.
Having read your post, and re-read the Matroska spec I think I am starting to understand what the concept of a Forced track is. I suppose it’s an unfortunate side-effect of calling the flag “Forced”. It makes you think the track will be “Forced to be used”, but the actual functionality is not as such.
As to Plex not using the “default” track by default, why is that? From my understanding if the user has not selected a track, the player should be using default tracks if present. Is this just how Plex specifically decides to handle the flag?
Also to summarize the root issue, I can’t use Plex’s language settings to manage which audio and subtitle tracks to be played because they are too general, they apply to ALL content in my library. I do not want ALL content to be forced to a specific audio language and subtitle language, I want more granular control per file. Knowing Plex does not support this sort of granular control, I went to set my preferred settings within each file, and that is how I got here.
Precisely. The spec allows to have several ‘forced’ tracks, even with identical language tags on them. How should that be handled, if it were a real “must be shown” flag?
I can’t tell you. Probably historically. AFAIK only MKV has such a flag, so the behaviour would be inconsistent with other file types.
Maybe to avoid user confusion why some files behave differently than others.
You can always override the automatically determined selections manually, on the preplay screen of each item.
This is them stored per user-account, so different users can have each their own.
