AppleTV 4K - how is it as a dedicated Emby client?

[Luke 38842]

Yes, you're probably right.

 

I'll have to stick with Dolby Atmos then

 

Why not build an HTPC instead?

[Senna 368]

im talking about Infuse and MrMC, infuse dont trans-code nothing and support DTS-HD And Dolby TrueHD Dynamic Range and Match Frame, mrmc i support dts and dolby passthrough Dynamic Range and Match Frame

I have both apps too on my Apple TV 4K and both apps play my files of my shared SMB Movie library instantly.

Considering this instant play aspect with both these apps, it is difficult for me to understand why Emby server first needs to transcode with some of those same movie files, when I am going to play them in in the Emby app on my Apple TV 4K.

 

Same applies for my DVB-C TV channels from DVBLink....

When I create a raw m3u from my DVBLink DVB-C channels, MrMC plays them within 2 seconds (thats also my DVB-C hardware tuner response time), while Emby goes the transcoding route, playing those DVB-C channels only after 10 seconds....

 

Considering the above, it looks like for me, that the Emby App on the Apple TV is nothing more than a Webkit webclient, instead of a dedicated movieplayer like Infuse, MrMc, Kodi, and maybe that's why the response times for starting up movies and Live TV channels, is much slower than those dedicated other apps. But I'm no expert at concluding that, its just an observation.....

 

The WAF factor of the Emby Apple TV app is not there yet, considering those slow response times, so that is why I let my wife ONLY use MrMC and Infuse for watching Live TV and/or Movies from my Libraries. Till Emby matures also on Apple devices, because this is not the first tread, about that Emby is way back in performance on Apple devices, compared to Emby apps on other platforms, it seems.

[CBers 6959]

But how do you customize your cpu fan LED colors with a Shield TV?

Why not build an HTPC instead?

You smoking wacky-baccy today?

[Luke 38842]

Considering the above, it looks like for me, that the Emby App on the Apple TV is nothing more than a Webkit webclient, instead of a dedicated movieplayer like Infuse, MrMc, Kodi, and maybe that's why the response times for starting up movies and Live TV channels, is much slower than those dedicated other apps. But I'm no expert at concluding that, its just an observation.....

 

That isn't true. there's no such thing as webkit apps on apple tv. We are using Apple's stock UI templates.

[mata7 44]

maybe you just should star thinking out the box like infuse and mrmc and stop using stock, infuse and mrmc are like 10.00 year and they can do it

[Senna 368]

That isn't true. there's no such thing as webkit apps on apple tv. We are using Apple's stock UI templates.

Never said that. I only said that it LOOKS like and not that it IS and that I'm no expert to justify that conclusion.

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate how much what you guys have done the last couple of months for Live TV in such a short time period and I didn't mind testing and suggesting stuff for it, but I really hope you guys find a solution for some slow response times in the Emby Apple TV app, because I like Emby's approach for the Live TV interface on the Apple TV.

 

DVBLogic is coming next year with a new product, which will be released as beta in January and I think they have learned from their previous products and have simplified its setup, so it may be a contender for Live TV in Emby. You know they are good at streaming, because Plex streaming stack has elements from those guys.

[Luke 38842]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Wilky13 21]

So, for the people switching to streaming boxes for Emby (AppleTV, Shield, Roku, etc.), what are you using for a server to hold all those movies and do the transcoding, if needed, to the client?

 

Why not just make that PC also your client?

 

Right now I have a PC that serves double duty as the server (Emby Server) and HTPC (ET and I still use WMC7 for LiveTV). Doesn't make sense to me to add another device as a client.

 

Can someone explain why it is better to use a streaming box as the client rather than the HTPC itself?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[legallink 187]

From my perspective it is user interface and simplicity. I had a harmony remote with All it’s fansangled customizability. The Apple remote works better, without line of sight and just easier. ET is fine but switching to Netflix, Hulu, etc. is just easier on a purpose built device.

 

And especially now that live tv is incorporated and I didn’t need windows media center to watch tv, it just works. I’ve got a failure maybe 1 our of 30 plays and it’s probably less than that. I also didn’t like having a full blown PC in my living room running 24/7. Granted it’s running 24/7 I’m a separate room, but much easier to muck with and if I’m doing stuff, the fam can accesss everything else except emby without impact.

