Hi @geekster123
Welcome to the Roku Community!
There could be several reasons why your media player stops streaming midway through playing an mp4 file, and requires turning off Direct Play on your ROKU. Here are a few potential explanations:
- Unsupported codec: The video file you are trying to play may use a codec that is not supported by your media player or ROKU. In this case, Direct Play may be trying to play the file using the unsupported codec, causing the playback to fail. Turning off Direct Play may force the media player to transcode the file to a compatible codec, allowing it to play successfully.
- Network issues: Streaming video requires a stable and reliable network connection. If your network connection is weak or unstable, it could cause buffering or interruptions in the playback. Turning off Direct Play may reduce the demands on your network, allowing the file to stream more smoothly.
- Insufficient hardware resources: Playing high-quality video files can require a lot of processing power and memory. It may struggle to play the file smoothly. Turning off Direct Play may reduce the demands on your hardware, allowing the file to play more smoothly.
We hope it helps!
Warm regards,
Lianna