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New user observations


clarkss12

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clarkss12

I am a fairly new user of Emby and competitor Plex.  Been using Kodi a long time to stream my media to my different TV's using different client devices.  Purchased a new Samsung smart TV a couple of months ago.  Noticed there were native apps for Emby and Plex, but not Kodi, hence my quest for a device that can be used as a server for Emby and Plex.

 

Since I have multiple inexpensive and low powered devices, I thought I would start with those to use as a server.  My main computer is 7 or 8 year old desktop that I built at the time using state of the art parts. 

 

First, I used my main computer as a control server to compare my other devices to.  Unfortunately, the years have made it a sub par device to use as a server, because it does not have enough power to do any significant transcoding. 

 

Next I decided to trying running Linux on my existing hardware.  I installed Ubuntu Linux on my Pine64 board (Allwinner 64 SoC), and then installed Emby and Plex.  The results were mixed, but did work for the most part that did not require any transcoding.

 

Next, I installed Linux on one of my Amlogic S905 boxes.  The results from that trial was dismal, not because of the power of the SoC, but because the Linux port was bad.  It would constantly freeze.

 

Next, I dug out of retirement, my older Beelink R89 with a Rockchip RK3288 SoC.  I installed Linux, then Emby and Plex servers.  The results are much  better than expected.  It obviously does not have enough power to transcode on the fly, but can pass-through very well.

 

Results as of today, the Plex server plays most of my media flawlessly, where as the Emby server has significant buffering. 

 

To test, I picked a video (no particular reason) to play using both Plex and Emby native apps on my Samsung smart TV.  I have attached the media info for the selected video that I tested.

 

Conclusion, I love the interface of Emby, but need to understand why Plex will play flawlessly, while Emby buffers....

2000 leagues.txt

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CBers

Is this a server question, or the app running on the Samsung Smart TV?

 

If TV, what model do you have so we understand what app it is you're referring to?

 

Does the video in question play in the web client?

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clarkss12

This is a server question, why does it buffer, whereas Plex doesn't.  Not necessarily an app question.  But for info, my Samsung TV is the model UN65KU6500.

 

I am a total noob when it comes to transcoding and how different servers determine what a client can play natively.  Most of my clients can play all of my media, recordings in mpeg and mkv and rips in mkv, so why does the server try to transcode and not just passthrough the file unaltered?

 

Probably didn't explain very well, since this is all new to me.

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clarkss12

I am now testing one of my HD OTA recordings Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - 1x01 - Pilot running on my TV and it is buffering every few second, making it unwatchable.  Here is what your app says it is doing.  >  Transcoding (17 fps) - 12.9 Mbps ts h264 ac3. ,  

 

Edit, just tested Plex and it plays flawlessly, even with Dolby Digital.

 

Edit 2: It is a 2016 model

HD TV recording.txt

Edited by clarkss12
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clarkss12

I am guessing the app is transcoding when it should just direct play the video

I guess I am totally confused, I thought the server did the transcoding and not the app.  Does the server check the client to see if it can natively play the codec??

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clarkss12

Yes the server does the transcoding. So it sounds like this file should direct play.

How can I "force" it to direct play??

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First, let's make sure we know exactly which app you are running.  Can you find a version number anywhere?  Can you post a picture of the home screen?

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clarkss12

I don't see a version number for the app running on my TV.  Here is what it looks like on my TV.  Last picture is from my desktop computer  showing it is being transcoded.  The video is unwatchable for all the buffering.  It buffers every few second.  Also, I am running the server on a very low powered Rockchip RK3288 SoC, so it can't do any transcoding on the fly.

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clarkss12

Using the same hardware, just using Plex app instead of Emby, the video plays flawlesslly, including Dolby Digital.  I just can't understand how Plex can do it, but not Emby.

Edited by clarkss12
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It is only our third release of the app, and it's a simple solution. We just have to adjust it to direct play that file. We'll look at it for the next update, thanks.

 

But what you can do for us that would help is provide the transcoding log. Instructions on how to do that can be found here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/739-how-to-report-a-problem/

 

Thanks.

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clarkss12

Ran another test using my Mi box.  Video played well without any buffering, however there was no audio.

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Thanks. I've already got the Samsung app updated and we'll be submitting it to the store in the coming days.

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clarkss12

Went into settings of the Emby running on my Mi box and changed audio to "Downmix to stereo", now I have audio.  So playing the recorded TV show "Brooklyn nine-nine" now plays great with stereo sound.  

 

In the options menu, there is a screen to send log, so I sent 2 logs, let me know if you received them.

 

Added 2 more logs while running Emby on my Mi box.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pdzpjgr9va5330e/AACgRv1VSprM84EQA76o4faOa?dl=0

 

Edit:  Chrome running on my desktop computer shows that it is "Direct Playing', awesome. 

 

Thanks

Edited by clarkss12
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clarkss12

My Mi box is connected into one of the HDMI input port on my Denon AVR, model Denon AVR S700WSetup Menu.

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Is this particular item a DTS audio track by any chance?  The Mi box does not work well trying to bitstream DTS (any of the other options do - Shield, Fire TV, etc.)

 

Also, I noticed in the transcode logs (which, again, I don't think were coming from the Mi as it was probably direct playing the item) you were selecting subtitles to be shown.  Is this on purpose?  Some types of subs we will have no choice but to transcode in order to show them in some apps.

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clarkss12

The video that I was playing on my Mi was an HD TV recording,  therefore no  DTS.  Also, I did not try to turn on any subtitiles.  I did find out that when I was playing videos directly from your program running on my Samsung TV and selected subtitles, it did cause freezing of the video.  So, I know NOT to use subtitles

 

Strange, that the logs don't show it came from the Mi box.

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I did find out that when I was playing videos directly from your program running on my Samsung TV and selected subtitles, it did cause freezing of the video.  So, I know NOT to use subtitles

 

Pretty sure that was due to the fact that your server was simply not able to transcode them fast enough.

 

 

Strange, that the logs don't show it came from the Mi box.

 

The logs are only produced if the server is having to transcode or remux and the Mi was probably direct playing the item - therefore, no ffmpeg logs.  The ones you posted I think were from the other app.

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clarkss12

Ok, thanks for letting me know that there will be no logs it there is no transcoding.  

 

Now, I am playing the same HD TV recording on my Zidoo X9S client.  It is direct playing so the video is perfect, but audio is in stereo.

 

I added the information from Mediainfo app. as an attachment...

 

Another problem, totally independent from this, i keep loosing my Live TV guide, or any data related to my HDHomeRun tuner.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine.txt

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clarkss12

Continuing testing, played BlueRay rip of Avatar and playing on my Zidoo X9S  (http://www.zidoo.tv/Product/index/model/X9S/target/rRwtRFydZ4xKKmVViAFMcQ%3D%3D.html), which is capable of playing HD audio.  Again, the video is perfect, but still stereo only. Again, it shows that it is direct playing, and as long as there is no transcoding, everything plays great.   I attached the mediainfo data.

 

Another question, why can't it direct play the HD audio without transcoding it??  My client player (Zidoo X9S) plays the HD audio that is sent to it....

Avatar.txt

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Edited by clarkss12
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