Strange video problem

Recently some of my movies are not playing right, most of the screen is mostly black with the exception of a small strip across the top of the screen being visible on my Sony NSZ-GS7 with the Android app. Like maybe only the top 5% visible. But on the webpage interface on my desktop machine they look fine. And the Android app on my tablet looks fine. Any idea what’s causing this? I tried searching but I couldn’t find any search terms that would help me find anyone else with the same problem.

Was the Android TV app on your Sony recently updated?

I don’t see an app on my system called “Android TV”. What is that?

Isn’t Android TV an Android based OS? If so, I don’t have it. Mine is a Google TV system. I believe it preceded Android TV.

What Android app are you using on the TV?

I forgot. The firmware is 3.2. I don’t think it has changed in years.

I don’t understand. It’s an Android operating system. All the apps on the system are “android apps”. I’m sorry, I think I must not be understanding something in your questions.

You have a Plex app on your TV. Was it recently updated? What is the version number of the app?

I don’t have a ‘smart’ TV. I have one of these. It came with the Plex for Google TV app but I installed the regular Android version of Plex since it appears the Google TV version is no longer being maintained.

The OS version is 3.2 and hasn’t been updated in years.

I have the current version of the Android Plex app. 4.24.2.563. I think that’s current but I can’t find a place to check for updates manually. Do you know where that might be? Also I can’t find a list of current version numbers anywhere on the Plex support. Do you know where I might find that?

I had an audio problem in another movie and the solution was to disable Direct Play and it fixed this as well. Must be some incompatibility with the source format.

@cory_jackson said:
I don’t have a ‘smart’ TV. I have one of these. It came with the Plex for Google TV app but I installed the regular Android version of Plex since it appears the Google TV version is no longer being maintained.

The OS version is 3.2 and hasn’t been updated in years.

I have the current version of the Android Plex app. 4.24.2.563. I think that’s current but I can’t find a place to check for updates manually. Do you know where that might be? Also I can’t find a list of current version numbers anywhere on the Plex support. Do you know where I might find that?

If you are running standard Android, then the Android (mobile) should be available if you open a web browser on your computer and search for Plex. You should be able to force an update to your Sony device.

If you go to release announcements you will find the version of the latest releases:

https://forums.plex.tv/categories/release-announcements

Thank you. I checked and it’s the Plex for Android. It appears in the Play Store as an installed device with my others. But on my phone it’s 5.something. On the media player it’s 4.24.2.563. It was set to automatically update. I can’t find a way to force an update. So I uninstalled it and reinstalled it. But it’s the same version again. Why isn’t it installing the most recent version?

What version of Android is on the Sony? It might be limited to 4.24.2.563 because of an older version of Android.

3.2. I looked for a list of highest versions by Android OS version but I can’t find one. I wish they would just have some data tables here someplace with that kind of basic information.

I would really like to replace this player. But I’m not sure what with. There are so many options its’ going to be a research project to figure it out. I see you have one of those little Intel boards. How do you like it?

My NUC works great for Plex. I’ve had this one for a few years and it plays everything perfectly.

Try a Roku 3 for a player on your Sony TV.
You will not be disappointed.

Thanks. It was one on my list. I was considering going with a PC-on-a-stick with Windows because I was under the impression that the Android version of Plex was more limited. But now I realize I’m not getting the most recent version. Thanks for the suggestion. Top of my list now.

This NSZ is an old legacy player. I haven’t used mine in years. NUC, Firetv, shield, roku all work.

I picked up a Roku Premiere+ at lunch. I was thinking that I might go more the PC route wit a Raspberry Pi or whatever. Something more capable. But I went the HTPC route a long time ago. Back in the 90’s When Windows released the Media Center Edition. It was perpetually time consuming and I hardly ever used the enhanced capabilities. But I’m tired of spending so much time on these things only to have them be deprecated in 3 years. So Roku seemed the best match. And I believe in Ethernet over WiFi when possible and I’m already plumbed. And I kind of like the idea of the headphones in the remote since I suffer from insomnia. And for $95 and a decent return policy I can’t go wrong.