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Recommended TV for best native Emby Client


EmbyKiwi

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EmbyKiwi

Hi Folks

I currently have a cheap TCL TV with Android TV. This has allowed me to download Emby and run it natively quite happily. I quite like the interface  of Android TV and it supports a number of other apps I want to run. I also use a 'Google Chromecast with Google TV' on my other 'dumb' TV and that gives the wife an identical interface for both. All good! 🙂

However... the TCL does suffer from the world's slowest start-up and has some 'special' flaky behaviour that I won't go into here.  As a result, I have been considering upgrading to a new smart TV but the ease of use / availability of the Emby client is pretty high on the purchase decision list. Emby is probably 80-90% of our viewing and I much prefer it being native to coming from an external device.

I have a mate with a recent Samsung which is very nice. We did have to USB load his Emby client  but that was OK. However... I have read with interest the recent issues with the Samsung app store and 30 day re-installs which is less exciting. He also had issues with skipping forwards and backwards in Live TV in Emby that some searching showed was a known issue and apparently a limitation in the Samsung somewhere.

The LG app store and ability to provide updates appears to have been the source of much angst for both the Emby devs and LG TV owners which  is rather off putting.

From what I can see, that only leaves other TVs running Android TV as options , unless I've missed something on the Emby site? 

So.. What would other Emby users recommend as the best TV that can run the Emby client without an external device? I'm not worried about Atmos support or HDR999+++ or anything too clever. I just want a decent TV with a good picture and ability to send sound out to an AMP via an ARC HDMI (ie most modern TVs) with easy access/updates for the native Emby client. It would also be good if it didn't take ages to start up! 🙂 

Perhaps the devs might also have thoughts on which platform is the easiest for them to deal with and therefore most likely to continue to be supported going forwards?

I am based in NZ so some models do differ but I suspect the general issues will be pretty similar worldwide.

Any comments/suggestions gratefully received! 

Cheers

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GrimReaper

Hey up, 

Similar relatively recent topic, might wanna take a look:

 

Edit: And IIRC @PenkethBoy was more than pleased with the AndroidTV app performance on his new Sony. 

Edited by GrimReaper
Memory ain't what it used to be
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arrbee99

I was going to suggest Sony, but then I still have a Shield plugged in, so...

But we have a 2018 which is good, so I still think they're pretty decent. Maybe have a look round the shops and see if you can actually time it starting up. Probably depends how far up the Sony food chain you can stretch though.

Wasn't there something about Dolby Vision  / profiles and Sony TVs ?

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EmbyKiwi
3 minutes ago, arrbee99 said:

I was going to suggest Sony, but then I still have a Shield plugged in, so...

Thanks @arrbee99

Out of interest, if the Sony support Emby natively through Android TV then what extras do you get with the Shield? Is it just performance of the interface or are there extra functionalities?

Cheers

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arrbee99

Hmm. Its a bit lost in the mists of time really. From what I remember Emby was quite a bit faster on the Shield, from the point of view of just scrolling through movies and TV series. That was two or three years ago though and I haven't compared recently. I might have been intending to move the region of the Shield to the UK at some point so I could load UK apps, like iPlayer or the ITV app, but I never did.

Obviously Sony and everybody else has moved on a fair bit even from 2018 when we got our TV.

Shield might also be better when it comes to playing more audio formats and maybe better upscaling, but I'm not really qualified to say - I'm not a connoisseur, I just turn it on and watch stuff.

Sorry its all so vague.

You'll probably get actual useful info when the other half of the planet wakes up 😀

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EmbyKiwi

All good! 🙂 

I have heard/read very good things about the Shield and it appears to be the premiere streaming device out there. I just prefer less clutter if possible and, like you, my requirements aren't that technical! 🙂

 

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Deathsquirrel
3 hours ago, EmbyKiwi said:

All good! 🙂 

I have heard/read very good things about the Shield and it appears to be the premiere streaming device out there. I just prefer less clutter if possible and, like you, my requirements aren't that technical! 🙂

 

The shield is so small you can velcro tape it to the back of your TV even mounted on the wall.  Works fine.

I can't recommend a smart TV for playback.  Even if it does a decent job today, TV makers don't generally put out system updates at a decent pace, for very long, or often at all.

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PenkethBoy

Sony 2020+ TV's dont need a shield - just as good as a shield - speed quality etc - which i have but have not used for over a year since getting the TV

Any updates are still coming through - usually two+ years of updates from sony - others maybe better or worse - dont know

when the updates stop in a year or two can get a new shield then if needed

I did get a high end TV though so cheaper options may not be as good - check the cpu spec and see if its any good and fast enough to be future proof

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andyxoxo

Just got a sony x85j (2021 model) & emby works great on it (fast) so have stopped using my 4k firestick... they come in many screen size options

Edited by andyxoxo
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7 hours ago, PenkethBoy said:

Sony 2020+ TV's dont need a shield - just as good as a shield

Do they bitstream the HD audio codecs now?

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pwhodges

I'm curious why no one's mentioned a Roku TV (e.g. Highsense or TCL).

