Premiere device limit exceeded.

[scott46953 11]

On 2/1/2024 at 9:08 PM, Scott D said:

I have been reading this thread for a few days now and finally feel it is time to add my two cents worth.  First, I too have been a Lifetime Premier user since January of 2017.  So I’ve heard this same concern since the implementation of the device limits.  I too purchased a “Lifetime” license.  I do remember in reading the terms of the license, a clause that I will paraphrase, that indicated that the license was for the current version and subsequent updates until such time as a “major” release or change to the software was provided.  So, for the last 7 years of using Emby, I have not been presented with the need to “update my license due to a “major” upgrade.  THANK YOU EMBY STAFF!

When first implemented it took a while for me to wrap my mind around the concept of device limits.  I too had some concerns that it would be restrictive and limiting access by not only myself, but family member as well.    I have a total of 14 family members/users that are fairly active.  The longest time for inactivity by a user has been around 6 days.  Each family member has more than one device that they use for access to my server.  I personally have 3 televisions using apps (Samsung), 3 roku devices, 2 desktop computers, 1 laptop computer and a cell phone.  Emby tells me there are 45 devices that have been used.  And still my license tells me:

  “You have a Lifetime Emby Premiere plan and your device usage is well within your limit.”

Since Emby is designed, marketed, licensed and to be used as a personal server, I find it hard to believe that personal users are exceeding the limitation on devices as is currently implemented.  And yes, I do use the features that would result in a count of a device.  If you are exceeding the limits, I believe the Emby staff has offered to discuss on a per user basis to determine if an alternate solution is available for your particular situation.

So my summary of this entire discussion is; if you are not exceeding the limits, you probably have nothing to be concerned about.  If you are exceeding the limits, reach out to the staff directly.  Or, take a good look at the system you are running and ask yourself if you are living up to your obligation under the license agreement (are you running a pay to play service?). 

I agree that a more precise display of the number of devices would be helpful, but I have not had issue in 7 years of running my server so I really don’t give it much thought.

As I am writing this, I understand that version 4.8 has become available.  With all the discussion about all the added features, I am pleasantly surprised to see that this has been included in my “LIFETIME” license and not considered a “Major” release.  THANK YOU AGAIN EMBY STAFF!!!

You do not know if you family has hit a limit and had to pay, because it never told you. Would you like to call all the members and ask them?  I sure dont... but i will.  The sever just charges family members without warning or even telling the sever owner that a member has made a purchase.   So you in the 7 years, have no idea because you personally never sat down to watch football on a device you dont normally use, when the message comes up and it refuses to play live TV..  I peronsally have anywhere from 3 to 8 or more users watching live tv at any given time.  this also does not include 2-10 recordings at the same time as they are watching other channels.  It all depends on how important the server is to your users.  Mine is very important and I keep backups and hard drive clones at all times.  When i get off work, I like to watch my recorded shows or live tv without having to purchase something I have already purchased for myself.  We all have a connections limit that nobody knows if it is trueful or not.  I see 2 chrome browsers on mine just now and I only have 1 chrome browser installed and have not even hit a play button, just looked at my dashboard.

[Scott D 62]

53 minutes ago, scott46953 said:

You do not know if you family has hit a limit and had to pay, because it never told you. Would you like to call all the members and ask them?  I sure dont... but i will.  The sever just charges family members without warning or even telling the sever owner that a member has made a purchase.   

Since all of my "members" are family, I tend to talk with them either in person or in other ways on a fairly regular basis for other things.  I am quite confident that if they were asked to pay for access, they would be on the phone with me to make sure that the request was valid.

 

56 minutes ago, scott46953 said:

I peronsally have anywhere from 3 to 8 or more users watching live tv at any given time.  this also does not include 2-10 recordings at the same time as they are watching other channels.  

Sounds like one killer personal server that can handle between 5 to 18 streaming sessions.  Internet connection must be rather substantial as well.  I would be interested in knowing what type of hardware you are running because I start pushing the limits of my machine at around 6 to 8 sessions.  Must have quite the collection of TV Tuners as well.

I am impressed.

