Trying to leave Plex (lifetime plexpass) for Emby: Questions xD

[rcocchiararo 1]

Hi there

 

After i learned of emby's existance AND that it supported quicksync, i decided to give it a try @ home.

 

I had an old pc with sickrage + couchpotato + deluge for GETTING my media.

Then my MAIN pc (intel 7, 18gb ram, ssd for system, 1 tb + 1tb +2tb disks (mostly unused)) for my gaming needs, that also had sickrage, and auto copied with it the media downloaded on the other one. Here i also have plex (transcoding needs power).

Then, i have a semi old PC wall mounted behind my main TV, and a chromecast hooked up to my bedroom tv (the chromecast is the devil that makes me need tons of horsepower with plex). Recently learnt about plex "optimize media" and gave it a try. It is cool for chromecast, but it requieres more storage space.

 

I finally received my gigabyte mini pc (it has a celeron dual core with quicksync), added a 500gb main drive, 4gb of RAM, and two 1tb (one for backup in windows 10) drivers via USB 3 (i moved my stuff from the 1tb drives to the 2tb one in my computer).

 

This computer, if all goes well, should allow me to replace the old downloader + main tv pc + remove every server duty from my MAIN pc, so that i save a lot of electricity XD.

 

Now, i installed sickrage + couchpotato + deluge + emby there, and all seems fine, on the server front (i did have some issues with metadata language, i hate spanish movie names, but i kinda need spanish translated info for my wife, but i can't seem to get that). I tried my chromecast, and, or all the media i tried was compatible, or transcoding with quicksync really uses almos no cpu

 

Now, i used to play my media with "plex for home theater" in both my TV pc and main PC, until just recently, when plexpass users got "plex media player", which i REALLY like a lot.

 

Since i wont be paying for emby premier until i am sure i can totaly replace plex, i can't test emby theater (new version), cause there is no demo for it. The windows 10 paid apps (store) have trials, but if they are like the plex version on the store, they requiere transcoding for every playback, so i left them alone (they are not FROM emby either).

 

I am trying kodi with the emby plugin, bu it puts all my anime and series on the same "place", and the same happens for "movies" and "anime/animated movies".

 

I have not found a cool skin either (trying titan with windows 10 layout now).

 

Any recomendation for windows client? The web browser client looks fine, dunno if it plays fine tho (transcoding?), and my server + tv pc has only internet explorer (decided to leave anything unneded out of it).

 

I saw something about "emby classic" and using external players, but unsure what that is or how to use it.

 

Oh, before i forget, starting on my tv and going to bed and resuming is important, and also, i use Trakt.tv. It is important that it is informed of what i play (i installed a plugin and synced viewed status from trakt, pero am unsure if i have scrobbling, do i?).

 

I might have more questions that i am missing now

 

[yardameus 220]

Emby classic is for Windows Media Center.  It uses WMC, so it's not a standalone.  For Kodi, I like Aeon Nox Silvo or Amber for skins.  Maybe you could do a feature request in the Kodi section to see if it's possible to allow more home entries than TV, Movies and Music.  I'm not sure if that's the nature of the addon, or if they have just kept it simple for now.  Emby Theater is nice, but it still needs a fair amount of work before it can be an every day app.  (I have a lot of hope for it when it is ready, though).

[rcocchiararo 1]

It might be a kodi and not the emby plugin too.

[Luke 37069]

Hi, for some of your other questions, Emby Theater does not have a trial function(yet), but you can download the app, browse around, and play content for 1 minute. It's on our to do list to add the 14-day trial that some of the other features have.

 

Also the web client with Chrome is quite robust and requires very little video transcoding.

[rcocchiararo 1]

Hi, for some of your other questions, Emby Theater does not have a trial function(yet), but you can download the app, browse around, and play content for 1 minute. It's on our to do list to add the 14-day trial that some of the other features have.

 

Also the web client with Chrome is quite robust and requires very little video transcoding.

 

Whew can i download it? i am almost sure i tried, and it told me i had to have emby premium (i either downloaded it and it said that, or i could not download it).

 

Will try again now.

 

PS: no discounts on lifetime for plex lifetime owners ? (i did get that before the price rise XD)

[Luke 37069]

Hi, try here:

 

http://emby.media/emby-theater.html

[rcocchiararo 1]

No idea what had happened, but i can install it now... must have been that i was really tired yesterday arround 3 am

[Angelblue05 4130]

With kodi, you need to create your own home shortcuts. Default Kodi behavior is what you see, where everything is grouped into one place. The add-on provides the proper shortcuts, however you need to create a link to them on your homescreen, to replace the default Kodi shortcuts with. You'll then get the same separation as in the web client. (In Kodi, You can find the emby shortcuts via videos or by launching the emby add-on)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited February 28, 2016 by Angelblue05

[rcocchiararo 1]

I noticed that some skins allow me to hide the original links, and others dont, will see that combined with your sugestion.

