Nvidia Shield Android TV + KODI + Emby = Best media Center?

[Tranquil 93]

Hello Forum.

 

Nvidia is now selling their new android TV device which supports HEVC 4k Resolutions on HDMI 2.0, which is absolutely a no go atm on a windows machine. (at least with passive cooling and affordable)

I'm thinking of buying a shield device, install KODI on it with the really great Emby-Addon and a modified skin for emby. This is the current setup which is now on my productive windows machine.

 

The only things I don't know, maybe one of you has some ideas:

 

Does nvidia shield supports most common files? or is there transcoding needed on any?

 

Any ideas are welcome!

[reluctantflux 38]

I have the shield tv and that is what I'm doing. I really wanted to use the Emby for android TV app but unfortunately, the native android tv player is not very good. Kodi can play my mkvs with no problem and do limited pass through (no HD audio yet). It can also do frame rate switching, which can't be done with the native player (down to 24hz, not 23.976, but I can live with that). Unfortunately, the 3:2 pulldown on the native player is still too jittery for me, but Kodi does the frame rate switching perfectly.

Biggest issue so far is that I can't get live TV to work within Kodi. Otherwise, I think you'll be very pleased.

Edited June 1, 2015 by reluctantflux

[Macburp 109]

I really wanted to use the Emby for android TV app but unfortunately, the native android tv player is not very good. 

 

What are your issues with the app? It's become my app of choice with my Nexus Player and 50" Phillips TV.

[Tranquil 93]

I think it is maybe the lack of some codecs from the system for the default android media player. Kodi brings it's own codecs and also has some more benefits, as he mentioned, framerate switching.

 

@@reluctantflux

Which DVB Backend have you tried? I'm using DVB Link by DVBlogic and tried it on my Samsung S4 Phone + Kodi and LiveTV works just fine.

[reluctantflux 38]

@@Tranquil,

 

For live tv, I've tried both ServerWMC and the Emby TV plugins for live TV.  With these, starting a channel takes about 10-13 seconds for me.  And there's no way to switch channels while one is running, so it makes channel surfing pretty painful.  This could be an issue with my setup, and I haven't submitted a ticket because I haven't had time, so perhaps this can be improved on my end.  ServerWMC and Emby TV are using my 1st gen HDHomerun prime (the non-H.264 version, which I think is why my channel tuning takes so long).  

As for live tv with Kodi, I'm using ServerWMC, and it can't seem to communicate with the backend, as it tries to connect to it, and then disables the plugin once it can't connect.  This could be a bug with the custom Kodi build, so I have to check their forums to see if anyone else is reporting it.  The build is special to the Shield because it allows the audio passthrough (no hd audio yet) and frame rate switching on the Shield.

 

Special build found here (needs to be sideloaded): http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=228158

 

@@Macburp,

 

There is a LOT I like about the Emby for Android TV app, but my issues are with the native Android TV video player that it uses.  Despite everything I love about the UI, the 3:2 pulldown jitter (and lack of refresh rate switching) really kill the experience for me, but this is because I'm really trying to get this to replace my full blown Windows HTPC with Kodi, so I'm pretty spoiled in that regard.  I've also noticed that with Emby for Android TV, my content is getting transcoded, whereas with Kodi, it does direct play just fine.

 

A few things to note:

-Perhaps there is a way to use an external player instead, but I haven't checked it.  

-The quickest anyone could've gotten the Shield Android TV was Friday, so I wouldn't expect Emby devs to have optimized any sort of profile for it.

-The Emby for Android TV app is still very new, and I'm amazed at how quick the devs have created and improved the app, and I know it will continue, especially with the Shield power horse being so popular.

 

 

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

If it gets native support for addressing the issues described, particularly HD audio or if the Emby android TV app supports external players smoothly and those players address those issues, I'll very likely get one.  Kodi is a non-starter in my house so that's out.

