Roku Portrait Bug

[jellyflick]

Hello

I noticed that when I play videos on Roku that are in portrait, I just get a blank screen.

I threw together a script to fix this with ffmpeg adding black bars:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

fname="${1%.*}-landscape"

ffmpeg -i "$1" \
  -vf "scale=1920:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" \
  -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -profile:v high -level 4.1 \
  -c:a aac -movflags +faststart \
  "${fname}.mp4"

Maybe not a perfect script but gets the job done for now. Does anyone know the reason for this? There is no useful information in the log, it just tries to DirectPlay the video and nothing shows.

[1hitsong]

If you check the force transcode option, does it play as expected?

On the detail screen, click Options, then in the popup move to options, then check ForceTranscode (Allow Remux)

   

[jellyflick]

If you check the force transcode option, does it play as expected?

On the detail screen, click Options, then in the popup move to options, then check ForceTranscode (Allow Remux)

Yes, I enabled force transcode. Interestingly, it's still attempting DirectStream? Also, I made sure to clear Roku app cache.

Playback log "FFmpeg.DirectStream-2025-12-27_13-51-56_ddc4a63be20f0c9904188b5e68ff7da9_e54bb1f4.log":

Code:

{"Protocol":0,"Id":"ddc4a63be20f0c9904188b5e68ff7da9","Path":"/home/REDACTED/Jellyfin Server Media/Climb/climbert.mp4","EncoderPath":null,"EncoderProtocol":null,"Type":0,"Container":"mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2","Size":3834731,"Name":"climbert","IsRemote":false,"ETag":"80b13fca62da6f3351c329cdb8c0dea1","RunTimeTicks":109461460,"ReadAtNativeFramerate":false,"IgnoreDts":false,"IgnoreIndex":false,"GenPtsInput":false,"SupportsTranscoding":true,"SupportsDirectStream":true,"SupportsDirectPlay":true,"IsInfiniteStream":false,"UseMostCompatibleTranscodingProfile":false,"RequiresOpening":false,"OpenToken":null,"RequiresClosing":false,"LiveStreamId":null,"BufferMs":null,"RequiresLooping":false,"SupportsProbing":true,"VideoType":0,"IsoType":null,"Video3DFormat":null,"MediaStreams":[{"Codec":"aac","CodecTag":"mp4a","Language":"eng","ColorRange":null,"ColorSpace":null,"ColorTransfer":null,"ColorPrimaries":null,"DvVersionMajor":null,"DvVersionMinor":null,"DvProfile":null,"DvLevel":null,"RpuPresentFlag":null,"ElPresentFlag":null,"BlPresentFlag":null,"DvBlSignalCompatibilityId":null,"Rotation":null,"Comment":null,"TimeBase":"1/48000","CodecTimeBase":null,"Title":"SoundHandle","Hdr10PlusPresentFlag":null,"VideoRange":0,"VideoRangeType":0,"VideoDoViTitle":null,"AudioSpatialFormat":0,"LocalizedUndefined":null,"LocalizedDefault":"Default","LocalizedForced":null,"LocalizedExternal":"External","LocalizedHearingImpaired":null,"DisplayTitle":"SoundHandle - English - AAC - Stereo - Default","NalLengthSize":null,"IsInterlaced":false,"IsAVC":false,"ChannelLayout":"stereo","BitRate":191816,"BitDepth":null,"RefFrames":null,"PacketLength":null,"Channels":2,"SampleRate":48000,"IsDefault":true,"IsForced":false,"IsHearingImpaired":false,"Height":null,"Width":null,"AverageFrameRate":null,"RealFrameRate":null,"ReferenceFrameRate":null,"Profile":"LC","Type":0,"AspectRatio":null,"Index":0,"Score":null,"IsExternal":false,"DeliveryMethod":null,"DeliveryUrl":null,"IsExternalUrl":null,"IsTextSubtitleStream":false,"SupportsExternalStream":false,"Path":null,"PixelFormat":null,"Level":0,"IsAnamorphic":null},{"Codec":"h264","CodecTag":"avc1","Language":"eng","ColorRange":null,"ColorSpace":"bt709","ColorTransfer":"bt709","ColorPrimaries":"bt709","DvVersionMajor":null,"DvVersionMinor":null,"DvProfile":null,"DvLevel":null,"RpuPresentFlag":null,"ElPresentFlag":null,"BlPresentFlag":null,"DvBlSignalCompatibilityId":null,"Rotation":null,"Comment":null,"TimeBase":"1/90000","CodecTimeBase":null,"Title":null,"Hdr10PlusPresentFlag":null,"VideoRange":1,"VideoRangeType":1,"VideoDoViTitle":null,"AudioSpatialFormat":0,"LocalizedUndefined":null,"LocalizedDefault":null,"LocalizedForced":null,"LocalizedExternal":null,"LocalizedHearingImpaired":null,"DisplayTitle":"1080p H264 SDR","NalLengthSize":"4","IsInterlaced":false,"IsAVC":true,"ChannelLayout":null,"BitRate":2607792,"BitDepth":8,"RefFrames":1,"PacketLength":null,"Channels":null,"SampleRate":null,"IsDefault":true,"IsForced":false,"IsHearingImpaired":false,"Height":1280,"Width":720,"AverageFrameRate":58.659508,"RealFrameRate":60,"ReferenceFrameRate":58.659508,"Profile":"High","Type":1,"AspectRatio":null,"Index":1,"Score":null,"IsExternal":false,"DeliveryMethod":null,"DeliveryUrl":null,"IsExternalUrl":null,"IsTextSubtitleStream":false,"SupportsExternalStream":false,"Path":null,"PixelFormat":"yuv420p","Level":32,"IsAnamorphic":true}],"MediaAttachments":[],"Formats":[],"Bitrate":2802616,"FallbackMaxStreamingBitrate":null,"Timestamp":null,"RequiredHttpHeaders":{},"TranscodingUrl":null,"TranscodingSubProtocol":0,"TranscodingContainer":null,"AnalyzeDurationMs":null,"DefaultAudioStreamIndex":null,"DefaultSubtitleStreamIndex":null,"HasSegments":false}

