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Music playlists won't play on Roku TV


GreyBat

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When I attempt to play a music playlist on my Roku TV (Emby version 3.0.128), i get nothing but a blank/black screen and no sound. I can recover by pressing the Back button.

 

I can play albums, songs, etc. without problems. I can play an individual song from within a playlist. But trying to play the entire list fails every time. That applies to small and large (> 1000) tracks.

 

I have tried to leave it for a few minutes to see if the size of my library is a problem (but I can't believe it is - only 10000 songs).

 

I don't have any playlists for other media, so I cannot tell whether they work or not. (If it would help to test this, let me know!)

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Yes - tested from another computer on local LAN. Also plays on Android phone app (although response to touch controls is appallingly slow to non-existant!)

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I can test the playlists later today and squash this issue possibly. It might also be the fact that the Roku app is now compliant with the 3.6 branch of the server.

 

@@GreyBat is there any way I can convince you to upgrade to the Beta server and the 3.6.x branch? Pretty please? Then test if your playlists works, and general speed of the app/server. The Roku app is being purposely built against the Beta server builds to keep compliance with future versions. We may as we updated forget to include checks for older server versions for these changes. I apologize, but please if you can upgrade to the Emby Server Beta and please use the Beta version of the Roku Emby app. I want to be able to react to your issue without breaking compliance with 3.6. Thanks. :)

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You don't have to beg! Only too happy to help!

 

I installed server version 3.6.0.81 beta. First of all, this seems to have broken all the playlists that I have editted yesterday. I suspect this is because the new server version has re-imported these playlists (with the same names) from iTunes and they don't match the changes I made yesterday (which is a shame, since I spent hours trying to align them! Never mind!) The playlists that I didn't change yesterday seem to work on Emby server. However, they don't work on Roku - same problem - blank screen: no sound.

 

I did create a new, short playlist within Emby server, and that works fine in Roku. So the problem may relate to how big my playlists are - and they are all pretty big, i.e. over 1500 songs, up to 8000+.

 

I will try today to build a new playlist within Emby server that is large, and see if I can figure out roughly where it starts to fail in Roku. Unfortunately, that is quite an arduous task, since I don't believe I can select multiple albums ad add them to a playlist with one command. Something for the future, maybe!

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You don't have to beg! Only too happy to help!

 

I installed server version 3.6.0.81 beta. First of all, this seems to have broken all the playlists that I have editted yesterday. I suspect this is because the new server version has re-imported these playlists (with the same names) from iTunes and they don't match the changes I made yesterday (which is a shame, since I spent hours trying to align them! Never mind!) The playlists that I didn't change yesterday seem to work on Emby server. However, they don't work on Roku - same problem - blank screen: no sound.

 

I did create a new, short playlist within Emby server, and that works fine in Roku. So the problem may relate to how big my playlists are - and they are all pretty big, i.e. over 1500 songs, up to 8000+.

 

I will try today to build a new playlist within Emby server that is large, and see if I can figure out roughly where it starts to fail in Roku. Unfortunately, that is quite an arduous task, since I don't believe I can select multiple albums ad add them to a playlist with one command. Something for the future, maybe!

 

Something for the future for sure. I can note this in our issue tracker as well helps others in the team know what is going on. Then if you can give us steps to reproduce the issue I can take a look, sure. Others can as well and we will get to the bottom of it.

 

The fact you lost all your playlist changes my apologies, but.. at least you are now on the version that is current. This mean you should notice first off the speed of everything should feel much faster. You might also experience other issues. Please let us know what you think. Where we do things right and wrong. I like to know how new users feel coming in fresh. We aren't afraid of criticism and want you to be happy. So if we fail somewhere please let us know. It is better to have problems solved than problems linger. Thanks. :)

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I don't believe I can select multiple albums ad add them to a playlist with one command. Something for the future, maybe!

 

You should be able to use group select. Hold down the left click until it checks a box in the left corner. Now check the boxes of all the albums you want in the playlist too. Then right click, add to playlist.

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You should be able to use group select. Hold down the left click until it checks a box in the left corner. Now check the boxes of all the albums you want in the playlist too. Then right click, add to playlist.

It works! Thanks! Should help a lot. (Then I also found I can add a playlist to a playlist..... over and over again! That also speeds things up!)

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Apologies if I'm hijacking the tread, but I'm a new Emby user and have nearly the identical problem as GreyBat (I'm checking out Emby as a replacement for Plex - that seems to be a "thing" lately :-)).

 

I tested with one playlist of about 30 songs, exported from MediaMonkey and copied over to the Playlists folder on the server side. Playlist plays on web client and I can play individual songs within the playlist on the Roku but Play All or Shuffle results in a blank screen.

 

Looking at GreyBat's earlier post, it would seem that creating the playlist within the (beta) server created Roku-playable lists. I can probably go that route - my lists are several 100s of songs each so doable - but wondered if there was any more info about importing existing playlists?

 

Roku client: 3.0.128

Emby server: 3.5.3.0, running on unRaid 6.6.6

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Jim

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Hijack isn't so much.. you aren't deviate from the main topic..

 

You are sort of hitch-hiking onto the thread and hitched a free ride.. moreso..

