So just to clarify, I install it it works flawlessly, then it stops working, can't connect to server. I uninstall reinstall re add passwords etc. Then I go reading all about router settings, but nothing changed, so why do router settings matter when it worked perfectly for the first few days? The cynical amoung us would suggest MS are placing obstacles that Plex are unwilling to overcome due to the charges MS are asking to use the platform, or isn't that how the real world works. I just feel the problem is outside my network when it worked so well at first.
So just to clarify, I install it it works flawlessly, then it stops working, can't connect to server. I uninstall reinstall re add passwords etc. Then I go reading all about router settings, but nothing changed, so why do router settings matter when it worked perfectly for the first few days? The cynical amoung us would suggest MS are placing obstacles that Plex are unwilling to overcome due to the charges MS are asking to use the platform, or isn't that how the real world works. I just feel the problem is outside my network when it worked so well at first.
Now that I have no answer for.
I have noticed that if I don't do manual port mapping in Plex Media Server on the PC and open the port myself on my router that whether or not it works is hit and miss. Sometimes the UPnP request from the Plex Media Server to my router to open a port fails for whatever reason. Whether that's an issue with the way Plex is asking my router to map the port, or my router is just being flaky I don't know. Other apps don't seem to have a problem mapping a UPnP or NAT-PMP port.
Maybe you are suffering the same issue?
i agree, its ■■■■, and i think im going to also cancel my 'plex pass', only reason i got it was to get the 360 application,
Buffering Issues
Connect to server issues
Transcoding when it shouldnt
Occasional Application closure
Sometimes, say half way through a program it will reset back to the beginning
etc
etc
And seeing as we had to pay (via a plex pass) to get access to the xbox 360 its, in my opinion a paid for application and should be supported as such - or not released - or released in beta for FREE!
Now that I have no answer for.
I have noticed that if I don't do manual port mapping in Plex Media Server on the PC and open the port myself on my router that whether or not it works is hit and miss. Sometimes the UPnP request from the Plex Media Server to my router to open a port fails for whatever reason. Whether that's an issue with the way Plex is asking my router to map the port, or my router is just being flaky I don't know. Other apps don't seem to have a problem mapping a UPnP or NAT-PMP port.
Maybe you are suffering the same issue?
I have been following these threads and trying every single thing you all have mentioned that seems to fix the issue. Everything I have tried does not fix the issue. I have a DD-WRT flashed router and I am really interested in knowing the EXACT steps you are taking to input these port mappings into the router. The router already has port 32400 (TCP) from anything external to the internal PMS IP. What else am I missing here?
I have been following these threads and trying every single thing you all have mentioned that seems to fix the issue. Everything I have tried does not fix the issue. I have a DD-WRT flashed router and I am really interested in knowing the EXACT steps you are taking to input these port mappings into the router. The router already has port 32400 (TCP) from anything external to the internal PMS IP. What else am I missing here?
It's been a while since I ran DD-WRT (I'm using Tomato myself) but on the NAT/QoS tab there should be a sub-tab for manual port forwarding. In there is where you'd want to add a manual port mapping for port 32400 (or whatever you're using on your server). If you're using UPnP port mapping, you'll want to change that in the server settings to manually specify.
Also, in certain builds of DD-WRT NAT Loopback is broken (regardless of the settings in the interface). See here for details. There's a fix posted there if your build is affected. DD-WRT calls NAT Loopback 'Filter WAN NAT Redirection'. I cannot remember where that is in the interface though. You need to have it UNchecked so that NAT Loopback is functional on DD-WRT.
Unfortunately the networking part isn't going to go away depending on what hardware you have. Many people have routers that support upnp and have to do nothing to get up and running. However, many people out there have routers that do not do this (and thus need port forwarding) or have double NAT (router from ISP and their own router behind that is the general issue). These are problems that plex has done their best to account for, but unfortuantely they require manual intervention from the user.
