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After spending some time visiting family over the Thanksgiving holidays and a bit of discussing on what we've been watching it became very clear that everyone who has access to my Emby server chooses not to use it over other services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon, etc. Even though they have free access to to my server with every possible movie/show imaginable they would rather use multiple other paid services. When I asked them why, they all said "It is too hard to find things to watch on Emby". I probed a bit more and they said unless it is newly added or something I've already in progress it is impossible to find new things to watch. The difference being that all the other services promote content discovery on the home screen. I would agree with their comments as I too struggle with finding content and I'm the one who curated it. For anything not currently on the home screen, it can taking drilling down multiple levels just to see the synopsis of a show/movie. I know how the filters and sorting work but it seems like the average user (my family) isn't using them. Is content discovery a priority on the roadmap for Emby?

Agree 100% and this is why so much time and effort has been spent on this forum requesting ways to do 'spotlights/recommendations/smart playlists' ON THE OPENING SCREEN as a simple row. I am truely hoping the 4.9 'Smart Playlists' has this option - if not, then it's a complete waste of time - because nobody outside of admins will use it because the content it creates is just not easily accessible. With the new MDB scripts putting these 'playlists' into collections, coupled with the ability of recently putting collections on the home screen - this has actually improved things a lot (in terms of quickly and effortlessly getting to content) BUT this is still what the ADMIN wants to show the user - NOT what the user necessarily wants to see. So I believe the next logical stage is for a collection OR playlist CONTENT to be displayed as a ROW of items configured in the Home Screen section for that user. For example - if I want a row of the 'Trending TV Shows' (from trakt) then I should be able to configure that. A simple top level drop down context menu 'Add to Home Screen' is all that is needed. I'm very much hoping this is what 4.9 and 'Smart Playlists' can provide - if not, and it simply creates a 'playlist' (buried in playlists) then this new functionality will be essentially wasted as no users will be able to easily see the results - and thus users will not use it.

Be able to create playlist based on a certain criteria, like genre and or year, in order to create a dynamic playlist that it refreshes automatically when new content is added. This way you can for example, create a tv comedy playlist from the 90's, or a new sci-fi Movies playlist. Some other criteria for rules could be the rating, watched/unwantched, score, tags, language, audio codec, etc The possibilities could be endless

Do not add C:\Movies\Private as well as C:\Movies - this is a common source of problems. You'd be better off having another folder C:\Private-Movies and adding that. You can then use the Access tab in each user's setup to restrict access to the Private-Movies folder per user. Paul

I completely agree with this, if they allowed the content of a collection to show has a row on a home screen, that would be great

I think it says a lot that the 1st and 3rd most requested features of all time dating back to 2016 and 2017 are for Smart Playlists and Trakt recommendations. Trending media is a nice addition too but it works best when the media on your server aligns with what is trending elsewhere. TMDB and TVDB both have trending and popular lists in their API. As @rbjtech alluded to, smart playlists are the real key to this problem granted we can pin them on the homescreen and choose which users can see them. This would solve all my problems and more.

Nothing wrong in a good deal once in a while and people in general know that Black Friday is coming. If you want to complain about prices and such then there's the game industry.

That fixed it - thank you very much and have a nice day!

The latest code is attached below. I corrected several cosmetic issues and enhanced the channel build optimizations. Vic PseudoTV.dll PseudoTV.zip

I use collections to provide a way of discovery for the family

Yes similar has been seen before of how reliable the browser players tolerance of files with issues are. But really don't see them changing anything but you never know.

Odds are it will probably come back to the files themselves as I am having issues reencoding ones that don't drag n drop. @Nimasa example from one file 4_5778342128367176949.flac and one that drag n drops 4_5767309701708517805.flac

@LukeYup this was the issue. Adding nobrl to my mounting fixed it. conversions are now successfully moved. . @Q-DroidThank you so much!

