Server Version#: DSM 6.2.3-25426 Update 2
Player Version#: 1.20.2.3402-0fec14d92
Hello all,
I’m fairly new to the forums and learning how to set up my Plex system. Here’s the problem…I’m trying to remotely play some movies while at work and I can hear the audio, but the screen is stuck and pixelated. I can hear the movie playing along just fine, but the video does not play with the audio. The screen will stay stuck on a picture for about 20 seconds (and the picture looks very grainy and pixelated) and then will update to another grainy and pixelated screen about every 20-30 seconds.
I have yet to test if it does the same thing at home compared to remotely, but I have had problems with playing a particular movie at home. I used to run Plex on an old HP laptop that we weren’t using anymore. I ran Plex on the laptop with a 6TB SATA drive USB’d into the laptop via a dock sitting right next to it. However, I have just “upgraded” to a Synology DS720+ with a 6TB WD Red drive (WD60EFAX).
Me being a noob, I made the mistake of putting my 6TB WD Black into the Synology (which had about 4.5 TBs worth of movies and TV shows on it) and thought that the Synology would just work with the HDD, not knowing it was going to format the darn thing. So, I purchased a 6TB WD Red drive and have been working on retrieving the lost data off the 6TB WD Black drive.
With the HP laptop and WD Black drive, my Plex was fine. Never had issues with movies. Since now running a standalone Synology, I’m having countless problems with playback. The only reason I mentioned the above story was because I was convinced that the problem was something to do with the files because I lost all my stuff and had to retrieve them. The first problem I encountered was Plex getting stuck scanning “skip intros”. I thought this was the reason I couldn’t play some of my files. But I’ve since fixed that problem and still can’t get some files to play.
I’m not sure if my Internet speed is fast enough or not to play remotely. I’m not sure if my home Synology can’t play bigger files. I’ve done tests here and there and haven’t found anything definitive yet, but I think I’m on a trail.
So doing some tests, this is what I’ve discovered. Arranging all my movies by bitrate, I can play a movie that is 983 kbps total bitrate quality. Player says it is converting automatically and currently 720p, 1.3mbps. This file is an MP4, 652MB in size, and 983kbps total (video: 1280x720, 23.976 fps, 891 kbps, H264; Audio: AAC, stereo, 92 kbps, 48000 kHz). But I try to play the video just above it in bitrate, and it won’t play correctly. This video is an MP4, 929MB in size, and 987 kbps total (Video: 1280x534, 23.976 fps, 893 kbps, H264; Audio: AAC, stereo, 94 kbps, 48000 kHz).
There is not a significant difference in the files, yet I can watch one and not the other. Any suggestions on what the problem is?
