Random buffering issues on Nvidia shield pro and Unraid server on 4k remuxes

[joshuaglaser700]

Server Version#:6.12.2 plex server version#:1.32.8.7639
Player Version#: 9.1.1(33.2.0.157) plex app Version#: 10.5.0.4996(5d68759)

So i have an unraid server running in our shop demo room locally connected through a unifi 10Gb network and an Nvidia shield pro as our streamer to demo movies for customers. We stream 4k remuxes most files with dolby vision and dolby atmos we seem to run into an issue at complete random (seems to only be when we have a customer present lol) but the file were currently watching buffers for a second or two then continues playing as if a network issue is present but network is reporting solid during buffer, this seems to happen at complete random from large files with high bitrates to even 1080p low bitrate files. Sometimes movies will play without issue then at random boom failures. does anyone have any idea what the cause could be, or if they have ran into a similar issue? Another note when the same files are played through our Apple TV on infuse we never run into this issue, however due to apple not passing audio through the hdmi we cant stream our dolby atmos or dts x movies as it defeats the purpose of a surround sound theater room.

server hardware
intel i9 13900k
128 GB ddr5 quad channel
10x 20TB seagate exos drives on an lsi sata controller
10Gb intel lan chipset

network unifi 10Gb server on direct 10Gb uplink Nvidia shield on 1Gb uplink

Attached below is a log when i had network logs running on the shield during one of these freezes.

12-13 15:10:04.947 i: [ExoPlayer][EventLogger] droppedFrames [eventTime=1692.40, mediaPos=1629.68, window=0, period=0, 2]
12-13 15:10:04.948 i: [ExoPlayer][EventLogger] state [eventTime=1692.40, mediaPos=1629.68, window=0, period=0, BUFFERING]
12-13 15:10:04.949 i: [EngineEventManager] onBufferingStarted (isSeeking: false)
12-13 15:10:04.950 i: [TranscodeSession] Media choice updated
12-13 15:10:04.951 i: [TranscodeSession] Pausing…
12-13 15:10:04.951 i: [ExoPlayer][EventLogger] isPlaying [eventTime=1692.40, mediaPos=1629.68, window=0, period=0, false]
12-13 15:10:05.032 i: Fetching [method:GET] https://192.168.1.10:32400/:/timeline?audioStreamID=401802&bufferedTime=114&context=source%3Ahub.movie.recentlyadded&duration=5904928&guid=plex%3A%2F%2Fmovie%2F5d776836151a60001f24de1f&key=%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F56506&playbackTime=1634128&playQueueItemID=328052&ratingKey=56506&state=buffering&time=1629681&timeStalled=0&token=...26Zz&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=3e6f2cc7458a440f-com-plexapp-android&X-Plex-Token=...26Zz&X-Plex-Language=en-us
12-13 15:10:09.284 i: [ExoPlayer][EventLogger] state [eventTime=1696.73, mediaPos=1629.68, window=0, period=0, READY]
12-13 15:10:09.286 i: [EngineEventManager] onBufferingEnded
12-13 15:10:09.288 i: [EngineEventManager] onPlaybackResumed
12-13 15:10:09.292 i: [PlaybackTimeBehaviour] Resuming stopwatch
12-13 15:10:09.295 i: [VideoAwakeBehaviour] Keep screen awake has been requested enabled for VideoAwakeBehaviour.
12-13 15:10:09.299 i: [AudioFocusBehaviour] Playback resumed
12-13 15:10:09.300 i: [TranscodeSession] Media choice updated
12-13 15:10:09.301 i: [TranscodeSession] Resuming…
12-13 15:10:09.302 i: [PlayQueueProgressBehaviour] Updating PlayQueueManager state, isPlaying: true
12-13 15:10:09.303 i: Fetching [method:GET] https://192.168.1.10:32400/:/timeline?audioStreamID=401802&bufferedTime=4935&context=source%3Ahub.movie.recentlyadded&duration=5904928&guid=plex%3A%2F%2Fmovie%2F5d776836151a60001f24de1f&key=%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F56506&playbackTime=1638388&playQueueItemID=328052&ratingKey=56506&state=playing&time=1629781&token=...26Zz&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=3e6f2cc7458a440f-com-plexapp-android&X-Plex-Token=...26Zz&X-Plex-Language=en-us
12-13 15:10:09.304 i: [Player][ExoPlayer] Passing subtitle offset of 0.
12-13 15:10:09.312 i: [WiFiLockBehaviour] Aquiring WiFi lock since playback was resumed.
12-13 15:10:09.317 i: [PictureInPictureBehaviour] Picture-in-picture is available and can be used.
12-13 15:10:09.403 i: [MediaSessionBehaviour] Updating state to PLAYING
12-13 15:10:09.404 i: [ExoPlayer][EventLogger] isPlaying [eventTime=1696.85, mediaPos=1629.89, window=0, period=0, true]
12-13 15:10:15.071 w: [Player][Timeline] Ignoring timeline update, as less than 8 seconds has passed since last update without any state change.

[signde]

I do not have a solution but I believe I am experiencing the exact same thing.

2019 Shield TV Pro connected to 1G ethernet. The server is showing direct play both audio and video, which are ~25Mbps 4k dolby vision / HDR with DD+ Atmos audio. Playback will buffer for a few seconds at random places from numerous files. My networking logging on the Shield shows similar events as yours.

I have two other devices connected to the same 1G switch, an Apple TV 4k and an Xbox Series X, both play back the same files in Plex with no buffering. The Apple TV does not pass through the Atmos audio but the Xbox does. Switching to Kodi on the same Shield directly playing the file off the network plays perfectly with no buffering.

Rebooting the Shield does not improve things for Plex. If I uninstall and reinstall the Plex app, it will work and play without buffering long enough for me to watch a one hour show. If I come back the next day and play the same file, it will randomly buffer again.

My server and apps are all the most recent public releases. All of this points to a regression somewhere in the Plex app for Android. This is a relatively recent problem I think in the last few months as I’ve been using this same setup for years now without issue.