Amazon Downloads remote playback issues

[isrdude]

Ran into a curious problem since the Amazon DRM issue in December. Every Amazon file that I have downloaded since the DRM fix can be played on my home network, but if I try to access remotely, using my phone to connect to my home server, the playback comes back as an error on the playback. Has anyone else ran into this issue? If so, Amazon changed something up to prevent remote playback, which I don't know how they could do that but the files still play....

[KidJoe]

I'm not having any issues. Using the Plex app on my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, I can still play back the movies from my home plex server when I'm at the neighbors.

What is your server? How are you trying to access it? what are you using to try to play back? Do movies you downloaded pre-drm changes still play remotely?

[isrdude]

Hi Joe, thanks for getting on here to reply
1. Server= Unraid server with latest OS
2. Access: via Samsung S21 Ultra and via a friends Roku TV
3. Plex in both cases for playback
4. Pre DRM work fine all the way around, wifi, remotely, etc.

This is mind boggling as I've never seen anything like this. I hadn't played anything that I added since first of the year. Then a friend of mine that I have connected to my plex called to say he couldn't play Sing 2. It's new, recently added it, just spins like it can't load,

[october262]

Hi Joe, thanks for getting on here to reply
1. Server= Unraid server with latest OS
2. Access: via Samsung S21 Ultra and via a friends Roku TV
3. Plex in both cases for playback
4. Pre DRM work fine all the way around, wifi, remotely, etc.

This is mind boggling as I've never seen anything like this. I hadn't played anything that I added since first of the year. Then a friend of mine that I have connected to my plex called to say he couldn't play Sing 2. It's new, recently added it, just spins like it can't load,

have you tried re-downloading sing 2 ?? maybe the movie is corrupt.
might also try different resolutions of the movie like 720p

[isrdude]

Hi October
Sadly, did both of those. Tried to redownload as an MP4 and MKV. Also did the 720p, same result. Tried some other files I already had that were 720p from a week ago. Same issue....sigh....

[Mike_M]

Not sure this will help or is applicable, but when was your last Plex App upgrade & what version are you on?

I read some stuff about Plex versions & EAC audio causing playback issues.

*******

January 12, 2022

The current plex Android app is completely broken. Instead of playing content, it just spins indefinitely. I can use the same device to browse to my plex server url directly in chrome and watch content in the browser with hardly any delay to start playing. It's unfortunate how buggy this software is, it has a fantastic interface and I am grateful for the cross platform compatibility, but it has always been plagued with issues and poorly described errors.

********

Are you able to rollback to a previous Plex version to test?

Users have reported that Plex v8.25.0.28426 is free of this bug.

https://googlechromecast.com/plex-is-yet-to-acknowledge-this-new-video-playback-error/

The current plex Android app is completely broken. Instead of playing content, it just spins indefinitely. I can use the same device to browse to my plex server url directly in chrome and watch content in the browser with hardly any delay to start playing. It's unfortunate how buggy this software is...

Hope this helps!

Mike

[isrdude]

Thanks Mike
Mine end now works....magically, I'm on Plex v8.28.0.30077 (latest) and I can now, once again, connect via wifi and via cell to play the newer downloads. My friend can connect but not play any of the newer downloads. He even tried to connect via plex.tv in his browser and couldn't get the files to play. Not sure the browser he used though. So I'm now, pretty sure, that it isn't something Amazon did that it's on the Plex end.

You're info explains why Plex rolled 2 updates in a 3 1/2 day span a week ago!

Thanks Mike, that helps as now I know it isn't Amazon up to their usual stuff!

[jimc115]

Thanks Mike
Mine end now works....magically, I'm on Plex v8.28.0.30077 (latest) and I can now, once again, connect via wifi and via cell to play the newer downloads. My friend can connect but not play any of the newer downloads. He even tried to connect via plex.tv in his browser and couldn't get the files to play. Not sure the browser he used though. So I'm now, pretty sure, that it isn't something Amazon did that it's on the Plex end.

You're info explains why Plex rolled 2 updates in a 3 1/2 day span a week ago!

Thanks Mike, that helps as now I know it isn't Amazon up to their usual stuff!

May or may not be helpful...but I have problems playing some newer downloads on MPC-HD, but VLC plays them fine.
If you have Plexpass...you might have him try downloading it from you and then playing it locally and not in the browser.
If it plays locally, you can rule out a file problem and pinpoint it to a Plex problem.

[KidJoe]

Mine end now works....magically, I'm on Plex v8.28.0.30077 (latest) and I can now, once again, connect via wifi and via cell to play the newer downloads. My friend can connect but not play any of the newer downloads. He even tried to connect via plex.tv in his browser and couldn't get the files to play. Not sure the browser he used though. So I'm now, pretty sure, that it isn't something Amazon did that it's on the Plex end.

Do you have any upload limits set on your server, or does your friend have the option to play remote set as a lower resolution or bit rate? (so that transcoding is used?)

You mentioned web for one test, I know at least using Plex for Web in Chrome AND Edge (even on my home network), video needs to be H264/AVC and audio AAC, or it transcodes on the fly.

I bring this up because I use Windows and there are times a transcoding error/failure requires me to reboot my Plex server, otherwise new attempts to transcode during playback continue to fail. I know you're using Unraid for your Plex Server, not Windows, but I wonder if the same can happen there too? Have you tried booting/restarting your Plex Server?

[isrdude]

Hi Joe
I've tried to reboot/restart and that didn't help. I do have H264 for the downloads but audio set for AC3. Found an obscure post about deleting codecs in plex folder then try again. Not sure why codec deletion and reload would work but worth a try..
Thanks

[isrdude]

Thanks to MikeM.....he pointed me in right direction to dig further. I was codec issue! I found this link after thinking about MikeM's post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/lzwkyc/eae_timeout/

Turns out deleting the codecs and letting Plex reinstall them works! Which is great as it means the StreamFab downloads from Amazon aren't pulling corrupted audio that would impact the codecs! Not sure why deleting codecs and letting them reinstall works, but I won't push my luck!!!

Thanks all

[Mike_M]

Thanks to MikeM.....he pointed me in right direction to dig further. I was codec issue! I found this link after thinking about MikeM's post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/lzwkyc/eae_timeout/

Turns out deleting the codecs and letting Plex reinstall them works! Which is great as it means the StreamFab downloads from Amazon aren't pulling corrupted audio that would impact the codecs! Not sure why deleting codecs and letting them reinstall works, but I won't push my luck!!!

Thanks all

Great!

I had a feeling Plex might be an issue and saw the EAC3/Codec posts under (Reported Link)

https://forums.plex.tv/t/nvidia-shield-some-video-no-longer-playing/750738/8

Users have reported that Plex v8.25.0.28426 is free of this bug.

Ya'll (Texas draw) had that in common & I googled some variations to find that stuff.

Don't use Plex myself, but it seemed a logical candidate.