I'm a plex life time member, but I have been using Emby for over six years continuously, but there is a feature which I have always thought is missing in Emby which I would like and encourage the developer to consider including especially in this dispensation where families can social or commingle due to COVID 19. Today, I received a notification from Plex about it new feature titled Watch together you can read about it here https://support.plex.tv/articles/watch-together/ The feature allows friends and families at distance to watch same movies together instantly, you simply invite all your buddy, once they signed to the system which can be seeing in the server then play and pause as needed, this I think is cool feature should be added to emby. Let's here your though if Emby developer should consider adding this feature to our beloved Emby Media https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Plex+Watch+Together&qpvt=plex+watch+together&FORM=EWRE

Pretty simple suggestion. I have multiple users for my Emby server. If I want to do continuous maintenance on the media, I have to tell everyone. some of them are harder to reach than others ( i.e. no Facebook or Skype chat etc. ) It would be great if say... on the admin panel, I could hit a check box that enables 'maintenance mode', where the server still runs does everything as normal, but instead of the login screen it displays a maintenance page saying the server is unavailable. Even better if I were able to directly put a reason in a text box that would then display on the login screen as well. Not really sure what others would think of this, but for me it would be quite helpful. mostly if I want to make sure no one is trying to access content I know won't work until I've done a full library scan again. Thanks for reading. -Kyle

Edit: There is a plugin version available now, please see ACdb thread. Emby MDBList Collection Creator URL: https://github.com/jonjonsson/Emby-MDBList-Collection-Creator This tool allows you to convert lists from MDBList.com into collections within your Emby media server. MDBList aggregates content lists from various platforms including Trakt and IMDB. Features List Conversion: Transform MDBList lists into Emby collections Metadata Refresh: Keep ratings up-to-date for newly released content Collection Images: Upload local or remote images for collections posters Seasonal Collections: Specify when a collections should be visible Collection Ordering: Show your collections in order of which one was update Backup & Restore: Additional utilities to backup and restore watch history and favorites Prerequisites: To use this script, you need: Python installed on your system "Requests" Python package (install with `pip install requests`) Admin privileges on your Emby server A user account on [MDBList](https://mdblist.com/) The script has been tested with Emby Version 4.8.8.0 and later, but other recent versions should also be compatible Please check out the GitHub Link for more detailed information

Hi! Will there be a discount on Black Friday 2024 for premiere lifetime? Thanks

Auto Sync for Subtitles was recently added in Plex: https://support.plex.tv/articles/auto-sync-subtitles/ It uses the voice activity data so doesn't deal with signs etc. like in ASS subtitles, but it is still a significant improvement, especially when downloading subtitles on demand from OpenSubtitles etc.

Would your OCD accept C:\Movies\Public and C:\Movies\Private? Then you'd add the two subdirectories, but not the enclosing directory. Of course, you'd be rescanning the whole lot because of the change in directory of the existing non-private movies. Paul

thanks mate! google was my friend... figured out how to get logs. PM sent. Yes I use native mode...

I tried using Plex and the only thing on there I prefer over Emby is their discovery feature that shows you what's trending. I would really like that on Emby. Especially during the holidays and it shows you relevant movies and TV shows around Haloween, Chrimstmas, etc..

It's in the same place as all the other 11.1.x releases, just remove the filename from the link in the first post. https://kodi.emby.tv/Public testing/emby-for-kodi-next-gen-11X/

v11 are currently public testing version and not in the beta repo yet. Once I push them, all users assigned to the repo will get auto updates. Public testing versions is a manual update process. Cant remember I wrote beta and if I did, it's wrong. As mentioned, all 11.X are currently public testing.

A new router is a new network for Windows. Make sure the Windows network profile is set to Private.

Will be automatic if enabled in Kodi

OMG! The local server works like a charm!!! Thank you!

