**Since upgrading PMS to 1.27.0.5849, Plex 4K HDR X265/H265 videos now freeze every 168 seconds (audio continues). This on Roku Ultra. (Plex on Android plays same videos fine). **
This never happened before (owned my 2019 Shield TV Pro for 2 years or so).
Additional Issue Details:
As noted above, this started in the past 3 days since upgrading PMS to the latest 1.27 beta.
I tested the 2 clips on a 4K HDR TV and a 4K Dolby Vision TV, both with Roku Ultras. Both clips suffer from this NEW freezing issue.
I restarted PMS but the issue persists.
Given the issue is occurring with different 4K TVs and 2 different 4K HDR clips (have not tested anything else since it started), so it is a Plex issue.
This is at home via wifi on a gigabit connection with excellent wifi connection and speeds.
Server Version#: PMS 1.27.0.5849 latest Beta
Player Version#: Plex TV 7.7.011.7782 (on Roku Ultra).
PS:
Maybe it is bad luck but my 2 most recent videos are experiencing this.
Both are 4K HDR with AC3 5.1 audio.
I tried an older 4K HDR clip with TrueHD and that one played fine. Ironically I noticed that (while experimenting), I had previously manually selected the AC3 5.1 audio stream.
PS:
The 2 impacted newer 4K HDR clips with AC3 5.1 audio have this video freezing occasionally (have to stop the video and restart the video.
The older 4K HDR clip is playing flawlessly. This one has TrueHD audio but I had the AC3 5.1 stream selected and it still played fine (let it run 40 minutes and it never froze)…
All 3 clips were played back on the same 4K HDR TV on a Roku Ultra.
I was able to replicate this video freezing with the SAME clips on another 4K Dolby Vision TV also with a Roku Ultra.
Both clips (different 4K HDR video clips) exhibit the video freezing issue at around 2:50 seconds on my Roku Ultra devices (I have 3 of them).
However, the same two clips both play fine on Plex on an Android TV, which is one of the same 2 TVs above which also have the Roku Ultra devices connected.
So the issue appears to have something to do with the Plex app for Roku on my Roku Ultra devices.
For all 3 videos, the video portion of the clip freezes at 168,000 ms (2 mins 48 seconds) every time!
Checked the logs (see partial entries below) and found a potential clue, but not sure what connection is getting lost.
The following (partial) entry from the Plex Media Server log file might give a clue:
[7509] WARN - [HttpClient] HTTP error requesting GET https://…plex.direct…plex.direct:…/identity (7, Couldn’t connect to server) (Failed to connect
[18101] DEBUG - Play progress on (insert name of video clip here) got played 168000 ms by account 1!"
This seems to be happening for 4K HDR clips with AC3 5.1 audio only.
Ironically 4K TrueHD clips play fine.
Also, as noted above, this only happens with the Plex app on the Roku Ultra, not with the Plex app on Android TV
This was working fine previously. This issue started with the latest PMS 1.27 beta and /or latest Plex Player for Roku.
Some interesting results and hopefully this will help others:
I tested the following mix of TVs with built-in app platforms and they all work FINE for the SAME videos using Plex, so this Plex issue is limited to Roku Ultra for some reason (strange since lesser
Roku devices work fine).
THE SAME CLIPS PLAY FINE - Plex Roku app on a TCL 4K HDR Roku TV
THE SAME CLIPS PLAY FINE - Plex Android app on TWO Android-based UHD Dolby Vision TVs - one is on the new ‘Google TV’ platform, one is the older Android TV platform (have a 3rd one but did not bother to try it since 2 worked).
THE SAME CLIPS FINE (a bit surprisingly) - Plex app on a Samsung UHD HDR TV using Samsung’s Tizen app platform.
(Side note, that said, Plex does not play the impacted media clips well on a NEWER Samsung UHD HDR TV ironically; on that one TV only, they buffer probably due to a really bad BUILT-IN wifi adapter on that TV though…
I ordered the following to try for the Samsung TV with the bad wifi adapter (given the Roku Ultra does not work at all on ANY TV for the impacted clips.
Roku Stick [Roku - Streaming Stick® 4K (2021) Streaming Device 4K/HDR/ Dolby Vision with Roku Voice Remote and TV Controls Chromecast with Google TV - 4K - Snow
I will keep whichever of the above 2 streaming devices works best (assuming they both play the impacted 4K HDR clips fine).
Leaning towards the Roku of the two, since there is at least 1 key Roku app I need that is not available on the Play Store.
Then I will wait to see if the next version of the Plex TV app and / or next version of PMS resolves the 168 seconds freezing issue or not (since this just started) before deciding whether to keep my Roku Ultras or not…
If anyone does have a solution for this puzzling Roku Ultra issue, I would be thrilled since I have otherwise been really happy. I think these clips worked on the prior Plex TV app version and / or prior Plex Media Server version.
