Windows Why is Plex so annoying.

I bung a fim on my TV using my tablet and for a while I can alter sound ETC. Put tablet down it auto closes that's fine but maybe I want to alter the sound volume and now on starting up the tablet I cannot do this as the tablets volume control has lost it's connection to the film which is still playing and I note that the sound-bar remote has no effect neither does the TV's or the PVR's.

This is got to be simple to resolve has it not as I can see no way to link the tablets volume control to the film again.

 

Use TV's remote?

 

I think I mentioned that the TV's remote did not work.

 

What are you using on the TV to stream your video?

I've never had problems using remote to change volume. That's using DLNA on the TV, or Apple TV's airplay, or the DS video app on Samsung TV.

 

I don't understand why anything would stop your TV remote from controlling the volume on your TV.

What am I missing here?

 

The old version (read: last weeks) of Plex occasionally did this to me too. One in ten times I'd start playing something and the volume control on the remote wouldn't work until I exited Plex and re-entered.

It seems to have been fixed in the latest release so if you're not running it I'd recommend an update.

Spreadie, it's a Plex app within the smart TV, it's all connected so a bug in it is capable of locking out the volume control, or pretty much anything else.

 

Ah, I see. Thanks.

 

I am using Chromecast and to answer another question I have no idea how to reenter the Plex as all I seem to be able to do is havie the film playing on both the TV and the Tablet But still no access to volume control.

I have given up on PLex and am going to try something else or may go back to a simple HDMI connection from the PC.

 

I have never had this issue with Plex and use it throughout the house, although through Roku/AFTV boxes.

The Chromecast setup sounds slightly more complicated, am I right in thinking that you have to stream the movie from PC to Tablet and then 'Cast' it to the Chromecast? is the app on the Tablet and the server on the PC up to date?

 

Yes to all your questions. I actually just installed Plex to theis PC as my media PC is hibernating whilst decorating takes place. There was nothing on the TV which I am watching whilst recovering from a trio of minor surgical procedures and as I have a couple of films on this PC I thought I would take the opportunity to watch them.

But the vovolume control isdue is annoying tjough I suspect it was easily fixed. But I have little patience with software that for me is not simple to use. I should not need to go hunting for solutions for what should not he a problem. Volume control via the tablet works provide the tablet is awake. Once it is not this dissappears and I have no idea how to get it back.

 

Try http://mediabrowser.tv/

Been around for a while now but MB3 is a leap ahead of the old MB2. It has Chromcast Support and the majority of the offerings are free, the Android App was free sometime ago, think it still is still.

I haven't tested it with my Chromecast as I tend to use my Chromebook or Surface for watching TV/Films as the Mrs always hogs the telly.

One assumes you have a Plex Server already setup? So MB3 will do the same, except I don't think it has NAS box support yet which is why I went with Plex to start with, but found it too limiting with the NAS' I had and opted to have a dedicated PC for it MB3 instead.

 

If your tablet is losing connection to the Chromecast when the screen goes off- it may just be that it's putting it's Wifi adapter to sleep when the screen is off.
In Wifi settings, there should be an Advanced tab, which should hold the "Keep Wifi on during sleep" option. See if that changes the behaviour?

 

Sorry but I think you misunderstand it is not so much as losing connection with the Chromecast as this is easily re-establish it is renewing the connection to the film that is currently playing so that I could alter volume.

It is all academic as I am going to try videostreamer so have removed Plex.

 

I get that, but when you push a thing to chromecast, it requires a constant connection to retain control.

E.g. The other day,I pushed an audio stream to mine from my phone, then realised I needed to pop to the shop. So I went out, and lost connection to my home Wifi, and therefore the chromecast. Once I got back, the stream was still playing on the chromecast, but my phone had lost it's association with that stream so I could no longer control it.