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Music Library Files Do Not Appear in DLNA Clients


martincom

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martincom

The DLNA Server music libraries and sub-libraries appear on Emby DLNA clients.  However, the file contents do not.   When attempting to browse the file contents of a music library, the client returns an error message to the effect that there is no supportable/valid files within or incompatible:

 

Sony BDV-E570: "There are no playable files."

 

Pioneer television, PDP-6020FD: "No viewable content."

 

Roku Ultra 4660X: "No compatible media found in: <name of library>"

 

Movie selections are displayed normally and playable.  All the music files stored on the server are in the wma format.  The same database files appear and play normally from the incorporated DLNA server, "Windows Digital Media Server", included with the Server 2012 Essentials OS.

 

The album artwork appears on the library folders.

 

The Emby Server is being hosted on another Windows Server 2012 Essentials machine.

 

Questions:

 

1. Is the wma format compatible with Emby DLNA?

 

2. Where does Emby obtain the library album artwork?  Library file metadata?  Online sources?

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dansblackcat

If you put one of the .wma files on a USB thumb drive and plug it directly into the TV does it play?  My Sony TV doesn't support .wma files.

 

Just for testing purposes.  How about if you drop an .mp3 in your music library and see if it can be seen over DLNA?

Edited by dansblackcat
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Where does Emby obtain the library album artwork?  Library file metadata?  Online sources?

 

Hi, both sources, with priority given to embedded metadata.

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martincom

If you put one of the .wma files on a USB thumb drive and plug it directly into the TV does it play?  My Sony TV doesn't support .wma files.

 

Just for testing purposes.  How about if you drop an .mp3 in your music library and see if it can be seen over DLNA?

 

Yes, a wma plays from a thumb drive.  I kind of thought it would as it played from the Windows Home Media Server in a wma format.   Windows Home Media Server is pretty much a brown paper bag DLNA server, that offers no transcoding and is primarily intended as a server side companion to Windows Media Player.

 

Pretty much all of my Sony devices will play wma files.  Our Samsung TV will not and the only file type thus far I have tested that successfully plays from it is FLAC.  Likewise, I found FLAC to be the only file type that would play from DirecTV DVRs or receivers.

 

Great minds think alike, as my step was as you suggested about adding a small directory of music files in a different format.   I was already in the process of doing do when I noted your message.  Initially, I started with the FLAC format.  The FLAC formatted files did display on both the Roku and the Sony Home Theater receiver.  So we made some progress, as that wasn't occurring with wma formatted files. The FLAC formatted files would also play on the Roku DLNA client.  However, they would not play on the Sony, with it returning a message to the effect the file(s) were corrupted.  It should also be noted that when the Sony lists the contents of a directory/library,it also depicts the format in the file icon.   The FLAC formatted directory/library files were being transcoded to mp3.

 

Next, I replaced the FLAC directory/library files with the same files formatted in mp3.   Again, the mp3 formatted files did display on both the Roku and the Sony Home Theater receiver.  They also played on the Roku DLNA client.  However, again, they would not play on the Sony Home Theater receiver with, again, an error message returned to the effect of corrupted files.

 

Additionally, the wma formatted directory/libraries display their contents on the Emby Server Home page and they also play normally on a PC from the home page.  So the Emby server package is failing to process wma files correctly, as it is related to the DLNA server component.

 

I'm gathering the Emby DLNA server does not simply pass-thru directory/library file contents, but performs some type of transcoding upon---even when the source file is the same format as transcoded output format---at least the profile that was being selected/assigned to the Sony Home Theater Receiver i was utilizing.

 

I'm probably going to have to get up to speed on creating/editing profiles.  Is there a tutorial or guide online that will assist me in the learning process?

 

Somewhat related, I also attempted to play a Emby hosted movie from the Roku DLNA client.  The video played normally, but I had no audio.   The same movie played normally from the Roku Emby app.

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martincom

Hi, both sources, with priority given to embedded metadata.

That was what I was thinking, as the artwork being displayed was near an exact match to what I had stored in the metadata of the wma files.   But I didn't want to, yet again, re-learn the definition of "assume".

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The issue likely in the way the server is presenting the files. The dlna clients probably do not like what they're seeing and therefore are ignoring them. I just tested on a Samsung and they are displaying.

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martincom

The issue likely in the way the server is presenting the files. The dlna clients probably do not like what they're seeing and therefore are ignoring them. I just tested on a Samsung and they are displaying.

 

The same server--and everything else being the same, results in Emby displaying FLAC and mp3 library files.  I can't think of what would be different, within the server OS, for wma.

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You're right, they do display on my Samsung, they just display as mp3. That is because our Samsung dlna profile is configured to convert them to mp3.

 

Let's zero in on Roku media player since in theory, that should be the easiest to fix. We don't have a profile for Roku dlna, so it will just use the default, and the default is configured to direct play wma. Looks like Roku media player should support these:

 

https://support.roku.com/article/208754908-how-do-i-use-roku-media-player-to-play-my-videos-music-and-photos-

 

I'm sure there is something in Emby that needs adjustment, the only question is what. It is probably something related to the way the server is presenting the media information.

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martincom

Update:

 

I'm not exactly sure what I changed, but the wma directory/library files now appear and play normally on the Roku clients.  The only thing of note, that I recall changing, is I had changed Emby to run as a service and neglected to uncheck the "Run server at startup" box, in settings.

 

On the Sony Home Theater Receiver I've been testing on, the wma directory/library files do now list themselves and indicate they are transcoded to mp3---they just won't play.  I receive an error to the effect of unsupported data or non-recognizable file.  This behavior is the same as when I tested FLAC files, in post #4.  I'm thinking this is an issue in the profile.

