What is the best choice of Emby client for serious home theatre setup?

[somy 25]

Currently I use HTPC with Kodi as Emby client, however I'm not 100% happy with PQ, and there are lots of small issues (maybe mostly related to Windows). When it works it's great, but I often find myself spend lots of time to make the system operational, so I'd like to ask what device do you recommend if I want better user experience with the following requirements:

• Good picture quality, good HDR-SDR tone mapping (my projector is not capable of HDR)
• Support most formats that Kodi is capable of, both 4K and HD
• Allow to change refresh rate to match FPS
• Allow bitstream of HD audio track 

• Possible to control via Logitech Harmony

Edited August 14, 2021 by somy

[GrimReaper 4740]

ATV on Shield, hands down. 

[somy 25]

24 minutes ago, GrimReaper76 said:

ATV on Shield, hands down. 

I have ATV 4K with MrMc as Emby client, but it doesn’t support bitstream of HD audio track.

also tried zidoo with nice PQ but I have to stick to their player.

does shield use Kodi internal player? How is PQ comparing to ATV?

[GrimReaper 4740]

4 minutes ago, somy said:

ATV 4K with MrMc

What's that? 

ATV=Emby AndroidTV client app, on Nvidia Shield. 

Ticks all of your boxes (HDR-SDR tonemapping is always done server-side). 

[rbjtech 5284]

Just to add - ensure it's the Shield Pro.

I *think* the Shield Tube issues are sorted now, but I'm not 100% - so if you want the best, get the Pro - there are definitely no issues there as I use it frequently as my main 4K / DV / True-HD Atmos / DTS-X Emby Client.

[somy 25]

 

2 hours ago, GrimReaper76 said:

What's that? 

ATV=Emby AndroidTV client app, on Nvidia Shield. 

Ticks all of your boxes (HDR-SDR tonemapping is always done server-side). 

I thought ATV = Apple TV, sorry.

I don't understand why HDR-SDR is done at server side, does it mean the server has to transcode?

[somy 25]

2 hours ago, rbjtech said:

Just to add - ensure it's the Shield Pro.

I *think* the Shield Tube issues are sorted now, but I'm not 100% - so if you want the best, get the Pro - there are definitely no issues there as I use it frequently as my main 4K / DV / True-HD Atmos / DTS-X Emby Client.

Thanks, so native Emby Android TV app on Shield pro, right? Are we happy with picture quality?

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

The Shield is a good choice as its picture quality is superb but i find the Roku Ultra easier to use and its picture quality is quite good.

The Ultra's user interface for Emby is, I believe, far in advance of any I have seen on the Shield. I find the Shield's interface clumsy.

[vdatanet 1617]

2 minutes ago, somy said:

 

I thought ATV = Apple TV, sorry.

I don't understand why HDR-SDR is done at server side, does it mean the server has to transcode?

HDR to SDR is done at server when transcoding is required. If transcoding is not required, Nvidia Shield does HDR to SDR at the client side.

Edited August 14, 2021 by vdatanet

[GrimReaper 4740]

Just now, vdatanet said:

HDR to SDR is done at server when transcoding is required. If transcoded is no required, Nvidia Shield does HDR to SDR at the client side.

Nice to know, thanks. I thought that since his final device is a SDR projector it would need transcode. Even better. 

[GrimReaper 4740]

6 minutes ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

The Shield is a good choice as its picture quality is superb but i find the Roku Ultra easier to use and its picture quality is quite good.

Don't know what's the status of HD bitstream passthrough on Roku, which was one of the OP requisites, I remember it was an issue few years back, @speechlesmight revert on that one. 

[rbjtech 5284]

From what I've read - No Roku will passthrough HD Audio.  A non-starter for an AV Home Theatre setup.

[Carlo 4561]

ATV on the Shield Pro is the only client/device I know to check off each box in the op post.
It's really hard to go wrong with this combo.

[vdatanet 1617]

3 minutes ago, cayars said:

ATV on the Shield Pro is the only client/device I know to check off each box in the op post.
It's really hard to go wrong with this combo.

