Setting up Basement Media room - Advice on Emby compatibility

[Mister Steve 29]

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, 2021 by Mister Steve

[Luke 40082]

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 4996]

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 February 22, 2021 by rbjtech

[Mister Steve 29]

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

[MRobi 161]

On 22/02/2021 at 09:32, rbjtech said:

I would pair the LG with a Shield Pro 2019

1000% agree here. I just swapped out one of my Shield 2017 models to the Shield Pro 2019. While the look at feel is pretty much the same, the 4K upscaling capabilities are incredible and make a noticeable difference in picture quality for any source lower than 4k.