Not least because I was thinking of buying one tomorrow...

Paul

Edited by pwhodges
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EmbyKiwi

Good to hear that some of the manufacturers are catching up a bit to devices like the Shield! 🙂

From this and the referred link above it seems as though the Philips and Sony Android TVs are reasonable options.  We don't seem to get the Roku TVs in our market. All the TCLs here are like mine and Android TV or Google TV.

Just for interest I timed my current TVs start-up yesterday.  From Pressing the power button on the remote to the television show first appearing was 1 minute 45 seconds! I'm sure a Sony or similar will be an improvement on that! 🙂

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

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andyxoxo
12 hours ago, ebr said:

Do they bitstream the HD audio codecs now?

I don't know what you mean... if you clarify your question I can do some testing for you...

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GrimReaper
9 hours ago, andyxoxo said:

I don't know what you mean...

Is HD audio passed-through from TV to receiver/soundbar/other? 

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FrostByte

The native TV apps will support less codecs than an external box, but some TVs are worse than others.  For instance, both LG and Samsung have now dropped DTS so that will require conversion if you bought either of those.  

If codec support matters to you it may be a good idea to download the user's manual and compare.  

 

Edited by FrostByte
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clarkss12

Don't know about Sony, but the newer Vizio TVs DO support the HD audio codec passthrough.  I have the Vizio P65Q9-H1, unfortunately, it is NOT an Android TV, but it does passthrough all the HD audio codecs.  I would think this would be an industry standard by now.

For years I have always connected my devices to my AVR, then AVR to TV, but now I go to the TV and then to the AVR for audio.  There is still controversy about which method is better.

As EmbyKiwi says, the newer TVs are catching up to the external media players.

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crusher11
22 hours ago, pwhodges said:

I'm curious why no one's mentioned a Roku TV (e.g. Highsense or TCL).

Not least because I was thinking of buying one tomorrow...

Paul

OP literally started this thread because they have a TCL and it's terrible.

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54 minutes ago, clarkss12 said:

Don't know about Sony, but the newer Vizio TVs DO support the HD audio codec passthrough.  I have the Vizio P65Q9-H1, unfortunately, it is NOT an Android TV, but it does passthrough all the HD audio codecs.

We're talking about from the built-in smart OS apps on the TV itself - not passing through on E-ARC.

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pwhodges
19 minutes ago, crusher11 said:

OP literally started this thread because they have a TCL and it's terrible.

They have a TCL Android.  How does that prevent discussion of a (non-TCL, even) Roku device?

Paul

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FrostByte

Ya, TCL has some more expensive models out now which all run the newer Android and soon they will have an OZ zero for about $10K US if your budget can handle that.  I wouldn't discount them just because the OP bought a cheap model before.  

Edited by FrostByte
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Deathsquirrel
23 hours ago, pwhodges said:

I'm curious why no one's mentioned a Roku TV (e.g. Highsense or TCL).

Not least because I was thinking of buying one tomorrow...

Paul

I just got a 6 series roku tv last week for my exercise space.  It's OK.  The UI in apps is sluggish compared to a shield and the apps I've used are a bit buggy with issues like cursors not moving visually to the new selected item when I hit a button, though the correct item is actually selected.  It would be unusable if I turned off sounds for button presses.  Nice screen.  Somewhat shitty smart tv hardware.

Edited by Deathsquirrel
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Ronstang

If you are budget conscious then why not get another TCL.....but actually BETTER.  The new Amazon Fire TVs are built around TCL innards but have the Fire TV OS installed.  I just bought two to replace dying TVs, one Sony and one Samsung.  The new Amazon Fire TVs boot immediately and if you have or are familiar with the Firestick OS then these TVs are exactly the same with some enhancements because they are actually TVs.  The nice thing about these TVs is if you like, want, or need a Firestick then you automatically save $25-55 right off the top since they have the latest Fire OS already installed with more storage space than a Firestick.

The picture quality is damn nice for a cheap TV.  They are on sale right now on Amazon.  Not sure about UK pricing but here in the US I paid $329 for a 50 inch and $379 for a 55 inch on Wednesday.  

These TVs are different than your TCL because with the Amazon Fire OS they are lightning fast.  Apps load fast and emby itself plays perfectly.  I have standardized on the Fire OS in my house, with all 6 TVs having a Firestick 4K or built in Fire OS.  I realize that if you don't have Emby Premier you have to buy the Firestick app but it's like a $6 one time purchase that is lifetime and the Fire OS plays just about any file natively so no transcoding is necessary.....which is why I have standardized on them and the fact I have 6 TVs in the house....more when I build the addition.

 

Edited by Ronstang
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EmbyKiwi

@Ronstang I hadn't realised that any TVs even included the Fire OS.! 🙂 Sounds like quite an interesting option and not requiring transcoding is certainly a nice feature. I'm not sure I've ever seen one in NZ but worth a look. I do have Emby Premier but not too worried about the $6 either way! 

If you have 6 TVs and growing then perhaps there is another 'conversation' you should be having with someone! 🙂 

Cheers

 

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