 

I took my htpc,put it in a new box and that is my server.

 

But better is always in the eye of the beholder. If you want to tinker, the htpc might be a great option. The WAF factor went really high when I switched to a streaming box. HTPC got a general disgruntled acceptance.

[clarkss12 298]

My perspective, having a power hungry device just to serve my media is illogical.  When I purchased a networked storage device years ago, it changed my thinking forever.  Of course, these off the shelf inexpensive NAS's do NOT have enough CPU power to do real time transcoding, so a client that supports your media codecs is a must.  The NAS's are basically just storage devices for me, got rid of my older powerful computers with multiple hard drives.  Now my desktop machine ( I have been building my own computers for years and years), is not a power house like before, but used mainly for surfing and email.

 

I have a lot of different clients (just my hobby) running on different TV's.  I even have a $99 Tronsmart Ara X5 (Windows 10) and a more expensive Vorke V2 (Windows 10) connected to my TV's but they use very little energy.

 

Guess being an energy conservationist, comes with age, have to think about our kids and grand kids future.  I am not 70 years young.

[jrcorwin 9]

Let’s clarify things here...Infuse and MrMc can handle more video and audio codecs without transcoding because they do NOT use the native tvOS video player. They use their own, which they have developed separately.

[jrcorwin 9]

I have both apps too on my Apple TV 4K and both apps play my files of my shared SMB Movie library instantly.

Considering this instant play aspect with both these apps, it is difficult for me to understand why Emby server first needs to transcode with some of those same movie files, when I am going to play them in in the Emby app on my Apple TV 4K.

 

Same applies for my DVB-C TV channels from DVBLink....

When I create a raw m3u from my DVBLink DVB-C channels, MrMC plays them within 2 seconds (thats also my DVB-C hardware tuner response time), while Emby goes the transcoding route, playing those DVB-C channels only after 10 seconds....

 

Considering the above, it looks like for me, that the Emby App on the Apple TV is nothing more than a Webkit webclient, instead of a dedicated movieplayer like Infuse, MrMc, Kodi, and maybe that's why the response times for starting up movies and Live TV channels, is much slower than those dedicated other apps. But I'm no expert at concluding that, its just an observation.....

 

The WAF factor of the Emby Apple TV app is not there yet, considering those slow response times, so that is why I let my wife ONLY use MrMC and Infuse for watching Live TV and/or Movies from my Libraries. Till Emby matures also on Apple devices, because this is not the first tread, about that Emby is way back in performance on Apple devices, compared to Emby apps on other platforms, it seems.

Emby and Plex must transcode certain formats on tvOS because they use the native video player in tvOS. Infuse and MrMc do not. They have created their own, more capable, video players.

[ebr 15436]

Can someone explain why it is better to use a streaming box as the client rather than the HTPC itself?

 

Lots of reasons but the simplest is so you can have more than one client/app accessing the same media from virtually anywhere.  This is basically what Emby is designed for.

[ebr 15436]

Let’s clarify things here...Infuse and MrMc can handle more video and audio codecs without transcoding because they do NOT use the native tvOS video player. They use their own, which they have developed separately.

 

Yes that is true.  I'll just add a few more clarifying points:

 

1) Those players are also transcoding (converting) your content. They just do it inside the player itself so you don't realize it.

 

2) Some of those players are also built without regard to any necessary licensing for codecs they may support internally (not pointing any fingers but this is the case with some of them)

 

3) We are striving to improve our support across all of our apps and platforms but we simply cannot move as quickly as someone who is dedicated to only one singe thing because we do so much more.  I'll just say look how far we've come and we are speeding up, not slowing down.

[jrcorwin 9]

Yes that is true. I'll just add a few more clarifying points:

 

1) Those players are also transcoding (converting) your content. They just do it inside the player itself so you don't realize it.

