PMS will not transcode True HD for clients - makes them error out

General Discussions
1

Hello, I am pretty new to PMS (about 2 weeks) just about everything works as it should, But there is one exception… True HD.

From my understanding, this is how it works:
Client request movie from PMS while saying how it can play it back, resolution, data rate, and audio capability…PMS send content over in the way the client request it?

For example, I have a friend that has 3 different clients ( Nvidia Shield, Samsung TV, and Web app) he is trying to play a movie with 2 audio codecs, True HD and AC3. When he tries to play the movie by default True HD is priority, he gets an error on all 3 clients. the message is different for each:

Sheild: playback has stopped because the connection to the PMS has been lost.
Samsung TV: conversion failed. A required codec could not be found or failed to install.
web app: Conversion failed. A required codec could not be found or failed to install.

If he is to select the AC3 audio prior to playing, they all play with no issues. he does not have a high end receiver to decode true HD, so PMS “should” transcode it down to 2 channel stereo, correct? now for testing made sure he is transoding with AC3 and then switch it to True HD… it will error out. I thought that PMS was supposed to transcode the audio if the client did not have the ability to playback the audio stream? The same goes for the amazon fire stick and apple TV in my home, (and my phone anywhere I am) they will not play content with True HD as the PMS seems to not want to transcode it. just to put it out there… PMS has no problems transcoding DTS-MA down to stereo for clients that can not play it back… so why does it not like True HD?

I have rebooted PMS, and done a “repair” with the installer and just today did the recently released update… no change. I have NO ISSUES with any other content, MP3’s play fine… even 4k (was just a test) but anything with True HD is a no go for my PMS.

I am at a loss of ideas besides formatting the SSD and re-installing Windows 10 and starting from scratch, which I rather not do.

Not that I think its a hardware related issue… here is the build:

AMD 3400G capable of 7-ish transcodes alone
Nvidia 1650 (HW transcode on) (normal updated nvidia drivers installed)
16GB ram
MSI X570 motherboard

OS on intel 660p SSD
PMS data folder on samsung 850 pro ssd
Transcodes to another 850 pro

movies are stored on Synology Nas, shared across SMB.

Any ideas? Any info I can provide to assist in the investigation?
I have looked around and found a few things that seemed like it might help with no resolution.
Thank you!
-Andre

2

What version of Plex Media Server?

If the client does not support TrueHD audio, Plex will attempt to transcode it to a supported format. The format and number of channels will depend on the capabilities of the client and the attached device (tv, receiver, soundbar, etc). It could transcode to AAC 5.1, AC3 2.0, or something else.

PMS may be attempting, and failing, to download a codec. Any firewalls, anti-virus s/w, etc in place that might block communication between your Plex server and plex.tv hosts?

Go to PMS Settings -> General. Enable debug logs. Do not enable verbose logs.

Play a movie to re-create the problem. Do not enable subtitles during playback. Doesn’t have to be your friend. Can be one of your clients.

Pull log files. Attach the entire ZIP file. Also provide name of movie with which you tested.

3

I just updated today to Version 4.18.1.

At work, but will do that when I get home. TY!

4

I do have “Pie-hole” running on my network, but even disabled I still have the exact same issues… the following log is with it on… I can do it again with it disabled to see if there is a difference in the log?

Plex Media Server Logs_2020-01-07_02-28-45.zip (4.9 MB)

Tried to play “Ready player one” on my phone

5

I think I remember a Plex person saying you couldn’t set Plex to the root of a drive. Try making a subdirectory and pointing the transcoder there.

Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] ERROR - Error creating directory "\\?\E:Transcode\Sessions\EasyAudioEncoder\Convert to WAV (to 2ch or less)": The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] ERROR - CodecManager: could not create EAE watch folder
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] ERROR - Error configuring transcoder: Decoder install failed: truehd_eae
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] DEBUG - Streaming Resource: Terminating session 0x5890ca0:0E3A2F4A-15AF-4615-BFB8-B47D170AEEE9 which is using 712kbps of WAN bandwidth.  Used is now 538kbps
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] DEBUG - Streaming Resource: Terminating session 0x5890ca0:0E3A2F4A-15AF-4615-BFB8-B47D170AEEE9 which is using transcoder slot.  Used slots is now 0
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [5072] DEBUG - Streaming Resource: Terminated session 0x5890ca0:0E3A2F4A-15AF-4615-BFB8-B47D170AEEE9 with reason Conversion failed. A required codec could not be found or failed to install.
Jan 07, 2020 02:28:37.926 [11204] DEBUG - Killing job.
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6

Possibly a permissions issue?

I ran a quick test. On my PC, I changed the transcode folder to d:\ (an empty drive on my PC) and played a movie with TrueHD audio using Plex Web.

The movie played and the audio was transcoded to AAC 2.0.

Plex successfully created the \Transcode\Sessions… folders on the D: drive.

Jan 07, 2020 11:35:35.111 [15336] DEBUG - Job running: EAE_ROOT='\\?\d:\Transcode\Sessions\EasyAudioEncoder' FFMPEG_EXTERNAL_LIBS=......

7

Think I found it.

What do you have for your transcoder directory in PMS Settings -> Transcoder -> Transcoder temporary directory?

If it is E: try E:\ instead (then restart PMS).

If I set mine to d:\, audio transcodes OK.

If I set mine to d: (no slash), I receive the “Conversion failed. A required codec could not be found or failed to install” error message.

Note the error message @pl_5309 found:
Error creating directory "\\?\E:Transcode\Sessions......

When transcoder directory is d:\, my logs have:
Job running: EAE_ROOT='\\?\d:\Transcode\Sessions.....
Note the slash after the drive letter.

When transcoder directory is d:, my logs have:
ERROR - Error creating directory "\\?\d:Transcode\Sessions

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8

SOB! thank both of you… that was it! I had it set for (E:) with no slash. not sure how I missed that. feel quite silly. I will pay more attention to the console whenever I have problems. really appreciate it!
Whats odd is that it worked for the tracnsode of video no problem, but not for audio. and it goes in the same transcode directory. would not have thought anything of it!

9

Was having this problem as well. Adding a \ to my p: in the transcoder directory (a RAM virtual drive), then restarting PMS, fixed the problem. TrueHD is now transcoding successfully.

Weirdly, video transcoding has worked just fine for a long time. It was only audio transcoding of TrueHD that had this problem.

Thanks for this thread and everyone who contributed!

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