ffmpeg process runs indefinitely if Emby program is not exited.

[slayer991 0]

I've been using Emby as our TV/DVR for use with Roku and our HDHomeRun Connect.  My user community (wife, son, stepdaughter) and myself like the interface and the channel guide (Schedules Direct).  This is really the only issue I have with the program.

 

I initially had it set up on Windows, but when I built a new NAS using FreeNAS, I found the same behavior with the Emby plugin.

 

If you just power off the TV without exiting the Emby app (back, exit, yes), ffmpeg continues to run.  If you go back from the stream to the guide and you don't change channels, ffmpeg continues to run.  I don't see a way to set timeout for the process (if running for x hours, termminate).   Nothing is being recorded...this is just live TV.  This has been problematic for three reasons.

 

First, ffmpeg ends up chewing up CPU and taking away from other processes (especially maintenance).  

 

Second, if it's spun up again on the same TV I now have 2 ffmpeg processes running.  The only way to stop the first ffmpeg process is to kill it manually.  

 

Third, if left running the channel then occasionally becomes unavailable (even going to another channel and back doesn't seem to fix it).  The only solution I've found for that issue is to reboot my HDHomeRun and restart my Emby jail.

 

At this point I don't have a good solution other than running a shell script from a cron job that will kill all ffmpeg  processes overnight.  Alternatively, I could restart my emby jail via shell script and cron (which is probably cleaner).  I'm not sure if there's anything else I can do here.

[Luke 37272]

hi @@slayer991, this here is not normal:

 

 

If you go back from the stream to the guide and you don't change channels, ffmpeg continues to run.

 

We have a new Roku release that is currently in review so you should probably reevaluate that once it is released. If you would like to try the beta app you can learn how to do that here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/8001-emby-for-roku-channel/

 

Assuming this is resolved does this cover your scenarios, or are you actually turning the TV off with Live TV still playing? Thanks !

 

@@ebr

[slayer991 0]

hi @@slayer991, this here is not normal:

 

We have a new Roku release that is currently in review so you should probably reevaluate that once it is released. If you would like to try the beta app you can learn how to do that here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/8001-emby-for-roku-channel/

 

Assuming this is resolved does this cover your scenarios, or are you actually turning the TV off with Live TV still playing? Thanks !

 

@@ebr

 

From what I've observed in both the Windows and FreeNAS implementations, ffmpeg only stops streaming if the user actually exits Emby.  If the user clicks Home on the Roku, ffmpeg continues to run.

 

I'd expect Roku to continue to deliver the stream even if the TV is off as Roku doesn't actually power off, it goes to sleep.  That brings up an interesting question...does Emby continue to stream when the Roku goes to sleep?

 

I can probably mitigate this through a cron job that either kills ffmpeg or restarts my jail. 

 

I'll try the beta.

Edited October 11, 2017 by slayer991

[Luke 37272]

hi @@slayer991, it you exit the Roku app by clicking the home button on the remote, the stream on the server may not close immediately but will close within 60-90 seconds. Does this help? Thanks.

[Luke 37272]

We're also adding some fixes for the next release, thanks.