Playback Hangs on Fire TV Stick

[Blatherscribe 4]

I recently purchased Fire TV Sticks to replace my aging Roku devices, largely so that I could play back files without transcoding (Fire sticks can read DVD/Blu-Ray subtitles, Roku can't, so I can disable transcoding). Last night I was able to watch a TV episode with no problems. Tonight, both during a movie and another episode of the same show, playback would hang at seemingly random intervals. It would freeze-frame for up to ten seconds, then resume. Backing out to the menu and resuming playback seemed to help.

 

I think my home network can handle the data transmission. I never had problems like this on the Roku (except the subtitles didn't work). Is this a Fire-specific problem? Is there a setting I can change to fix everything? I've attached the relevant log files (the one with the numbers in the filename is from last night, with the successful playback for comparison).

 

Thanks in advance!

embyserver.txt

embyserver-63711619199.txt

[ebr 14903]

Hi.  You have disabled transcoding on your server?

 

What is the bitrate of the item you are trying to play?

 

Your description sounds like it may be too high for what the network or device can handle.

[Blatherscribe 4]

The bitrate is 12,672 kbps for an episode of Enterprise, 10,166 for a movie. Is that too high? If so, will I need to go back and re-rip and re-transcode everything in my library?

 

What's strange is that one day it worked fine, the next it didn't. Stranger, an older Roku has no trouble with these files (except for the subtitles). I'm hoping to avoid transcoding with Emby, because it reduces the picture clarity.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Blatherscribe

[Luke 37009]

As a test I would try lowering the in-app quality setting so that it does transcode, and see how that performs. You could also try to play some lower bitrate videos. Let us know how that compares. Thanks.

[ebr 14903]

If you turn transcoding back on what happens?

[Blatherscribe 4]

The problem is, if I enable transcoding I lose a lot of picture quality.

 

Are there known problems of this sort with the Amazon Fire Stick? I know my network is sufficient, because it's worked in the past. And the thing that puzzles me most is that it worked once on the Fire stick, but not again. Did the logs show you anything useful?

 

Thanks again for helping!

[ebr 14903]

The problem is, if I enable transcoding I lose a lot of picture quality.

 

That would indicate something is determining a bandwidth problem.

 

Will you please enable transcoding and then post the ffmpeg log that is produced?

 

Thanks.

[Luke 37009]

The problem is, if I enable transcoding I lose a lot of picture quality.

 

Are there known problems of this sort with the Amazon Fire Stick? I know my network is sufficient, because it's worked in the past. And the thing that puzzles me most is that it worked once on the Fire stick, but not again. Did the logs show you anything useful?

 

Thanks again for helping!

 

We're just asking you to test and compare for the purposes of collecting information.

[Blatherscribe 4]

Sure, sorry. I thought you were suggesting a fix, rather than a diagnostic test.

 

I only have time for a brief test right now, if you need more I'll be glad to do that tomorrow.

 

I wound up running the same bit twice. The first time there was no ffmpeg log. I remembered I hadn't done the "recover unlock" thing with this Fire stick, so I did that and played it again, and still no ffmpeg log. So I guess the Emby server doesn't think transcoding is needed, which is nice. But that only deepens the mystery....

 

Thanks again for helping, and sorry about the misunderstanding. Especially since I was wrong anyway.

 

embyserver.txt

[ebr 14903]

Were there any problems with playback during those tests?

[Blatherscribe 4]

They were too brief to notice any. I'll try playing a high-bitrate movie after lunch. Thanks for being patient.

[Blatherscribe 4]

OK, I just started a movie and it froze almost immediately, and has done three times now before the opening credits are over. The longest freeze was about five seconds. I looked at the log, and there are three points at which it says "Connection=Keep-Alive." Does that help with the diagnosis?

 

Transcoding is enabled, and is not happening.

embyserver.txt

[ebr 14903]

Okay, that item was "The Fifth Element" which used to be the standard for DVD/BD video quality (back in the day when I built custom theaters).  What is the bitrate of that item?

[Blatherscribe 4]

19,620 kbps

 

It's one of the highest I have. I think only the Matrix sequels are a tiny bit higher.

