Playback with transcode stopped working

[skurvy_pirate 2]

Sometime in the past week playing video files that are transcoded stopped working in the Android app for me. I was using the Beta, but have also uninstalled and tried the release version, both behave the same. If I direct stream, it plays, but when I changed the bitrate, it will just stay paused with a black screen. Everything seems fine on the server side (it transcodes the entire video, don't see any issues there) but it will not play. I have tried a few different devices with the same result. Using the chrome browser on those devices or on a PC works as expected.

 

I have attached the logs from the Android client, server, and transcode logs. I replaced the server external IP with {SERVER_EXTERNAL_IP). One thing that was interesting to me was that the Android client seemed to try using the server's external IP even though it is connected via WiFi. I am guessing that is the problem, but don't know why it is doing it.

Android_App_Log.log

Server_Log.txt

Transcode_Log.txt

[bungee91 110]

Was about to post this same issue.

 

Same thing, direct play seems to work however when doing this remotely it ends up stuttering badly since it's a high bitrate my upload can't support.

Picking a lower quality in the app just results in a blank screen, which sometimes stops on its own.

Same situation for both LiveTv playback, or a local file.

 

I've attached logs of LiveTv playback while changing quality selection on the app, and also logs of a local file playback also changing qualities.

Both performed with Android mobile using an external connection.

 

Apparently this issue is exclusive to Android mobile, as I have no complaints from external users from Roku or Android Tv.

Live Tv Playback.zip

Local File Playback.zip

[Jdiesel 1281]

Can you test with an older version of ffmpeg? FFmpeg 2.8.11 works for me but not 3.2.4 like I see you are using.

 

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/46083-android-mobile-blank-screen-when-transcoding-with-ffmpeg-324-1/ 

[JeremyFr79 228]

I can confirm I'm seeing this to.  Emby for Android Mobile will only attempt a direct stream on both my phone and tablet.  It doesn't abide by any bitrate settings set both on the device or the server.  Further the server doesn't reflect any active session to the device during this "direct play" attempt as well.

Edited March 20, 2017 by JeremyFr79

[skurvy_pirate 2]

Can you test with an older version of ffmpeg? FFmpeg 2.8.11 works for me but not 3.2.4 like I see you are using.

 

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/46083-android-mobile-blank-screen-when-transcoding-with-ffmpeg-324-1/ 

 

I am running the Emby Docker container, so I can't test that easily. 

[Luke 39654]

No problem found here in testing with transcoding with ffmpeg 3.2.4 on the android mobile app.

[Luke 39654]

I can confirm I'm seeing this to.  Emby for Android Mobile will only attempt a direct stream on both my phone and tablet.  It doesn't abide by any bitrate settings set both on the device or the server.  Further the server doesn't reflect any active session to the device during this "direct play" attempt as well.

 

I also just tested to ensure bitrate settings were being respected and did not see any problems. Thanks !

[bungee91 110]

No problem found here in testing with transcoding with ffmpeg 3.2.4 on the android mobile app.

So that'd mean you can't confirm this issue? 

It's certainly happening, can easily reproduce. Tested on 3 different Android products, all with this issue. Will let you connect to my server to test if you'd like, or whatever else I can provide to get this fixed. Only started happening a couple weeks ago, never had the issue prior. 

[Luke 39654]

Correct, I can't confirm the issue, not on my test devices at least.

[JeremyFr79 228]

So I'm running latest stable version of Emby Server, using the ffmpeg that comes with it, and the current play store version of emby for android, and no matter what I play it tries to direct stream the movie.  Even though I have emby for android set to max at 1080p-4mbps and the server set to limit at 5mbps.

 

I have not modified emby server or the android app.

[bungee91 110]

Correct, I can't confirm the issue, not on my test devices at least.

 

Yeah but that's the thing, it is still not working right.. 

I understand what you're saying, in that a fresh install/known working setup is not experiencing this issue, however I and other users are.

I'd be more than glad to have you connect to my server to verify the issue.

Maybe it was an update that changed something, or it is FFMPEG (which I will try the older version to at least see if this changes), but something changed. Upload rates for my internet seem fine, however when the app is set to auto sometimes it literally sets the app to a very low setting such as 480P, but that is not consistent behavior.

 

Even flipping through the qualities at times and selecting a 720P 2Mbit or so, and you look back at it and it went to 1080P 60Mbit for no reason (never selected this rate).

I've tried various things, the Android app will not work correctly for transcoding, and the only reason I even knew of this is because my brother uses it regularly, all of a sudden it has this issue.

I was able to recreate it with my phone, and then hopped on here to report. This issue isn't apparent on the Roku or Android Tv app.

