Some videos not playing/crashing Android TV app

[joekrill 6]

Very recently some videos started having problems playing on my Android TV (Nvidia Shield). When I attempt to play them, the spinner shows up indefinitely but the video never plays. I sometimes get a modal titled "Playback Error" that says "Is the current item exhibiting a playback problem like no video or audio?". I'm not totally sure if this is an Emby or an Android dialog. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether I choose "yes" or "no" here. I pretty much always also get the "Emby isn't responding" message. If I choose "Close app", it hangs and then the same "Emby isn't responding" message shows up again. Ad infinitum. It basically locks up my entire device. The only way to get out of it is to double-press the circle button and close the application that way. 

 

The videos all play fine on my FireTV, Android tablet, Android phone, iPad, and web browser. I've definitely only seen the problem on my Android TV at this point. At least 2 of the videos definitely played previously so I don't think this is a problem with the video files themselves. They play fine when I play them directly with VLC. However, if I set Emby to use an external player and play them through VLC that way, the video does not play, and Emby still hangs and crashes as previously described when I back out of the video. (I even tried to use the direct file option here without luck).

 

The files do not appear to be transcoding. Or maybe the audio is being transcoded? I'm not 100% sure. The server reports "Direct playing" on the dashboard. 

 

In some cases when I reload the application it thinks the video has played for a few minutes already and gives me the resume option for the video.  

 

My setup: Emby running in a docker container (emby/embyserver:latest), using nginx as a reverse proxy (also in a docker container -- jwilder/nginx-proxy:0.4.0). I do not use Emby Connect -- I enter my server info directly. My Shield is wired directly to my network (I'm not using Wifi). Emby server is v3.2.40.0. Emby app is v1.5.11g Registered.

 

The problem sounds almost exactly the same as the one described here: 

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/51453-emby-android-tv-issues-for-certain-videos-when-using-reverse-

proxy/

 

The issue there was on a Sony TV and was fixed when the FunkadelicRelic upgraded to a Shield TV. Unfortunately I'm already using a Shield TV so that's not an option for me!  I have not yet tried connecting without the proxy because it's not that straight-forward to do with my Docker setup, but I'm working on testing that out.

 

I've tried lots of things already, to no avail, including:

• Logging in as a different user
• Setting Audio Output to both "Direct" and "Downmix to Stereo" (Emby app setting)
• Switching the audio setting in the Shield TV settings 
• Use External Player for Videos (Emby app setting, as mentioned above)
• Enable Refresh Rate switching (Emby app setting)
• Different hardware acceleration options for transcoding (Emby server setting)

My logs are attached. Some of the videos that are causing problems are:

 

Jillian Michaels - 6 Weeks Six Pack Level 1

Jillian Michaels - 6 Weeks Six Pack Level 2

Curb Your Enthusiasm S07E03

Curb Your Enthusiasm S07E04

Search Party S02E01

 

One of the videos actually plays on a rare occassions (6 Weeks Six Pack Level 2) -- but after a few seconds Emby still crashes.

 

Something I've noticed is that the videos that fail seem to have that "Static=true" parameter in the URL. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. 

 

Any suggestions?

[mastrmind11 717]

Need the logs.

[joekrill 6]

Ah sorry about that -- I thought I attached them but it looks like I forget to click the "Attach This File" button after selecting the file. Attached are all of my recent logs -- not totally sure which are relevant. I did enable debug logging so they are fairly large (I had to zip one of them). Also uploaded them here: 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSF6D1E3G7kPJsibU1FaVRKuEywp2Tt2/view?usp=sharing

server-63647424000.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-bc360f4f-027a-44bf-986b-18481a790e3c.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-91093338-9fae-4624-b91f-e5207001b5b6.txt

ffmpeg-remux-6ee70b30-73db-4f43-a9c8-e8cc0dc94d3f.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-e918561c-827c-4971-9ba2-ce53295f9321.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-0d14fdcc-a5c7-4d6e-8767-eeeacdc4affd.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-0d14fdcc-a5c7-4d6e-8767-eeeacdc4affd.txt

ffmpeg-transcode-a9bdb31e-51ed-4630-8eb8-cfe4a6d232aa.txt

server-63647407757.txt

server-63647411430.zip

[ebr 14935]

Okay, in order to find the relevant log(s) we'll need you to reproduce this issue and then just provide the one server log and one ffmpeg log (if there is one but there shouldn't be if static=true).  Then also note exactly what you tried to play and exactly when you tried to play it.

 

Thanks.

[joekrill 6]

OK, attached is the log file in which I tried to play 2 videos, both failed. The first (6 Week Six Pack - Level 1) showed a spinner for a bit then just returned to the show page in Emby. It didn't actually crash, which is actually not what usually happens. The second (Curb Your Enthusiasm S07E03) caused the "Is the current item exhibiting a playback problem like no video or audio?" message to show up, followed by the crash (ANR) dialog. Neither caused any transcoding logs to be generated.

server-63647580450.txt

[ebr 14935]

Thanks.  Can you provide me with one of these files for testing?

[joekrill 6]

Sure thing, I'll send you a private message with a link.

[ebr 14935]

Okay, the file you sent me plays fine in my environment.  What is your internet upload speed?

[joekrill 6]

It's only on my Nvidia Shield (Android TV) that it doesn't play. And that's all going over my local network -- not the internet -- so internet speeds shouldn't really be an issue here. My FireTV, on the same network and configured in the same way, plays the file just fine. But to be thorough, I have Verizon Fios 150/150 -- so my upload speeds are quite fast. 

