Roku app abysmally slow on only one of my Rokus

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

So, I think something happened to the Emby app and it's only affecting one of my TCL Roku TVs.  I can't quite tell you exactly when it happened, but I've procrastinated a couple weeks getting this post out.

On my bedroom TV, which is a tad older (2015 model, Google tells me), navigating through Emby and even starting a stream is SLOW.  It seems like over a minute from clicking play before the stream actually starts (I haven't pulled out the stopwatch).  Once the stream starts, viewing is fine until it tries to head to the next episode.  In short, the user experience is abysmal.  This is a recent change.  It used to be a wonderful user experience.

On my guest room TV (a 2018 model, I think), using the same user / server / etc, it navigates as I expect.

Here's the info that might be relevant:
SLOW tv:  TCL Roku TV model 32S3700, Software version 9.4.0 build 4200-08
Normal tv:  TCL Roku TV model 32S321, Software version 9.4.0 build 4200-48
The steps performed on the logs are the same:  Start emby-server, open the Roku app on the TV, navigate to the episode, choose play, after the stream starts, back out to the Roku home screen, stop emby-server, archive off log.

Emby app on both TVs is the same: 4.0.18.  I tried the beta, but it's showing the same version, and the same speeds as the main app.

The interesting thing is if I use the Jellyfin app on my 2015 Roku, everything works fine, so it leads me to believe it's not the TV hardware (besides the fact everything was working beautifully before whatever happened).

I'm attaching server logs for all three tests I did.  For each test, I restarted the Emby server.  I don't know if there's any way to grab Roku logs?

embyserver_32S321.txt embyserver_32S3700.txt embyserver_32S3700_Jellyfin.txt

[speechles 1929]

Apologies. How many apps are on the slower Roku TV?

In your logs every single request is below 200ms for reply. I do not see any requests for playback. We would need to see logs during playback of the media. Also you can turn on "Debug" inside the Roku application using Settings >> Advanced >> Enable Debug - YES. Once you have done that press HOME on your Roku remote and restart the application. At the very bottom of the home screen is a new OPTIONS row with SEND LOGS. Do not press it yet. First play some items that take forever to play. After they finally play exit out of the video player. Go back to the home screen and that send logs option and press it. That will give us the application logs. But we also need any server logs, ffmpeg logs, and anything else you think would help us chase down your issue.

It is not normal to be that slow and is a definite abberation. We can figure it out once we see logs. Thanks.

Edited March 10, 2021 by speechles

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  Which log is for which test?  Were any ffmpeg logs created?

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

Thanks for your prompt replies!

The app count is identical on all the Rokus (it seems Roku pushes to all devices on my account).  I haven't installed anything since HBOMax the day it was released (though, I THINK that was just the HBONow app rebranded?).  Everything worked fine after that day until recently.

It's *EVERYTHING* that's slow.  The home screen isn't "that bad", but navigating into a movie or tv show, and then a tv episode, and then pressing play.  Here is a video example: https://youtu.be/5C7DeqAlMzc -- going through anything else is the same wait times.  In all the logs thus far, there should be about 5 seconds of video playback (I'm going out at the same point in each test just to try to keep them identical -- you can see how long it plays in my youtube link).

The problem device is the 32S3700 (identified in the logs thusly in the original post).  The logs have a pause between the request sets.  That pause isn't me twiddling thumbs, that's waiting on the Roku app to return.

I don't see any FFMPEG logs in the Emby logs directory.  I did my best to get everything in a format that shouldn't need transcoding.  If the FFMPEG logs are somewhere else (Linux install), let me know and I'll track them down.

I just re-performed the steps in the above video with logs turned on and hit send.  Attached are the server logs for that same session.

Thanks for your assistance!

embyserver_sendlogs.txt

[Koyta 1]

Hello,

 

I am having the same issue. Started about 1-2 weeks ago. I tried restarting my server, I removed a bunch of apps off my Roku (Hisnese) TV, rebooted my router, and uninstalled Emby off my Roku device and reinstalled. Nothing seemed to fix the issue. If you look about 3/4 down the attached log, you will see the 1800+ ms response times.

embyserver-63750931200.txt

[Luke 37251]

10 minutes ago, Koyta said:

Hello,

 

I am having the same issue. Started about 1-2 weeks ago. I tried restarting my server, I removed a bunch of apps off my Roku (Hisnese) TV, rebooted my router, and uninstalled Emby off my Roku device and reinstalled. Nothing seemed to fix the issue. If you look about 3/4 down the attached log, you will see the 1800+ ms response times.

embyserver-63750931200.txt 26.54 MB · 0 downloads

Hi, what exactly is slow?

[Victor66 0]

2 hours ago, Koyta said:

Hola,

 

Tengo el mismo problema. Comenzó hace aproximadamente 1-2 semanas. Intenté reiniciar mi servidor, eliminé un montón de aplicaciones de mi televisor Roku (Hisnese), reinicié mi enrutador, desinstalé Emby de mi dispositivo Roku y lo reinstalé. Nada parecía solucionar el problema. Si observa 3/4 del registro adjunto, verá los tiempos de respuesta de más de 1800 ms.

embyserver-63750931200.txt 26.54 MB · 4 descargas

 

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

4 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, what exactly is slow?

Thanks for chiming in, Luke.  What is slow is the Roku app on certain Roku device(s).  The server side seems to be running fine, the Roku app works on other devices, and other Emby apps are working fine (and the unsupported app works fine).  I posted a youtube link above *points up* that demonstrates the slowness experienced.

As for an additional debugging piece of info for @speechlesand @ebr, my TV last had a system update on Dec 17, so that, unfortunately, can't be the blame.

