How to stream music with mobile client

[c.monty 0]

Hi,
I intent to stream my locally stored music (mp3 + ogg) with my mobile device.
My download volume (for mobile internet) is limited and therefore I assume I need to transcode the stream somehow.

In the bottom line I want to have something similar to Spotify with locally stored music.

Can this be realized with Emby Media Server?

What is required on the server (hardware, codecs, addons)?

Which client should be used on mobile device?

How can I ensure remote access to the Emby server?

THX

[RobWayBro 27]

A couple of assumption here;

 

1.  That you are running your own Emby server

2.  By "locally stored" you mean on your Emby server *With* a music library setup.

3.  Your Emby server is already setup and accessible both in your home network and remotely.

 

With those assumption the simple answer is install the Emby Mobile:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mb.android&hl=en_US

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/emby/id992180193?mt=8

 

Connect to your Emby server

Then use the Music Library and stream away.

 

HTH...

[c.monty 0]

Thanks for your reply.

 

When I use the mobile client "Emby for Android", what about the data transmitted when streaming music?

Let's assume I stream a song that's stored as a mp3 file with 4MB.

When I stream this song will Emby transmit 4MB data then?

If yes, how can this be reduced?

With Spotify (depending on the settings) the data usage is certainly not 4MB / song.

[ebr 13816]

Hi.  The apps all have a max bitrate setting that you can lower.

 

Also, if this is a global limitation you'd like to apply, then there is a setting in the server that will cap everyone's max bitrate.

[Luke 32901]

The app has a music streaming quality setting. Have you explored that?

[c.monty 0]

No, I'm still in the post evaluation phase.

Means if this function is not available, I need to consider another software.

 

OK. Back to your replies.

 

I understand that I can adjust the streaming quality with the app.

But how does this work?

Let's assume the mp3 file has a bitrate of 192 kbit/s representing good quality.

If I want to stream lower quality, say 128 kbit/s, with the client, where is the bitrate converted?

On the client or on the server? If it's converted on the client, then the full datafile size will be streamed.

Or is there no conversion at all?

 

Or is my understanding totally wrong?

[Luke 32901]

It is converted on the server.

[c.monty 0]

It is converted on the server.

Good.

What are the HW requirements for this audio conversion (e.g. CPU)?

Will this conversion still work if Emby Server is running in Docker container? If yes, what are the requirements / requisites for this setup?

 

THX

[Luke 32901]

For converting audio there are no specific hardware requirements.

[LXM 0]

Hello @ll; 

currently trying to figure out how to do what the original thread creator was after, but so far to no avail. 

To check a few of the obvious starting points : 

• yes, I have an instance of Emby Server running on my dedicated machine (Win 10); 
• it kann be reached from inside the same LAN/WLAN
• the Emby Server instance even gets listed when connecting on my phone via mobile (Android) uplink (not WLAN), but 
• when trying to connect, I get an connection error :/ 
• trying "wake up server" didn't help (server was active, too) 
• The user owning the server instance (me) has an Emby Connect account associated which appears to be working, in general (I can logon using Connect on a different machine on the same WLAN and I can get into Emby mobile app using that) 

Since I'm utterly new to Emby, I'm probably making some embarrassingly obvious mistake; 

like, 

do I need a Premiere Pass to get mobile streaming to work? 

 

Thank you very much for what help you may be able to offer. Cheers - LX 

[Luke 32901]

Hi @@LXM, what is the connection error that you're getting?

[LXM 0]

 

Hi @@LXM, what is the connection error that you're getting?

 

Hello @@Luke + thanks for getting back to me. 

Sadly, the error is rather unspecific / generic: 

All it says is (German version of) "Connection Error. We currently can not connect to the selected server. Please make sure it is running and try again. [Acknowledge/d]" :/ 

[mholin 14]

kann es sein, dass dein Internetanschluss zu Hause ein IP V6 Anschluss ist? Typischerweise laufen diese zu Hause gehosteten Serversysteme, so auch das emby nur vernünftig mit IP V4.

 

ich musste bei Unitymedia extra gegen etwas Aufpreis eine feste IP V4 Adresse bestellen, damit ich meinen Server von außerhalb vernünftig erreichen kann.

 

das ist aber kein Problem was emby liegt, sondern das betrifft alle zu Hause gehosteten Systeme.

 

VG Michael

[mholin 14]

within the mobile app, when you click your account (upper right corner in android), you find a section Playback ("Wiedergabe" in german).

Here you find Musicquality (when using internet, not Wifi).

 

I select 64kbit.