It will probably go away once IPv6 becomes widespread...so maybe 10 years from now?
It will probably go away once IPv6 becomes widespread...so maybe 10 years from now?
...and that will bring about a whole new set of issues to deal with I'm sure.
so maybe they should use some of the money from having to have a Plex Pass and use it to fix the xbox 360 app
so maybe they should use some of the money from having to have a Plex Pass and use it to fix the xbox 360 app
I suspect that they are doing just that. It still makes more sense to squash as many bugs as possible between releases rather than spend the money to roll out a half-fixed build, no?
People just have to have some patience.
Patience is one thing its another to put out an app that people are looking for that doesn't work and then make people pay for it. lets also not forget the cost for plex pass was increased just prior to releasing the xbox apps.
maybe they shouldn't have put out a non-working build and tested it more before releasing. from what I read only a small group has been able to get it to work and that is taking special setup on the users part.
I had a great weekend (NOT)
So told my wife that there are some teething problems with accessing the PLEX server via xbox360 and we would just use the DLNA capability of the smart tv (Sony Bravia)
Not as pretty but stable, so I thought.
Saturday night sat down after dinner with my wife to watch a movie that she was looking forward to.
15 mins into the movie and get "Playback unavailable" It took a lot of restraint not to throw the remote at the TV.
After restart the movie a number of time and getting the same "Playback unavailable" message I end up copying the movie to a usb drive and pluging it straight into the TV.
So from where I am sitting A USB harddrive with all my movies and TV shows on it is a better media center than Plex, because I can rely on it working.
Number one priority (above all else) has to be that Plex can be trusted.
Drop all the bells and whistles and first make it bullet proof.
Patience is one thing its another to put out an app that people are looking for that doesn't work and then make people pay for it. lets also not forget the cost for plex pass was increased just prior to releasing the xbox apps.
maybe they shouldn't have put out a non-working build and tested it more before releasing. from what I read only a small group has been able to get it to work and that is taking special setup on the users part.
I wouldn't say its cr4p, more not finished.
I downloaded the client on the first day of release and had no problem using it, already had a lifetime Plex Pass, no PMS changes, no network changes, no other tweaking, it just worked.
However, I am disappointed with it; the user interface is ridiculous; it transcodes every movie or show, despite all of my content being .mp4 or .avi (Xvid), which all play fine using the system video player; there is no 5.1 sound, again perfect 5.1 sound using the system video player; no way of keeping system changes, has to be set every time you watch something; and no music or photos, which should have been the easiest to provide (ie less complicated).
Give them a bit more time, you should have been around when PHT was first released, compared to that this is useable client and due to the fact that there are hundreds of different routers, with hundreds of configurations, tens of server OS's and hundreds of server hardware configurations some people are going to have problems. Just take a look at the other forums, what is deemed to be stable doesn't work for some.
Regards
Plex has been great on the Roku via a FreeNAS server plug-in.. I'm sure the Xbox360 app will become equally as great. :rolleyes: B)
...and that will bring about a whole new set of issues to deal with I'm sure.
Actually I'd say it won't. IPv4 is actually quite convoluted compared to IPv6.
Bmupton - thank you for your input as it did help clear things up for me. And thanks for your time, I know forums only work if there are people like you. I also did not realize that I was paying for the development of new features / platforms etc but I am totally fine with paying for Plex as I have used it for free (except for the mobile versions) for years and couldn't imagine living without it. Part of me hopes it stays small and free for the sake of being cool, but I get that the more successful Plex is, the better it will, or should be. I also realize that it would never be on XBOX if not for the Plexpass subscriber model.
My experience with Xbox 360 was not great - didn't work for weeks (I went through all of the troubleshooting listed in the different posts) then all of a sudden it started to work (only on 1 particular 360) for some unknown reason.