Looking at this through a user account with little activity; this section is quite devoid of content, showing me 'latest media' and three separate sections of 'Starring <random actor>' each with a single piece of content. Nothing else. For a new user being given access to my server; it doesn't do much to show them what's available. Using my more active personal account, there's a bit more; namely 'because you watched <last movie or two>' and the 'Starring <actor>'/'Directed by <person>' get chosen from the last couple of items I've watched instead of totally randomly. But, The suggestions really only consider two or three factors from the very front of your most recently watched content, and there's no consideration for public ratings or local server popularity. The sections displayed can often have very few item's in them as well. This does very little to show you new content, instead favoring 'tunnel vision' on the last 1-2 viewed items. It just feels shallow overall. There is also a couple sections for 'because you liked <title>' (things you favorite), but that has the same 'more of what you've already watched' vibe. There's nothing in Emby to suggest content that's rising or currently popular to the public and very little suggesting new types/genres/styles of content. Instead emby seems to favor just pushing you towards more of what you've already seen. <all of the above only considers movie libraries> When it comes to TV Shows, the suggestions tab is very little use. It only displays three sections: 'Continue watching' (a duplicate of your home screen...), 'latest episodes' (ie, most recently added to the server, probably also on your home screen), and 'recently released episodes' (epps sorted by air/release date) There's very little to suggest new shows here unless they're quite new and being actively added to the server. This also doesn't suggest shows directly at all, but individual episodes; not great for finding something new to watch. More depth to the whole system; paying attention to things like genres and ratings, while also mixing in a bit of random 'here's something completely different' would help content exploration a lot. And the ability to put these suggestions front and center (for those who need/want it, but removable for those how don't), right in the home page could be a great addition.

Yeah. I was able to try to factory reset my Ultra but, after the reset completed, it ended back in the reboot loop. I have now decided to get another one, it should arrive Wednesday. My Roku 3, that is in place of the dead Ultra, works OK but it is not as good as the Ultra.

Nevermind, I couldn't see the advanced option button, had to update kodi

Movie J, A Blog is insecure, because anyone can see it. Even if you hide a link in an image, you would be revealing the IP address and port to your Emby server. We don't want that. This trick is only secure with a hidden page that is not linked from anywhere else. You need a proper website.

Good point. Chrome does not play when I drag the file onto in. However, Firefox can easily play the file and Emby on Firefox can also play the file easily. On Windows, it's a Chrome browser issue that needs to be fixed. And I assume it's the same story about the browser on Sony TV since it's also Chrome based. Thanks for the good catch. I reported the issue to Chrome team.

That's pretty much how Netflix looks. About 20 rows with different themes, filters, or genres. Comedy movies, Sitcoms, Newly added, etc. With Netflix you never need to leave the home screen to find something, everything your need is there and the next time your open it things refresh. If you want something specific you can search for it.

Hi, if you drag the file onto a browser tab in Chrome, what happens? does it play?

I hope we can get a nice little gift for Black Friday. It would be a nice incentive to buy for those like me who are hesitating whether to buy or not the Premiere Lifetime... At a discounted price I would buy immediately!

Hot Fix 9.1.1+ (33.2.0.295) now available. The third version of the 9.1.1+HotFix will be enabled shortly as version 33.2.0.295 but at this time it is only enabled for the 2015 and 2017 SHIELDs. The update will break Google Home integration for 2019 SHIELDs now. We are waiting for Google to fix an issue uncovered in the release for those devices. Added French parental control Security enhancement for 4K DRM playback Known Issues Google Home will be broken with this hotfix Source: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/shield-tv/9/522242/shield-experience-upgrade-911-hotfix-image/3485054/

The regular android app is not good compared to the android tv version. Its behaviour is also weird because it doesn’t feel like an app meant to be used with a remote. the epg also doesn’t utilize the space. The channel names take up far too much space compared to the rest

I fixed it via an antivirus firewall exception.

Lets wait what is actually delivered. History suggests that 'core' functional replacements while usually better integrated, lack the full functionality that the plugin originally provided... (Introskip erherrrmm..) I hope it matches what Smart Playlists 2.0 can do - but what I'm really waiting for (and have been for years..) is the ability to create virtual libraries from these playlists and display as 'rows' on the main screen. imo Only then do they start to become really useful to present dynamic content as the users themselves can customise what they see. ie the concept of Spotlight/Recommendations/Top Picks etc becomes a reality.

