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If Astra restarts a video instead of moving to the next file, first check whether the video has actually ended or is exiting early. For an episode that has ended, check Settings > Playback > Next episode autoplay. For a long video that returns to the menu partway through, update Astra: its help page says that issue was fixed in version 1.4.0. The symptom alone does not identify one cause; the right next step depends on when playback restarts and which Astra and Fire TV software you use.

First, confirm Astra is supported and up to date

Astra is a Jellyfin client for supported Fire TV devices running Vega OS. Astra’s help page covers Astra 1.4.0 and Vega OS 1.2 or later; it says older Android-based Fire TV devices should use the regular Jellyfin app instead. Check Settings > About for Astra’s version and build, and check the device’s operating system before troubleshooting playback. See Astra’s official project repository and Astra help.

If you are on an earlier Astra version, update before trying more involved fixes. Astra notes that an Appstore release can take a day or two to reach a device. The repository lists version 1.4.0, released September 8, 2026, with playback fixes. That release date and version describe Astra’s release history, not a guarantee that every device has received the update.

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Identify when the restart happens

Ask: does the current file finish and then return to the beginning, or does it stop before the end and return to the menu? Also note whether this happens with episodes, movies, or both. These patterns point to different checks; the available product documentation does not establish one universal cause or rank causes by likelihood.

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What you see What to check first
An episode ends, but the next episode does not start Check Settings > Playback > Next episode autoplay and its countdown.
A long movie or other long file exits partway through to the menu Check the Astra version. Astra says this long-video interruption was fixed in version 1.4.0.
Playback stutters, buffers, or reloads during streaming Inspect Stats for Nerds and the server transcoding and connection settings before changing bitrate.

Get Astra to play the next episode

Astra’s next-episode feature applies to episodes, not movies. Open Settings > Playback > Next episode autoplay, enable it, and set the countdown to the delay you want. When an episode ends, Astra can then move on after that countdown. Astra’s help says it pauses for confirmation after three consecutive episodes rather than continuing indefinitely.

If autoplay is enabled but the next episode still does not begin, note whether the current episode reaches its actual end and whether the same episode sequence works in another Jellyfin client. Include those details when collecting diagnostics below; they help distinguish an advancement setting from a file or server playback problem.

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Fix a long video that exits before it finishes

Astra’s help page has a troubleshooting entry for a long movie that stops partway through and returns to the menu; it says the issue was fixed in version 1.4.0. If you see this pattern on an earlier version, update Astra and test the same file again before assuming the Fire TV hardware is failing. The project repository describes the underlying work as addressing a Fire TV lifecycle/resource issue during prolonged playback.

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The repository describes a reported title stopping at 61 minutes and physical-device acceptance playback lasting 130 minutes after the 1.4.0 fix. Those are project-specific incident and validation details, not general failure thresholds, prevalence figures, or a guarantee for every device and file.

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Check streaming performance if playback buffers or stutters

Use these checks when the restart occurs with buffering, stuttering, or other signs of a stream problem. They are performance diagnostics, not a confirmed fix for every restart.

  1. Open Stats for Nerds during playback. Note the video and audio codecs, selected audio track, bitrate, buffer, and dropped frames. Astra’s help explains the app’s playback diagnostics: Astra help.
  2. Verify server transcoding. In Astra’s playback settings, make sure Server transcoding reflects what your Jellyfin server can do. An incorrect setting can affect the stream path.
  3. Run Test server connection. Use the result and its bitrate recommendation as evidence about the connection between the client and server.
  4. Change Max streaming bitrate only when the symptoms support it. If the stream is struggling at the current bitrate, try a lower value and retest. Avoid treating a lower bitrate as a universal cure when there is no buffering or stuttering.

Consider subtitles only when they match the timing

Subtitle conversion is not a default explanation for a restart. Investigate it if the issue began after selecting subtitles or comes with a reload or buffering symptom. Astra 1.4.0 draws ordinary text subtitles itself; picture-based subtitles and heavily styled ASS/SSA subtitles may require the Jellyfin server to burn them into the video and rebuild the stream. Compare playback with subtitles off, then with the affected subtitle track, and record whether the behavior changes. Astra documents subtitle behavior in its official help.

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Gather evidence if the problem continues

If updating and checking the relevant playback setting do not resolve the issue, record enough detail for someone to reproduce and diagnose it. Astra’s project materials and help page are the appropriate references for reporting a client issue: Astra project and help.

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  • Astra version and build from Settings > About, plus the Fire TV model and Vega OS version.
  • Jellyfin server version and whether server transcoding is enabled or available, including the transcoding hardware.
  • The file’s container, video and audio codecs, resolution, and subtitle type if relevant.
  • Whether the file plays in another Jellyfin client, and whether the failure occurs at the end or partway through.
  • Whether the client reaches the server over a local network, the internet, or a VPN.
  • The Jellyfin server log covering the failed playback session.

These details can separate an episode-autoplay setting from a long-playback client issue or a stream/transcoding problem. Without the version, playback timing, file details, and logs, the specific cause cannot be established.

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