 

But that aside.. you should be using the Emby Beta for Roku. This is the version we presently develop and release for testing. Then once this is matured for so long of a period it is released to the store. The beta doesn't mean broken, or lacks features, or anything. It just means the beta we can push publish at any time and have a new version that fast *snap your fingers*. On the store Roku must approve and we are at their whims of when they press publish. So it is in your best interest if you are active on the forums is to stay on the Beta on both server and apps. In that way you can ride the cusp of development and your input directly matters to us the most since you are participate in the Beta. Thanks for helping us if you choose to and please keep us informed of any issues.

 

I can look at this issue later today and see WTF is up and where the difference is. As I stated I put this on the issue tracker today to keep others in the team on it. So if I cannot alone. Combined somebody will. It shall not be overlooked or swept under the rug. :)

 

As far as importing playlists @@Luke is there any special route to take so these can be retained?

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Thanks for the reply, speechles. Hitchhiking, I like that. :-)

 

Got it - beta channel for both Roku app & server. I will give those a go when I get home tonight.

 

But just in the one evening I've had Emby installed, I'm liking what I'm seeing so far. Looking forward to using it a bit more this weekend.

 

Cheers.

 

(Edit: I may also create a playlist within the server itself, as GreyBat did, to test as well.)

Edited by JimB66
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OK - Progress!

 

First of all, it has nothing to do with size. (Or should I say, size doesn't matter!) It has something to do with the playlists being imported from elsewhere - in my case iTunes, but, based on JimB66, possibly elsewhere also.

 

I built a new, long playlist and it worked fine.

 

(From here, it is related to my other post yesterday regarding titled Importing iTunes Playlists......)

 

I created in iTunes a new playlist with 1 song in it, and exported ithe playlist as m3u. Refreshed music library in Emby. Playlist  appeared, but empty, due, presumably to the causes reported in other post. I added 4 songs to the playlist in Emby, and tried to play it in Roku. Blank screen.

 

I created another playlist in iTunes with 4 songs that I knew would import into Emby. Repeated refresh. Playlist appeared with 4 songs in it. Tried to play in Emby. Blank screen!

 

Attached are a couple of screen shots from Roku TV showing what the imported playlist looks like when first opened, and what a working playlist looks like.post-398335-0-39506500-1546026719_thumb.jpgpost-398335-0-65156600-1546026736_thumb.jpg

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by GreyBat
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Just noticed another thing that may be relevant.....

 

In Settings, under Expert / Metadata Manager / Playlists, only the playlists that I have created in Emby are shown - i.e., the ones that work on Roku. Imported ones don't appear.

 

Also, although this may be off topic a bit, I do not seem able to delete the messed up playlists that reulsted when I changed the server to beta. If I right-click them (or click ...), no delete option. If I left click and hold, I can then tick the box, and find Delete in options in green box on top. I get warning about deleting the media, click OK, and nothing happens. I need a way to basically restart my database from scratch.

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I created another playlist in iTunes with 4 songs that I knew would import into Emby. Repeated refresh. Playlist appeared with 4 songs in it. Tried to play in Emby. Blank screen!

 

I'm curious, if you still have this playlist (or can recreate) can you play one of the songs in the playlist by selecting one from the "Contents" section at the bottom? I was able to do that, just not play the whole list. Not sure if it'll provide any help to the devs, but like I said I'm curious (I'm a hardware engineer by profession so I easily slip into "troubleshooting mode" :-)).

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I'm curious, if you still have this playlist (or can recreate) can you play one of the songs in the playlist by selecting one from the "Contents" section at the bottom? I was able to do that, just not play the whole list. Not sure if it'll provide any help to the devs, but like I said I'm curious (I'm a hardware engineer by profession so I easily slip into "troubleshooting mode" :-)).

Yes, I can play the individual contents. (I was a software engineer/IT consultant before retirement. I know the mode!)

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A workaround - sort of.....

 

In Emby server, select the imported playlist, click the three dots settings , then "Add to Playlist'. Create a new playlist, and Add.

 

The new - effectively copied - playlist will play on Roku, subject to........

 

1. Contents appear randomly sorted

2. Contents at bottom is only 1-250 tracks

3. Track list on right is only 150 tracks long

4. Refresh button doesn't seem to do anything.

 

I think most of these things are probably Roku playlist restrictions (and are unfortunate, IMHO!)

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  • 7 months later...
waidray

Is anyone working to fix this? I have numerous playlists that are ordered in specific ways, so the work-around is not a solution for me. If the issue lies with Roku instead of Emby, could a standalone program be created to convert the m3u's into a form that Roku can play? It's very annoying to be unable to use my playlists.

 

Many thanks!

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Is anyone working to fix this? I have numerous playlists that are ordered in specific ways, so the work-around is not a solution for me. If the issue lies with Roku instead of Emby, could a standalone program be created to convert the m3u's into a form that Roku can play? It's very annoying to be unable to use my playlists.

 

Many thanks!

Hi there, what happens when you try to play?

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waidray

I get the below error message. Emby locks up (although if I click the back button, I can hear it dinging in the background) and the only way to recover is click the home button and to go to the Roku home screen.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

5d45ee21eec10_IMG_2762.jpg

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I get the below error message. Emby locks up (although if I click the back button, I can hear it dinging in the background) and the only way to recover is click the home button and to go to the Roku home screen.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

5d45ee21eec10_IMG_2762.jpg

 

We are working on this. Presently we are halfway through getting this into the app. It is almost ready. Right now the app only supports video for playlists and folder playback. This will change very soon and support Audio for playlists and folder playback.

Edited by speechles
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