Server Version#: 1.32.5.7349
Player Version#: Plex Web 4.113.2
I recently added some Twitter/X videos to Plex (that qualify as TV Shows). Initially, the metadata looked good except I think the runtimes were off initially, (until I ran an Analyze on each file…don’t take that for fact, as I didn’t document it at the time) but now they are correct.
When I play a video via Plex Web, it’ll randomly display a different runtime. Completely random, no rhyme or reason…I’ve seen 0:23, 5:36, 10:07, etc, etc. Sometimes if I play the video twice in a row, it’ll retain the same random runtime, but after a third play, it’ll change. The Library shows the right time, but not the player. The video will play fine, however with the total always being under the actual runtime, it makes it impossible to seek or retain where you left off. And to top it off, when playing from Plex HTPC, the videos will just load a black screen and not initiate.
Here is all the data from one of the files in question (dumped using MediaInfo):
General
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : iso5 (iso6/mp41)
File size : 109 MiB
Duration : 22 min 10 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 685 kb/s
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 5 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 22 min 10 s
Bit rate : 552 kb/s
Width : 1 080 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.000
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 23.976 (23976/1000) FPS
Minimum frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Maximum frame rate : 240 000.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.020
Stream size : 87.5 MiB (81%)
Title : Twitter-vork muxer
Writing library : x264 core 164 r3095 baee400
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=2 / psy=0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=1 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / stitchable=1 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=28.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=8640 / vbv_bufsize=8640 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=2:1.00
Codec configuration box : avcC
Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 22 min 10 s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 130 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 20.3 MiB (19%)
Title : Twitter-vork muxer
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
I could see this absolutely being a problem with the file, but both VLC and MPC-HC play the videos without issue and it’s consistent across ~20 different Twitter videos. This leads me to believe it’s a handling issue on Plex’s side. This is the first time I’ve added Twitter sourced files to Plex; but have added a large degree of various video types and have not had issues like this specifically.
EDIT: When using the Amazon Fire Stick or Android Plex app, neither aforementioned issue occurs.