[scott46953 11]

This is off topic, but I have 1 quad hd home run atsc 2.0 HD and 1 quad hd home run atsc 3.0 UHD.  Then I have 3 paid IPTV providers providing 10,000 channels each, some have unlimited connections, some of 4 or 5 limit, I counted a total of 8 m3u files. A custom made private guide file that I made to automatically line some of the channels up with emby's DTV guide.  It's running on 8 core 16 thread CPU with the Nvidia 3060, using two nvme SSD hard drives, and I'm not on location but I believe five or six external USB hard drives, with my biggest one being a 7tb. All or which are almost full, it's getting time to upgrade soon, I also keep on hand at back up set up with a 2060 Nvidia similar computer, to swap around for emergency. And I plan on upgrading this year to the 4060.  It's all about your settings and how they're set up to handle how many connections you have. I started off running it on an Android quad core Motorola G5 several several years ago.

I'm just starting to wonder when will I be able to encode in HEVC 265 to my devices... I'm already sending it direct, just not when transcoding.  I cant find the on button.  anyway, love the new update, just a few issues,,, cant see when clicking on the convertions video what episode it is working on.  NO progress bar on it.

Also missing % on dashboard screen for the last several updates.  but back on topic

Edited February 5 by scott46953

[OSBuckeyes4Life 7]

Precisely to Scott’s comment, why does it matter what we as consumers build. I have a Dell R720 with 48cores and a crap ton of Memory and over 100TB of storage. 
 

The point is some of us spent a crap on hardware and if I want to share my server with 50 people, Emby has no right to determine who I as a provider to my family and friends can do that with, it’s not a sass solution or a corporation, it’s an application that serves up video. You wanna cap people but sell it as a lifetime subscription that’s fine, but say goodbye to your loyal customers who actually care to make Emby better. You can get my $6.99 for a few months until I have something else. Past that I have no interest in this product. 

[Scott D 62]

On 2/5/2024 at 9:58 AM, OSBuckeyes4Life said:

Precisely to Scott’s comment, why does it matter what we as consumers build. I have a Dell R720 with 48cores and a crap ton of Memory and over 100TB of storage. 

It doesn't matter what "we" have built.  I was simply commenting/admiring the capabilities of Scott's server.  I was curious for potential future upgrades to the equipment I use.

 

On 2/5/2024 at 9:58 AM, OSBuckeyes4Life said:

I have a Dell R720 with 48cores and a crap ton of Memory and over 100TB of storage. 
 

I am sure that you will be able to squeeze a few more users/devices with the knowledge you have which made it possible to squeeze the additional 32 cores out of your R720.

 

On 2/5/2024 at 9:58 AM, OSBuckeyes4Life said:

Emby has no right to determine who I as a provider to my family and friends can do that with, it’s not a sass solution or a corporation, it’s an application that serves up video. 

I haven't read the ToS in a bit, but I do remember it being stated quite clearly that it is a "Personal" Media product.  I am sure that if violations of the ToS are experienced, that Emby would have the right to terminate any paid agreement.  

Yes, it is an application that serves up video.  It is also a marketed as a "Personal" media server.  If they have determined that an arbitrary number of users is an indication that the software is not being used for "Personal" use, they have the right to limit the function, restrict the access or cancel the agreement.  They have made available an "appeals" process by opening lines of communication with them on a per license holder basis.  If your circumstances are such that they deem it an acceptable situation they have the right to make adjustments.

 

On a different subject, but similar situation.  I originally obtained Cox Communications (back when they were the @home network) as an internet provider.  It was an Unlimited service.  It included UseNet, e-mail, etc.  Then suddenly Usenet went away.  Next data caps started to appear.  Certain ports got blocked at the provider level.  Now e-mail is going away.  But I originally signed up for "Unlimited".  My price has never gone down, in fact, it keeps going up.  What right do they have to tell me what I can do with my internet service by blocking ports.  My option, as is yours, is to find another solution.  Good luck with that.

 

[scott46953 11]

To Scott D, CPU cores is only good for none accelerated features in which could max out tons of cores.  Having a good video card that is also tweaked, because if you do not patch the drivers for the video then the manufacturer has a limit of I believe 2-4 streams.  After the tweak patch Nvidia cards become unlimited streams. So having tons of CPU cores means very little to my project.  If someone is illegally using emby or using it to serve illegal videos... I would hope they would cut them off. I have paid servers I get my video from.  But falsely accusing and shutting off may result in losing other customers and others never coming to emby, resulting in freeware jellyfun taking over.  But we don't want or need that, we need to keep and stay focused on Emby and please for any future replys,..

 this topic is for connections limits, let's get back on topic