ffmpeg -analyzeduration 200M -probesize 1G -fflags +genpts -f mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2  -i file:"/home/REDACTED/Jellyfin Server Media/Climb/climbert.mp4" -map_metadata -1 -map_chapters -1 -threads 0 -map 0:1 -map 0:0 -map -0:s -codec:v:0 copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -start_at_zero -codec:a:0 libmp3lame -ac 2 -ab 256000 -copyts -avoid_negative_ts disabled -max_muxing_queue_size 2048 -f hls -max_delay 5000000 -hls_time 6 -hls_segment_type mpegts -start_number 0 -hls_segment_filename "/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b1%d.ts" -hls_playlist_type vod -hls_list_size 0 -y "/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b1.m3u8"


ffmpeg version 7.1.3-Jellyfin Copyright (c) 2000-2025 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 14.3.0 (GCC)
  configuration: --prefix=/app --disable-doc --disable-ffplay --disable-libxcb --disable-ptx-compression --disable-sdl2 --disable-static --disable-xlib --enable-chromaprint --enable-gmp --enable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libdav1d --enable-libdrm --enable-libfdk-aac --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libzimg --enable-libzvbi --enable-lto=auto --enable-opencl --enable-shared --enable-version3 --extra-libs=-lfftw3f --extra-version=Jellyfin --target-os=linux --enable-libvpl --enable-amf --enable-cuda --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-libplacebo --enable-libshaderc --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-vaapi --enable-vulkan
  libavutil      59. 39.100 / 59. 39.100
  libavcodec    61. 19.101 / 61. 19.101
  libavformat    61.  7.100 / 61.  7.100
  libavdevice    61.  3.100 / 61.  3.100
  libavfilter    10.  4.100 / 10.  4.100
  libswscale      8.  3.100 /  8.  3.100
  libswresample  5.  3.100 /  5.  3.100
  libpostproc    58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'file:/home/REDACTED/Jellyfin Server Media/Climb/climbert.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand    : isom
    minor_version  : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    creation_time  : 2025-09-15T02:12:28.000000Z
  Duration: 00:00:10.95, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 2802 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 191 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        creation_time  : 2025-09-15T02:12:09.000000Z
        handler_name    : SoundHandle
        vendor_id      : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1[0x2](eng): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 720x1280, 2607 kb/s, 58.66 fps, 60 tbr, 90k tbn (default)
      Metadata:
        creation_time  : 2025-09-15T02:12:10.000000Z
        handler_name    : VideoHandle
        vendor_id      : [0][0][0][0]
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:1 (aac (native) -> mp3 (libmp3lame))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
Output #0, hls, to '/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b1.m3u8':
  Metadata:
    encoder        : Lavf61.7.100
  Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 720x1280, q=2-31, 2607 kb/s, 58.66 fps, 60 tbr, 90k tbn (default)
  Stream #0:1: Audio: mp3, 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 256 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        encoder        : Lavc61.19.101 libmp3lame
[hls @ 0x55930dd94b80] Opening '/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b10.ts' for writing
[hls @ 0x55930dd94b80] Opening '/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b11.ts' for writing
[out#0/hls @ 0x55930dd80b80] video:3473KiB audio:343KiB subtitle:0KiB other streams:0KiB global headers:0KiB muxing overhead: unknown
frame=  640 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 Lsize=N/A time=00:00:00.00 bitrate=N/A speed=  0x   