(tried a lot of the Plex setting options to no avail to try to get the Ultra to play the clips. The same clips played right away without changing any Plex nor TV settings on all the other devices mentioned above)
I was about to head out to pick up the Roku 4K stick and Chromecast 4K, when I thought to myself why would a lesser Roku device (3 year old Roku TV) work fine and the Ultra would not.
I figured the one difference is the fact that the Roku Ultra is an EXTERNAL device (not a streaming platform built into the TV), so I focused on the HDMI connection / HDMI settings (keep in mind other clips play fine, so still odd). I also recalled the Shield TV has some CEC issues
Roku Ultra 1 and TV1 with the Plex freezing issue with many clips, all at 168 seconds:
I changed HDMI to Standard (from Enhanced), but the Plex freezing continued.
I turned off CEC on the TV, but the issue persisted.
Then I said let me check one more thing and if not I will head to the store for my pickup order: I noticed the Roku has a setting under ‘System’ > ‘Control other Devices’ > ‘One Touch Play’ (which is an ON or OFF setting).
I turned that ‘1 touch play’ OFF and the freezing issue was immediately gone on one of the TVs connected to a Roku Ultra (easy to test since it happened at the EXACT same spot - 168 seconds every time).
Still very odd that the issue only happened with selected clips then!
Roku Ultra 2 and TV2 with the SAME Plex freezing issue with many clips, all at 168 seconds:
I turned off the same 1-touch play setting on another Roku Ultra connected to a different TV, BUT on that setup the Plex freezing (with selected clips), BUT the freezing issue remained. I then plugged the HDMI cable for that Roku into the non-ARC HDMI port on that TV (and kept the Roku 1-touch play setting off) and the issue was then gone on that TV too.
So in short, there is some HDMI CEC type of issue going on with Plex (latest PMS beta and latest Plex Roku app) and certain clips and the Roku Ultra that results in videos freezing after 168 seconds…
Spoke too soon.
The issue persists. Making the changes above made it work temporarily, but now the issue is back.
TOO MUCH TIME SPENT ON THIS with no progress.
By the way, in parallel, yesterday midday or so, I upgraded Shield Experience from 8.2.3 to 9.0.2. It had no difference one way or the other on the freezing for these UHD HDR AC3 5.1 clips.
To reiterate the video freezing (audio continues) always happens at exactly 2 minutes 48 seconds after stating the playback form the beginning.
This is happening on 2 different TVs with Roku Ultras attached and happening with.at least 3 different clips at 2 minutes 48 seconds.
Really puzzling!
I will try the Roku 4K stick when I get a chance and see how that works (may try the Chromecast 4K; picked both today).
Just tried the Chromecast TV 4K and the same Plex UHD HDR clips work fine (video does not freeze at 168 seconds mark).
Recap:
Issue is video freezing, after exactly 168 seconds, in the Plex app on Roku Ultra and Roku 4K stick devices only of some UHD HDR clips with AC3 5.1 audio (4K HDR with TrueHD work fine).
On Roku Ultras and a Roku 4K stick, the video starts off fine every time, but after EXACTLY 168 seconds, the video freezes (always at the EXACT same point and this happens with at least 3 clips).
HOWEVER, the same 3 clips CONSISTENTLY play fine (no video freezing at 168 second mark) on ALL the following (using the same TV sets as above!):
Built in Android TV platform’s Plex app on 2 UHD Dolby Vision TV sets.
UHD HDR Google TV set’s Android-based Plex app.
Chromecast 4K (great device by the way)
UHD HDR Roku TV set
Samsung UHD HDR set’s built-in Tizen app.
Given the SAME clips play fine on the SAME TV sets’ Android and Samsung platforms (instead of the Roku Ultras), it seems there is some issue (for some clips) between Roku devices and the Plex app.
@anon18523487 - Any other things to try (other than waiting for the next Plex app for Roku) given the SAME clips are fine and play fine on the SAME TV sets (using the above devices / apps), whereas the Roku Ultra (tried 3 of them) and a Roku 4K stick have issues.
Can someone pass this issue onto the developers please?
For now, as a workaround, I will use the built-in TV platform apps’ Plex versions to play Plex media on 2 of the TVs where I have the 3 Roku Ultras connected. The third TV where I have the 3rd Roku Ultra is the set where I will need to use the Chromecast 4K device I bought yesterday for Plex playback.strong text
I’m having the same problem with two of my Roku devices.
Watching the plex dashboard, I’ll see 120Mbit/s bandwidth usage trying to play a 348MB / 720 / 44min video. The file is HEVC with AAC LC audio. Subtitles as ASS (but I’ve turned the off).
I’ve tried every setting under the sun on the Plex app (and on the Roku). Including turning off the ‘One Touch Play’.
I’m at my whits end on what else I can do to get this to work. Same file, plays perfectly fine in a browser, and in the android Plex app. So this is 100% a Roku / Plex app issue. Developers, please have a look at this issue as it’s making the Plex experience terrible.
Even today, with a 720P 3Mbit/s stream, the Roku couldn’t keep up (the Roku was right next to my wireless AP, so there’s no way it was a network issue). I give up. Is it ime to find another device and trash this Roku?
