Plex server on Qnap NAS and Amazon Alexa

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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Server Version#:
Player Version#:

Hello:

I was requested, by one of the plex employees to create a new topic here, so here goes.

NAS and Plex server configuration.

plex Version 1.25.0.5246
Model:TS-231P3 - Upgrade to 8gb
Current firmware version:5.0.0.1858Digital Signature
Date:2021/11/19
System up time:6 Day(s) 4 Hour(s) 6 Minute(s)

Just has the standard QNAP setup. UPNP was disabled, plex port forwarded to router.

Number of gen 1 Echo show 8’s - 2
Number of echo dot’s gen 3 6 2 paired for stereo, 4 in seperate rooms
Number of gen 4 echo’s 2 - paired for stereo
two Alexa for Windows apps, both Version 3.11.1109.0

400mbps service through Spectrum.

Router is Synology rt2600ac, and meshed with a mr2200 Pc’s with alexa app are both wired 1gb and echos are all on 5g wireless network, WPA security. 2,500 sf home. all bars full where the echos are.

Weird thing. The Gen 4 echo system will play for however long you allow it to.

Plex will play 2 1/2/ to three songs, and then it seems to lose connection on the following devices:
The gen 3 dots
The gen 1 echo show 8’s
Alexa app on PC’s.

Attached is the system log files. I wasn’t sure which ones you’d need.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-11-28_21-54-46.zip (7.1 MB)

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Anyone?

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Do you know who requested you create a new thread?

Do you have the original thread for reference ?

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Hi Chuck:

The thread that I got the email about was “Plex not playing music on first generation Eco devices”. I had added a reply, to count first gen echo show 8’s and the Alexa app for PC to that list, and I received a reply in the forum, and an email as shown below.

MovieFan.PlexPlex Employee

13d

Plex has no control over that. That’s all internal to the Echo devices.

That would be a different issue. Currently, the 1st gen devices won’t play at all. Please start a new thread with as much details as you can. Also provide your PMS logs.

It was from someone who had the plex employee tag though, and the email requested that I create a new thread, including log files. Sorry I can’t find that email.

Regards

Robert

6

I do see a request for logs.

I don’t see any here. Do you have them to upload ?

I must also reiterate.

  1. Plex has no control over what the device can or can’t do when multiple are involved (e.g. two playing as stereo) because that’s internal to the device and its firmware)

  2. AFAIK, 1st generation deviced won’t play at all.

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Yup, I was the one who requested a new thread. Ignore the 1-st gen devices for now.

  • From one of the other devices, please issue a command to play something from Plex
  • wait for it to fail
  • get the PMS logs
  • let me know what you told Alexa to play
1 Like
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The first gen echo in question is the gen 1 echo show 8, which I purchased in 2020. It was manufactured in 2019. I will upload the logfile as soon as this fails. I’ve got a couple of playlist that I like to shuffle. Normally, this will happen when I’m just playing an album, or shuffling a playlist. The particular playlist that this logfile should give you is called all music. Hopefully, this will give you some insight. Thank you.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-12-11_21-12-26.zip (7.5 MB)

Robert

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What was the exact command you told Alexa? What device did you test with.

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On the echo show I’ve tried both commands. It’s always using either the ask or tell command. As far as I have seen, either one has the same effect

Alexa, Ask Plex to shuffle playlist, All music.
Alexa, Tell Plex to shuffle playlist all music.

Alexa, Ask Plex to play songs by Rush
Alexa, Tell Plex to play songs by Kiss.

No matter which of those commands I use on the show’s, plex will play 2 1/2 to 3 songs, and then the show will go back to the homescreen, or slideshow, and the music will stop playing.

The same thing happens while using the Alexa App for PC. 2 1/2 to 3 songs, and nothing else.

The only difference I see between the show 8’s and the App, are that the app is on a computer, which is wired to the router, (background tasks are enabled), as is the NAS that the server is on. Both Computer and NAS have static IP addresses.

The NAS has upnp disabled, but port is forwarded as 32400, on the NAS and Router. (I have tried different ports.) for the NAS to the internet for Plex,

IF I ask or tell Alexa to play on the Gen 3 and Gen 4 echos, it works fine, and will play until I command a stop. It’s just the Gen 1 shows and the App that seem to be having major trouble.