 

It looks like either this or an xbox one app will be what I run in my family room.  Just hope one or the other is SOON.

[reluctantflux 38]

@@Deathsquirrel,

 

Why is Kodi not acceptable?  It's really pretty simple with the Emby for Kodi plugin and Titan skin.

 

ETA: 

Big gripe with the Shield is no Amazon Prime Video, but that's because Amazon is a jerk.  I still have Amazon Prime Video through Playon within Kodi, but I would love the native app (which works and is on Sony TV's with Android TV OS).

 

I recommend everyone with an Android TV device contact and complain to Amazon 

Edited June 1, 2015 by reluctantflux

[Macburp 109]

There is a LOT I like about the Emby for Android TV app, but my issues are with the native Android TV video player that it uses.  Despite everything I love about the UI, the 3:2 pulldown jitter (and lack of refresh rate switching) really kill the experience for me, but this is because I'm really trying to get this to replace my full blown Windows HTPC with Kodi, so I'm pretty spoiled in that regard.  I've also noticed that with Emby for Android TV, my content is getting transcoded, whereas with Kodi, it does direct play just fine.

 

A few things to note:

-Perhaps there is a way to use an external player instead, but I haven't checked it.  

-The quickest anyone could've gotten the Shield Android TV was Friday, so I wouldn't expect Emby devs to have optimized any sort of profile for it.

-The Emby for Android TV app is still very new, and I'm amazed at how quick the devs have created and improved the app, and I know it will continue, especially with the Shield power horse being so popular.

 

 

I'm happy to answer any other questions.

 

Interesting. Previously I was using MBC on an Xbox 360, so I've not encountered the issues you've come across. I also have only a 2:1 soundbase for audio, so I've no real expectations there either - my ears are getting old, so no point in having high expectations

 

I hesitated over the NP, because of the transcoding thing - I want to direct play my content, it's my understanding that an android client would only be able to direct stream at best due to the nature of Android. But I've really found very little problem with PQ. I am noticing blown out highlights with some content, and the NP doesn't cope too well with SD content, but I put this down to wifi. I'm going to try an adapter and wired connection and see if I can improve things.but I've little complaint right now.

 

I've seen people here use MX Player as an external player for the app, this seems to work ok but you're not able to save the played state when using it. I suspect you could not control MX Player with a remote either.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Didn't know there was no amazon instant video app, that's certainly something that needs addressed.  As for Kodi, my loathing for the UI is deep and likely unalterable.

[dark_slayer 103]

I hesitated over the NP, because of the transcoding thing - I want to direct play my content, it's my understanding that an android client would only be able to direct stream at best due to the nature of Android

 

Nah, I've been using an NP for several months now running Kodi, direct playing my entire library over 802.11ac. The caveats are that the NP fails on full bitrate VC1 as well as just about any decent size h265 even with Kodi software decoding. It only has HW decode for h264, but I was able to play my previously recorded comcast/OTA mpeg2 recordings in software without issue. Just no deinterlacing

 

The Shield's X1 is supposed to handle VC1 and MPEG2 with no sweat in software, but I really don't know about the deinterlace part. It also has HW decode for h265 which is nice

[xnappo 1593]

I know there are other advantages to the Shield, but gotta point out my OpenElec NUC was cheaper than this.

[dark_slayer 103]

I know there are other advantages to the Shield, but gotta point out my OpenElec NUC was cheaper than this.

Using bay trail I guess?

 

Yeah the biggest advantage in my mind is that it runs kodi on android with a decent performing soc

 

That leads way to game steam, Netflix, Google casting, and a lot of goodies that can't be put into openelec

 

Gamestream was accepted as a GSOC project, so one day this won't need android but today it's still the way to go

 

The private listening (headphones) through the remote or game controller is sweet. Only roku has had that until now

 

If pure kodi with 23.976, HD audio (multi PCM decoded), and MVC were the most important then the RPi2 has that covered at the lowest price point imaginable