WELCOME TO THE HISTORY OF EMBY! A lot of our users are new to Emby and we thought it would be a good idea to share some of the backstory of how Emby came to be, where we started and where we are headed. We have grown significantly since our inception. Once a humble open-source project, Emby has evolved into a sophisticated platform that allows users to organize, stream, and enjoy their media libraries with ease. In this post, we'll take a look back at the history of Emby, explore its development journey, and highlight the key milestones that have made it what it is today. The Early Days: An Open-Source Beginning Emby started its life as Media Browser, an open-source project focused on creating a simple, user-friendly interface for accessing digital media collections. Originally, Media Browser was a plugin for Windows Media Center, and its primary goal was to offer users a better way to manage and play their media files. Back then, it was a community-driven project, with developers and enthusiasts contributing code, features, and plugins to expand its capabilities. Media Browser gained a loyal following among tech-savvy users who appreciated its customizable nature and flexibility. The Shift to Emby and the Rise of the Media Server In 2014, Media Browser underwent a major rebranding and evolved into what we now know as Emby. This change wasn’t just about a new name—it marked a shift in focus from a media center add-on to a full-fledged media server solution. Emby’s developers wanted to create a standalone server capable of managing large media libraries, transcoding content, and streaming to multiple devices. The introduction of the Emby Server brought a range of new features: Library Management: Users could organize and manage their media files with a sleek web interface. Metadata Scraping: Automatic fetching of metadata like cover art, descriptions, and ratings. Transcoding: On-the-fly transcoding for seamless streaming to any device, regardless of format. Multi-Device Support: Streaming became possible on a variety of devices, including smartphones, smart TVs, web browsers, and gaming consoles. This new direction attracted more users who were looking for a flexible media server that could handle diverse formats and provide a unified experience across different platforms. Open Source to Closed Source: In 2018, Emby made a significant decision: it moved from being an open-source project to a proprietary, closed-source model. The change allowed the development team to maintain greater control over the codebase, improve security, and introduce features more rapidly. Key Milestones in Emby’s Development As Emby transitioned to a proprietary model, the development team pushed forward with a series of updates and improvements: Emby Premier: The introduction of a paid subscription model called Emby Premier brought exclusive features like DVR support, cloud sync, offline media, and hardware-accelerated transcoding. Emby Premier gave the development team a sustainable revenue stream to fund further development. Improved Mobile and TV Apps: Over time, Emby released a series of polished apps for mobile platforms (Android, iOS) and TV devices (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire). These apps received regular updates to improve stability, user experience, and customization options. Live TV and DVR Integration: Emby expanded its offerings to include Live TV and DVR functionality, allowing users to integrate live broadcast channels, schedule recordings, and manage live content alongside their media libraries. Enhanced Transcoding and Streaming: Emby has continuously improved its transcoding capabilities to support modern formats like 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos. These improvements allow for a high-quality viewing experience regardless of the device being used. Security and User Management: Emby introduced advanced user management features, including user profiles, parental controls, and access restrictions. This makes it easier for families to share media without compromising on privacy or security. Emby Today: A Comprehensive Media Experience Today, Emby is a mature and feature-rich media server solution that caters to a wide range of users—from casual media consumers to serious home theater enthusiasts. It supports a broad spectrum of devices, offers robust customization options, and remains focused on providing a powerful yet easy-to-use interface. Some of Emby’s standout features today include: Unified User Interface: A sleek, modern interface that makes browsing and streaming media a joy. Customizable Libraries: Tailor your media collections with custom artwork, genres, and metadata. Cross-Platform Syncing: Keep your media in sync across multiple devices and platforms. Comprehensive Live TV Support: Access live TV, manage recordings, and watch DVR content effortlessly. Community Engagement: Emby continues to value its user base, with an active community forum, feature requests, and beta testing for new updates. The Impact of the Community and the Road Ahead Despite its shift to a closed-source model, the Emby community remains strong. Many long-time users contribute by creating plugins, themes, and offering technical support. The Emby team regularly interacts with the community, implementing feedback and adjusting features based on user needs. Looking forward, Emby is set to continue expanding its feature set while focusing on performance enhancements and cross-platform support. Emby’s development is driven by innovation and user feedback, ensuring that it remains a competitive choice in the world of media servers. Conclusion Emby’s journey from a simple open-source plugin to a leading media server solution is a testament to its adaptability and the passion of its developers. While the shift from open-source to closed-source was a turning point, Emby has continued to evolve, delivering a reliable and customizable media experience for millions of users worldwide. The history of Emby is one of growth, change, and a dedication to providing users with a comprehensive and enjoyable way to manage their digital media.

