Roku won't play certain files

Plex Players Streaming Devices
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Server Version#: 1.23.4.4712
Player Version#: Latest Roku as of 6/9/21

I have some files that Plex will not play on my Roku Ultra 2020 version. No clue why, but it says the files can’t be transcoded. This is the file info:

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I have gone into the settings and tried the settings for direct play to “Force” and “Auto”. Same issue.

I have a Vero4K+ connected to the same TV and the same files play fine even using the PfK add-on. They play in the Plex Desktop player as well. It’s only on this Roku that it’s giving me fits.

Any way of knowing if this is a Roku or Plex issue? I just downloaded the log file bundle, but don’t know if I should post it here or some other way.

Thanks!

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Are they all XviD?

If so, Plex on Roku may not support that format.

Consider converting them with Handbrake, or similar tools, to H.264 video & AAC audio, which direct plays on every Plex client I’ve run across.

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It does not, but it’s odd they won’t transcode, isn’t it?

What I’d like to know is why, when there is a ‘REAL’ version (NOT XVID) right next to that one (probably) why XVID? I’m very curious.

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This is actually what I’m doing. It’s an old TV show that someone recorded years ago and used that format. No idea why.

I thought so!

This part I don’t understand. Next to what?

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Inside joke…nvmd…

I finished the AVI/XVID eradication a while ago (as far as I know).
I’ll defer to your knowing it’s (way past) time and we’ll leave it at that…lol

It is odd Plex doesn’t know it has to transcode those things.
I mean… Plex’s transcoder is famous for leaping into action (about an hour) before it’s needed.
What’s the hold up?

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Yeah, I don’t have much experience with XVid. Is it some sort of DIVX thing?

Regardless, I generally run all my streaming devices in the house at “Force” direct play since until now they can play anything I throw at them. I don’t have a P2000 or supercomputer so I don’t want to transcode anything if I can help it. It’s a Core-i5 that is several years old with onboard Intel graphics. It could handle a transcode, but I don’t want it to! I haven’t replaced it because it handles pretty much everything I need to do right now.

That being said, I would have expected it to transcode these when I switched “forced” direct play off. It still wouldn’t play it so go figger…

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Xvid:

Oh, there are mysteries - and then there’s Xvid. I have no idea, but after reading a bit of that it’s no wonder my Roku barfs on 'em…lol

I thought at one time ‘Force’ made the Roku try really hard to Direct Play something, but if it couldn’t it would still transode. I don’t think I could ever get mine to ‘stay’ in ‘Force’… seemed like they always went back to Auto. Don’t quote me on that.

What happens if you go the other way and activate ‘Disable’ for that Xvid?

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Weird that it won’t transcode them!! XviD and DivX are older codecs but some actually still use them. In fact, I use it to screen record…but I eradicated all my XviD files a while back too…but my Roku ultra worked fine when they were .AVI format…the computer that the server is on would just transcode them with no problems. But I wanted everything to direct play to make it as easy as possible on my server…so I encoded them all to HEVC with a SLOW preset to lose as little quality as possible since Roku Ultra direct plays HEVC or X265

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I tried both “force” and “auto” but not disable. They are converted now though so it’s a moot point.

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Oh well…

If your library is like mine, I’d kill 'em all, then later another one would pop up.
If that happens you can try Disable…lol

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