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How does Live TV work in Emby?


cw-kid

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cw-kid

Hi

 

Thinking about starting to use Emby Server. How does the Live TV side of things work? Do you need Windows Media Center? 

 

I am currently using Kodi and DVBLink on the back-end. (DVB-T2 UK Freeview).

 

Thanks

Edited by cw-kid
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Spaceboy

hey c-w kid, recognise your username from tgb.

 

live tv in emby is still alpha / beta imo. it doesn't work consistently for me. i also use dvblink, used to supply wmc with that but i then moved to using dvblink -> wmc -> serverwmc -> emby but that is too many moving parts. i had some problems with wmc and serverwmc so i wanted to eliminate that. as dev created a plugin for dvblink which works fine in the web vrowser but when combined with emby theatre, (the main emby windows client) it doesn't work consistently. recordings don't appear, streams don't start. emby theatre is also very much still a beta.

 

personally if you want stability or waf i would say emby is not ready yet for live tv.

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cw-kid

Hi Spaceboy

 

Thanks for the reply. I've been very happy with Kodi and DVBLink for some years now, since I ditched Windows Media Center all together. 

I also used my Sky TV box for recording and generally just viewed Live TV in Kodi when not using Sky etc. I've now switched to BT and  have a YouView+ box which is not too bad.

 

I am thinking of using Emby Server now mainly for my brother who keeps asking when he can access my media collection from his house, the other option for this is Plex server, which I haven't ruled out as yet.

 

As I never really wanted to view my own content away from my house, I've never bothered looking in to it and just used Kodi (OpenElec) on the HTPCs on the LAN. 

 

So if there is a DVBLink plug-in for Emby, it sounds like I should stick with DVBLink. I can then still view Live TV in Kodi as I do currently and as a bonus I would then also have access to Live TV via the Emby web GUI, which I think would suit our needs.

 

I wouldn't be using the Emby Windows stand alone application as I will be sticking with Kodi for the front-end on the Linux OpenELec HTPCs. 

 

I am still trying to get my head around how to integrate Kodi (MySQL) with Emby server here.

 

Cheers

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cw-kid

Emby does music doesn't it? As well as meta-data / artwork for Movies and TV Shows. 

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cw-kid

And I am in the process of un-installing MyMovies.dk today from the WHS server, and removing all its legacy meta-data files, don't tell Binnerup! Not sure what they will do moving forward if MCE is not in Windows 10. 

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Vicpa

Hi Ian

 

Emby does music and has a variety of meta data options. Give the Win 8 client a whirl. It is the most complete windows client in my opinion, Movies, TV and the best music support. Live TV works pretty well, but currently hasn't implemented guide info yet. The client plays most things either direct play (stream) or stream copy. If you are using win 10 it will direct play mkv's and flac as well with a couple tweaks to it's profile file.  

 

Cheers

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cw-kid

Hi Vicpa

 

Its Stuart actually Ian is the other guy from The Digital Lifestyle site.

 

Yeah I think I am certainly going to install Emby soon. But at the moment I am really confused about the Kodi stuff. Seems there are different ways to integrate Kodi with Emby?

 

Looks like there was / is a Kodi Video add-on to browse your media collection that's in Emby. And there looks to be some Kodi skins which are for Emby but use the native Kodi Library / database. Like 1080XF MB3 Mod here.

 

Once I figure out what I am doing on the Kodi / Emby integration side of things? I can proceed. 

 

My brother has a Playstation 3 will he be able to access my media collection remotely from his house? Otherwise he will have to use his Windows 8.1 laptop and hook that up to his TV or buy some other box like a Roko or Amazon Fire TV. 

 

Or can the remote access stuff only be done via the Emby web GUI / browser?

 

Cheers

Edited by cw-kid
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Vicpa

Sorry Stuart :) !

My apologies ...

 

There are folks here that can help out with the Kodi/Emby questions. I am not one of them though. I made the move from media centre  / mymovies  to Emby never used Kodi. There is PlayStation 3 DLNA support in the server. I can't speak to how well it works. Win 8 via hdmi or miracast to the tv should work as well. There is a roku and brand new fire tv client also.

 

Lot's of choices.

 

My apologies again.   

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cw-kid

No worries!

 

Mainly wanting Emby for the brother and parents to have remote access. Probably time I got with the program and installed it LoL. 

 

Been in LAN world with dedicated Kodi HTPCs. 

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mediacowboy

@@cw-kid, I have a similar setup. I use it mostly for around the house but I do stream to Roku's and iOS devices outside the house. I am happy with my setup. One thing to consider which I haven't seen said is your upload bandwidth. Also Live TV is still new to the whole Emby server and things are still trickling out to the clients. There is no TV guide for the Roku or Fire TV but they are working on it. I would say install the server and give it a go.

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cw-kid

I have BT Fibre Option 1 currently, upload speed is 9.5 mbps.

 

From the sounds of it here, I need to do away with the centralised MySQL database for the Kodi PCs and just let each Kodi PC use its own local SQLite database instead.

 

Then with the Emby add-on for Kodi, each Kodi PC will still be in sync with each other, with regards to watch status and resume points? And Kodi will then be relying on the Emby Server for this functionality and not MySQL.