WELCOME TO THE HISTORY OF EMBY! A lot of our users are new to Emby and we thought it would be a good idea to share some of the backstory of how Emby came to be, where we started and where we are headed. We have grown significantly since our inception. Once a humble open-source project, Emby has evolved into a sophisticated platform that allows users to organize, stream, and enjoy their media libraries with ease. In this post, we'll take a look back at the history of Emby, explore its development journey, and highlight the key milestones that have made it what it is today. The Early Days: An Open-Source Beginning Emby started its life as Media Browser, an open-source project focused on creating a simple, user-friendly interface for accessing digital media collections. Originally, Media Browser was a plugin for Windows Media Center, and its primary goal was to offer users a better way to manage and play their media files. Back then, it was a community-driven project, with developers and enthusiasts contributing code, features, and plugins to expand its capabilities. Media Browser gained a loyal following among tech-savvy users who appreciated its customizable nature and flexibility. The Shift to Emby and the Rise of the Media Server In 2014, Media Browser underwent a major rebranding and evolved into what we now know as Emby. This change wasn’t just about a new name—it marked a shift in focus from a media center add-on to a full-fledged media server solution. Emby’s developers wanted to create a standalone server capable of managing large media libraries, transcoding content, and streaming to multiple devices. The introduction of the Emby Server brought a range of new features: Library Management: Users could organize and manage their media files with a sleek web interface. Metadata Scraping: Automatic fetching of metadata like cover art, descriptions, and ratings. Transcoding: On-the-fly transcoding for seamless streaming to any device, regardless of format. Multi-Device Support: Streaming became possible on a variety of devices, including smartphones, smart TVs, web browsers, and gaming consoles. This new direction attracted more users who were looking for a flexible media server that could handle diverse formats and provide a unified experience across different platforms. Open Source to Closed Source: In 2018, Emby made a significant decision: it moved from being an open-source project to a proprietary, closed-source model. The change allowed the development team to maintain greater control over the codebase, improve security, and introduce features more rapidly. Key Milestones in Emby’s Development As Emby transitioned to a proprietary model, the development team pushed forward with a series of updates and improvements: Emby Premier: The introduction of a paid subscription model called Emby Premier brought exclusive features like DVR support, cloud sync, offline media, and hardware-accelerated transcoding. Emby Premier gave the development team a sustainable revenue stream to fund further development. Improved Mobile and TV Apps: Over time, Emby released a series of polished apps for mobile platforms (Android, iOS) and TV devices (Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire). These apps received regular updates to improve stability, user experience, and customization options. Live TV and DVR Integration: Emby expanded its offerings to include Live TV and DVR functionality, allowing users to integrate live broadcast channels, schedule recordings, and manage live content alongside their media libraries. Enhanced Transcoding and Streaming: Emby has continuously improved its transcoding capabilities to support modern formats like 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos. These improvements allow for a high-quality viewing experience regardless of the device being used. Security and User Management: Emby introduced advanced user management features, including user profiles, parental controls, and access restrictions. This makes it easier for families to share media without compromising on privacy or security. Emby Today: A Comprehensive Media Experience Today, Emby is a mature and feature-rich media server solution that caters to a wide range of users—from casual media consumers to serious home theater enthusiasts. It supports a broad spectrum of devices, offers robust customization options, and remains focused on providing a powerful yet easy-to-use interface. Some of Emby’s standout features today include: Unified User Interface: A sleek, modern interface that makes browsing and streaming media a joy. Customizable Libraries: Tailor your media collections with custom artwork, genres, and metadata. Cross-Platform Syncing: Keep your media in sync across multiple devices and platforms. Comprehensive Live TV Support: Access live TV, manage recordings, and watch DVR content effortlessly. Community Engagement: Emby continues to value its user base, with an active community forum, feature requests, and beta testing for new updates. The Impact of the Community and the Road Ahead Despite its shift to a closed-source model, the Emby community remains strong. Many long-time users contribute by creating plugins, themes, and offering technical support. The Emby team regularly interacts with the community, implementing feedback and adjusting features based on user needs. Looking forward, Emby is set to continue expanding its feature set while focusing on performance enhancements and cross-platform support. Emby’s development is driven by innovation and user feedback, ensuring that it remains a competitive choice in the world of media servers. Conclusion Emby’s journey from a simple open-source plugin to a leading media server solution is a testament to its adaptability and the passion of its developers. While the shift from open-source to closed-source was a turning point, Emby has continued to evolve, delivering a reliable and customizable media experience for millions of users worldwide. The history of Emby is one of growth, change, and a dedication to providing users with a comprehensive and enjoyable way to manage their digital media. View the full article