 

Questions:

 

1.When a DLNA render/client is connected to Emby, will it display as a Device, in the Devices sub-menu?

 

2. Is there an indication somewhere whereas I can determine what profile is being utilized by a connected render/client?

 

3. Where could I source information on creating/editing profiles?

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1.When a DLNA render/client is connected to Emby, will it display as a Device, in the Devices sub-menu?

 

No, that is only for authenticated apps that sign in.

 

 

 

2. Is there an indication somewhere whereas I can determine what profile is being utilized by a connected render/client?

 

Unfortunately it is currently only in the emby server log, but yes you can find it there.

 

 

 

3. Where could I source information on creating/editing profiles?

 

The user interface for this is a big point of weakness right now and something we need to improve in the future. Thanks.

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  • 2 months later...
martincom

Just an update on this issue, as there seems to be some activity about addressing the DLNA issues:

 

Roku Ultra 4660X DLNA Client, Sottware 9.0.0 build 4142-46

 

1. The Roku is fully functional when utilizing the Emby channel for both video and music.

 

2. When utilized as a DLNA render:

     A. Movies, it lists the library contents and will play the video, but no audio.

     B. Music, it will list the folders, but when the files are in a .wma format, it will not list them and, obviously, not play them.  If the file type is flac or mp3, it will list the folder contents and play them.

 

Sony BDP-S3700

 

1. Movies, it plays both video and audio.

2. Music, it displays the folders and the .wma file content of the folders.  It plays the wma files, but transcodes them to mp3.

 

Sony STR-DA5500ES/5600ES A/V Receivers

 

1. Music, it will list the folders, but not the .wma file contents nor, obviously, play them.  It will not list or play flac files.  It will list and play mp3 files.

2. Movies, it will list the folders, but not their file content.

 

When storage came at a premium, I could understand the desirability to convert music from wma to other formats.  However, that is really not the case any longer.   So why convert?  Another format is not going to yield a better sound quality than the source format and often there is a sacrifice with a conversion.  I'm certain all the Sony DLNA product supports direct play of the .wma format and why I simply transferred my CD library maintaining the wma format.  I see no need for a Sony profile to convert wma to mp3.

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Thanks for the feedback ! I think what's happening with Sony is that our profile for it is designed for older models.

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martincom

There are multiple render profiles for Sony.  I checked the logs, but I couldn't make the determination as to which profile was being utilized with a given render.   Then again, I'm not sure if I'm viewing the correct log file.  What is the path to the log file I should be viewing?

 

The BDP-S3700 is one of those $49.00 Black Friday specials from 2017.  I did find that actual model number identified in a profile xml file.  So it is not that old.

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The server log will indicate what profile was used. You'll see this in the log:

Found matching device profile

Although it will require debug logging enabled.

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  • 9 months later...
martincom

There hasn't been any resolution to the "no playable files" issues with the Sony and Pioneer devices previously identified.  To recap, they identify the Emby server, list all the folders, genres, etc, but do not list the individual files.

 

This occurs with the following devices:

 

Sony STR-DA5500ES/5600ES A/V Receivers (2010) 192.168.0.194 in the attached log

 

Sony BDP-S370 Blu-Ray Player (2010) 192.168.250 in the attached log

 

The files are listed on the Pioneer TV, but grayed out, indicating they are not playable.

 

Pioneer PDP-6020FD Television (2008) 192.168.0.228 in the attached log

 

The Sony BDP-S3700 Blu-ray player still transcodes the wma files to mp3 rather than direct playing them. (Utilizes Sony Blu-ray player 2016 profile)

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martincom

It is the "Roku Media Player" that is included with the Roku.

 

An update to the problems identified in post #12:

 

2. When utilized as a DLNA render:

     A. Movies, it lists the library contents and will play the video, but no audio.

     B. Music, it will list the folders, but when the files are in a .wma format, it will not list them and, obviously, not play them.  If the file type is flac or mp3, it will list the folder contents and play them.

 

When playing movies, it now has both audio and video playback.  So paragraph "A" is no longer an issue.  Paragraph "B" issues are still present.

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Ok so it's related to wma. I vaguely recall something like this coming up before. Does the Roku not support all flavors of wma? Like for example is this lossless wma?

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martincom

Well, Roku does not publish highly detailed specifications.  That being said and at the risk of yet once again learning the definition of "assume"; they do publish specifications for the USB port and it does include .wma.  So, again assuming, if the firmware has the codec for USB, you'd think it would for the other inputs and it does for the Emby channel app, unless it is being transcoded in Emby, as the same selections that do not play on the DLNA function do play from the Emby channel.

 

The same symptoms follow to the Sony devices I noted I'm having issues with.  So I would concur it is .wma related.

 

5e4f1d4fe0ab3_RokuUltraSpecs.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
martincom

I installed Emby 4.4.0.40 today.  The issue with Roku functionality, as a DLNA render, as set forth in post #12 has been resolved.  The issues with the other DLNA renders identified in posts #12 and #16 remains unchanged.  I'm bummed.

Edited by martincom
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I'd have to see if i can get one of these older devices on hand for testing. We're talking about 2010 bluray players and a 2008 tv. That's not as easy to support nowadays. I do have a 2015 or 2016 sony bluray player that I don't see these issues with.

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martincom

What can I say?  I take care of things and they last me along time.  I still have my high school car...and I'm 62.

 

The Sony BDP-S3700 Blu-ray player still transcodes the wma files to mp3, rather than direct playing them. It utilizes the Sony Blu-ray player 2016 profile and that profile lists that specific model number.  I'm wondering if that issue is related to the issue of the older units?

 

I would be agreeable to loaning one of the older Blu-ray players that fails to display or play a wma file, but does an mp3..

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