 

I was even told I could have a Kodi PC at a remote location, which would be excellent for my Brother, as I could install Kodi on his PC there. 

Edited by cw-kid
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cw-kid

MyMovies.dk is no more, end of an era, I just uninstalled it from the WHS 2011 box!

 

Next I need to run a video library export from Kodi to separate files, to create all the .nfo meta-data files that Emby will read upon its first scan. 

 

May need to run a music library export as well from Kodi? Might do that to be on the safe side. 

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Latchmor

 ...YouView+ box which is not too bad.

 

Hi cw-kid, I was looking at one of these. So it does it's job well then?  Also, I presume you still can't get the recordings 'out' of the YouView box to watch elsewhere?

 

I see you're getting plenty help elsewhere which is good, not a kodi user myself.

 

Cheers

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cw-kid

Yeah its not bad, better than the Virgin Tivo box I think. I have the latest version which is a Humax DTR-T2100

 

I was on Sky for 12 months as they had a good deal but then it was like 85 quid a month so I cancelled it and got BT again. There are two main things I don't like about the Youview box, there is no previous channel button. And it outputs 4:3 programs incorrectly / funky.

 

For example for an old TV show that is being broadcast in 4:3 aspect ratio you have the big black bars on the left and right hand side as you'd expect. However if I toggle through the various aspect ratios on my 42" LG LED HDTV, I cannot make it go stretched to 16:9 wide screen. 

 

The reason for this seems to be that the Youview box is not outputting 4:3 correctly, because when I press info on the TV set the TV thinks it getting 16:9 already. Maybe also to do with my Denon AVR as the Youview box goes through that as well. Pretty sure if I connect the Youview box directly to the TV via HDMI it does the same thing you cannot make it go proper 16:9 wide screen.

 

I contacted Youview to tell them their box wasn't outputting 4:3 correctly, but their only response was its down to the broadcast channels and to contact them which was a cop out. Its the Youview box that is at fault for sure.

 

Other than that its a great little box and it is little as well, really small and fanless. The GUI is actually very nice the best I've seen on a Set top box and being a HTPC user I am always a snob and turn my nose up at STB GUI's. 

 

The Catch Up / on demand apps are good as well and you can have Now TV, Sky Store and BT Player for on demand rentals if you are that way inclined. I got two BT Sports channels for free and for an extra fiver a month I have an extra 20 premium channels, which come through the Internet, so you need a LAN cable for it. Mainly the documentary channels I want and watch. Too many channels on Sky! On the YouView box you can hide channels you are not subscribed too as well, which you can't do on Sky or Virgin I don't think. 

 

The mobile app is a bit lacking you can only look at the EPG and select to record things, you cant for example select a channel and tell it to play on the STB. 

 

I've not tried or looked into getting the recordings off the box, and I also need to look in to an RF modulator for the SCART socket, to send the picture upstairs to the bedrooms, like I could with the Sky box and the Triax magic eyes, but not that important as I have Kodi HTPC in every room. 

 

Overall if you are looking for a Freeview DVB-T2 (HD) recorder I'd get one, my brother is getting one off eBay as well as he is sick of Virgin. 

 

Only issue I have is I think my aerial on the roof has moved and dropped down a bit as I am not getting as good signals as I was before, so need to send someone up there as I am scared of heights. Didn't notice this whilst as I was on Sky obviously as I was using the Dish. 

Edited by cw-kid
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Latchmor

Wow, great answer! Didn't expect that much detail. Don't want to derail the thread so I'll let you get back to Emby Tv ;-)

Cheers

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cw-kid

Wow, great answer! Didn't expect that much detail. Don't want to derail the thread so I'll let you get back to Emby Tv ;-)

Cheers

 

Don't worry!

 

I've got bigger problems now I just smashed the glass door on the front of our oven, I dropped a pan, the wife ain't happy so I'm in the dog house now!  :(

 

Think I can fix it but the thin stainless steel pieces on the front are never gonna look as good again. 

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Latchmor

Lol, use your old Sky box to cover the hole you've made, done!

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cw-kid

It would nearly fit as well! Total nightmare that was, tiny glass pieces everywhere. Just  hope I can buy replacement spares.  :wacko:

 

I'd recommend that particular Youview+ box, think they were about 70-80 quid on eBay for New Buy it now.

 

Right I'm off to the shop for some beer LOL. 

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cw-kid

Just installed the Dvblink plug-in for Emby. I can't seem to play live channels just says cannot stream channel. I'm running an older version of dvblink so might be an issue?

 

Tried to play the channels using Emby web GUI in Chrome and in the Emby Android app on my tablet.

 

Everything else seems to work however, can view the epg and channels list and play my recordings etc.

 

Also just tried the DVBLogic Dvblink Android app and that still works can play channels in there OK.

Edited by cw-kid
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cw-kid

In the Emby dashboard under live tv, there is a section called Tuners I can't see anything listed beneath this, should there be?

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Spaceboy

No, according to the developer dvblink doesn't make that information available to clients

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cw-kid

I've got the Emby DVBLink Live TV working see here, however there is a problem with it not releasing the tuners when you quit playing a channel. 

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