 

ps: just got issues playing a hevc x265 or something like that with cody in the mini pc (vlc does it, using a lot of cpu too, but better results).

Transcoding that was also heavy for it, it took ffmpg 90% cpu.

[yardameus 220]

With kodi, you need to create your own home shortcuts. Default Kodi behavior is what you see, where everything is grouped into one place. The add-on provides the proper shortcuts, however you need to create a link to them on your homescreen, to replace the default Kodi shortcuts with. You'll then get the same separation as in the web client. (In Kodi, You can find the emby shortcuts via videos or by launching the emby add-on)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So if you are doing this, I know Titan , Aeon Nox, Amber (pretty sure) and many others will work.  I'm fairly certain you just edit the home menu in the skin settings.

[rcocchiararo 1]

Went back and took the plex optimized version of the media that was kinda troublesome and it flies on emby.

 

I was looking and did not find something similar, but i remember a guy in plex forums telling me that he was using quicksync to pre-transcode (ok, convert) media to a compatible format in emby, similar to plex optimize media.

 

Is there such an option? (that would drag me back to more storage used, but might be helpfull from time to time)

[iv-tecman 2]

I have been a long time loyal plex user, until I got a chromecast, and this simple and cheap device that works wonders for everything including if supported 5.1 audio - apart from Plex. I tried everything to get plex to pass through AC3 or DTS via transcoding to my AMP - messed about with plex chromecast.xml, transcoding settings, I tried ALL types of AC3, DTS, DTS-HD, 5.1, dolby digital, none would make my amp show the DD signal, yet google movies, netflix etc all would. Only thing plex had going for it via chromecast is that is rock solid reliable in getting a cast display. Can't say the same for its stuttering unless you transcode at 8mbps - nice considering my home LAN, NAS and server should be hitting way more then this.. 

 

So, I tried Emby - and for Android chromecasting - the only issue I've had is dreadfully slow chromecast discovery or the app disconnects - movie keeps playing mind. Everything I've thrown at my chromecast from Emby has played at upto 30mbps with full AC3 5.1 audio and not a single stutter.

 

so, when Emby devs finally gets Chromecast discovery and disconnects shorted - shut up and take my money as I'd be happy to play a fee to have it, yet chromecasting is free anyhow. 

 

Emby just seems so much more robust in transcoding. Its a shame Emby is a smaller player when up against Plex - plex is just so well established now, and yet Plex don't seem to fixing its well known issues. No Intel Quck sync, Chromecast AC3 pass-through, no auto boxset collection creation, no skinning as such - Plex is showing its closed source approach. Nothing gets sorted that is more important. Plex is good, but its got issues so for now its nice to have a second system that can overcome these issues.

 

for now, I run both Emby and Plex

 

Family use Plex - as its so easy and reliable to use. 

 

I use Emby as I enjoy the better chromecast transcoding and audio support, and I also like Emby's boxset collection creation. Wow, that is such a big feature over Plex IMO

[rcocchiararo 1]

I got a few kodi skins well configured now.

 

thx for that tip.

 

As for the android app, i went to see an episode, and while arround the middle, i had to stop... which was imposible. Controls were there, but did nothing, no closing/reconecting/whatever worked with my chromecast.

[Luke 37069]

If you mean the mobile app you just close video using the device back button

[thefirstofthe300 291]

If you mean the mobile app you just close video using the device back button

 

I think he is having issues with the Chromecast remote disconnecting based on 

 

Controls were there, but did nothing, no closing/reconecting/whatever worked with my chromecast.

[Angelblue05 4130]

I noticed that some skins allow me to hide the original links, and others dont, will see that combined with your sugestion.

 

ps: just got issues playing a hevc x265 or something like that with cody in the mini pc (vlc does it, using a lot of cpu too, but better results).

Transcoding that was also heavy for it, it took ffmpg 90% cpu.

In Kodi, there's an option to force transcode the h265/hevc format in the emby add-on settings > playback tab. Is this what you tried?

[rcocchiararo 1]

If you mean the mobile app you just close video using the device back button

 

As the firstofthe300 said, my issue was remoting chromecast from the android app. After 30 minutes i had to pause, and nothing happened, and i noticed that the progress bar in the app was not moving either. Only thing i could do, was cut the power to the TV

 

I think he is having issues with the Chromecast remote disconnecting based on 

 

In Kodi, there's an option to force transcode the h265/hevc format in the emby add-on settings > playback tab. Is this what you tried?

 

Kodi played the file slightly slower than needed, or with minimal stuter. Kodi used 100% cu while doing that.

Then, i used VLC, and it played, with high cpu load, but ok.

THEN, i remembered i had in my main pc a converted (plex optimized) version. Than one ran with almost no cpu use.

 

If i find the kodi setting and force transcoding of h265/hevc, will that be handled by emby and quicksync?