From a customer experience point of view (Plex) should list the apps capabilities on Xbox 360 & Xbox One and remind us that it is early release (meaning not fully functional). Here's what I would request be added to the FAQ
- Beta version for evaluation
- No multichannel Audio
- Maximum of 4 Mps @ 720p
- limited interface
- may need special network hardware / configuration in order to locate your local server.
Bmupton - thank you for your input as it did help clear things up for me. And thanks for your time, I know forums only work if there are people like you.
- Beta version for evaluation
- No multichannel Audio- Maximum of 4 Mps @ 720p
- limited interface
- may need special network hardware / configuration in order to locate your local server.
No problem. I love Plex, and I do my best to help other "Plexers" out when I can.
The max of 4mbps isn't quite true. You can change it higher. I've noticed, however, that some files just refuse to play for me if I do so I just leave it at 4mbps. For the stuff I watch using Plex, this isn't a big deal. I can see it being an issue for people that have all their content at much higher bitrates though.
I didn't read it that way myself, but maybe I've been around the community long enough that I just understood it. I will admit that if you've never heard of Plex but saw the Plex app on the 360 dashboard and investigated from there with no other details, it could be taken that way. Good point.
Yep, and this is my point. Literally overnight, Plex has marketing exposure on over tens of millions of Xbox's (One and 360 combined). No where in the app does it say that Plex Pass BETA is required or that it's in beta or an "early feature". Additionally, even as an experienced Plex Pass subscriber (I've had my pass about 6 months now) it is not visibly advertised as being in beta or an "early feature". If - like you - one assumes that the Xbox apps are "early preview" or beta just because in order to use them, you must have a Plex Pass, I can see how it can be interpreted as such, though.
I do want to state that I'm fairly happy with the Xbox 360 app so far (bugs and missing features aside). I'm able to play the vast majority of MKV files I've thrown at it without issue without transcoding (including some Blurays that I backed up), and that's a testament to the app right there as I could never get it to work over DLNA.
I think most here appreciate your input and help that you've offered.
Yep, and this is my point. Literally overnight, Plex has marketing exposure on over tens of millions of Xbox's (One and 360 combined). No where in the app does it say that Plex Pass BETA is required or that it's in beta or an "early feature". Additionally, even as an experienced Plex Pass subscriber (I've had my pass about 6 months now) it is not visibly advertised as being in beta or an "early feature". If - like you - one assumes that the Xbox apps are "early preview" or beta just because in order to use them, you must have a Plex Pass, I can see how it can be interpreted as such, though.
I do want to state that I'm fairly happy with the Xbox 360 app so far (bugs and missing features aside). I'm able to play the vast majority of MKV files I've thrown at it without issue without transcoding (including some Blurays that I backed up), and that's a testament to the app right there as I could never get it to work over DLNA.
I think most here appreciate your input and help that you've offered.
I will agree that from the perspective from someone who's not heard of Plex, all of a sudden seeing it in the videos section of their xbox and looking in to it you don't get the sense at all that it's an early product that's likely to have issues.
When Chromecast support was added, the Plex app was listed on my phone one day and I almost lost my mind. I popped on to the Plex website, noticed Plexpass was required, and didn't think twice about purchasing a lifetime pass. I was wholly underwhelmed with the experience for the first few weeks, but man am I glad I stuck with it. I can't remember if it was stated explicitly that Chromecast functionality was "beta" or not, but I didn't care. Maybe I was just willing to give them the benefit of the doubt since their track record of making awesome things is pretty stellar.
I think most here appreciate your input and help that you've offered.
Thank you. I try my best to help.
don't forget the lip sync issues... anything over the standard 720 4mbps even on mp4's is unviewable. don't even talk about mkv's
don't forget the lip sync issues... anything over the standard 720 4mbps even on mp4's is unviewable. don't even talk about mkv's
I'm doing 1080 P MKV files containing H.264 at max without issue. No audio sync problems at all, and it's remuxing 5.1 audio to two channel stereo on the fly. Are you wired or wireless?