[rwither1 0]

I just recently began having this issue as well. There is nothing wrong with my internet or my PC. I have that new Amazon fire TV dongle thing that was just released. Emby was working fine until 2 days ago. Now the app freezes, or it will start a movie and play for a few seconds and then I get a gray screen. I've restarted the app, restarted the fire stick, and done a factory reset. Problem continues. 

 

So, it's not just an issue with joekrill. I'm on a wired connection.

 

This is very clearly either an issue with the fire stick or with the emby app itself. 

 

Please advise.

[bungee91 98]

I'll join the party as well, lately the ATV app on both my Shield and Nexus player have been extremely easy to lockup, wife had both frozen and unusable the other day.

Hoping this was noticed/fixed without me having to post details, but it must not be as widespread as I assumed.

 

Been running the beta Android Tv app for some time now, no playback issues noticed.

I believe it just went final, and the server updated to .40, and this issue has started since then.

 

Seems worse on the Shield than the Nexus player, both have the issue.

 

Shield: Multiple issues, but the most obvious is: Playback of a recorded Tv file (built in Emby/HDHR LiveTv) files start to play, stop (about a minute), spin the circle, stop playing and back to show screen with play/watched/... options.

If you force a transcode (I'm using 5Mb setting) the file plays back as expected. Once I did receive the "are you having playback issues" pop-up, but it didn't help in anyway.

Network is solid (and no recent changes), Kodi plays back the files I'm having issues with in Emby on the same device.

 

I can easily reproduce and send logs from app/server if/as needed.

I'll have to remind myself how to send from the app.

[ebr 14935]

It's only on my Nvidia Shield (Android TV) that it doesn't play. And that's all going over my local network -- not the internet -- so internet speeds shouldn't really be an issue here. My FireTV, on the same network and configured in the same way, plays the file just fine. But to be thorough, I have Verizon Fios 150/150 -- so my upload speeds are quite fast. 

 

Okay, I was asking about upload speed for the purposes of me being able to test remotely on your setup since I can't reproduce on mine.  Since you have adequate speed, if you can create a guest user for me (ebr) I can try and reproduce the problem through your system.

 

Thanks.

[joekrill 6]

Okay, I was asking about upload speed for the purposes of me being able to test remotely on your setup since I can't reproduce on mine.  Since you have adequate speed, if you can create a guest user for me (ebr) I can try and reproduce the problem through your system.

 

Thanks.

 

Ah, yes, absolutely! Just sent you an invite. 

[Heuer 76]

I am seeing this as well with TV recordings.

[Luke 37119]

@@Heuer, please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. thanks !

[ebr 14935]

Sure thing, I'll send you a private message with a link.

 

Hi.  I wasn't able to get to this quick enough and the link expired.

 

I noticed it was a linked user though and it is probably best if you create a "Guest" one instead.

 

Thanks.

[joekrill 6]

Hi.  I wasn't able to get to this quick enough and the link expired.

 

I noticed it was a linked user though and it is probably best if you create a "Guest" one instead.

 

Thanks.

 

Yeah I must have done something wrong initially - I'm fairly certain I added you as a Guest but then it didn't show you as pending, and later I noticed that you were somehow linked to my main "Home" user. So I removed that and reinvited you and it seemed to be correct that time. Anyway, I'll send one again right now.

[joekrill 6]

Hi.  I wasn't able to get to this quick enough and the link expired.

 

I noticed it was a linked user though and it is probably best if you create a "Guest" one instead.

 

Thanks.

 

OK I see what happened. I have 2 accounts -- one connected to emby connect, and the other which is not. I was logged in as the latter. When I clicked "+ Add" for guests, it was telling me:

 

In order to invite guests you need to first link your Emby account to this server.

 

But I wasn't really paying enough attention and just entered your username in there. So that's why it kept linking it. 

 

Anyway, I logged in as my linked account and then added you as a guest that way and it seemed to work correctly. Sorry about that.

[Luke 37119]

Actually it's not based on who is logged in. You just need to have at least one admin user who is linked to connect before you can invite guests.

[ebr 14935]

Thanks, but I'm not able to access your server.  Have you configured your network for and used it externally before?

[joekrill 6]

Thanks, but I'm not able to access your server.  Have you configured your network for and used it externally before?

 

Yes, I'm at work right now and able to access it just fine -- through both app.emby.media and a domain name I have set up. Are you not even able to get a response from the server?

[ebr 14935]

Correct.  Unable to get a response.

 

Does the value of "Remote (WAN) access" on the server dashboard match what you use to connect?  Is the external port still 8096?

[joekrill 6]

Correct.  Unable to get a response.

 

Does the value of "Remote (WAN) access" on the server dashboard match what you use to connect?  Is the external port still 8096?

 

Oh, no, sorry about that -- it's running on the standard HTTPS port, 443. I'm not sure why it redirects me correctly.

[Heuer 76]

@@Heuer, please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. thanks !

This is one of the logs where the recorded (via NextPVR) programme crashed on the Nvidia Shield TV.

ffmpeg-transcode-c94446fd-f0a1-4c8c-b896-2c2728f8d1a4.txt

[ebr 14935]

Oh, no, sorry about that -- it's running on the standard HTTPS port, 443. I'm not sure why it redirects me correctly.

 

Probably because you are not using Connect.  In order for Connect to properly work, you have to tell it that  your server requires SSL and the proper port.

 

Dashboard->Advanced.