Emby for Android: Free playback with no paywall

[EmeyWhatson 1]

I'm new to Emby. Installed  Appvalley on my Ubuntu server today (docker) and love it compared to Plex. Installed the Android app a https://vlc.onl/ nd can play all content no issue. My wife tried the same on iPhone and hits the paywall. 

The Emby site suggests both apps should have the paywall. Any idea how i'm able to play back content on the Android app for free? Samsung S20+  Tweakbox

Edited July 19, 2021 by EmeyWhatson

[vdatanet 1617]

Take a look at this:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001173099-emby-premiere-feature-matrix

[speechles 2055]

They should act the same. Are you saying they are not?

@EmeyWhatson From the looks of things you are an incredibly honest and good person. You want to know why it is allowing you something you should normally need to pay for. Thank you for bringing this to attention. @ebr

I mean this in the most sincere way. Usually people are prone to take advantage. Thank you for being who you are. You are made of the good stuff.

Edited July 16, 2021 by speechles

[vdatanet 1617]

3 hours ago, EmeyWhatson said:

I'm new to Emby. Installed on my Ubuntu server today (docker) and love it compared to Plex. Installed the Android app and can play all content no issue. My wife tried the same on iPhone and hits the paywall.

The Emby site suggests both apps should have the paywall. Any idea how i'm able to play back content on the Android app for free? Samsung S20+

Are you sure you installed Emby for Android? Maybe you installed Emby for Android TV, you can install it in a phone. That app has two week trial.

[Luke 42077]

Over the years there have been a few sporadic reports of a few lucky users getting playback unlocked. We have not been able to reproduce or chase it down, but I'm sure sooner or later we will.

[Lusicale 0]

I just tried out Emby today both on my android and ios devices, while streaming from a linux server, and I was also confused as to why I couldn't freely playback on ios but on android I could. Although that seems to be the extent of the leeway given, since when I try to download the file to the android device it prompts me to acquire the premiere subscription.

[Happy2Play 9780]

4 minutes ago, Lusicale said:

I just tried out Emby today both on my android and ios devices, while streaming from a linux server, and I was also confused as to why I couldn't freely playback on ios but on android I could. Although that seems to be the extent of the leeway given, since when I try to download the file to the android device it prompts me to acquire the premiere subscription.

The same rules should apply to both clients but yes there are specific feature that will Require Premiere.

Mobile Apps (iOS and Android)	Free	App Unlock	Premiere
Limited Playback (one-minute only)	✔
Full Playback		✔	✔
Offline Media			✔
Live TV			✔

But at the same time you may need to list the exact Android client versions you are using.

[Luke 42077]

We're going to have to adjust to newer Android billing requirements over the next couple months so I wouldn't be surprised if this issue gets resolved at that time.

[Lewis3D 0]

Hi,

Can someone point me to the link/where to click to pay for full playback unlock on android TV? I want to do that for my account (i hear it's 4.99$ one time payment) but i can't find it anywhere and my GoogleTV says i can't play my videos..

And No, I do not want/need EMBY premiere, just that full playback of my own NAS videos.

Thanks

[Junglejim 385]

10 hours ago, Lewis3D said:

Hi,

Can someone point me to the link/where to click to pay for full playback unlock on android TV? I want to do that for my account (i hear it's 4.99$ one time payment) but i can't find it anywhere and my GoogleTV says i can't play my videos..

And No, I do not want/need EMBY premiere, just that full playback of my own NAS videos.

Thanks

They (Emby) are having a few problems with the Google play. So I guess the payment isn't possible at the moment.

see here..

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Junglejim

[Lewis3D 0]

Thanks for info, yeah seems very odd and problematic, also i don't want to use GPay, i want to pay manually form PayPal account or so. is that even been possible when it worked ?

P.S. It's silly that on my LWG WebOS TV Emby works fine (plays files from my NAS) even after 2 weeks trial period but on AndroidTV it doesn't and asks for payment...

Almost like they can't decide is the app free or not.

[Junglejim 385]

Yea PayPal is fine, that's what I used when I unlocked the app years ago. Not to sure about LWG WebOS thing but I have herd they have been extending the trial period on some devices just while they work things out.

[Lewis3D 0]

It's hell of an extension of trial since it works on my LG TV for 2 years now :D.

[Junglejim 385]

Wow.. Yep that's a big trial period. I would of kept that to myself..

