PMS Crashes when Transcoding VC1 Source Files with Hardware Acceleration Enabled "Playback Error - An unexpected playback problem occurred"

Plex Media Server
,
1

Server Version#:6.9.2 unRAID - PMS 1.25.0.5246
Player Version#: Any player, tested on multiple platforms

Error Messages Seen:
Playback Error - An unexpected playback problem occurred
An error occurred trying to play " ". - Error code: s1002 (Network)

A user reported an issue to me with playback kicking out an error that started in the last week. We’re using the Binhex Plex Pass docker with unRAID to manage Plex, and it checks for updates daily and auto-updates if available. I don’t have crash logs as I’m uncertain as to how to keep them from auto-deleting with PMS automatically restarting. I’ve uploaded one of the PMS logs from a test of a known media file that causes the error.

Further investigation led me to it being an issue with VC1 encoded files only. I’m using a GTX960 with 2GB of RAM for hardware acceleration for the transcoding, and have been for well over a year without issue until recently. I tried deleting the codec folder and letting the system download new codecs, and that didn’t change the issue. I tried updating the nVidia driver, which hadn’t been updated since March, no change to the issue. I tried turning off hardware acceleration in PMS to have it bypass the GPU, retested, and now those VC1 files play again. So it seems clear the issue is specific to VC1 transcoding with GPUs, and only with a recent update.
Plex Media Server.3.log (283.8 KB)

2

It’s not just Nvidia. I have 2 servers (one with Nvidia GPU and one with Intel) and they are both exhibiting this same behavior. If I play any VC1 content with hardware accelerated decoding enabled, the PMS instance crashes. Once I restart the service and disable hardware decoding, the files play fine. I’m on the same version of PMS as you, but running Ubuntu Linux (not Unraid). I’ve tried using FireTV, iPhone, and Roku clients which all have the same result.

3

Same issue experienced this morning as well. Using a GTX 1660 for transcoding.

4

Thanks for the insight that it’s not just isolated to nVidia. I didn’t realize you could do hardware transcoding on Intel iGPUs. My assumption is this is an issue with the latest version of PMS for Linux.

5

Are you on a Linux box or Windows? Curious if it’s isolated to Linux or if it’s universal to all OS’s. Thanks for reporting the issue though! I’m hopeful that the more people that report this, the more likely they’ll get it fixed soon so we can go back to doing transcoding on our GPUs.

6

Actually running Plex in docker on Linux (LinuxServer.io docker image on Ubuntu)

7

Chiming in to say I also have this issue.

8

Pretty sure this is known and well defined.

It might even be resolved in the upcoming release (I messaged the team and inquired)

9

Thanks for the reply and looking into it! If it’s well defined, it’s not easy to find anywhere on the forums or elsewhere on the Internet :slight_smile:

10

In case I’m talking out the backside of my hat ( Always a possibility :rofl: ),

I’ll be back for info & samples :smiling_imp:

11

Got word from Engineering –

:crossed_fingers: Today :slight_smile:

1 Like
12

That’s awesome news! I’ll keep an eye out for updates to the docker I use, and report back once I get a chance to test the update.

13

Looks like todays update fixed this!! vC1 is back on the table boys!

14

image
image888×499 40 KB

1 Like
15

I haven’t actually tested it yet since I’m waiting for the docker to update for unRAID, but that’s awesome to hear!

16

I was in this same boat too. I’ll give today’s release another day or two before I try it.

NVIDIA here too.

17

I just tested it. Seems to be working properly again with my go to test movie.

Screenshot_20211130-222930_Chrome
Screenshot_20211130-222930_Chrome783×639 78.7 KB

1 Like
18

:frowning:
I just noticed this today, and am still having an issue with VC-1 HW transcoding. I am running an Intel GPU - i5-10400. MY Plex server version is Version 1.25.0.5282

Also, My OS is Win 10

19

Did you update to the new Plex Beta server release? It fixed the problem for many of us.

20

I just manually installed 1.25.1.5286-34f965be8 from nov 30th, no dice for me