Also, i tried watching that from the chromecast, and it was indeed transcoded, but i noticed high cpu use (still, it was played with no stuter, but quality was not THAT good).

 

Maybe i should find some tool that converts my media after sickrage proceses it? 

 

Sidenote: I later tried watching another video from my main pc, using kodi. I was told it could not be direct played, and TRANSCODED from kodi (????). It was an mkv, with mpeg-4 AVC codec. Is that normal?

[iv-tecman 2]

If chromecast control stops then what I do is just using the Android google chromecast app to stop ALL casting, reboot my phone and all is good again.

 

Seems to even pick up (resume) from where I stopped casting as well. Its a problem yes, but its not a showstopper. Ways around these issues, its when there is no workaround I get annoyed. Plex for example there is no workaround for stuttering at good bitrate or lack of 5.1 audio whilst casting. so in my mind this makes Emby better for casting then plex - even though its not rock solid connection.

[rcocchiararo 1]

I could not stop casting, control was severed from the app

 

The only way to get good performance on plex, at least in my case, was to "optimize" media

 

I don't have the audio issue, cause the chromecast is plugged to a tv with obly 2.0 audio.

 

I do have an issue with my main tv, that has an old HT with 5.1 that supports only dolby digital, and has only HDMI out and SPDIF in (the hdmi supports getting audio from it, but the tv does not have the feature, forgot it's name).

 

I used to have spdif directly from the pc to the HT, but now the mini pc has only HDMI, and the tv connects to the HT, with the optical cable, but i can't get AC3 5.1 cause the passthrough is not working (it works with a PS3 a friend brought once).

 

It is a known issue with no fix (and not related to plex or emby)

[iv-tecman 2]

Yeah agreed but I'm not optimizing all my media - and creating more disk usage just to get the file to cast fine when another app does the job without any need to reduce file sizes or bitrate. I also don't like how there are endless questions on Plex support forum on AC3 or better audio pass through to chromecast via an AMP only spitting out 2 ch and sub, when it should provide 5.1 or better, clearly an issue with the Plex system as Emby worked flawlessly with AC3 pass through on my setup. My setup is not complicated. Its a 4K 55" Sony TV using a ONYKO HDMI 5.1 /DTS amp - everything else works with Dolby digital , DTS , DTS True HD etc, I have a 4K blu ray player connected to the same AMP and its playing audio fine, chromecast plays 5.1 from netflix and Google movies, so why not from plex? Emby worked fine.

 

So, adding another layer of work to a media server to optimize when in fact the file will play but the audio is not correct, then sadly time to look for alternatives. Emby did the job.  

 

It is a shame, I used plex for some time until I got a chromecast. Then I noticed the issues. Idea behind the chromecast was to make it easy for the family to use a single device to control youtube, google movies, catchup TV services etc in our household. We are a digital /Streaming only household, cut the cord years ago. So always looking for simple ways to stream media, chromecast is the answer. 

[Luke 37069]

To create optimized versions of your media you might be interested in the folder sync plugin:

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Wiki/wiki/Folder%20Sync

[rcocchiararo 1]

oh, i tried that, just remembered that i can't sync cause i am not premiere XD (at least not yet).

And the trial period expired, since i installed emby and created my user on my main pc, and did nothing with it, and now i started using it on the mini one XD

[rcocchiararo 1]

Further testing, further issues

 

Transcoding seems fine, no need to get optimized versions (that particular troublesome episode must have been a rare case).

 

Now... Yesterday i had issues with the android app controlling the chromecast (again), and issues with subtitles (on a transcoded episode).

 

1) App: I start playing, and after a while i try to control it again, and nothing works. Sometimes by clicking the Emby notification it refreshes and works again, sometimes, it does not. (my phone is a nexus 6p with stock android 6.0.1).

 

2) Subtitles (while transcoding): i Have an episode that was H265, so it needed transcoding. Transcoding went smoothly. Subtitles (external to the file) were shown, but with a blackbox behind them. Why the black box? Also, there were other subtitles in english behind them (i have set emby to download spanish and english subs, when i am alone, i use the english ones). Also, sickrage downloads spanish subs, just to be safe. When i watched an episode that did not need transcoding, i had a similar issue, but i disabled subs, then enabled the ones i wanted, and all was fine. Black box was there tho.

 

Is there a setting somewhere for removing that black box? Subtitles size?

 

ps: is it ok that subtitles or language, if i want spanish, is only available for "spanish/castillian" ? I mean, that is from spain, and it is ugly for People form center/south america.

[Luke 37069]

the black box is just the chromecast's default presentation style for subtitles. we haven't yet added settings to customize it.

[rcocchiararo 1]

Mmm, then, i am confused as to why the english subtitles were displayed without that, and the spanish (.srt ones i had downloaded manually) was displayed OVER the other ones.

 

unless the transcoding burned them or something.

 

will check the original file toda, from pc.