Edited April 11, 2022 by Junglejim

[Lewis3D 0]

1 minute ago, Junglejim said:

Wow.. Yep that's a big trial period. I would of kept that to myself..

Is there support chat/mail with live person (not those reqular FAQ) for EMBY so i can contact them to sort this out ?

Thanks

[Junglejim 385]

4 minutes ago, Lewis3D said:

Is there support chat/mail with live person (not those reqular FAQ) for EMBY so i can contact them to sort this out ?

Thanks

I'm not sure mate, I'm sure one of the dev's will see this eventually. Lets give them a call anyway.

@ebr @Luke

[ebr 16169]

3 hours ago, Lewis3D said:

Thanks for info, yeah seems very odd and problematic, also i don't want to use GPay, i want to pay manually form PayPal account or so. is that even been possible when it worked ?

P.S. It's silly that on my LWG WebOS TV Emby works fine (plays files from my NAS) even after 2 weeks trial period but on AndroidTV it doesn't and asks for payment...

Almost like they can't decide is the app free or not.

Hi.  Some apps are free for playback and others aren't.  That is simply a business decision designed to allow us to continue to exist.  Thanks for your support.

As for the current Google issues, I have extended the Android TV trial again.

[GrimReaper 4739]

3 hours ago, Lewis3D said:

P.S. It's silly that on my LWG WebOS TV Emby works fine (plays files from my NAS) even after 2 weeks trial period but on AndroidTV it doesn't and asks for payment...

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001173099-emby-premiere-feature-matrix

 

[Lewis3D 0]

Hi GrimReaper,

Sure, i get that link and i see what you are pointing out. I'm just saying is silly that some TVS /(like Apple, LG and Samsung) have FREE Playback features and other TVs (like Sony, Philips, Hisense and others using GoogleOS/Andorid don't). TV is TV i'm not sure what's the difference in your coding sense but you need to create app for all three OS (Tizen, WebOS and Android).

But nevertheless it's "your" app and you choose what you want to charge for it (BTW Plex direct play is free for all versions/OS/Tvs) but none of that still solves my problem, HOW and WHERE i can purchase that one time 5$ Direct Play (App Unlock as you call it in this table) feature to unlock app on my AndoridTV ??

thanks

Edited April 11, 2022 by Lewis3D

[Lewis3D 0]

21 minutes ago, ebr said:

Hi.  Some apps are free for playback and others aren't.  That is simply a business decision designed to allow us to continue to exist.  Thanks for your support.

As for the current Google issues, I have extended the Android TV trial again.

Hi, thanks for reply.

I just tried on my TV, and it still gives same error/purchase only screen whenever i try to play any of my NAS movies/files.

Do i need to do something special (instal/reinstall app or server on Synology) to extend that period and make it work again, or ?

[ebr 16169]

11 minutes ago, Lewis3D said:

Hi, thanks for reply.

I just tried on my TV, and it still gives same error/purchase only screen whenever i try to play any of my NAS movies/files.

Do i need to do something special (instal/reinstall app or server on Synology) to extend that period and make it work again, or ?

Hi.  Re-installing the app on the TV should do it.

[GrimReaper 4739]

18 minutes ago, Lewis3D said:

HOW and WHERE i can purchase that one time 5$ Direct Play (App Unlock as you call it in this table) feature to unlock app on my AndoridTV ??

As @Junglejim already pointed out:

 

4 hours ago, Junglejim said:

They (Emby) are having a few problems with the Google play. So I guess the payment isn't possible at the moment.

see here..

 

there are currently Google Play issues ongoing - which should hopefully be sorted sometime soon(ish) - so you actually can't atm. Dev is extending/resetting trial periods:

38 minutes ago, ebr said:

As for the current Google issues, I have extended the Android TV trial again.

Alternatively, you can opt for Premiere subscription for a month ('round 5 bucks), which should give ample time to get current issues sorted. 

[Lewis3D 0]

Ok thanks for input,

I've un-installed it from my TV (SONY Bravia) and of course now it's not even finding the EMBY app in the play store.
So i need to sideload it manually now from USB stick or phone :). Arghh. it should be way more user-friendly than this ;).

[ebr 16169]

11 minutes ago, Lewis3D said:

it should be way more user-friendly than this

Well, yes, and it normally is but please see my previous link for the issues with Google.

Thanks.

[Lewis3D 0]

I did sideload app manually and it installed, so it works correctly now, app says it'll work till April 24th. Let's hope you can sort payments before that :).