 

here is the result from server logfiles after payback some FLAC files:

 

15:40:54.188 Execution Date: 2019-12-26 15:40:54
15:40:54.235 Input #0, flac, from 'file:K:\Musik-MP3-Flac\Conjure One - Holoscenic (2015) FLAC\01 Conjure One feat. Hannah Ray - Kill The Fear.flac':
15:40:54.235 Metadata:
15:40:54.235 ALBUM : Holoscenic
15:40:54.235 ALBUM ARTIST : Conjure One
15:40:54.235 album_artist : Conjure One
15:40:54.235 ARTIST : Conjure One feat. Hannah Ray
15:40:54.235 COMMENT : Armada Music B.V.
15:40:54.235 DATE : 2015
15:40:54.235 GENRE : Electronic
15:40:54.235 TITLE : Kill The Fear
15:40:54.235 track : 1
15:40:54.235 TRACKTOTAL : 11
15:40:54.235 Duration: 00:06:11.92, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 853 kb/s
15:40:54.235 Stream #0:0: Audio: flac, 44100 Hz, stereo, s16
15:40:54.235 Stream #0:1: Video: mjpeg (Progressive), yuvj420p(pc, bt470bg/unknown/unknown), 600x600 [sAR 1:1 DAR 1:1], 90k tbr, 90k tbn, 90k tbc (attached pic)
15:40:54.235 Metadata:
15:40:54.235 comment : Cover (front)
15:40:54.251 Stream mapping:
15:40:54.251 Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (flac (native) -> aac (native))
15:40:54.251 Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
15:40:54.266 [segment @ 00000153addf5740] Opening 'f:\transcoding-temp\e7ee23e1c0c6b12c0cf11ad9e14e63180.ts.tmp' for writing
15:40:54.266 [mpegts @ 00000153ae347cc0] frame size not set
15:40:54.266 Output #0, segment, to 'f:\transcoding-temp\e7ee23e1c0c6b12c0cf11ad9e14e6318%d.ts':
15:40:54.266 Metadata:
15:40:54.266 encoder : Lavf58.31.104
15:40:54.266 Stream #0:0: Audio: aac (LC), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp (16 bit), 64 kb/s
15:40:54.266 Metadata:
15:40:54.266 encoder : Lavc58.56.101 aac

15:40:54.297 [segment @ 00000153addf5740] Opening 'f:\transcoding-temp\e7ee23e1c0c6b12c0cf11ad9e14e6318.m3u8.tmp' for writing

 

 

looks fine!

 

bye Michael

[LXM 0]

kann es sein, dass dein Internetanschluss zu Hause ein IP V6 Anschluss ist? Typischerweise laufen diese zu Hause gehosteten Serversysteme, so auch das emby nur vernünftig mit IP V4.

 

ich musste bei Unitymedia extra gegen etwas Aufpreis eine feste IP V4 Adresse bestellen, damit ich meinen Server von außerhalb vernünftig erreichen kann.

 

das ist aber kein Problem was emby liegt, sondern das betrifft alle zu Hause gehosteten Systeme.

 

VG Michael

 

Hello, MHolin (allow me to respond in English, so the other users can continue to follow this thread). 

 

Looking at Emby's Dashboard, my server reports reachability via a normal IP4-address for WAN access ("Fernzugriff (WAN): http://195.nn.nnn.nnn:pppp/). Hence, I'd wager IP-protocol-type/generation is unlikely to be the problem here. 

 

Thank you nonetheless, tho'. 

[LXM 0]

BUT   I just found out that the URL given does not open as well. 

So, I might have to dive into my router + check if incoming connection attempts are blocked somehow somewhere. 

*hmf* 

This might take some doing, as I'm not the savviest guy in that area. 

 

[edit / add : I'll see where the related help will get me + get back to you should I get stuck (or lucky). Cheers!]

Edited December 26, 2019 by LXM

[mholin 14]

of course you need port forwarding to your server activated in your router

 

redirect ports

8096 TCP

8920 TCP

1900 UDP

7359 UDP

 

to your servers internal IP

 

this is mandatory

 

bye Michael

[LXM 0]

hm, ok; I have added the ports on my router, but strangely, the external IP given by Emby's dashboard still doesn't work; 

however, the individual lines in port opening state a different IP and if I open this in my browser with the port, I get Emby's logon screen. 

 

If enter these per "new server" on my mobile's Emby interface I can connect without problem. 

Shall we consider this a solve? Or should I inquire why the WAN IP announced by Emby Server's dashboard is much different from the one stated by my router's port clearance/s? 

 

Is there perhaps a way I can teach Emby server the actual WAN IP as issued by my router? (We can continue this conversation per PM in either English or German if you need the IPs = see the difference, I'd rather not post them to the public, if that's alright). 

 

Thanks for all your help so far. Cheers

Edited December 27, 2019 by LXM

[LXM 0]

hu, 

this just changed. Now Emby Dashboard is announcing the working IP. Guess it took a little while for this to sync back. I think we're solved here. 

Thanks again!  

[Luke 32901]

Thanks for the feedback.