Really frustrated with unaddressed bugs / new bugs

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 3:48am

Server Version#:1.13.9.5439
Player Version#:

There doesn’t appear to be any progress in fixing some of the most critical bugs in the system. Two are top of mind for me right now:

Plex Commercial Skipper still hangs and will not complete. When run via the command line, it complains that it doesn’t know how to parse a h264 stream. The only work around I’ve found is to replace the exe files (which is just under 1meg) with the donator version of Comskip, renamed to “plex commercial skipper.exe” FWIW, Comskip is approximately 15megs. Clearly the file included with the Plex install is incomplete, broken, etc.
Recoding is really broken in the last two versions of PMS. I’ve been trying to transition away from recording SD channels - I turned them off in the HDHomerun Prime web UI, re-added the tuner, and now it will not record any of the shows I had set up for recording, despite the fact that it shows them in the guide.
As of the most current version of the server, the metadata for news shows, in particular, seem to be corrupted. Rather than a date, the news episode shows an overall episode count. Did something change in the feed from TVDB or is this on the Plex side of the equation?

I’ve been a longtime plex user - I love the product. The promise of DVR is exactly what I was looking for as a replacement for Windows Media Center (and no Tivo isn’t it either). That said, the current state of the product, lack of meaningful progress in improvement, and seeming prioritizing addition of features over product quality are at best discouraging.

Is possible to share / crowdsource the bug db for PMS? The forums don’t seem to be a very good conduit to communicate.

Thanks! Will.

kamhouse · October 11, 2018, 4:05am

Regarding #2 you may have to revisit the timers you had setup for recording. Go into each one and click the “Show Advanced” section then look to see if you have any custom fields like limit to channel that is different after you recreated the DVR.

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 4:05am

I checked that - I’ve got it set to “any” - still doesn’t do anything

kamhouse · October 11, 2018, 4:07am

If you can see the program in the guide, what happens if you create a new timer for it? How does the new timer compare to the old? Are there any noticeable differences or a message that the timer already exits?

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 12:30pm

If I create a manual recording for an individual episode, it seems to work most of the time. If I recreate the recording for the overall show, it will not record.

I ended up recreating my entire recording list when I reinstalled PMS from scratch - still no joy. It seems particularly pronounced when dealing with news shows - I wonder if there isn’t some change with the metadata and which shows are tagged as “new.”

marcelhehle · October 11, 2018, 2:35pm

Come on … the devs were really busy implementing news and podcasts and data gathering … they simply don’t have time to fix recording or playback issues!

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 4:50pm

Exactly.

Also new: now my guide data stops at Tuesday 10/16, despite refreshes…

anon18523487 · October 11, 2018, 6:34pm

1 - The full comskip program comes with it’s own codecs so it’s larger. Our version uses the codecs from PMS. Could be an issue with your PMS not downloading the needed codecs.

2 - Please provide your PMS logs after a missed recording. Let me know what show it missed so I can look for why?

3 - We don’t use info from TVDB for the guide. Can you provide a screenshot?

anon18523487 · October 11, 2018, 6:35pm

Hopefully your log will show this issue. If not, please refresh again, wait a few minutes in case it hasn’t finished, then provide me a new PMS log.

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 8:19pm

Hi @anon18523487,

- there’s no data after 10/16.

Logs attached as well - Rachel Maddow is an example of a missing show, or PBS Newshour, Morning Joe, etc.

WRT the Plex Commercial Skipper, how do I check the codec download?

Plex Media (4.4 MB)

Thanks very much! Will.

anon18523487 · October 11, 2018, 8:31pm

I was actually asking for a screenshot of the news show where it only has the count and not the episode number.

WCTschumy · October 11, 2018, 10:17pm

Here you go - thanks for the help!

anon18523487 · October 11, 2018, 10:50pm

Hmm. Can you provide me the xml for one of those episodes?

Hover over the poster, click on …, choose get info, then view xml. Save to a text file and upload that file.

