Cannot use seek function when remote controlling session on Samsung TV

[Revenent 9]

Server: 4.5.3.0 (originally 4.5.2.0)
Control clients: Android 3.1.64, Microsoft Edge (Chromium) 87.0.664.52, Firefox 83.0
TV: QN55Q70RAFXZA
TV Client: 1.0.86
TV Firmware: 1372

I'm trying to use the Remote Control feature to control the playback on the TV, but no matter what type of video I choose, I cannot use any of the seek-based functions.

It seems like the session is established, but no data flows from the TV to the remote clients.  For example, I get no title, backdrop or current time.  However, I can play/pause, stop and mute/unmute from the remote client.  In addition, I don't seem to be able to send any messages (as a test) through the dashboard.

I looked at the logs between a successful and unsuccessful session, but there doesn't seem to be any difference, even if they're playing the same video.

Is there something I need to enable on the TV for this to work?

Edited December 6, 2020 by Revenent
Updating server version for clarity

[FrostByte 5041]

The only seek method in the app right now is to click the Right scroll to forward 30 seconds and Left scroll to seek 10 seconds back.  If you hard press these buttons the app will execute multiple instances of each.  Hopefully in the near future there will be a chapter skip and visual seeking method similar to other apps

[Revenent 9]

That's the problem - even that doesn't work.

Note that I'm not talking about on the TV itself - I'm doing a remote control from another device, like a browser on my desktop or the Android client on my phone.

Based on the browser, there's no time state being sent from the TV, so when it tries to do the jumps or seeks, it passes NaN as the time index, which obviously doesn't work.

[Luke 36999]

4 hours ago, FrostByte said:

The only seek method in the app right now is to click the Right scroll to forward 30 seconds and Left scroll to seek 10 seconds back.  If you hard press these buttons the app will execute multiple instances of each.  Hopefully in the near future there will be a chapter skip and visual seeking method similar to other apps

He's talking about remote control, so yes this should work. We'll take a look at it. Thanks for reporting.

[SamES 890]

I've tested this and it seems to be working fine.  I've used the browser on my PC and the iOS app in remote control mode.

@Revenent, are all the devices on the same local network?

If you play the file directly on the TV, is it DirectPlaying, DirectStreaming or Transcoding (check Stats for Nerds on the Tv during playback)

 

 

[Revenent 9]

Same network.  I've tried videos that are DirectPlay and transcoded (I don't have any streamable videos on my server).

The only device that doesn't seem to work is the TV.  My Android phone, desktop and laptop all work as remote control targets.

I installed the app through Samsung's store - does that make a difference?

[Revenent 9]

Forgot to attach the ControllableByUserId call output...  At that current time when this was made, both the TV and phone were playing a video (not the same one).

As you can see, the server doesn't seem to recognize that the TV has a playing session, but at the same time, the server recognizes that the TV is playing something.

Looking at the client info, it might be the fact that it is reporting the Emby Theater client, but not the Emby for Samsung client (line 284).  At the same time, I'm not sure why it is reporting two Android clients (line 51 and line 258), but only one of the session works (the other connects can only do pause/play, stop, mute, like the issue I'm having right now).

Time index will be off compared to the screenshot, since I took the screenshot a while after, but both have been playing for a while.

ControllableByUserId.json

[SamES 890]

The AppStore version is fairly recent, so it should be fine. There’s a server update rolling out now, 4.5.3.0. Can you please try it when it’s updated and let us know if it resolves it?  Thanks 

[Revenent 9]

29 minutes ago, SamES said:

The AppStore version is fairly recent, so it should be fine. There’s a server update rolling out now, 4.5.3.0. Can you please try it when it’s updated and let us know if it resolves it?  Thanks 

Server was already updated to 4.5.3.0 when I took the JSON trace and screenshot.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Revenent
Missing a word.

[Luke 36999]

Did it start out initially as being controllable, and then at some point during playback, did you lose that?

[Revenent 9]

39 minutes ago, Luke said:

Did it start out initially as being controllable, and then at some point during playback, did you lose that?

No, never worked to begin with.  The remote screen would be blank other than the playback controls, and the seek bar would never update.

[SamES 890]

On 07/12/2020 at 06:59, Revenent said:

As you can see, the server doesn't seem to recognize that the TV has a playing session, but at the same time, the server recognizes that the TV is playing something.

Looking at the client info, it might be the fact that it is reporting the Emby Theater client, but not the Emby for Samsung client (line 284).  At the same time, I'm not sure why it is reporting two Android clients (line 51 and line 258), but only one of the session works (the other connects can only do pause/play, stop, mute, like the issue I'm having right now).

You are right, this does seem a bit off.

The client should be 'Emby for Samsung', but there is enough in there to convince me that it is the Samsung TV client.  I suspect the lack of play state is causing the problem.

Can you have another quick try and attach the server log, ideally with debug logging turned on.

Have you tried uninstalling the app, power cycling the TV and reinstalling?

[Revenent 9]

Sorry for the delay.

I updated to 4.5.4.0, and it's actually gotten worse.

The TV doesn't show up as a controllable session at all any more, wrong or otherwise.

Attaching all the relevant information.

embyserver.txt ControllableByUserId-1.json

[Luke 36999]

Try installing the latest USB version of the app. If it still persists after that, it's possible the TV is just closing the web socket connection at some point in order to conserve resources. It's not uncommon for these smart tv platforms to do that. If that gets closed the server has no way to send commands back to the app and that's why you'd see the controls drop off like that.

[SamES 890]

On 14/12/2020 at 22:25, SamES said:

Have you tried uninstalling the app, power cycling the TV and reinstalling?

Please give this a try with the latest USB version

[Revenent 9]

Sorry, had to go grab groceries (food is important!).

Installed 1.0.87 using USB - and it is reporting just a single client, and it seems to be working.  I can remote control the session, and jump using the seek bar.

Should I expect this to be the norm?  Does the USB-installed process have a different resource conservation model?

[SamES 890]

It should keep working fine.  It's sounds like there was something messed up with your previous install as it's not an issue I've encountered previously

[Revenent 9]

I removed the USB version and installed the "store" version again.  Seems to be working properly now.

Interesting how the previous uninstall I did didn't fix the issue.  I wonder if installing and removing the USB version somehow cleared out some bad files.

[Luke 36999]

Our app doesn't save any files, nor does it even have any permission to do so, but I think it is just the system deciding to close the socket connection and there could be any number of reasons why it might decide to do that.