Thanks!

[Koyta 1]

6 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, what exactly is slow?

The server operates fine, and loads fine in the menu. However when you select a movie/show in now takes about 7-10 minutes to load the 'movie info' and another 7-10 minutes to load the movie once you click play. It takes about 4-5 minutes to load between trailers/intro/movie once playing. My internet is 300 mbps down, and I only have this issue on my Roku device. Every other device is fine.

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  Are all the devices that are slow much older ones?

[speechles 1929]

22 hours ago, SmplyUnprdctble said:

It's *EVERYTHING* that's slow.  The home screen isn't "that bad", but navigating into a movie or tv show, and then a tv episode, and then pressing play.  Here is a video example: https://youtu.be/5C7DeqAlMzc

Yeah. The splash logo on that Roku is staying up too long. Something is wrong with how quickly that device can push bits. What IP address shows for the Emby server on that Roku? Is it perhaps using an external IP address internally and that is slowing things down?

Your video shows that the loading of the application into the Roku memory takes too long. Then the spinner isn't spinning properly which indicates that model lacks Open GL. You only get 90 degree spins. That might be what the issue is entirely. Most of what we write is written for OpenGL ES 2.0. If your Roku model does not support this most of the features in the application will be skipped. This means it probably will have to fake observers and other behaviors which might cause your lag. Not sure entirely.

Did the older version of the application have any problems with lag or being slow? The only thing that occured is Roku is removing the older SDKA components very shortly. They have put a deadline of March 30, 2021 for those apps to go to the way side. We apologize for the issue. We did not intentionally write code your device does not support but it seems Roku may be breaking things on your device with firmware updates and slowing it down. That is probably what is going on.

Have you factory reset that TV? Entirely reset it so it formats memory and recovers itself. Then update which will add Emby back. Then the issue may disappear. But it will eventually come back... The nand memory in that device might be near EOL. It might have enough writes to slow it down that much.

 

 

The problem is the age of that TV is older than the 2015 versions of the Roku 3/2. That means for sure there is no Open GL ES 2.0 support. That also means officially it is on the legacy models of Roku devices that are soon to be removed from updates. This is why you have had no updates since December for that TV. That may be the last update you get.

 

You can find a Roku express for sale usually for around $25 that will work perfectly on that Roku TV and fix all the issues your are having. The Roku express supports Open GL ES 2.0.

Edited March 11, 2021 by speechles

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

I had zero problems (lag or otherwise) with what I'm assuming is the previous version of the Emby Roku app.  In fact, one of my newer Roku TVs always seemed to be "laggier" than the now slow device in question used to be (that lagginess on the new TV is probably what was experienced by the r/Roku post you reference).

And, both IPs (Roku and server) are on the same network.  Always have been.  And nothing's changed with it between when it worked fine and when it started being slow.  I understand the question, though!

Your comments make sense, except the "no updates since December" -- only because the working TV hadn't been updated since the same date   It probably explains why Jellyfin works -- it probably doesn't use Open GL (or hasn't updated their code for the March 30 deadline).  Am I correct in assuming the same is said for older Roku devices (Roku Stick, Roku boxes)?  I ask this because I'm in the process of setting up my sister with a setup with Emby in it and she has older Roku devices throughout her house.  I don't want her to have a negative experience because her devices are old -- so I can get in front of it.

I've been pondering buying a newer TV for my bedroom.  This might be the catalyst, since it's only $100.  Sure I could get an Express, but I prefer the single interface option.  I've made comments about "I'm starting to hate disposable technology".  I'll chalk that up into that

Thanks for your time!

[Koyta 1]

5 hours ago, ebr said:

Hi.  Are all the devices that are slow much older ones?

I purchased the TV back in early 2015. The TV was manufactured in late 2014. 

Here is the TV info:

Roku TV 5203X
TV: Hisense 40H4*
Software 9.4.0 build 4200-11

 

Emby worked fine till latest software update on TV 02/28/21

 

I plan on upgrading shortly, but still an odd issue none the less.

I was able to get my TV into developer mode, and was able to get a very old version of emby from Github. My movie details, trailers, and intro played without any delay. Still had a delay with loading the movie. 

I think I am going to need a new device.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Koyta

[ebr 14959]

If any of you have the "Debug options" turned on, try turning them off.  Also turn off things like backdrops...

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

12 minutes ago, ebr said:

If any of you have the "Debug options" turned on, try turning them off.  Also turn off things like backdrops...

Turning backdrops off gets everything back to a reasonable speed!  Everything looks boring now, but it will save me a hundred bucks!

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

18 minutes ago, ebr said:

If any of you have the "Debug options" turned on, try turning them off.  Also turn off things like backdrops...

I do admit I am extremely confused about this solution.  In the video link I posted above, the backdrop image is just sitting there while the spins happen.

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  We'll try some things in the next beta and see if it helps.  Thanks.

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

Thanks.  I assumed as much would happen, since y'all are generally on top of things.

I'll keep the beta on my tv and if I'm told to check for performance, I can report back.  I don't know the release cycle, so I can't particularly throw things on my calendar

[Koyta 1]

Sounds good, I just picked up a Fire stick from my local Best Buy. Excited to have a device that will functioned faster.

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  Please try the beta version that just went up when you have access to it.  Turn your backdrops back on and see if it still performs okay.

[SmplyUnprdctble 4]

I am happy to report back that the Emby Beta Roku App (4.0.19) has restored the speed on my older TCL Roku TV back to normal with backdrops turned back on!

[Luke 37251]

Thanks for the feedback !