Some TV Show Files Not Playing on Windows Emby Theater on HTPC

[Max Overdrive 9]

Hi there, I've recently purchased Emby Premiere and have been very happy with the software so far. However, I'm having a minor nagging issue that I can't seem to figure out. Some of the TV show files I have in my collection just won't play in Emby Theater (latest Windows version) on my Windows 10 HTPC (they're on a set of Storage Space drives that are attached to the very same HTPC). The files will play on Emby Theater (also latest Windows version) in my bedroom, and will play through the LG TV Emby app, just not on my HTPC. Other TV shows play fine on all devices.

 

There doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about the files that won't play. A few are h265, a few are h264.

 

When attempting to play them in the Windows Emby Theater on the HTPC, I just get the spinning circle (like it's loading up the video)... however, the hard disks where my collection is located don't spin up (they would normally spin up when playing all other shows/movies).

 

I should also mention that when playing them in my bedroom, they look to be direct playing, but seem to want to transcode when playing them through Windows Emby Theater on HTPC. Not sure why they want to transcode on one Windows system but play directly on the other. A setting I'm missing somewhere maybe?

 

I've attached a server log, ffmpeg log and a screenshot of the MediaInfo of a file that won't play. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ffmpeg-transcode-ed2d6dc3-b199-4fa7-b7b9-7a069510e85d_1.txt

embyserver.txt

Edited September 22, 2019 by Max Overdrive

[Guest asrequested]

Sounds like an access issue. How have you configured the library?

[Max Overdrive 9]

Yes, a library has been set up for each source (TV Shows and Movies, sources being D:\TV Shows and D:\Movies on the HTPC). All the TV shows show up correctly in the library, and all will play correctly on other Emby instances (Android phone, Windows Emby Theater in the bedroom, LG TV).

[Guest asrequested]

How have you configured them? Are they mapped drives? Are you using the network path? Do you have your permissions correctly configured?

[Max Overdrive 9]

Good questions Doofus, appreciate you taking the time to respond.

 

The drive is set up as a Windows Storage Space (14 pooled physical drives set up as D:). I had been using the local file system location to set up the libraries (e.g. D:\Movies) but tried deleting those libraries and setting them up with the local network path to the folders instead. Still no luck playing those specific files (others still work).

 

Checked the permissions for the files and folders that work vs. those that don't work, and they look the same (same permissions, same owner, etc.).

 

That's what I'm finding so strange about this... the files and folders themselves seem to set up identically, and seem to be playing fine through other Emby clients. It also seems strange that this one device's client seems to be trying to transcode while the others are direct playing the files.

[Happy2Play 8242]

The log you posted about would suggest a permissions issue as there are 73 permission denied files listed, but maybe a file issue.

 

example

2019-09-21 01:18:24.915 Error App: Error in ffprobe
	*** Error Report ***
	Version: 4.2.1.0
	Command line: C:\Users\HTPC\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\system\EmbyServer.dll
	Operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0
	64-Bit OS: True
	64-Bit Process: True
	User Interactive: True
	Runtime: file:///C:/Users/HTPC/AppData/Roaming/Emby-Server/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
	Processor count: 6
	Program data path: C:\Users\HTPC\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata
	Application directory: C:\Users\HTPC\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\system
	System.Exception: System.Exception: ffprobe failed for file:"D:\Movies\Iron Man (2008)\Iron Man (2008).mkv" - streams and format are both null: 
{
	
	}
	
	
ffprobe version 4.0.3-emby_2019_04_09-g5abbb1430d+449 Copyright (c) 2007-2018 the FFmpeg developers and softworkz for Emby LLC
	  built with gcc 8.3.0 (Rev2, Built by MSYS2 project)
	file:D:\Movies\Iron Man (2008)\Iron Man (2008).mkv: Permission denied

Do the files you are having issues with show media info in the web client?

 

But not seeing a issue with the example provided "The King of Queens S03E05.mkv" within the logs.

TranscodeReasons=VideoCodecNotSupported

Edited September 22, 2019 by Happy2Play

[Happy2Play 8242]

I use Stablebits drivepool and add my libraries with both local and network path.

 

[Max Overdrive 9]

Looks like that did it Happy2Play. The important part seemed to be having both the local folder path as well as the network path. Problem solved! And also, no more transcoding for those files in that client.

 

I think the reason for the permission denied errors that were in the log was that I rip movies on one machine transfer them over the network to the HTPC. So I think the Emby server is trying to read a partially transferred file in those cases and coming up with permission denied as Windows has it locked during the file transfer.

 

Thanks Doofus and Happy2Play for helping me out with this, it's much appreciated.

[Guest asrequested]

I only use the network path.