Direct Play Issue with Live TV using HD Homerun (Emby Issue Only)

[Carlo 4330]

9 hours ago, shdwkeeper said:

look at 31secs in, it says Transcode speed and reason.  I attached screenshot, and also a log from the same error recording a local channel over an HD Homerun, is the Direct Stream not transcoding?  Than why does it have a transcode speed and reason for it?  Also, 10secs in it switches from Direct Play to Direct Stream, why?

 

ffmpeg-directstream-75f1ff45-2ad6-4bc4-acb7-3ddf9b2aba79_1.txt 33.62 kB · 0 downloads

Look at the top which shows Direct Stream so does the ffmpeg log shown here.  This is just a remux or container switch.

All Emby is doing here is segmenting the video to use HLS delivery vs delivering a TS file.

[Carlo 4330]

The Pro 2015 model can play Live TV just fine.  I have one that I use for Live TV all the time.

What options do you have set in the app configuration for Live TV?

[mirdragon 15]

@cayars, it has to remux on the Pro 2015, it does not play it fine as per my initial posts on this thread, if leave as direct play over 97% of time it fails, you just get spinning circle, it doesn't fallback automatically to remux or transcode. only way to get tv to play is have allow copy stream enabled.

even the option to use external app for live tv on the shield doesn't work as doesn't let you pick which app to use that you have installed and instead just displays cannot play this video 

[Carlo 4330]

In Live TV setup on the ATV Client try these settings:
Turn off "Direct Play Live TV"
Turn on/enable "Allow Video Stream Copy"

[ebr 14948]

14 hours ago, shdwkeeper said:

Does Emby support HLS?

Is this an m3u tuner and you are requesting HLS directly from the provider?  If you have an option for TS instead, try that.  Going from HLS to HLS can get a little bumpy.

[mirdragon 15]

1 hour ago, cayars said:

In Live TV setup on the ATV Client try these settings:
Turn off "Direct Play Live TV"
Turn on/enable "Allow Video Stream Copy"

I already have these options set as mentioned if you have direct play enabled it fails over 97% off time on HD channels due to the AAC_LATM audio

Using the settings you mention shows the stats for nerds and the extended info to show 'direct' when first start, it then goes to 'trans' then switches to 'remux'

The stats for nerds reports it is direct stream, format HLS - video direct and it is the audio that is transcoding due to direct play error

It's all down to the individual SD/HD channels that are broadcasting and what format they are in, if its not AAC_LATM audio it do direct play

The same channels on Plex are showing as Direct Play and the audio is also Direct.

Now both Emby and Plex use ExoPlayer so unsure why it works in Plex but not Emby

 

In Plex I have Disable video stream transcoding enabled

Disable transcoding of the video stream in transcoder operations. With this set, the transcoder may still transcode audio as well as remux video.

In Emby you have to turn on the option otherwise no go if direct play is enabled (has no effect when both direct play and video stream copy enabled), if you have both unticked then it will automatically transcode

 

[Carlo 4330]

Remux is good for this.  That is going to be what you want for many channels.

You just want to try and avoid transcoding if possible, but anything "direct" or "remux" is good.

[shdwkeeper 15]

8 hours ago, mirdragon said:

You can also see on the information it will say trans then switch to remux, the stats for nerds starts with direct play, then gives the direct play error, then says direct stream.

As I've mentioned there are only two apps that seem to work perfectly on both the Pro 2015 and Pro 2019 models and that is the HD Homerun app itself and ChannelsDVR, on Plex you get constant buffering, on Emby its slow to switch and tune to channels, then may pause for a second then play, but you then get audio out of sync on some of the channels.

Emby is fine playing my BD files with Dolby Atmos, it's just Live TV it has the problem with and this isn't just on the Shield TV's either, its also on Samsung Tablet and Mobiles it has a problem streaming LiveTV.

Give HD Homerun or Channels DVR a test to see if you have same problems, if you wish to record you will have to pay for the guide on either (HDHR is paid yearly, Channels is monthly or yearly). This way you can determine if it is Emby or devices with the problem

I have Channels DVR and Live TV on the Shield works great.  Emby works fine with all my BD files as well. Live TV is the issue and I'm experiencing the same exact problems as you are describing.

[shdwkeeper 15]

1 hour ago, ebr said:

Is this an m3u tuner and you are requesting HLS directly from the provider?  If you have an option for TS instead, try that.  Going from HLS to HLS can get a little bumpy.

This happens on the HD Homerun tuner OTA antenna, as well as pulling streams from Channels TVE.

[mirdragon 15]

4 hours ago, cayars said:

Remux is good for this.  That is going to be what you want for many channels.

You just want to try and avoid transcoding if possible, but anything "direct" or "remux" is good.

but why wont it a) do direct play without remux of audio b) fallback to direct stream and remux if it can't do direct play

Plex does this using exoplayer which Emby also uses

[Carlo 4330]

You would have to go over a specific playback and show us what Stats for Nerds shows during playback and upload the ffmpeg log file for us to check.

[shdwkeeper 15]

5 hours ago, cayars said:

Remux is good for this.  That is going to be what you want for many channels.

