Channel Performance /w Emby Theater

[Bgrigg 0]

I'm new to Emby, as I got tired of waiting for Plex's DVR to support live TV. I have searched the forums but haven't found anything recent, but it seems like the normal amount of time to load a channel is roughly 10-30 seconds? Is that still accurate? I'm using a Win10 (latest version prior to Creator's Update) AMD A8-7600, 16GB of RAM on SSD, not the best system but plays games decently. And not only is the task of select a channel twice annoying (once to select and then again to play it), but then it takes 10 or so seconds for it to start playing.

 

Any plans to improve this? Also, being able to channel surf as well, without having to back out twice and then back in to the new channel twice. That's a deal breaker. I was going to try the Kodi add-on, but seems like that Emby doesn't have a PVR add-on for Kodi, and that it's just a library plug-in.

 

Thinking about Kodi with NextPVR or possibly SiliconDust's DVR beta.

 

Any suggestions?

[Luke 37116]

Hi, that's not normal. It just depends on what Emby app you're playing from. Can you go over some examples?

 

Also, yes, we do plan to add in-video channel surfing, and some apps already have that, for example, Android TV.

[Bgrigg 0]

My Win10 HTPC (stated running both Emby Server and Emby Theater (Win32 version, although UWP version seems to have same delays)), connected to a HDHomeRun Prime, via gigabit switch. Takes roughly 7-15 seconds for the video to come up after hitting the Play button. I tried my Win7 (Core i7-4810MQ laptop over an Wireless AC network (full 867Mbit signal strength/quality)) running ET too and my Samsung Galaxy S8 and gets same/similar results.

 

Any ETA on the channel surfing for Windows Emby Theater? I'll probably end up pinging up either a couple of Android TV or Roku boxes for our 2 bedrooms. But I don't see this getting wife approval even if the lag was 2-3 seconds, I can see the clicking a channel twice (once on the channel and once on the play button), then ESC twice to get out, rinse repeat.

 

I can try upgrading the server to Win10 Creators Update, but I was hoping to wait that out a bit to let others find issues with it before I did.

 

Let me know if you want any more details, logs, etc. 

Edited May 19, 2017 by Bgrigg

[denz 426]

If you are using hdhomerun dvb-t tuners it is too slow to be useable now on my system it takes 10 seconds. Have a look at the logs and see when you start a live tv stream does it have a log file called ffmpeg-transcode if it does then that is the cause why is it taking longer than 10 seconds so you will need to post the server log. 

[Bgrigg 0]

I'm using an HDHomeRun Prime, which is a 3-tuner CableCard tuner. My recordings from Plex (same exact system) are about 6.5GB/hour, in MPEG v2, from Comcast. I've read that Comcast is starting to switch over to h.264 in some markets, but not in Boston yet...or at least my service. I'll probably add or switch to an OTA tuner in the future.

 

What/where is the log I should be looking at to see if it's transcoding?

[denz 426]

I think your one should be very fast if I go with what has been said in testing emby theater mpv thread. 

 

What I suggest is first restart the server and then try to play again because the logs do get a bit large. 

 

So right click on the top one first attach the server log right click save target as and then you should remove private info from the text file like your ip address. Then attach here.

 

[Bgrigg 0]

Before I post the log, I don't see a way to attach a file (other than an image). Just paste the contents in the post? Even though I rebooted, the log is still pretty big.

 

*Nevermind. Found advanced reply.

Edited May 19, 2017 by Bgrigg

[Bgrigg 0]

Here is the log file, I changed my IP to 1.2.3.4.

 

I did notice that the video quality wasn't as good as Comcast DVR or even HDHR app (on same PC), but then realized it was a bad HD broadcast (although Emby still seemed to show artifacts and possibly some jerking, more so than Comcast and HDHR app).

Emby Server log.txt

[denz 426]

It is saying that it is direct playing and also it is taking a bit longer to probe a stream but even with that it shouldn't take 30 seconds. So the issue is not with the server it is with emby theatre do you have an android phone that you can try. 

 

Can you try this version as the current version has issues with live tv to see is there a improvement.

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/emby-theater-windows/releases/tag/2.5.40

[Bgrigg 0]

Even though I stated 10-30 seconds in my original post, the 30 was referring to 1-2 posts I had found when researching the issue. I'm getting 7-15 seconds, and yes as I've said, I've tried my Galaxy S8 phone with similar load times.

 

I also did a test recording last night of a Blue Blood repeat and was curious as to why the episode wasn't being listed from my phone 5 or so minutes after it had finished. Woke up this morning and checked the phone and noticed it was there, but also saw that it was transcoded with h.264 in MKV and the AC3 was converted to AAC. Unless those are actually the original broadcast settings? I'm going to try another recording or two to see if that's the case. But in looking at transcoding setting on server, I don't see anywhere to specify TV recordings be stored in native/source format. But again, I'll try a new episode to verify that it wasn't the broadcast that was actually a lower quality than normal.

Edited May 20, 2017 by Bgrigg

[ebr 14930]

But in looking at transcoding setting on server, I don't see anywhere to specify TV recordings be stored in native/source format. But again, I'll try a new episode to verify that it wasn't the broadcast that was actually a lower quality than normal.

 

Click on Live TV and then Settings.  Did you setup recording conversion there?

[Bgrigg 0]

Click on Live TV and then Settings.  Did you setup recording conversion there?

Thank you! Still trying to figure out where everything is, and those menu options on the top are sneaky, as they're not always there depending on where you are.

 

Although I don't think I told it to, so it might be the default. In any case, I changed it from MKV to MP4, but told it to leave video and audio in tact.

[brentpp 0]

Hey Bgrigg,  Hows your experince going? I am am kinda in the same boat, Ive used WMC for years and its runs as an appliance and easy use for the family, but its getting old and seems to be buggy these days. I went to try something new and had to get a HDhomerun. after getting one I tried Plex to find out it doesn't do live TV making it pointless.

now I am testing Emby and finding that it takes a long time also to play a channel and you cant change channels without going back out to the guide, then select another program and play and wait again.

Now not sure if Kodi has changed but it use to need another app to get TV, and it was a pain to setup, and not as clean and simple to use for the family.

I am just looking for a all in one solution that works like an appliance and is responsive.