On the dashboard screen I see the transcoding happening, but the device stays black, or shows an image and then freezes, sometimes kicking back to the previous screen, or just sitting like it is playing when it isn't.

 

Not sure what could have changed, didn't update anything out of place on the server, running the latest beta Docker.

Please let me/us know the next steps we could take in trying to resolve this. Maybe deleting a certain file or configuration may help, or what you think could help in fixing this? Because, well, it is happening. 

[JeremyFr79 228]

I to would be willing to allow an admin to access my server if need be.

[Jdiesel 1281]

Maybe you can test my findings see if you experience the same behavior.

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/46083-android-mobile-blank-screen-when-transcoding-with-ffmpeg-324-1/

 

Videos added to the library when ffmpeg 2.8.11 was in use do not play when ffmpeg 3.2.4 is in use. However, videos added to the library when ffmpeg 3.2.4 was in use play fine on the Android app. Can you test by adding a new video into your library or by playing a recently added video (added after any ffmpeg upgrades).

[skurvy_pirate 2]

Maybe you can test my findings see if you experience the same behavior.

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/46083-android-mobile-blank-screen-when-transcoding-with-ffmpeg-324-1/

 

Videos added to the library when ffmpeg 2.8.11 was in use do not play when ffmpeg 3.2.4 is in use. However, videos added to the library when ffmpeg 3.2.4 was in use play fine on the Android app. Can you test by adding a new video into your library or by playing a recently added video (added after any ffmpeg upgrades).

 

I tried a video that was just added yesterday or the day before and it behaves the same. 

[chali 11]

I can play video. But it wont play ac3 audio fils.

 

Skickat från min SM-G935F via Tapatalk

[chali 11]

Maby i should add that the same ac3 work in web browser. I tryde this on 4 different phones

 

Skickat från min SM-G935F via Tapatalk

[Luke 39654]

Hi @@chali, we're very sorry to hear about your playback issue. In order for us to best help you, please provide the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. Thanks !

[hrabia_mol 0]

Hi there!

I would just like to confirm having the same issues as described by the users above. Transcoding to Android app does not work for me.

Looking forward if someone finds the answer to this issue. Until then I will use Chrome to watch stuff on my phone cause this still works.

[skurvy_pirate 2]

I think the issue might be stemming from an uncaught exception, here is the relevant section of the Android App log that I attached:

13:40:03.594 [main] INFO  App - Video path set to: http://{EXTERNAL_SERVER_IP}:8098/emby/videos/4cb205b82559f67033d7a4b152dc28c0/stream.mkv?DeviceId=12470e22fc38f315&MediaSourceId=4cb205b82559f67033d7a4b152dc28c0&VideoCodec=h264&AudioCodec=mp3,aac,ac3&AudioStreamIndex=1&VideoBitrate=616001&AudioBitrate=384000&Level=41&Profile=high&PlaySessionId=df4046f48db642539c2834dc0453f957&api_key=226337aefe5c42dbb083ad5153c20d66&CopyTimestamps=false&TranscodingMaxAudioChannels=2&EnableSubtitlesInManifest=false&Tag=14cd69013932761e18666ad6fb17761a&RequireAvc=false
13:40:03.595 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Acquiring network lock
13:40:03.692 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Acquiring partial wake lock
13:40:05.653 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Executing chromecast action emitAllRoutes request id: 4
13:40:07.606 [main] INFO  App - file:///android_asset/www/index.html#!/videoosd.html: Line 0 : Uncaught (in promise) undefined
13:40:26.550 [main] DEBUG App - Surface attached
13:40:26.550 [main] INFO  App - Video path set to: http://{EXTERNAL_SERVER_IP}:8098/emby/videos/4cb205b82559f67033d7a4b152dc28c0/stream.mkv?DeviceId=12470e22fc38f315&MediaSourceId=4cb205b82559f67033d7a4b152dc28c0&VideoCodec=h264&AudioCodec=mp3,aac,ac3&AudioStreamIndex=1&VideoBitrate=616001&AudioBitrate=384000&StartTimeTicks=438848409&Level=41&Profile=high&PlaySessionId=bda7c054a41249259b20b1e70cdc9cbd&api_key=226337aefe5c42dbb083ad5153c20d66&CopyTimestamps=false&TranscodingMaxAudioChannels=2&EnableSubtitlesInManifest=false&Tag=14cd69013932761e18666ad6fb17761a&RequireAvc=false
13:41:10.727 [main] DEBUG App - MediaPlayerEncounteredError
13:41:10.738 [main] DEBUG App - MediaPlayerStopped
13:41:10.826 [main] INFO  App - VideoManager.releasePlayer

[ax3l 7]

also having the issue described in this thread, can direct play, but trans coded files will not start playing.