You just want to try and avoid transcoding if possible, but anything "direct" or "remux" is good.

Mine never remuxes, its always transcoding the audio for some reason, the logs are always Direct Stream logs, even though Stats for Nerds says Transcoding in the Streaming Info section which I'm assuming is the Audio portion.  At the top it says Direct Stream (just like the photo I uploaded).

Edited September 7, 2021 by shdwkeeper

[mirdragon 15]

22 minutes ago, cayars said:

You would have to go over a specific playback and show us what Stats for Nerds shows during playback and upload the ffmpeg log file for us to check.

I've already done that months ago, even on page one of this thread I supplied you with screenshots and also videos showing the problems, which is still not fixed, thus reason I'm now using other software to watch live tv as for Emby is not up to the task to do direct play of live streams and fallback to remux of audio.

We can just fire up Channels DVR or HDHomerun app and instantly TV is displaying, switch channels and again it's near enough instant, with Emby it can take 15 seconds or more to retune to another channel, it will then start playing as direct play, then pause for a brief second and switch to remux. Family members don't want to be waiting 15-30 seconds or more when switching a channel for it to start playing on screen.

@shdwkeeper There's an option to show extended info when you press the down button, along the top it will tell you if its direct, trans or remux. with Plex it even shows you if in 1080p or 1080i and quality of the signal, but never seen this on Emby

Edited September 7, 2021 by mirdragon

[Carlo 4330]

Can you guys show what you see in stats for nerds when playing?

[shdwkeeper 15]

1 hour ago, mirdragon said:

start playing as direct play, then pause for a brief second and switch to remux

I just uploaded a video yesterday of this happening.  So everyone can see this.

[shdwkeeper 15]

1 hour ago, cayars said:

Can you guys show what you see in stats for nerds when playing?

@cayars is the video and info I supplied previously not enough info.  It's all in this thread what's happening, why do we have to keep uploading stuff?

[Carlo 4330]

1 minute ago, shdwkeeper said:

@cayars is the video and info I supplied previously not enough info.  It's all in this thread what's happening, why do we have to keep uploading stuff?

Have you uploaded any log files for us to look at to see what's happening?

[shdwkeeper 15]

8 minutes ago, cayars said:

Have you uploaded any log files for us to look at to see what's happening?

Have you looked at the previous posts over the last few days?

[Carlo 4330]

11 minutes ago, shdwkeeper said:

Have you looked at the previous posts over the last few days?

I think I've only seen one ffmpeg log that was a direct stream not transcode.

Did I miss a post?

[Happy2Play 8330]

57 minutes ago, shdwkeeper said:

Have you looked at the previous posts over the last few days?

Looking at your video and log I do not see any Transcoding and the playback method changing from Direct Play to Direct Stream.  Just because you see Transcode Reason and stats does not mean it is transcoding.

15:32:49.420 Stream mapping:
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

Now if transcoding were happening you would see the video stream converted.

[shdwkeeper 15]

25 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

Looking at your video and log I do not see any Transcoding and the playback method changing from Direct Play to Direct Stream.  Just because you see Transcode Reason and stats does not mean it is transcoding.

15:32:49.420 Stream mapping:
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

Now if transcoding were happening you would see the video stream converted.

Than you didn't watch the whole video.  Look at the 28sec mark and you tell me what happens there.

[Happy2Play 8330]

1 minute ago, shdwkeeper said:

Than you didn't watch the whole video.  Look at the 28sec mark and you tell me what happens there.

But is says Play Method: Direct Stream that is not Transcoding.  Transcode Reason does not mean transcoding is happening, in this case it has changed the playback methods do to a errors in the stream that the player could not handle would be my interpretation of the information provided..  

Unless you have a log showing something different there is no transcoding.

per the previous log.

15:32:49.420 Stream mapping:
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

 

[shdwkeeper 15]

1 hour ago, Happy2Play said:

But is says Play Method: Direct Stream that is not Transcoding.  Transcode Reason does not mean transcoding is happening, in this case it has changed the playback methods do to a errors in the stream that the player could not handle would be my interpretation of the information provided..  

Unless you have a log showing something different there is no transcoding.

per the previous log.

15:32:49.420 Stream mapping:
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
15:32:49.420   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

 

Well whatever it's doing is causing audio dropouts and pausing.  What does transcode speed mean if it's not Transcoding?

[Happy2Play 8330]

1 minute ago, shdwkeeper said:

Well whatever it's doing is causing audio dropouts and pausing.  What does transcode speed mean if it's not Transcoding?

Should be the speed Emby is repacking the stream.  As you are changing from "Play Method: Direct Play, Stream Type: HTTP" to "Playback Method: Direct Stream, Stream Type: HLS".

[mirdragon 15]

When the stream comes in from the tuner you get it switching to direct stream and remuxing the audio, when it switches it pauses for a few seconds then continues, but the problem is the audio does not always stay in sync.

Quote

 

The media is compatible with the device regarding resolution and media type (H.264, AC3, etc.), but is in an incompatible file container (.mkv, .avi, .wmv, etc.). The video will be re-packaged on the fly before streaming it to the device.

Direct Streaming a file uses very little processing power without any loss in video quality.

 

this was from the interface on pc