Emby for Kodi on Fire TV Stick 2020 release crashes

[richardvrusso 10]

Hi everyone,

Got a new Fire TV Stick this weekend. See attached for exact model/version. It has the OS 7 so new interface. I installed kodi using AppStarter, like always, added the Emby for Kodi add-on fine. It did the initial sync fine.

Now for the bad news. After it completed I clicked into the Movies section and while the movie posters were appearing kodi seemed to crash and it went back to the Fire TV home screen.

I wonder if there could be an issue with this Fire TV OS 7 or maybe a artwork cache thing? I just thought I could also try SPMC... Since it's super easy with AppStarter to grab/install it.

Regards, ®ich

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by richardvrusso
Image had PII on it.

[Luke 38810]

Moving to Kodi section. Thanks.

[richardvrusso 10]

Doh! Sorry. Wasnt entirely sure which one to drop it in. Thx.

[quickmic 1550]

Hello,

I assume you are using emby 4.1.22?

Please perform a test with "emby-next-gen 5.1.5". Available in emby kodi beta repository. OR download from here:

http://embydata.com/downloads/addons/xbmb3c/multi-repo/beta-leia/plugin.video.emby-next-gen/plugin.video.emby-next-gen-5.1.5.zip

If you still have issues, please send me the kodi.log file.

thanks

 

btw, what kodi version are you using? I assume Kodi 18?

[richardvrusso 10]

Hey quickmic,

I have emby 4.1.21 and kodi 18.9 installed. I just tried the update button for the emby add-on but still shows 4.1.21. I'll try the beta version of emby and see how it goes. Going to reinstall kodi for a fresh start.

whoops sorry for the upside down pics. 

[richardvrusso 10]

Oh btw there's version 4.1.22 in the beta repo. Still will try the next gen at your suggestion. 

[richardvrusso 10]

Hi quickmic,

Fresh install of kodi and beta add-on installed. The sync went great. Though when I went into the TV shows and the images started appearing and then it crashed again. 

Maybe the 4.1.22 worth a try?

[quickmic 1550]

Well, I think whatever the issue is, it will appear in all versions.

I need the kodi.log, otherwise I cannot help you.

 

Is Kodi completly stock? No addons beside emby, no custom skin, no config changes in Kodi?

btw, are you using addon mode or native?

Edited January 12, 2021 by quickmic

[richardvrusso 10]

Gotcha. Ok will pull the log.

Yes completely stock, was fresh install. Hm I did tweak kodi a little but nothing major. Just things like unchecking "extract chapter thumbnails", "download character bios" and checked "show movies in sets". Things that I did to the the Fire TV (diamond) version.

Native, for both sticks actually and even my PC kodi.

[quickmic 1550]

If you use 5.1.5, I highly recommend addon mode. There are no (more) drawbacks but additional features available in addon mode.

There are just a few edge cases were native mode is required.

But I think native mode will not cause the issue.

[richardvrusso 10]

To eliminate as many variables possible I'll do another fresh install of kodi 18.9 not changing any settings and add the beta add-on. Since I am pulling the log would be valuable to turn on any extra logging? Maybe there is a verbose mode?

I can try addon mode but then don't I lose the ability to directly play the media from my NAS?

Edited January 12, 2021 by richardvrusso

[quickmic 1550]

No, you will not lose NAS direct play.

Regular logging is fine, debug log is not needed at the moment.

If Kodi crashes and restarts automatically, I need the kodi.old.log as well.

Edited January 12, 2021 by quickmic

[richardvrusso 10]

Ok cool. Will try that way in a bit, hopefully.

I can probably find the file(s) but would you know the path to it off-hand?

[quickmic 1550]

I guess somewhere here:

Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi/temp/

 

 

[richardvrusso 10]

Found them! Here is the log and old.log files. Interesting, I tried to play a movie and it just spun and never played. Emby dashboard said it was "direct play" the file though.

So this was the fresh install and only two things i did were allow unknown sources for the add-on and turned on the webservice.

kodi.log kodi.old.log

Edited January 12, 2021 by richardvrusso

[quickmic 1550]

Thanks, unfortunately there is no info what actually causes the problem. Can you play the same file, you tried via emby plugin, directly via NAS file access?

