Emby for iOS 1.9.7 Freezing on older iPads

[Rohanaj 15]

Morning guys,

 

Emby for iOS was continuing to have an issue with pausing and resuming content on older iPads (I have both an iPad 3 and iPad 4 that it would happen on) for quite a while, but the app was still playing content fine as long as you fully backed out of the playback and then resumed that way rather than with the pause button.

 

However, after updating Emby on my iPad 4 (which maxed out at iOS 10.3.3 for operating system and can't upgrade beyond that), attempting to play any type of video content (.mp4, .m4v, .mkv at least are the three I have consistently in my library) results in a start of the video for a second or two and then it pauses the playback on the screen.  Tapping the play button on the screen at that point has the same resume glitch that has been there for a while.

 

So, unfortunately, it seems version 1.9.7 is now stopping at the initial playback even, which has made the app unusable on older iPads.

 

I'll send a server log and two ffmpeg transcode logs to @@Luke in a message so he can get them to any other developer that wants to see them, or I can forward them on additionally if anyone else lets me know they need them as well.

 

-Roh

[Luke 39003]

Hi, is it only when transcoding is needed?

[Rohanaj 15]

Hi Luke,

 

No, it behaves the same way whether transcoding is needed or direct playing.  I'm messaging you a short server log from just a few minutes ago when I just tried a direct playing attempt as well, in case that helps.

 

-Roh

[Luke 39003]

Ok thanks for the info.

[RavenDK 0]

Hi,

 

Just wanted to share, that I also have the same issue descripted by Rohanaj.

 

I'm using a Ipad 4 running firmware 10.3.3.

[Luke 39003]

Ok we're looking into it, thanks.

[kumaheiyama 0]

Ditto. Also Emby 1.9.7, iPad gen 4 and iOS 10.3.3, and I have had this problem since I first installed the app (unknown which version I installed back then, about 4 months ago).

 

The problem got worse with 1.9.7 as now all videos freeze up at the start, before upgrading it would only freeze when I pressed rewind, pause or forward. The only way to unfreeze it in previous versions was to close the app and restart it. Position in video seems to be saved so it was easy to continue where I left off.

 

I have however noticed two workarounds that work even in 1.9.7. The pause/rewind/forward buttons makes the video freeze, but I can still use the slider to move back and forward.

Also, to get the video to play (this is every time when I start watching) I press play, the video starts for two seconds. I press play again and before it freezes I press rewind once. After that it actually starts playing the video.

 

I will try to post a video of this.

[kumaheiyama 0]

I managed to film a short video of me trying to get Emby to start playing. Wasn't able to upload the mp4 directly so I had to zip it first.

 

As you can see it's difficult to get it to work, but eventually I managed. As soon as I press pause again the freezing symptoms reoccur.

VID-20200605-WA0000.zip

[DavidAvis 0]

I have emby premiere and am also having this exact issue on an older ipad.  It will also only play one episode at at time and will not continuous play.

Is there an older version of Emby that works properly?

[Luke 39003]

Hi, 1.9.8 will be released any day now. Please try again with that. Thanks.

[DavidAvis 0]

tested with the latest version. Problem still persists. 

[kumaheiyama 0]

Sorry to say I'm also still experiencing problems.

The 1.9.8 update actually worsened it, since the time period available for my workaround is now shortened, essentially making it impossible to start any video.

[Rohanaj 15]

I can also confirm what DavidAvis and kumaheiyama have said - the problem is definitely persisting through the latest update.  I'm continuing to use Emby in a web browser (Chrome) on my older iPads, which is working, but would much prefer to use the app as it's a far better experience than a browser on a mobile device, in my opinion.

Thanks for all the work by you and your team, Luke.

[alturismo 37]

confirmed here too, same issue one iphone 5s and now iphone 7 both running ios 10 (no, i dont want to update  the ios version)

[Spaceboy 2563]

yep same here. emby complete broken on my ipad

[Luke 39003]

The problem is that on iOS 9&10, the app doesn't have the same kind of background features that it has for newer iOS versions, the system then shuts certain things down, and the app doesn't handle that when you come back. The best way to workaround it for now is what you've discovered, which is exiting the video before moving the app to the background, and then starting again when you come back. I realize that's a cumbersome workaround and I apologize. It's just hard for us to allocate resources to iOS 9&10 at this point given their low combined market share. It is on our backlog though.

[Spaceboy 2563]

thanks but based on historic performance i will not be waiting while holding my breath. moving on to another device

[alturismo 37]

not really satisfying but it is as it is, specially when u know it can work by using a non human combo to start a playback