 

2) Some of those players are also built without regard to any necessary licensing for codecs they may support internally (not pointing any fingers but this is the case with some of them)

 

3) We are striving to improve our support across all of our apps and platforms but we simply cannot move as quickly as someone who is dedicated to only one singe thing because we do so much more. I'll just say look how far we've come and we are speeding up, not slowing down.

In the less than 24 hours since my install, I have found Emby to be a nearly perfect solution after years of dancing around with other options. This has become even more true since moving to Apple TV’s exclusively last year.

 

Plex support is nonexistent and they have attempted to everything at once, but none of it particularly well. Infuse is very basic, a bit slow and takes eons to scam media. MrMc has an absolutely horrendous UI and poor usability.

 

I truly cannot say enough about the communication and support here. Long abused Plex Pass members certainly appreciate it.

Edited December 22, 2017 by jrcorwin

[ShoutingMan 95]

Where did you get that impression?

 

I don't see any Apple docs to support that.

 

https://www.apple.com/apple-tv/specs/

Apple said Atmos is coming. I mistakenly thought it was out.

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/21/16345126/apple-tv-4k-dolby-atmos-support-coming

 

I’m really fuzzy on the ins and outs of these streaming devices.

[Luke 38842]

Thanks for the feedback !

[ebr 15436]

Apple said Atmos is coming. I mistakenly thought it was out.

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/21/16345126/apple-tv-4k-dolby-atmos-support-coming

 

I’m really fuzzy on the ins and outs of these streaming devices.

 

Okay, then when it comes, we will support it.

[ShoutingMan 95]

So, for the people switching to streaming boxes for Emby (AppleTV, Shield, Roku, etc.), what are you using for a server to hold all those movies and do the transcoding, if needed, to the client?

Why not just make that PC also your client?

Right now I have a PC that serves double duty as the server (Emby Server) and HTPC (ET and I still use WMC7 for LiveTV). Doesn't make sense to me to add another device as a client.

Can someone explain why it is better to use a streaming box as the client rather than the HTPC itself?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have a Windows 10 server that is also serves as the primary playback device, running Emby Theater. But Windows 10’s forced updates are causing problems for me, breaking Emby Theater playback. I don’t know if I can keep a stable, functional PC for Emby Theater use. So I’m thinking about switching to a new streaming client, if they can support all the audio and video formats that a PC does. Edited December 22, 2017 by ShoutingMan

[ShoutingMan 95]

Do streaming clients support 3D?

 

Currently Emby Theater doesn’t do 3D. I have to use MPC-HC as an external player to play 3D MVC files. Is there and equivalent on the Shield?

 

3D isn’t that important to me, I’d be willing to sacrifice that if I have to switch to a streaming box to get a stable system.

[ShoutingMan 95]

To my original question: thanks for the helpful information! I’m going to try to stabilize my Windows setup for Emby Theater for a while longer.

 

Swapping my 4th gen Apple TV for a 5th gen would be trivial. Adding a Shield would be unfortunately complicated.

 

So I’ll try to wait for Apple to bring the aTV to parity.

 

If I can’t wait, then I’ll grt the Shield.

[CBers 6959]

Adding a Shield would be unfortunately complicated.

In what way?

[ShoutingMan 95]

In what way?

Nothing due to the Shield per se.

 

But it goes into a closet with an electronics rack, connected with IR blasters.

 

A new AppleTV is a simple swap. No change to even the remote control system.

 

Adding a Shield then requires adding a new network switch, because the current one is full. I have to get and add a new IR blaster cable, and that’s a thing. And I’ll have to call my installer to program a new page for the Shield on the URC remote.

 

I’m at the point where any new component has a bunch of knock-on effects.

[CBers 6959]

The Shield remote is Bluetooth, so no IR blaster required.

 

Installer, new page, URC remote?

 

Sounds way too over complicated to me

[ShoutingMan 95]

Installer, new page, URC remote?

 

Sounds way too over complicated to me

Upfront effort for long-term simplicity: one remote to rule them all. High SAF.

 

But if the Shield is Bluetooth only and has no IR receiver, it’s out as an option. But I thought the Shield had an IR receiver.

 

 

Of course people who go through the madness of HTPC builds, software, and all the quirks are used to “way too over complicated”

Edited December 22, 2017 by ShoutingMan