The only downside is the advertising that the people at Google kindly make us swallow.

[Carlo 4561]

Just now, vdatanet said:

The only downside is the advertising that the people at Google kindly make us swallow.

It's no worse than any other device out there these days.  It's still probably the least intrusive so far.

[rodainas 191]

With a custom launcher you can forget about adds on shield, firetv, etc. Just a clean interface.

[somy 25]

Thanks for all the input, looks like Nvidia shield pro is the go to device these days. I’d like understand does ATV app on shield use its native video player? As I understand for good PQ some boxes designed their internal player far superior than default video player. 

[Carlo 4561]

It uses the EXO player on Shield TV same as on other Android platforms.

[clarkss12 304]

For a serious Home Theater for strictly your own media, CoreELEC running on inexpensive Amlogic boxes plays everything, including all the audio and video codecs.........

Using quickmic's Emby next gen, you get a great Emby client.

https://discourse.coreelec.org/

https://coreelec.org/#download

Edited August 14, 2021 by clarkss12

[Carlo 4561]

I'd still take Emby for Android TV running on the Shield Pro.

[rbjtech 5284]

For the REALLY serious AV Enthusiast, then there are some pretty specialist boxes out there that easily top the Shield Pro.  They play dual layer DV for starters.

https://www.futeko.com/browse.php?cat=mp&sort=relevance

The ones I looked at all run Android  (Z9X) - so emby should run on them without issues - maybe worth a look if the Shield Pro is not to your liking (I have not tested these myself) but this model was on my shortlist vs the Shield Pro.  In the end I went with the Shield as it has solid emby support.

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by rbjtech

[somy 25]

2 minutes ago, rbjtech said:

For the REALLY serious AV Enthusiast, then there are some pretty specialist boxes out there that easily top the Shield Pro.  Play play dual layer DV for starters.

https://www.futeko.com/browse.php?cat=mp&sort=relevance

The ones I looked at all run Android - so emby should run on them without issues - maybe worth a look if the Shield Pro is not to your liking but I have not tested these myself. 

 

I had Zidoo before and must say PQ is above anything except for HTPC with MadVR., as I understand the company developed the player and optimised for the RD chip. I'm not impressed with their media organiser but I think it'd be a perfect solution if their media organiser integrates to Emby (as client).

[rbjtech 5284]

5 minutes ago, somy said:

... but I think it'd be a perfect solution if their media organiser integrates to Emby (as client).

.. and that is the bit I was not 100% sure of lol.  Yes it's Android 9 and and yes, you can get the Play store - but would Emby get access to the 'specialist' chips in the hardware - likely not, and thus my decision to go with the Shield.

I might take a 2nd look - they have a 30 day return policy so if emby doesn't run, then I guess I can return it .. ?

Edited August 15, 2021 by rbjtech

[somy 25]

Just now, rbjtech said:

.. and that is the bit I was not 100% sure of lol.  Yes it's Android 9 and and yes, you can get the Play store - but would Emby get access to the 'specialist' chips in the hardware - likely not, and thus my decision to go with the Shield lol.

I might take a 2nd look - they have a 30 day return policy so if emby doesn't run, then I guess I can return it .. ?

I did some research I think there is a way to launch their player from Emby client, however it doesn't support external subtitle so no go for me. 

There is one user on Zidoo forum did a mod for Jellyfin and looks like Jellyfin app can now invoke the video player smoothly. 

Another option is ZDMC, which is basically Kodi with their own player. I used this setup on my X9S for quite some time, the problems are (1) constant sync issue, so Emby Kodi add-on isn't very stable for me (2) when play with external player, Kodi doesn't know the progress, so when you stop it will mark the movie played.

 

 

[rbjtech 5284]

OK - but a lot of this is the exact reason (I expect) that you are moving away from an HTPC (as was I).

I just want to install the native App, open it and play the content at 90-95% of the format capability.

From an emby perspective, the Shield Pro is THE goto client, and thus it generally gets all the latest Beta's and toys first.  It was the first to get DV for example and is generally in front of the other mainstream clients from an look and feel perspective as well.