My plex has worked without issues for like 2 years, now suddenly it wont play some movies.
Did you call your Plex Server bad names and it’s getting back at you?
On a serious note, your post is so generic no one is going to be able to help you.
What server version are you running?
Did you just start to experience this problem with a server or client update?
Give us a file name that won’t play. Provide the XLM file for the file in question.
What client were you using and did you try different clients?
Can you play the file correctly locally using VLC?
In other words give us information so we can help you!
A great way to help us is to share with us the metadata (hover over the movie, click get-info, then click ‘View XML’) as well as a full set of log files immediately after trying to play it (settings - server - help - download logs). That ZIP file, with the XML (use “Code” paragraph formatting above ^^) will help us figure out why it’s doing what it’s doing
Sorry… here you have some more info.
I just moved to another house, before moving i had no issues at all. I have the same router (Netgear 3700), same NAS (WD EX4) and are running Plex 1.4.3.3443 (upgraded yesterday but didn’t help), Windows 7.
Tried Locally, ATV 4, and IOS. Nothing works (for some movies)
I tried do downgrade al the way to 0.9.1, no luck.
I tried no remove the Movie library, then make a new mapping for the NAS, add the movie library again.
The movies I try to play is movies that I’ve played before without any problems
at all, but now som go them won’t start, just a spinning circle…
I have 10GB free space, and the movies I try so start are under 3GB, I have also made a “new” folder
on another disc for the transcoding files. Didn’t help.
If I play one of the movies that won’t start in plex on VLC it works just great.
Thanks for your help:)
Thank you for the log files. May I also see the XML (from ‘Get Info’ -> “View XML”)? Without that, I cannot match to what PMS is doing.
I dont understand how to save it? Does this work?
https://files.mycloud.com/home.php?seuuid=c431bcdd077d226658964a1d0eb83288&name=5577&brand=webfiles
The easiest way to capture the XML is to hit view XML
It will come up in a browser
Then just copy and paste it into a Notepad file.
Then you can upload the .txt file anywhere.
Attaching files (Logs, etc) can be done ^^
Will this work…
Thank you for the XML now with the log files.
One thing we’re not seeing is the MDE (Media Decision Engine) . It’s unclear what PMS is actually doing when you go to play those files.
It should be decoding the DTS you have (DTS core) and converting to aac or ac-3 if the player can’t accept DTS core directly. This would all show in the lines with “MDE” in them.
IF I may request:
- Turn on Verbose logging
- Attempt to play the movie
- As soon as it fails, go to Settings - Server - Help - Download Logs
- Now turn off Verbose Logging
Please attach that ZIP file here .
Andreas,
Thank you for those logs but they do not show me what I need to see.
Let me ask this way,
Can you turn off IPv6 ?
What is the MTU you are using? (it is in the Ethernet Adapter -> Properties -> Advanced page). It must be a MTU = 1500. Changing the value, without changing everything else, causes many problems.
Please try to log for me this way:
Now start to play the movie which fails.
As soon as it fails, Capture your log files again.
You may attach them here using the document attach function above. There is no need to store them elsewhere.
Thanks a lot for your help:) Ipv6 is off, MTU is 1500, and here is the file, hope is right.
Don’t get it… worked perfect 2 days ago, no updates, nothing and now
suddenly some movies dont play, movies I played without any issues at all a few days ago…
That is MUCH better, thank you!
This will take me a big to analyze. If you wish to go party, or sleep, feel free to 
I have looked at your logs. It was easier to find than I thought.
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - It took 0.0 sec to serialize a list with 1 elements.
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - MDE: analyzing media item 10363
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - MDE: Precious Cargo (2016): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - MDE: Precious Cargo (2016): no direct play video profile exists for http/mkv/h264/dca
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - MDE: Precious Cargo (2016): selected sidecar subtitle stream will be segmented
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - Codecs: testing aac_mf (encoder)
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] DEBUG - Codecs: testing ac3_mf (encoder)
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.787 [3600] WARN - Failed to find encoder 'ac3_mf'
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] DEBUG - Codecs: testing mp3_mf (encoder)
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] WARN - Failed to find encoder 'mp3_mf'
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] DEBUG - MDE: Precious Cargo (2016): selected media 0 / 10363
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] DEBUG - Streaming Resource: Added session 053D1110:0313EF8D-A4F8-46DA-BD56-9D31375FD2EF
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] DEBUG - Streaming Resource: Reached Decision id=5615 codes=(General=1001,Direct play not available; Conversion OK. Direct Play=3000,App cannot direct play this item. No direct play video profile exists for protocol http, with container mkv, and video codec h264. Transcode=1001,Direct play not available; Conversion OK.) media=(id=10363 part=(id=10373 decision=transcode container=mpegts protocol=hls streams=(Video=(id=26883 decision=copy width=1920 height=804) Audio=(id=26884 decision=transcode bitrate=640 encoder=ac3 channels=6 rate=48000) Subtitle=(id=26915 decision=transcode bitrate=2147483647 encoder=webvtt languageCode=eng location=segmented))))
Mar 04, 2017 00:28:17.788 [3600] DEBUG - It took 0.0 sec to serialize a list with 1 elements.
It appears, with the new release, your codecs have not yet automatically updated. Notice there is no mp3, ac3, or aac encoder as needed.
I would like you to highlight this movie , click ‘Analyze’ and retest. You may also re-analyze the entire library. This will update your Codecs.
Before doing so, Please go to where the codecs are stored and check the actual files there. If there are any zero-length files, delete them. This will force fresh codecs to be downloaded
I cant thank you enough! Thanks Chuck for all you your help:)
Tried analysing the movie and a few more that played well a few days ago… no luck:(
Here you see my Plex codec folder
I turned on Verbose logging again and tried to start two movies, just she spinning wheel…
I am having the exact same problem. I only know of one movie at the moment, but it is giving me same “Failed to find encoder” problem for the same aac, ac3, & mp3 encoders. I have re-analyzed the movie and all of the others. It looks like some new versions of those .dll files were downloaded, but the movie still does not play. Important point, the movie only fails to play on my Apple TV’s and iPhones. I am able to play the movie on a PC running Plex for Home Theater.
@swedane99 said:
I turned on Verbose logging again and tried to start two movies, just she spinning wheel…
What player were you using at that time? It appears to be FireFox. I am seeing a transcoder error. I would like to identify as much as possible before I contact the transcoding team.
