Server Version#: 1.40.0.7998
Player Version#: 4.124.1
I have tried multiple servers so not limited to my server, when refreshing I get “There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.”
This has been confirmed on multiple computers both inside and outside of my network.
No errors are logged when I experience this issue, tried downgrading plex server with no impact.
In addition, as my server is docker running in debian, I tested on a windows server and experienced the same issue.
Tested on both firefox and chrome, is there any known issue with the WebUI that may be causing this at the moment?
Additional testing:
Using my local plexweb version 4.123.2 I can not recreate this, only via plex.tv
What exactly do you mean by “when refreshing”?
Do you try to reload the web app while streaming a video, getting that error message when the web app is reloaded?
Patient: “Doc, it hurts when I’m doing somersaults.”
Doctor: “Don’t do somersaults.”
This behaviour of the web player is pretty much expected when you’re refreshing the web app. Your PC is not continuing your game when you press the reset button.
The same thing happens if you are playing a video, close plex and then attempt to load plex later on. Plex automatically tries to resume the last file you were watching.
I am also experiencing this exact error message since the last server update. Currently on same version as the original poster, using Windows 11 23H2:
Server Version#: 1.40.0.7998
Player Version#: 4.124.1
Browser Firefox 122.01 64 bit
In fact, I can reproduce this same error in multiple scenarios:
Playing media via plex web player (Firefox 122.01 64 bit) in one browser tab, then open plex in another tab = same error
Playing media via plex web player in one browser tab, then close tab, then reopen plex in new tab = same error
Playing media via plex web player in one browser tab, then reload same tab = same error
Note that the same error also occurs if the media is not currently playing, but is paused. If it is stopped then the error does not occur. This is definitely some sort of bug, as the plex web player has never given me this error before in any of the above scenarios.
I don’t think it is constructive to open a new issue for every scenario that produces this error, as it appears to be related to the same bug.
What you’ve described might be related.
There’s been other posters describing a regularly ongoing or paused stream showing this error message. Those appear unrelated. There’s no use to throw every possible issue into the same thread because the error message reads the same.
As for the issue you and some others have described… while I can see that it might be annoying, I suppose I’m with Otto when it comes to wondering in what use case you’d be reloading a browser tab in mid-stream or open multiple player instances in different browser tabs
Its not only refreshing, but a normal case of you are watching something, close the tab an come back later. The current plex functionality is it attempts to play that file on load, which now fails.
Yes, I agree it’s simply an annoyance at this stage. I can always dismiss the error and queue up my media again. But it’s not a great user experience, and it never used to happen before this last server update.
In terms of the use case, this occurs if you simply close a playing (or paused!) plex web player tab and then re-open plex on another tab later in the day. That is a very common occurrence for me, and obviously for a lot of other users.
At the moment the only way to avoid the error is to:
a) never close your plex tab;
b) always remember to fully stop playback (but not pause) before closing the tab; or
c) never open a second plex tab by accident while another plex tab has paused or playing media.
None of those workarounds is ideal, and is 100% reliant on the user changing their usual behavior simply to work around the bug. I can’t think of any other media player that will error when opened simply because I forgot to hit the stop button earlier in the day. I think we can both acknowledge that it’s not supposed to work this way, right? If it’s by design, then it seems to be a terrible UX decision.
I am also experiencing these issues since yesterday on the web app. I tested the PlexAmp out on my desktop and cannot repro the issue there.
I saw logs which seemed unusual to me: "An entity does not exist with the type \servers\ and id \undefined"
This log might be interpreted as an issue with the server connection?
Also: it was strange that when I simply opened the page to view logs (no media playing in this tab, just logs), I still saw this modal with error message when the page initially loaded.
Sign out of the clients, sign out of your server account. Sign in to your server account and then sing in to your client account.
I know it sounds weird but give it a try. This happened to me on a previous update and I signed everything out and signed everything back in and all was good.
I get this error message “Playback Error” “There was an unexpected error during playback. Please visit our forums if you continue to experience problems.” Only with 1 account except when connected via the http://IP:Port.
I tested 2 accounts, each logged in to app.plex.tv (local & remote) & IP:Port, on 3 browsers, edge, chrome, firefox.
And tested the 2 accounts in the Desktop App and Android App.
And tried playing personal content and Plex content (didn’t make a difference).
Account #2 worked every time.
Account #1 worked only when connected via IP:Port in any browser & on Android App. When played at app.plex.tv or the Desktop App, it would eventually error out, 5 - 10 minutes.
This happened on a seperate Mac and a remote PC, both with Account #1. So
I tried to figure it out.
This happens on Plex web 4.123.2. and not limited on one browser, i have verified this on, chrome, safari, chromium, firefox.
this does not happen on devices such as nvidia shield or roku, or SonyTV App.
all browsers exhibit the same behavior. the screen just refreshes (goes black) and then comes back. in picture below the portion i blurred out is what disappears every 20 seconds or so then comes back within a second or two without me doing anything. and then repeats.
then if you try and play anything, movie or series, MP4, MKV, once the screen does this refresh thing it gives that message.
I’m experiencing this same issue on the plex app for windows after plex had an update. I’m currently running v1.87.2 for the windows app. at first I thought it was due to me seeking through and episode but that’s not the case