[ebr 14903]

Okay, that is right at the top of the specs for that device - a two year old 2nd generation stick.  Those devices are not really known for their speed .  I would try setting the bitrate limit in the app to about 15Mb/s and see how that does.

 

The newer sticks - while they don't have much higher published specs - do perform quite a bit better than those older ones.

[Blatherscribe 4]

It's a two year old stick? I just bought it! May I ask how you can tell? I bought these because they're supposed to be faster and better than my old Roku bricks.

[ebr 14903]

The model number on the device is for a 2nd gen stick.  Where did you buy it?

[Blatherscribe 4]

Amazon, about two weeks ago. But I did some checking, and unless I'm misreading things, they only go up to 2nd generation unless you buy the 4k-enabled one.

 

I'm changing the bitrate now, and if I can impose upon your time a bit longer, it's leaving me with QUESTIONS.

 

1) I dropped the max bitrate to 15 mbps, then 10. Both times Emby Server said it was direct playing. There's no ffmpeg log. The 15 mbps playback lasted about ten minutes before hanging, but then it was a ten-second hang. On 10 mbps, it lasted 16 minutes, then froze for three seconds. I'm already able to see the difference; I'm afraid of what will happen if I drop it to 5 mbps.

 

2) How does Emby lower the bitrate without transcoding?

 

3) If Fire sticks aren't so great, do you have a preferred device? The Fire sticks seem to do well for Netflix and Hulu and such.

 

4) The big one: Do I need to go back and re-transcode all my video files? I will, if I've done it wrong (I own all the original discs, and my computer's CPU maxes out at 65 C when transcoding, so it won't break anything). For Blu-Ray, I set Handbrake to constant quality 18 RF, and for DVD 14 RF. The problem is, I can tell the difference at lower encoding settings, same as I can when Emby was transcoding for subtitles on my Roku.

 

I'm sorry to be such a bother. I just want these blasted movies to work. I had no idea setting up a media server would be so difficult! You folks have astonishing patience, to be putting up with all of this. I will consider any solution you have to offer. Thank you VERY much!

 

(Edit: I should say, I wasn't weirdly bragging about the CPU temp. That was my tired-brain way of checking... right? right? I won't kill it if I re-do everything, right?   )

embyserver.txt

Edited December 14, 2019 by Blatherscribe

[ebr 14903]

You dropped the bitrate setting to 15Mb/s and played The Fifth Element and it still direct played?

[Blatherscribe 4]

I dropped the bitrate to 10 mbps and it still direct played. And I triple-checked that transcoding was enabled. But it definitely affected *something*, because the framerate was dropping. It was especially noticeable in panning shots.

 

But I may have figured it out. I googled and chased forum threads and so forth, and found someone who said that turning off the Fire stick's SSID worked to clear up what sounded like the same problem, but for Plex. There's no way to do that for the 2nd generation Fire Stick, but there was a setting for using the Fire stick to control the TV and other devices. It was set to automatic. I turned it off, and have just finished watching the rest of The Fifth Element without a single skip, pause, or hang.

 

Technology is very strange.

 

I really can't thank you enough for working on this with me. This is why I'm sticking with Emby (and will reactivate my Premiere membership periodically, as I can afford it, because you definitely deserve to get paid for your work). I've never before encountered developers who spend so much time helping people with technical problems. Thank you!

[Luke 37009]

That's interesting, thanks for the feedback.

[ebr 14903]

When you get a chance, can you show us a screenshot of the exact option  you changed?

 

Thanks!

[Blatherscribe 4]

I don't think I can take a screenshot from my TV, but in the Fire stick settings is something called Equipment Control. During initial setup, it had detected my TV and had me confirm that it could control the volume and turn it off. I went into the Equipment Control menu and changed it from Automatic to Off.

 

I suspect that the Automatic setting causes the Fire stick to keep searching for connected equipment it can control, and that through Emby it detects a device (my computer) and tries to control it, or at least query it for control functions. This causes the disruptions. I may be so far off base that it's laughable, but I've been wracking my brain and that's all it has produced.

[ebr 14903]

Wow, very interesting.  Thanks.

[Blatherscribe 4]

You're very welcome, and many thanks in return.

 

Technology is weird.