Some mkv files cause completely pink screen

Plex Players Streaming Devices
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Server Version#: 1.29.1.6316 (QNAP)
Player Version#: 9.10.1.36024 (Amazon Fire TV)

Using Plex Server on a QNAP NAS running QTS with the latest firmware.

Some mkv files are causing a complete pink screen on my Panasonic JZ1500 which also a high-end model and supporting every HDR format and various other features.
The player is the Amazon Fire 4K Max with the Plex app running. This is a very severe bug unfortunately.

Running the same files on the Plex app on iOS works. So there is no problem with the files rather than somewhere else in the Plex architecture.

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@anon18523487 Is this a known bug being worked on?

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I have QNAP and Fire TV 4K max.

Can you cut me off a snippet (use dd) so I can reproduce it?

Also, which QNAP model do you have ? Do use use a Nvidia GPU?

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I will try to do that for you. What is dd?

I am using the HS-453DX 8GB Ram version with all SSDs. The QNAP is connected directly to the Panasonic JZ1500 via a Audioquest Thunderbird 48 HDMI cable.
I don’t use an Nvidia - just running the Plex app on the Amazon Fire TV 4K Max.

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That mode can , and I expect it always will, cause you problems.

I suspect you’re trying to play Dolby Vision, Profile 5 (which is streaming only).
Profile 5 is DirectPlay only. It cannot be transcoded (why they created it)

Further, Plex released Plex Home Theater to Public Domain several years ago. (2016 ??)
It’s not maintained by Plex and bound to fail.
In this case, it’s probably what’s forcing a transcode
 and resulting in bad colors.

Have you tried installing the Plex app and played it that way over WiFi ?
My OLED is FAR better streaming via WiFi.

If it’s indeed Profile 5, you stand a chance of getting DirectPlay with the colors remaining intact.

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The workflow is different though.
I am not using the Plex app from Panasonic TV. Rather I am using the latest Plex app (version mentioned above) on the Amazon Fire TV 4K Max which is connected via HDMI of the Marantz SR8012. The Marantz is also connected via HDMI to the Panasonic.
That way all sound formats are encoded correctly and (which is not the case when the Fire TV is directly connected to the Panasonic).

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Here is a screenshot of the dashboard of a pink displayed file:

image

and media info saying:
image
image
image

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  1. The Amazon FireTV 4K Max does 4K DoVi beautifully
  2. Your Marantz, like my Onkyo, does the job as well with HDCP 2.2

What are you using for HDMI cables? HDCP 2.2 capable?
I ran into that. I ended up going all the way to 48 Ghz (8K capable with eARC) and was done with it.

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Well good to hear on the one hand that things should work fine with that type of setup - so I just need to find the way to get there :slight_smile:

The HDMI cable I am using is among the best in the world: ThunderBird 48 · AudioQuest

So hm, anyway I could check where things go wrong?

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Walking through the obvious first ?

AFTV 4K settings -

  • Displays and sounds -
  1. I set Auto - up to 4K Ultra HD
  2. Return to menu and run Audio & Video Diagnostics.
    – It should report
    AFTV-DOVI-Test
    AFTV-DOVI-Test816×612 85.7 KB

    – The audio via the Marantz and video from the ATV + TV combination

You have all this?

If so, Play Dolby Atmos and Vision content. Confirm you’re getting it without any issues.

If cabling and settings are correct , you’ll be able to see your TV flash “Dolby Vision” as you playback a title.

This shouldn’t be an issue for you but my Onkyo is sensitive to HDCP 2.2. Only the first 3 AV ports are HDCP 2.2. The remainder are HDCP 2.0.

Be Advised. The FireTV has a firmware problem now. October 30th updated the firmware. I was just testing for another user and encountered it.

The result of the bad firmware is a number of DVHE 7 with HDR fallback plays as black screen.

I’m working on getting a workaround or finding a magic “reload” sequence but not looking good. I have some content back but not all.

For now, I will continue to use my Shield Pro 2019 (which is the far better player) as my main.

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I get the same screen as you on the AFTV in Audio & Video diagnostics. And also can play the video there saying „play Atmos / Dolby vision content“ perfectly. Also checked cabling etc.
I can also play other files showing Dolby Vision via the Plex app. But just some get this pink screen :-/

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Bad rip / bad master / seemless branching can cause this too.

I’ve seen it happen.

Researching this, I found one of my own. I re-ripped it (MakeMKV had a problem) to correct it.

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Trying out more rips.
Any feedback of Amazon on the newly introduced bug with their firmware update on AFTV?

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@ChuckPa Any update from Amazon. Still tried more rips that work perfectly in KODI but get the pink screen in Plex :-/

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Nothing yet. Can you cut me off a piece of that file (using ‘dd’) ?

I’d very much like to test/recreate here.

I’ve been trying with everything I have and nothing goes Pink yet

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Will do. What is ‚dd‘?

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@Jdunbar8

OOPS


You own a QNAP so I presumed you were familiar with the command line (SSH).

DD is one of the commands native to the command line.

Are you familiar with the command line ?

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Haha ah ok. Well I know how to get to the command line but that’s more or less about it. I can go to the appropriate directory where the file is and call ‚dd‘ - hopefully this will work. Any parameter I should use?

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And btw the theory that the file is broken is somehow not logic as the file is being perfectly displayed via iOS Plex app or also on the web browser.
So there must be something related to the Plex app on the AFTV.

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I did not jump to the conclusion, which you appear to believe I have, the file is broken.

I merely stated.

I then asked


Clearly, I am still at the investigating / recreating phase.