StreamFab for Windows Problems downloading from PLEX

[hartashford]

I am having variable results downloading movies from PLEX. I am currently on v6.1.5.7 for Windows 64bit, although this has been going on for a while.

It seems that StreamFab uses both the MPD and M3U8 downloaders on Plex depending on the movie. M3U8 downloads work fine, but the MPD downloads fail consistently after downloading and processing but before remuxing.

Examples:

"Dark Places" is Free to View in the UK, uses M3U8 and works fine.

"This Boy's Life", also free in the UK, uses MPD and fails after downloading.

I've attached the log for a failed download of "This Boy's Life". I watched StreamFab create the video and audio segments in the OutputTemp directories, so something appears to be going wrong in processing.

Anyone got any ideas? TIA

[Cats4U]

Based on your log, I'd say that your assessment of the situation is a good one. It does look as if the problem is happening during the processing phase of the download. Unfortunately, it does not appear that "This Boy's Life" is available as a free video from Plex in the US, where I'm located. I'd rather not use a VPN, as it might complicate the test download even more. Maybe someone else from the UK could give it a try and give us their results.

One note: please don't edit your StreamFab.log down. You cut out the beginning of the log, which contains your settings and other vital information. If you know you are going to be sending in a log, delete the old one and start fresh with a new one for the download. Thanks!

[hartashford]

Thanks for the reply and for the heads up regarding the logs. I am quite new to StreamFab.

I VPN into the US (via IPVanish) quite often and have had similarly mixed results with the US version of Plex.

One movie that I have tried several times to download from Plex US is "Shrink" (2009 - Robin Williams) which is free to view in the US. I have just tried it again and it failed after the download phase.

In order to get a clean log, I did the following:

- Closed all the tabs on the StreamFab Homepage
- Cleared the Download queue
- Quit StreamFab
- Deleted the StreamFab log file
- Connected to the US using the IPVanish VPN
- Started StreamFab
- Went into Plex.tv from the Homepage (it already had me logged in)
- Found the page for the "Shrink" movie
- Pressed "Play" to get the StreamFab Pop-up
- Added it to the queue.
- Started the queue
- Let it finish (fail)
- Quit StreamFab

The attached log is for the above, which seems to have all my settings at the top. Hopefully this might yield some clue.

Thanks again.

[october262]

Thanks for the reply and for the heads up regarding the logs. I am quite new to StreamFab.

I VPN into the US (via IPVanish) quite often and have had similarly mixed results with the US version of Plex.

One movie that I have tried several times to download from Plex US is "Shrink" (2009 - Robin Williams) which is free to view in the US. I have just tried it again and it failed after the download phase.

In order to get a clean log, I did the following:

- Closed all the tabs on the StreamFab Homepage
- Cleared the Download queue
- Quit StreamFab
- Deleted the StreamFab log file
- Connected to the US using the IPVanish VPN
- Started StreamFab
- Went into Plex.tv from the Homepage (it already had me logged in)
- Found the page for the "Shrink" movie
- Pressed "Play" to get the StreamFab Pop-up
- Added it to the queue.
- Started the queue
- Let it finish (fail)
- Quit StreamFab

The attached log is for the above, which seems to have all my settings at the top. Hopefully this might yield some clue.

Thanks again.

just tried "Shrink" (2009 - Robin Williams it downloaded ok 720p AAC audio.
you might try changing the audio from "Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 / AC3)"
to just AAC and see if the download still fails.

[hartashford]

just tried "Shrink" (2009 - Robin Williams it downloaded ok 720p AAC audio.
you might try changing the audio from "Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 / AC3)"
to just AAC and see if the download still fails.

You are a star!

Changed the VIP Services - Audio Channel to Stereo (AAC) in Settings as you suggested and it now works. Just trying "The Big White" which was another Plex US movie that was repeatedly failing and then I'll try my UK Plex movies again.

Many thanks!

[Cats4U]

just tried "Shrink" (2009 - Robin Williams it downloaded ok 720p AAC audio.
you might try changing the audio from "Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 / AC3)"
to just AAC and see if the download still fails.

I'm starting to think that perhaps StreamFab should use the lowest setting options as default in the Settings. I've seen too many times users just leaving their settings as is, and it goes against what they really want or is best for their hardware setup. I cringe every time I see Netflix audio set to Atmos when I know that that particular user probably doesn't have a clue what that is or have the hardware to utilize it.
Personally, I'd like to go even farther. Get rid of all the presetting in Settings. Make the decision of what you want at the time right before download. Too many times, SF changes your preset anyway due to not being available, which only causes confusion. If StreamFab only listed the options available for each download right before the download, there would be less confusion and complaints. I'm not saying that it would be easy for the developer to do, but in the long run it would give more power to the user. I don't ever expect it to happen, but that is what I'd like to see.

[jpp72]

Get rid of all the presetting in Settings. Make the decision of what you want at the time right before download.

They have been working on this for a while now. The goal is to make everything like the Amazon download pop-up.

It definitely will take quite some time as it is a huge undertaking. Look how long it took just to implement the custom output names

[Streaky]

I am having variable results downloading movies from PLEX. I am currently on v6.1.5.7 for Windows 64bit, although this has been going on for a while.

It seems that StreamFab uses both the MPD and M3U8 downloaders on Plex depending on the movie. M3U8 downloads work fine, but the MPD downloads fail consistently after downloading and processing but before remuxing.

Examples:

"Dark Places" is Free to View in the UK, uses M3U8 and works fine.

"This Boy's Life", also free in the UK, uses MPD and fails after downloading.

I've attached the log for a failed download of "This Boy's Life". I watched StreamFab create the video and audio segments in the OutputTemp directories, so something appears to be going wrong in processing.

Anyone got any ideas? TIA

Hi hartashford. I have a Plex server and library - how do I download content to my own library from Plex UK??? TIA!

[jpp72]

Hi hartashford. I have a Plex server and library - how do I download content to my own library from Plex UK??? TIA!

I'm not understanding the question. If you are not in the UK then use a VPN or Proxy to make it look like you are in the UK and then use StreamFab to navigate to the Plex Movies & TV section and download what you want. Then add the stuff to your Plex server just like anything else you add.

[hartashford]

Hi hartashford. I have a Plex server and library - how do I download content to my own library from Plex UK??? TIA!

I don't use the PLEX server or library. I just download the available content from the Plex websites (native UK for me or VPN into the US site) and then load the downloaded MP4s into my EMBY server.

As an aside, the Plex websites seem to have different types of content as far as StreamFab is concerned. Some use the MPD downloader and others use the M3U8 Youtube downloader. Before the current DRM issue, I found that the Youtube type downloads from Plex work every time whilst the MPD content sometimes fail to download.