Zappiti 4K HDR + emby

[Johnny40 0]

Hi everyone, this is my first post and would like some guidance please.

Since the loss of the Zappiti server and media interface, I was hoping to run emby or Jellyfin as an alternative. If possible?

For now I've created an account with emby and installed the emby server. Do I also need to install the emby for android tv app? I can access the server interface through the Web browser,  although this isn't ideal and I'm not sure how to add my media files from the internal drive.

It's a great shame not to have the glossy interface anymore and I know there is a paid alternative to download and subscribe but would consider that option as a last resort. 

 

[One2Go 98]

I am running an Emby server on my QNAP NAS and paid for that with a life time license. Have an additional server on my Intel NUC PC which is covered by the license. Since the Devs here have done a marvelous job for decades and actively monitor this forum, I reward them for that with purchasing a license. Now that this is out of the way lets go on to the clients. When the Zappiti software was free I ran it on a Dune device for a few years and it was decent, but when they went to their own hardware and no longer made the software available plus closed down the support forum I left.

The Emby browser client is free and I only use it for maintenance and for the arrangement of my content as well as the library layouts. I run Emby clients on my Windows laptop, my Roku Ultra, my Galaxy tablet and my Google TV device. All of them perform to my satisfaction and the eye candy is excellent. However the best layout for my liking and content detail plus feedback is through the Windows Media Center (WMC) client and the Throgmorton themes. Having said that this is now a dead end as WMC plus the Throgmorton themes are no longer maintained, developed and the latest Emby servers no longer support WMC.

In my personal experience I have found that with my weekly viewing routines the clients that are developed and maintained by Emby are excellent and more then enough because of their pleasing nature. I haven't turned on my Intel NUC and the best eye candy display in over a year. The streaming devices I have plus the provided clients from Emby are excellent in their ease of use, navigation, their organization and display of details. However for these clients you need a license and the Devs absolutely deserve this since this has been their baby for decades ever since I started to support them when Emby was known as Media Browser.

[One2Go 98]

Just read about the Zappiti out of business stories and feel for you and others and their loss. Some spent $4000 on hardware and service in the beginning of 2023 and they now own a boat anchor what an expensive education.

You didn't mention your server hardware nor your playback hardware and your operating systems. If you want more help post your topology as well as your hardware / software setup.

[Johnny40 0]

Thank you for your replies. My hardware is the zappiti one 4k hdr. I don't have a NAS, so looking at an alternative to the zappiti video app for a gallery and metadata experience. The licence route with emby is okay, if indeed it would function on my player? I've installed the emby server on my player but it opens up in the Chrome browser on my zappiti and isn't ideal.

I've read about jellyfin and kodi but as a newbie, I'm not sure if they would work on my zappiti?

Thanks again 

 

[One2Go 98]

Since you will loose the Zappiti provided meta data search and other services they offered, I believe you will have problems to use the device unless you can just use it as the playback device but that would be very difficult as you have no navigation front end. Just Google Zappiti out of business or Zappiti alternative and you will read some sob stories as well as suggestions. My fear is that your Zappiti player can't be used the way you had in the past as no 3rd party software exist for it.

What you need is 1st storage for your media (either external Hard Drives or NAS), 2nd a device that allows the installation of the Emby server old PC or laptop, inexpensive NAS (you find a thread here for that). 3rd you need a WELL supported playback device NVidea Shield, Roku Ultra or wait for the imminent arrival of the new Google TV. You will able to connect all together using an inexpensive 5 or 8 port Giga Byte switch the NAS, the Zappiti player and your preferred playback device are all connected by plugging in the network cables.

Having said that from what I read you will NOT be able to access your meta data on your Zappiti player as there are NO editors for that. My suggestion is get either a NAS stick high capacity hard drives in it for your media, install Emby server on it and connect a Google TV to it. You will be up and running for easy navigation, video walls and other meta data.

If you are more comfortable with windows get an inexpensive Asus small form factor PC with 1TB SSD to replace the NAS and hook external hard drives to it, job done. I tried Kodi but it is not for me, what I really prefer with Emby is the support and help in the user forums.

[Johnny40 0]

Thank you for your replies. My hardware is the zappiti one 4k hdr. I don't have a NAS, so looking at an alternative to the zappiti video app for a gallery and metadata experience. The licence route with emby is okay, if indeed it would function on my player? I've installed the emby server on my player but it opens up in the Chrome browser on my zappiti and isn't ideal.

I've read about jellyfin and kodi but as a newbie, I'm not sure if they would work on my zappiti?

Thanks again 

 

[Johnny40 0]

Just tried to post a reply and for some reason it duplicated my original message??

 

I think my Zappiti is destined to the loft or ebay.

I do have an old Synology DS213 j that ran on the DS video format. From what I remember it wouldn't load up one day, perhaps became corrupted from a power cut or being switched off at the mains.

So, would emby be suitable on this? Is it easy to set up? And would UHD and 5.1 stream okay to tv over the network?

 

Thank you 

[One2Go 98]

Don't know about the DS213 specs but I have a QNAP with an Intel 64 bit CPU which is important in case of transcoding or several users access the NAS. I have two 8TB drives running in Raid 0 which means if 1 craps out buy a new one, insert and let them sync, job done.

The NAS with an Emby server does all what you were asking with ease. Installation is simple since the Devs provide the install package and the NAS admin pages allow for manual installation of the package couldn't be easier.