Setting up Basement Media room - Advice on Emby compatibility

[Mister Steve 4]

Hi all,

I’m updating my basement to be a media watching room - I plan to purchase the TV, speakers, and AVR before summer.  Please let me know of any special consideration for use with Emby, especially with the TV and audio.

TV (new):

-        OLED preferred, evaluating LG CX

-        Wide direct-play support, fully functioning Emby app

Audio (new):

-        5.1 initially with separate center & surrounds (no soundbar), room is wired for future Atmos speakers as an option.   

-        AVR: undecided

Emby (w/ Premiere):

-        Plan to continue Emby server on Debian, it’s been rock solid.  Gigabit wired LAN.

-        Using Emby DVR w/ HD Homerun

-        Will consider using a PC running Emby as HTPC -> TV HDMI, if this setup provides enough benefit. 

Thanks

Edited February 13 by Mister Steve

[Luke 26174]

HI, I'm sure you will love it. I purchased an LG CX late last year. It is a great panel. If you are deciding based on image quality and performance alone, then you probably can't beat LG right now. The only thing I would say is their software & UI is clunky and feels 2010-ish compared to Roku TV who has completely raised the bar in terms of how user friendly the TV UI should be. I made my choice based on the panel alone, but if you have WAF to consider then Roku's design where everything is an app (e.g. hdmi inputs), really can't be beat.

[rbjtech 527]

I would pair the LG with a Shield Pro 2019 - while it would be nice to use the LG Emby App (which works ok, but has limitations) - you will get the maximum out your LG and AVR if you use an external device.  I have not seen one TV (incl LG) that INTERNALLY passes HD Audio over it's eARC - thus you are limited to compressed Audio.

SHIELD > AVR > TV

On the AVR front - anything half decent is going to play all the HD Audio formats  - TrueHD Atmos, DTS-HD, DTS-X,DTS HRA etc. - I chose Denon and have had zero issues passing any 4K format through it to the TV, incl Dolby Vision.

If possible, I would stretch to a 7.1 AVR with Atmos - for a 5.1.2 setup (two overhead) - and if you are laying wires, then lay for a 7.1.2 or 7.1.4 system ready for future upgrades.  ie

2 rear

2 rear height

2 front height

+ the usual FL,FR,C,Sub

Wires are cheap, time and effort installing new ones down the line is expensive

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 01:32 PM by rbjtech

[Mister Steve 4]

Thanks for the suggestions Luke and rbjtech.

The NVIDIA SHIELD is likely a better option than an HTPC running Emby theater, so I've penciled it in the plan.

I've wired for 5.1.4 but plan to go with 5.1 initially.   I had a Denon AVR in a prior dedicated theater, it was great - Denon is on top of my list.   

Steve