The testing has been done on the following:

2 first gen echo shows, (manufactured in 2019), One is called Music Room, and one is called Kitchen. Same commands, same result. maybe 10 minutes of music, and they go back to the home screen.

Alexa app for PC. Computer Name is Scorpio: Same result as above.

2 Fourth Gen Echos, (the rbasketball looking ones.paired in stereo). Plex does the job until told to stop.

4 second gen echo dots. Works until commanded to stop.

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Oh, I thought Alexa wasn’t working at all. What you are describing is totally different from what I was expecting and what I was looking for.

There is a known issue with shuffle not playing more than 1 or 2 songs.

Can you ask Alexa to paly something not using shuffle, then get me new logs when it stops. Let me know what the last song that successfully played was.

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I’ll try that ASAP. I do tend to shuffle music more often than just listening to an entire album. Didn’t know about the known issure with shuffle. I’ll see how that works out. Also just did a update to Version 1.25.2.5319. Will let you know how it turns out, complete with logs. :slight_smile:

Thanks.

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Certainly does seem to be a shuffle glitch. (dang… One of my favorite things. :)). I’ve been listening to Pink Floyd, the wall for the first side of the album with no stalls, hangups, or lost stream.

Is there a workaround for the playlist glitch, or is there a fix on the way? Here are the logs. Song being currently listened to is Young lust, which is (I think) track 6 on the first portion. Well past the 2-3 song cutoff.
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-12-14_17-33-15.zip (8.2 MB)

Robert

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It looks like the Alexa got paused. Next time you notice this, can you try telling Alexa to “resume”. I don’t know where the pause is coming from.

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Me neither. It’s always “Play” or “Stop” commands. For example, (It might be in the log you have), I told alexa to tell Plex to play the album 2112, by rush. Once it got past side one, I told Alexa to Stop, because it had already played a 20+ minute song. If you aren’t familiar with Rush, 2112 side one is one long, uninterrupted song. :slight_smile: That was already at least 10 minutes longer than I have been used to getting with the shuffle command.

The last album that I told Alexa to play through Plex was The Wall, by Pink Floyd. After we were 18+ minutes into it, I downloaded the logs without pausing the album…

It does all seem to be in the “shuffle” command to plex. I have done the, “Tell Plex to play Album” command a few more times, and it works like a champ.

I have no idea where the phantom “pause” commands are coming from, unless the echo’s are generating them somehow.

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I have been posting regularly for a long time about two 2nd generation echos running as a stereo pair with an accompanying echo sub abruptly stopping working, never to return. I finally gave up when no fix ever came after months and months. On Black Friday Amazon had the Gen 4 (sphere-shaped) Echo speakers come down to $59 from $99. They are still priced that way and here were are at almost Christmas. Then I even found other deals like a 30% off credit card offer from Discover on a new Echo, a trade-in deal where you send in an old Echo dot and get $5 bucks, but that entitles you to get 25% off on a new Echo. Anyway, putting all these together I was looking at somewhere around 60% off, so I crossed my fingers, and -yep- I have my PLEX library back. I relegated the Gen 2’s to a second stereo pair. So everything like Spotify, etc., will stream on 4 speakers but at least Plex will now stream again on 2 plus the sub. The sound is much improved I have to say, crisper thanks to two tweeters in each enclosure, and more bass thanks to the sub inside the echos firing upward in a completely new design. I got the white ones that match my HP all-in-one white computer. So, better price and better sound are great benefits - though working AT ALL with Plex was reason enough to upgrade. Very happy now until they break something again. I hate to say I half expect it. Seems like it was planned obsolesence to just stop working and have no fix forthcoming, or even an explanation to offer. If you have Gen 1’s or 2’s and Plex in stereo stopped working, upgrade to the 4’s while Amazon has this deal going and you’ll be good to go again (FINALLY)! - and with better quality sound in the bargain. Hoping to stop posting about this for the rest of my LIFE lol… The frustration is over. Wish Plex would play through the 4 speakers like everything else does, but hey 2 is better than I’ve had in a long, long time.

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