WCTschumy · October 12, 2018, 5:06am

Here’s the XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1539017298" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="16ae4f62-d9df-446d-a512-f75b6f4a7300" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Episode 2279" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" oneShot="1" updatedAt="1539310181" addedAt="1539223641" originallyAvailableAt="2018-10-10" duration="2673460" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/42709/art/1539310181" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/42709/thumb/1539310181" art="/library/metadata/42709/art/1539310181" thumb="/library/metadata/42970/thumb/1539310181" year="2018" lastViewedAt="1539226234" viewOffset="730631" parentIndex="2018" index="2279" summary="Rachel Maddow connects the dots to provide context and clarity around complex issues." parentTitle="Season 2018" grandparentTitle="The Rachel Maddow Show" parentKey="/library/metadata/42710" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/42709" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/1" guid="com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb://181561/2018/2279?lang=en" grandparentRatingKey="42709" parentRatingKey="42710" skipParent="1" key="/library/metadata/42970" ratingKey="42970">
<Media id="72114" duration="2673460" videoProfile="high" origin="dvr" mediaGrabStatus="complete" mediaGrabPostProcessed="1" mediaGrabOriginalDuration="3661386" mediaGrabDevice="device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/132542F9" mediaGrabBeginsAt="1539219600" channelIdentifier="787" optimizedForStreaming="0" videoFrameRate="60p" container="mpegts" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="ac3" audioChannels="6" aspectRatio="1.78" height="720" width="1280" bitrate="3937" videoResolution="720">
<Part id="85835" size="1315658780" duration="2673460" key="/library/parts/85835/1539223628/file.ts" videoProfile="high" optimizedForStreaming="0" container="mpegts" requiredBandwidths="3555,3555,3555,3555,3555,3555,3555,3555" packetLength="188" indexes="sd" deepAnalysisVersion="2" file="Z:\TV-Commercials\The Rachel Maddow Show\Season 2018\The Rachel Maddow Show - S2018E2279 - Episode 2279.ts" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="165461" index="0" height="720" width="1280" bitrate="3553" requiredBandwidths="3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172" displayTitle="720p (H.264)" streamIdentifier="256" scanType="progressive" refFrames="4" profile="high" level="32" hasScalingMatrix="0" frameRate="59.940" closedCaptions="1" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" codec="h264" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="165463" index="1" bitrate="384" requiredBandwidths="384,384,384,384,384,384,384,384" displayTitle="Unknown (AC3 5.1)" streamIdentifier="257" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="5.1(side)" channels="6" selected="1"/>
<Stream id="165462" index="0" requiredBandwidths="3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172,3172" displayTitle="Unknown (EIA_608)" streamIdentifier="256" codec="eia_608" streamType="3" embeddedInVideo="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Channel id="79118" tag="787 MNBCHD" filter="channel=79118"/>
<Channel id="102173" tag="1113 MNBCHD" filter="channel=102173"/>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

anon18523487 · October 12, 2018, 5:19am

Everything looks fine. Not sure why it got that episode number. Can you provide me the zip code you are using for the guide so I can have someone check the EPG data? You are using Plex’s EPG data, not your own XMLTV file, right?

WCTschumy · October 12, 2018, 5:47am

94611 – and yes, I’m using the default EPG from Plex.

Thanks!

Mail](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986) for Windows 10

WCTschumy · October 12, 2018, 6:45pm

Potentially unrelated, but still in the “meta-data weirdness” category. Frontline on PBS seems to alternate between using the “Season [Year]” format and a “Season [count]” format. Episodes in the year format have metadata, the others do not.

Until this last episode, PMS was recording in the Season 2018 folder:

XML for the last epidsode:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1539017298" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="16ae4f62-d9df-446d-a512-f75b6f4a7300" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Documenting Hate: Charlottesville" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" updatedAt="1539368282" addedAt="1533732052" originallyAvailableAt="2018-08-07" duration="3302298" grandparentTheme="/library/metadata/16581/theme/1539368282" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/16581/art/1539368282" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/16581/thumb/1539368282" art="/library/metadata/16581/art/1539368282" thumb="/library/metadata/41724/thumb/1539368282" year="2018" parentIndex="2018" index="13" summary="Exposing the white supremacists and Neo-Nazis involved in the 2017 Charlottesville rally. An investigation with ProPublica shows how some of those behind the racist violence went unpunished and continued to operate around the country." parentTitle="Season 2018" grandparentTitle="Frontline" parentKey="/library/metadata/41572" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/16581" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/1" guid="com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb://80646/2018/13?lang=en" grandparentRatingKey="16581" parentRatingKey="41572" key="/library/metadata/41724" ratingKey="41724">
<Media id="70371" duration="3302298" videoProfile="high" audioProfile="lc" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mkv" videoCodec="h264" audioCodec="aac" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.78" height="720" width="1280" bitrate="4598" videoResolution="720">
<Part id="85433" size="1898195658" duration="3302298" key="/library/parts/85433/1533739952/file.mkv" videoProfile="high" audioProfile="lc" container="mkv" requiredBandwidths="4589,4589,4589,4589,4589,4589,4589,4589" indexes="sd" deepAnalysisVersion="2" file="X:\TV\Frontline\Season 2018\Frontline - S2018E13 - Documenting Hate- Charlottesville.mkv" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="164319" index="0" height="720" width="1280" bitrate="4598" requiredBandwidths="4495,4495,4495,4495,4495,4495,4495,4495" displayTitle="720p (H.264)" scanType="progressive" refFrames="3" profile="high" level="31" hasScalingMatrix="0" frameRate="29.971" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" codec="h264" default="1" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="164320" index="1" requiredBandwidths="94,94,94,94,94,94,94,94" displayTitle="Unknown (AAC Stereo)" profile="lc" codec="aac" default="1" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" channels="2" selected="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

