My understanding is that this feature also doesn’t work on iOS.
As a paid PLEXPass member, I have also found an Open source program called Booksonic as an alternative. I have not used it yet, but plan on seeing if I can install it on my Nvidia Shield and give it a go.
I really wish the folks at PLEX would just do what they said and create an audiobook category and set up audio books right. But in the meantime, they are forcing me to go elsewhere.
@foxprorawks said:
I’ve also tested it on the Web interface (server running on Windows). Again, it doesn’t store track progress, and always starts at the beginning of the track.Does this work on any platform, or is it literally just a “tick-box exercise”?
Not to split hairs but it does store the track progress but when you press play starts from the beginning. (See my post from July 31 with pictures)
I point this out because this is a bug that can be fixed without adding anything to the data storage layer. It should be an easy fix. It is not like they need to change database schema and the api to return extra information. They just need to correctly use what is already returned.
@foxprorawks said:
@compoti said:
@foxprorawks said:
at least not on the Windows UWP software.
The Android app too. This is for me the greatest problem, I want listen my audiobooks on the way to work and back home.Me too. So, we’ve established that this tickbox does nothing, even if you are streaming from the server.
How did that get past testing - the feature doesn’t work at all (at least on Android or Windows).
Related to my other post. I suspect that the server code works fine. That it is the player code that has a bug. Based on my post I see the track progress returned after re-logging into plex. (but it is reset to 0 when the play button is pressed)
I’m giving up on Plex as far as audiobooks are concerned.
I’ve found an app in the Windows store called Booxio.
It doesn’t stream audiobooks - you have to copy the files onto your phone. Frankly, I’d be syncing anyway, and copying the files to my sd card is faster than syncing with Plex.
The app is in pre-beta, and is fairly basic, but it does the basics for audiobooks better than Plex does i.e. it remembers where you were in the audiobook (both track and position in the track). Oh, and it’s free.
Early days, but it has none of the problems exhibited by Plex so far.
they need to address this ASAP. in my mind, it’s a failure currently. should be easy to slap something better together combining features from video, or tv series… there are thousands of people asking for this to get fixed, for several years! many people are losing confidence in Plex as paid members that we are going unheard… Please consider a little time on this matter.
I’m fairly new to Plex and found the Chapter feature missing in my m4b files very quickly. Plex could play them, but only as one massive file. It’s a little unnerving to see they have not yet addressed this OR commented publicly whether or not they are going to pursue it.
Welcome to Plex. Unfortunately the company does not State officially what they are working on or the timeline for anything. I have talked with a couple employees and they say that Plex is planning on improving the audiobook feature.
@tkomedia said:
I’m fairly new to Plex and found the Chapter feature missing in my m4b files very quickly. Plex could play them, but only as one massive file. It’s a little unnerving to see they have not yet addressed this OR commented publicly whether or not they are going to pursue it.
I noticed that this started working for me on the web app and looking at release notes see they fixed this August 3rd.
3.17.2
NEW:
…
FIXED:
…
Fixed tracks always starting from the beginning
…
Thanks plex team.
@sstitson said:
The way it works for me is at best it remembers the track and position but when play is hit it plays from the start of the track.The first image before-play is from just after logging into plex. The next image is taken after pressing the play button.
Not that I am an authority but I consider this feature request/bug completed/fixed. (web app 3.17.2)
Other wanted audiobook functionality is out of scope and should be handled by another feature request.
Example: https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/122524/audiobook-library-option#latest
I would love additional audio book support but the critical item, the topic of this post, “remember position for audiobooks” has been completed. Please upvote this other feature request if you want additional functionality.
I am not able to test android but found plex able to remember and correctly playback audio when switching between iOS app and the web app.
I tested:
** I first tested if the web app would be able to resume playback after logging out.
** I then tested if the web app would be able to resume playback after pressing stop and closing browser and re-logging back in.
** I then tested if the iOS playback worked. I pressed stop in the web app and logged into the iOS app.
** I then tested if the web app worked from iOS. I presses stop in iOS then logged into the web app.
** I then tested if after downloading the content to the iOS app if the web app would work. With downloaded content I presses stop in iOS then logged into the web app.
All of the above worked. If you are offline in iOS or don’t press the stop button I expect you may lose your progress. Some edge cases may be missing but I feel from my testing that remembering the position of an audiobook now works.
@sstitson said:
Not that I am an authority but I consider this feature request/bug completed/fixed. (web app 3.17.2)
I disagree. Track position is remembered but book/album position is not. If you have a audiobook that is split by chapters or however you have to remember the track you left off on. The way I read it remember audiobook position means the book also not just the track. Also m4b files are not tracked at all last I checked. I currently convert all mine to mp3 and merge to a single file if they are split so that it plays nicer with plex.
One thing that has been improved for me since the last fix is syncing position between a synced book and the server version. I have found that I have to manually refresh the sync (sync status → refresh) for it to transfer but it is better than not working at all.
As for splitting the requests up we have talked about it multiple times in this thread I have even reached out to plex employees about what the best route to go is but I have received little guidance. I know there are requests for many of the features we have outlined in this and other threads which I have voted for but this one is by far the highest voted of the lot.
"but this one is by far the highest voted of the lot."
I have thought about this and belive there are pros and cons to persisting this feature request just because it has a high vote count. Overall I think though it hinders the cause.
If I was a plex developer (I am a developer) I would view this as an very old thread (2013) with many votes because of it’s age and peoples wish to have the very basic functionality of remembering track position. I as a developer would not know how to place value on the rest of the requests in this thread and for this reason would put very little value on them now that the core of the request has been completed.
Other requests:
I view most all of the other audiobook requests needing to first have a new library type audiobooks to best support their implementation. I also feel that if you ask for too much at once you get nothing. As a next step I would be thrilled to just get an audiobook library type that did nothing new.
Really would need this !!
It is very funny, the Android app stores indeed now the playback position.
But only if you start on a specific audio track. If I press the big orange play button the audiobook starts from zero again.
The next problem, I can not see the audio track I have allready heared. There is no green hook, ball, arrow or anything else.
Yesterday eveneing I’ve started a new book and I heared it from track 1 to 4. Today I know the last track for sure, but in 3 or 4 days I can’t remember this to 100 percent. I think we need a new feature request for a green hook in the app. This is the point why we need an audiobook library. Or I must merge my multi-file audiobooks to one single file. o:) 
Yeah I would have to vote no for purchasing. That adds a layer t Plex I do
not the no would be good or in Plex best interest.
The root of all this is - people want audiobook support.
;- )=
Yes Please.
audiobook support is a must.
1 Like
Yes add proper support in Plex for Audiobooks. Only audio that I am still using iTunes to sync to iOS devices would be audiobooks…
Please add Audiobook support.
One of the most important thing right now