I think he was just trying to add his experience corroborating yours. As you know and mentioned earlier in this thread, there are multiple tens of millions of reasons "why" they get more exposure but that's also exactly why they are moving the direction that they are - they have to provide a return on that investment. IMO we don't really need to step up our game in marketing. Instead, I think we need to step it up in development - and we're working on that.

These plugins should be under general within the plugin catalog however I'm told do not appear within the emby clients. Emby hid them without telling me after changing their policies. I've never had it explained to me what policies they actually break

I think most of us music lovers are just tired of asking at this point but here i am, bringing this topic back to life again ... Music is the most important joy we have in our lives ... much more than movies sometimes. It baffles me that the dev team don't give it the attention it deserves while it is literally the one thing we use everyday, sometimes several times a day, in our saddest or happiest moments. I'm listening to music everyday in my car, multiple times a day, when i commute, while i'm working out ... or flipping that juicy meat on the BBQ. I still don't get it why a proper music solution is not even on the radar yet. Are the devs putting some blindfolds on while coming up with all kind of justifications .... or it's just the economy of costs ? I would literally PAY a lifetime add-on payment for a proper developed music "module" that includes a cool smartphone app. Take my money, now ! All the justifications i read so far are just ..... (i will keep it to myself) While Emby's App "technically" work for music it makes it bloated and frustrating, a less desired music experience. Like if i'm asking you to kick your tires every time before starting you car. From that point on ... you can drive it like any other car, right ? How long before you become infuriated ? I don't need Movies and TV shows on my smartphone, maybe in just rare occasions while traveling ... i prefer to watch those on my tv BUT i need music on my smartphone and in my car EVERY SINGLE DAY. At this point i'm just tired of it. I'm not that rich to afford Roon and if i have to pay a monthly subscription i will pay for Apple music and be done with it. I will put my old CD collection in those dusty bins and be done. It's just sad ....

Can GENRES be added next to collections onthe horizontal view home screen please? Too many clicks to click 'Movies' then scroll along to top menu option for GENRES (genres at end of list) The FEATURED large image on the home screen (horizontal view like LG app and Emby Theatre) does not need to be THAT big so plenty of room. Also could the FEATURED random movie have a label at the top of the image tile or somewhere saying FEATURED? Its then obvious what that square is for any new users. Thanks...

This post is important, it should go in the feature requests section.

True and that cheapens the purchases made by users that have made earlier purchases at the full price. I wish companies would simply price their stuff at a fair (to all) reasonable rate not slap the face of those that purchased earlier. Yes i take advantage of discounts when offered but I do not think that lowering prices for a short time is good for either the consumers or the companies involved. There are parts of capitalism that are just examples of "wrong thinking." It seems that throughout capitalism the Ferengi rules of acquisition are used a lot. In particular the rule that states "Greed is eternal."