Last night, the latest documentary aired. It recorded:

with the following XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<MediaContainer mediaTagVersion="1539017298" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" librarySectionUUID="16ae4f62-d9df-446d-a512-f75b6f4a7300" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" allowSync="1" size="1">
<Video title="Episode 6" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionID="1" updatedAt="1539368277" addedAt="1539326676" duration="7258130" grandparentTheme="/library/metadata/16581/theme/1539368282" grandparentArt="/library/metadata/16581/art/1539368282" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/16581/thumb/1539368282" art="/library/metadata/16581/art/1539368282" thumb="/library/metadata/43002/thumb/1539368277" year="1983" parentIndex="37" index="6" summary="" parentTitle="Season 37" grandparentTitle="Frontline" parentKey="/library/metadata/43001" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/16581" type="episode" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/1" guid="com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb://80646/37/6?lang=en" grandparentRatingKey="16581" parentRatingKey="43001" key="/library/metadata/43002" ratingKey="43002">
<Media id="72138" duration="7258130" videoProfile="main" videoFrameRate="NTSC" container="mpegts" videoCodec="mpeg2video" audioCodec="ac3" audioChannels="2" aspectRatio="1.78" height="1080" width="1920" bitrate="9747" videoResolution="1080">
<Part id="85859" size="8843474128" duration="7258130" key="/library/parts/85859/1539324062/file.ts" videoProfile="main" container="mpegts" requiredBandwidths="11045,10303,9939,9586,9547,9547,9547,9547" packetLength="188" indexes="sd" deepAnalysisVersion="2" file="Z:\TV\Frontline\Season 37\Frontline (1983) - S37E06 - Trump's Showdown.ts" exists="1" accessible="1">
<Stream id="165547" index="0" height="1080" width="1920" bitrate="9171" requiredBandwidths="10469,9727,9362,9047,9047,9047,9047,9047" displayTitle="1080i (MPEG2VIDEO)" streamIdentifier="256" scanType="interlaced" refFrames="1" profile="main" level="4" frameRate="29.970" colorTrc="bt709" colorSpace="bt709" colorRange="tv" colorPrimaries="bt709" closedCaptions="1" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" chromaLocation="left" bitDepth="8" codec="mpeg2video" streamType="1"/>
<Stream id="165549" language="English" index="1" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="English (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="257" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="eng" channels="2" selected="1"/>
<Stream id="165550" language="Español" index="2" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="Español (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="258" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="spa" channels="2"/>
<Stream id="165551" language="Français" index="3" bitrate="192" requiredBandwidths="192,192,192,192,192,192,192,192" displayTitle="Français (AC3 Stereo)" streamIdentifier="259" codec="ac3" streamType="2" samplingRate="48000" audioChannelLayout="stereo" languageCode="fre" channels="2"/>
<Stream id="165548" index="0" requiredBandwidths="10469,9727,9362,9047,9047,9047,9047,9047" displayTitle="Unknown (EIA_608)" streamIdentifier="256" codec="eia_608" streamType="3" embeddedInVideo="1"/>
</Part>
</Media>
<Extras size="0"> </Extras>
</Video>
</MediaContainer>

FWIW, I’ve done multiple repairs of PMS via the control panel. I don’t know what else to do.

How do I get Plex’s commercial skip to download the correct codecs?

Thanks! Will.

WCTschumy · October 12, 2018, 9:37pm

New recordings still don’t show up, but PMS has decided it won’t record a program tomorrow.

anon18523487 · October 13, 2018, 6:53pm

This issue appears to be with the info coming from Gracenote. I am looking into this.

If you hover over that error icon, it should tell you why.

WCTschumy · October 13, 2018, 7:14pm

Yup - it doesn’t say anything (no mouse over). Will take a screenshot when I get back to that machine…

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