Kodi open and closes the file without any error msg:

2021-01-12 13:24:28.981 T:30992  NOTICE: VideoPlayer::OpenFile: http://127.0.0.1:57578/movies/f137a2dd21bbc1b99aa5c0f6bf02a805/48951-3a7a1b54282f1dc4acabbef22941baf3-9451708-stream-3_from_Hell_2019.mkv
2021-01-12 13:24:29.050 T:31270  NOTICE: EMBY.helper.utils.Utils -> Stopping db writing!
2021-01-12 13:24:46.891 T:30992  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 17 times.
2021-01-12 13:24:46.900 T:30992  NOTICE: Stopping player
2021-01-12 13:24:46.900 T:30992  NOTICE: CVideoPlayer::CloseFile()

 

Which Kodi Version are you using?

Edited January 12, 2021 by quickmic

[quickmic 1550]

https://www.comparitech.com/kodi/kodi-not-working-on-firestick-fix/

Try Disable hardware acceleration as a test

Edited January 12, 2021 by quickmic

[richardvrusso 10]

7 hours ago, quickmic said:

Thanks, unfortunately there is no info what actually causes the problem. Can you play the same file, you tried via emby plugin, directly via NAS file access?

Kodi open and closes the file without any error msg:

2021-01-12 13:24:28.981 T:30992  NOTICE: VideoPlayer::OpenFile: http://127.0.0.1:57578/movies/f137a2dd21bbc1b99aa5c0f6bf02a805/48951-3a7a1b54282f1dc4acabbef22941baf3-9451708-stream-3_from_Hell_2019.mkv
2021-01-12 13:24:29.050 T:31270  NOTICE: EMBY.helper.utils.Utils -> Stopping db writing!
2021-01-12 13:24:46.891 T:30992  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 17 times.
2021-01-12 13:24:46.900 T:30992  NOTICE: Stopping player
2021-01-12 13:24:46.900 T:30992  NOTICE: CVideoPlayer::CloseFile()

 

Which Kodi Version are you using?

Same as before 18.9 of kodi.

Ok I changed the playback mode to native. That caused a local database reset. Then after it synced again when I went into the Movies section and changed the view to wall it crashed. 

[richardvrusso 10]

7 hours ago, quickmic said:

https://www.comparitech.com/kodi/kodi-not-working-on-firestick-fix/

Try Disable hardware acceleration as a test

You are referring to here I assume?

[richardvrusso 10]

Turned both of the above off and the movie played. Emby dashboard said direct play too When I tried checking just one of them the movie would not play.

So now I wonder if I try the regular repo and have both hardware boxes off.

Could it be a hardware issue? This new stick has a different cpu and/or gpu?

[quickmic 1550]

Well, the player-core has nothing to do with the plugin. Player resouces are comming from Kodi and also from OS.

Especially when you use native mode, Kodi is fully in control of playing the file.

There are multipe reasons why hw-accelaration is not working.

e.g. Kodi-version:

https://mirrors.kodi.tv/nightlies/android/

https://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/android/

 

There are 3 versions (actually 2 for arm) available 32/64bit. Also the Kodi version could have a bug. I see it's 18.9. Maybe try Kodi 19 beta with 5.1.5

I would start by testing different version, NOT using the emby plugin at all for the tests. Play the file native via Kodi library or filebrowser directly. If this works, you can continue with the plugin.

In the end it's trail and error. Google, if someone has similar issues as you. Maybe also ask in Kodi forum for help.

I don't have the FireTV stick, perhaps somebody else can help out here?

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by quickmic

[richardvrusso 10]

Sounds like a plan. I'll go thru the above and see. 

Also FYI the Emby app on this new stick works fine. Which I don't mind using. Except when there is a file with something like DTS audio. Then kodi as a backup is good. Also sometimes I prefer kodi when I'm browsing tv shows. Since I can change the layout. 

[richardvrusso 10]

First test I turned back on HW acceleration. Then I'm file manager added an SMB source directly to the NAS. From there browsed to the movies and played the same film you saw in the log files above.

After that I backed out to the home screen and went to the movies that are populated from the emby plugin. That same movie now plays!!! I can even verify in the emby dashboard it's direct playing. 

I'm very confused now. Would the SMB source be helping out? Gonna try a local db reset again. 

[quickmic 1550]

Seems emby plugin modes are not clear

In your logs looks like you used addon mode.

addon mode: Uses http queries to load movies

native mode: Uses file access to load movies

 

Addon mode is more confinient and has aditional features. Everything emby server can play should work perfect. (native Kodi plugins are also possible to play due to hybrid mode in e4k 5.X -> fallback to native if it's a Kodi plugin).

Native mode needs file access to the movie files (can also be a network share like smb). If you use smb (network share) usually you have to configure the smb in Kodi as well due to passwords etc.

(These are the short version how it works)

Edited January 14, 2021 by quickmic

[richardvrusso 10]

Hmm I'll have to check my other fire tv. I don't think I have an SMB setup in the kodi.