[Luke 39654]

Hi @@ax3l, we're very sorry to hear about your playback issue. In order for us to best help you, please provide the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. Thanks !

[bungee91 110]

Here's my Android log, I believe it's the relevant one (have like 4 from that day of testing).

 

This is the only part that looks suspect to me, but also no idea what I'm looking at/for in this log.

16:22:29.391 [main] DEBUG App - Surface attached
16:22:29.391 [main] INFO  App - Video path set to: http://73.50.71.149:8096/emby/videos/b77122bf91f489bd092f89394bae5ead/stream.mkv?DeviceId=73a21e5d15d8bae7&MediaSourceId=18a45bf422ca46bdb759f9f99520595b_native_d0dbd33c1b0821fa80d76267d482b1ef&VideoCodec=h264&AudioCodec=mp3,aac,ac3&AudioStreamIndex=1&VideoBitrate=2616000&AudioBitrate=384000&StartTimeTicks=18560000&Level=41&Profile=high&PlaySessionId=d489e4f8e6b341c9ae6b6938582e8351&api_key=930783ec3645494d94f6e1ca9d661b26&LiveStreamId=a17c75760a04e99b68cf766e11316e1c_09efa0d56b934a82adec00a87b837fb0_18a45bf422ca46bdb759f9f99520595b_native_d0dbd33c1b0821fa80d76267d482b1ef&CopyTimestamps=false&TranscodingMaxAudioChannels=2&EnableSubtitlesInManifest=false&RequireAvc=false&RequireNonAnamorphic=false&DeInterlace=false
16:22:43.909 [main] DEBUG App - MediaPlayerEncounteredError
16:22:43.911 [main] DEBUG App - MediaPlayerStopped
16:22:43.966 [main] INFO  App - VideoManager.releasePlayer
16:22:43.972 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Releasing wake lock
16:22:43.991 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Releasing network lock
16:22:44.262 [main] INFO  App - file:///android_asset/www/bower_components/emby-webcomponents/sync/synctoggle.js?v=20: Line 1 : Uncaught (in promise) TypeError: Cannot set property 'checked' of null
16:23:03.865 [main] INFO  App - file:///android_asset/www/bower_components/emby-webcomponents/recordingcreator/recordingcreator.js?v=20: Line 1 : Uncaught (in promise) undefined
16:23:07.457 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Acquiring network lock
16:23:07.460 [JavaBridge] INFO  App - Acquiring partial wake lock

8a41502d-ca16-49e1-a9ea-bd40a7e97f52.log

[bungee91 110]

So...

 

I've tried this on the Emby for Android Beta (my primary use), on Wifi for a Live Tv broadcast, initially set to auto it direct streams plays perfect. Change the quality, nothing but a black screen, dashboard shows the transcode but NEVER reports a progress from the client other than 00:00 (or is it --:--), either way it never updates as it would/should when the stream is working (such as direct stream, or on any other client without this issue).

 

I've tried the Emby for Android non beta, same exact issue.

 

I've tried using an external player (both Android versions; stable/beta) and selecting VLC and setting the apps max bitrate to 720P 1.5Mbit..  The player just sits there trying to load.

 

I tried the web app from my same phone, works flawlessly.

 

I then tried the Emby for Android Tv (beta) app, and it works perfectly also... Initial quality was set something high like 1080P 10Mbit, no issue, lowered to 3.0Mbit, no issue.

 

What if anything can I provide/do to help in fixing this issue? Unfortunately I can't swap FFmpeg at the moment as there are others streaming from the server Actually I can't test this because I use the Docker, and that's not as straightforward to switch as I'm aware of.

It seems since it can't be recreated it can't be looked into, so I'd love to provide whatever I can to help get this resolved. There are two sets of all logs in this thread, however not sure if they're providing any clues or not.

Thanks for the continued support.

Edited March 23, 2017 by bungee91

[Luke 39654]

have you tried ffmpeg 3.2.3? Or try the git build from here:

https://www.johnvansickle.com/ffmpeg/

 

It's not really our intention to support every possible build of ffmpeg, and to be honest if this is going to continue they we may just not allow customizing it anymore.

[bungee91 110]

have you tried ffmpeg 3.2.3? Or try the git build from here:

https://www.johnvansickle.com/ffmpeg/

 

It's not really our intention to support every possible build of ffmpeg, and to be honest if this is going to continue they we may just not allow customizing it anymore.

 

I haven't, but only because I have zero idea how to change ffmpeg within the docker (seems pretty built-in).

If you could tell/point me to how to accomplish that, I'd be glad to test it out.