How to Set up VLC as an External Player (Windows)

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

For the downmixing, I'm assuming you're listen through your TV? What issues are you having with that?

No, I actually have a pair of stereo speakers. The main issue is that when emby was doing the downmixing, the centre channel was getting buried. With this being the channel that typically handles any dialogue, it would become very hard to hear anything spoken. VLC did not seem to have this issue.... at least not back when I had initially created this post. I can certainly try and do some more testing to see if it has improved since then. Just need to find the time to do it ;-)

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

can you make a screenshot example of picture quality differences? 

I'm not sure how well a screenshot would demonstrate the difference, but I can certainly try. I am not sure when I will have a chance to do this though, things are rather busy at work lately. I will try to get this done though.

[Guest asrequested]

No, I actually have a pair of stereo speakers. The main issue is that when emby was doing the downmixing, the centre channel was getting buried. With this being the channel that typically handles any dialogue, it would become very hard to hear anything spoken. VLC did not seem to have this issue.... at least not back when I had initially created this post. I can certainly try and do some more testing to see if it has improved since then. Just need to find the time to do it ;-)

If you have stereo, how do you have a center channel? Or do you have 3.1? Have you configured your windows speaker setup, correctly? Mpv will use that to match. And there are other options, that I can help you with. I just need to know exactly what your setup is.

 

For the picture, can you describe the difference you're seeing?

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

If you have stereo, how do you have a center channel? Or do you have 3.1? Have you configured your windows speaker setup, correctly? Mpv will use that to match. And there are other options, that I can help you with. I just need to know exactly what your setup is.

 

For the picture, can you describe the difference you're seeing?

You misunderstand. I have stereo, and my settings are correct ;-) I was referring to the centre channel in a 5.1 or 7.1 mix.

[lifespeed 42]

You misunderstand. I have stereo, and my settings are correct ;-) I was referring to the centre channel in a 5.1 or 7.1 mix.

Do you have Windows sound configured for stereo?  It should mix the center channel equally onto L/R, and Low Frequency Effects also for that matter.  I use quadraphonic sound, no center and no LFE, and those are correctly mixed onto L/R speakers.  I am sure many Emby users lack a physical center channel and are doing just fine.

 

Also, in Emby do you have audio configuration set to "auto"?  It should correctly follow windows speaker configuration.

Edited January 11, 2018 by lifespeed

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

I think this post is getting away from the original topic. It is not a post to explain WHY you should use VLC over emby. It is simply instructions on how to do so should someone want to.

 

There are other threads that discuss why use one over the other :-) 

[lifespeed 42]

deleted

Edited January 11, 2018 by lifespeed

[lifespeed 42]

This was discussed in other posts. The two main things were the picture quality being more crisp on VLC, and VLC doing a better job of downmixing surround to stereo. It's possible these have improved with Emby. I haven't tried using the internal player since this post was created.

You may want to actually try a current version of the MPV client for reference.

 

I think this post is getting away from the original topic. It is not a post to explain WHY you should use VLC over emby. It is simply instructions on how to do so should someone want to.

 

There are other threads that discuss why use one over the other :-) 

OK, I won't post any further then.  I will simply state the audio downmixing problem you describe is not seen by myself or other users.

[edwin777 0]

The only reason I use VLC is the option to zoom the screen, pressing “C” when playing will get rid of the horrid black bars.

[3djc 3]

I'm trying to follow this process, as playing any x265, or TrueHD, or quite a few other it seems, from either the emby theater w10 client or the webapp seems to trigger server transcode, when my PCdecode them without a sweet (i9+gtx1080). My issue is that  when I click on the user icon as instructed gives :

 

 

 

Then settings

 

 

and in playback, nowhere to select an external player to use VLC for exemple, I do not get the screens shown in first post of this thread

 

(and sorry for the thread archeology)

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

I'm trying to follow this process, as playing any x265, or TrueHD, or quite a few other it seems, from either the emby theater w10 client or the webapp seems to trigger server transcode, when my PCdecode them without a sweet (i9+gtx1080). My issue is that  when I click on the user icon as instructed gives :

 

 

 

Then settings

 

 

and in playback, nowhere to select an external player to use VLC for exemple, I do not get the screens shown in first post of this thread

 

(and sorry for the thread archeology)

 

Hi @@3djc What version of Emby Theatre are you running? I just checked mine and I am on 2.9.6 and it shows the External Players option.

[3djc 3]

Ah, spot on.

 

I followed some info that suggested to install through windows store, and got something probably terribly outdated. Remove that, downloaded installer and got 3.0.3.  Looks different, but menu is definitively there ! (and maybe not needed anymore, maybe my outdated client was making all those transcoding requirements !=

 

Thanks a lot

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

Ah, spot on.

 

I followed some info that suggested to install through windows store, and got something probably terribly outdated. Remove that, downloaded installer and got 3.0.3.  Looks different, but menu is definitively there ! (and maybe not needed anymore, maybe my outdated client was making all those transcoding requirements !=

 

Thanks a lot

 

Excellent! Glad you got things working :-)

[3djc 3]

And indeed, it plays without transcoding needs ! Many thx !!!

[Natilus13 Topic Author 8]

Yeah, that newer app is much better, The whole Emby crew is doing some great work. I don't use an external player anymore either. 

[Guest asrequested]

mpv is able to play just about anything. That's what Theater for windows desktop is using. I think it's better than VLC.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Doofus

[abnranger67 6]

Hi, anyone know how to get VLC to automatically play the next epoisode?

[Luke 25107]

Why do you need to use VLC?

[abnranger67 6]

Emby stopped playing my subs especially for mkv. However, I did notice a better picture and sound quality when I play thru VLC, especially for my new surround sound.

[Luke 25107]

Emby stopped playing my subs especially for mkv. However, I did notice a better picture and sound quality when I play thru VLC, especially for my new surround sound.

 

Why do you feel that Emby stopped playing subs? That is a pretty basic function. Can you please go over an example? Thanks.

[abnranger67 6]

I don't know why it stopped. I have been using emby for years, since its inception as mediabrowser. It plays subs for the other file types, just not mkv. Honestly, I like the vlc option as it gives me better picture and audio quality.

[Luke 25107]

Can we look at an example?

[abnranger67 6]

Weird, but I did some further testing, and it seems it is only with this particular TV series (S.W.A.T) that the mkv are playing the subtitles. I checked other shows, and they work. I switched back to Emby because despite the difference in quality, I do like the other features that Emby gives. 

[Guest asrequested]

despite the difference in quality

 

Can you explain that?

[NiftieNev 0]

These steps are not on my Emby Theater!