General log "log_20251227.log":

Code:

[2025-12-27 13:51:56.273 -06:00] [INF] [66] Jellyfin.Api.Helpers.MediaInfoHelper: User policy for "abc". EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True
[2025-12-27 13:51:56.423 -06:00] [INF] [66] Jellyfin.Api.Helpers.MediaInfoHelper: User policy for "abc". EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True
[2025-12-27 13:51:56.671 -06:00] [INF] [66] MediaBrowser.MediaEncoding.Transcoding.TranscodeManager: "ffmpeg" "-analyzeduration 200M -probesize 1G -fflags +genpts -f mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2  -i file:\"/home/REDACTED/Jellyfin Server Media/Climb/climbert.mp4\" -map_metadata -1 -map_chapters -1 -threads 0 -map 0:1 -map 0:0 -map -0:s -codec:v:0 copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -start_at_zero -codec:a:0 libmp3lame -ac 2 -ab 256000 -copyts -avoid_negative_ts disabled -max_muxing_queue_size 2048 -f hls -max_delay 5000000 -hls_time 6 -hls_segment_type mpegts -start_number 0 -hls_segment_filename \"/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b1%d.ts\" -hls_playlist_type vod -hls_list_size 0 -y \"/home/REDACTED/.var/app/org.jellyfin.JellyfinServer/cache/jellyfin/transcodes/bd5bac6844120c70ae82c650f5d292b1.m3u8\""
[2025-12-27 13:51:56.798 -06:00] [INF] [66] MediaBrowser.MediaEncoding.Transcoding.TranscodeManager: FFmpeg exited with code 0
[2025-12-27 13:52:04.639 -06:00] [INF] [44] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "127.0.0.1" request
[2025-12-27 13:52:56.903 -06:00] [INF] [38] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionManager: Playback stopped reported by app "Jellyfin Roku" "3.0.15" playing "climbert". Stopped at "0" ms

[jellyflick]

If you check the force transcode option, does it play as expected?

On the detail screen, click Options, then in the popup move to options, then check ForceTranscode (Allow Remux)

On second glance as well, my roku app does not have a detail screen like yours. I have Force Transcode option in the main options menu which I selected on.

[1hitsong]

 On second glance as well, my roku app does not have a detail screen like yours. I have Force Transcode option in the main options menu which I selected on.

Everyone should have this screen. What version of the Jellyfin client are you running? You can find the version number at the bottom of the main settings screen.

Can you post a screenshot/photo of the movie detail screen so I can get my bearings of what screen you are on?

[jellyflick]

 On second glance as well, my roku app does not have a detail screen like yours. I have Force Transcode option in the main options menu which I selected on.

Everyone should have this screen. What version of the Jellyfin client are you running? You can find the version number at the bottom of the main settings screen.

Can you post a screenshot/photo of the movie detail screen so I can get my bearings of what screen you are on?

Jellyfin 3.0.15



What button do I press to get to that screen?