Setup: Infuse 8.5.3 on macOS, connected remotely to Plex through a reverse proxy. Direct play, no transcoding.
1. Repeated opening failures at 20 open stream objects
Mutiny has 22 external SRT files. Across two attempts, Infuse opens 19 subtitle stream objects and one video stream object. The subtitle objects remain open throughout the loading process.
Once the total reaches 20, additional openings fail:
19 subtitle streams + 1 video stream = 20 open
Failed to make URL_FILE for /library/streams/…
Failed to make URL_FILE for /library/parts/…/file.mkv
The latest attempt recorded six failed subtitle openings—two attempts for each of the three remaining subtitles and 46 failed video openings.
Closing the existing video stream allows another to open, but additional openings fail again when the total returns to 20. This suggests an internal stream limit.
Playback eventually started after approximately 143 seconds.
2. External subtitles delay startup
Infuse opens the external subtitles sequentially before video demuxing begins.
| External subtitles | Time to first logged “Playing” state |
|---|---|
| 0 | 3.3 s |
| 8 | 5.7 s |
| 15 | 10.4–22.9 s |
| 16 | 15.2 s |
| 22 | 143.2 s |
Some titles also buffer immediately afterward. For example, Mayday’s latest attempt took 11.5 seconds including initial buffering.
The fastest start was a 79.5 GB file with no external subtitles, so file size alone does not explain the delays.
Many individual subtitle openings take around 0.3 seconds. In two slower starts, subtitle opening also pauses for approximately five seconds while Infuse reselects the Plex server connection.