Remote Control of Emby Fire Stick Users

[Max Overdrive 9]

My memory may be failing me, but I'm pretty sure that with an admin account I used to be able to remote control my Fire Stick users. Both options in Remote Control are checked for the admin account in question.

Is this something that has changed in the past year or so? Is there something I need to do in order to be able to remote control these devices? Just looking for basic stop/start play functionality.

[ebr 16169]

Hi.  Why do you think you can't?  What have you tried?

[Max Overdrive 9]

Sorry @ebr on rereading this I realized I wasn't very specific. When going to "Manage Server" on the Emby dashboard I see what's in the screenshot below when a user is playing content (I tested with one of my own devices as well and realized it's not just Fire Sticks that I don't seem to be able to control).

Did there not used to be a stop/play buttons at the bottom of the interface in the screenshot? Maybe this functionality has moved somewhere else and I'm just missing where it moved to?

Quick edit: I should mention I'm looking at the interface in the Emby Theater client (v3.0.21) on Windows.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Max Overdrive
Specify OS and Client

[ebr 16169]

8 hours ago, Max Overdrive said:

I should mention I'm looking at the interface in the Emby Theater client (v3.0.21) on Windows

Hi.  What happens if you do it in the web app?

Is this device in your local network?

[Max Overdrive 9]

Just tested this out in the web app and everything works as it should (with both a device on the local network and a device not on the local network).

And no, the device in question is not on the local network. But testing with both local and remote device produces the same result (regardless of type of playback device) -- no ability to remote control devices through the Emby Theater app on Windows.

[Max Overdrive 9]

Sorry, not to belabour the point here, but should this be working in Emby Theater (am I remembering correctly that one used to be able to control user playback through there)? Or is the current behaviour I'm describing desired?

[Luke 42077]

HI, yes you can remote control other apps with Emby Theater.

[Max Overdrive 9]

OK thanks Luke, hopefully you guys can figure this one out. Appreciate you clearing that up.

[Luke 42077]

You may want to check that the display mode setting in Theater is not set to TV. In TV display mode, the remote control functions are not available.

[Max Overdrive 9]

That was the reason, thanks Luke. Out of curiosity, why are those functions not available in TV display mode?

[Luke 42077]

Well you don't typically do those things with a remote control, right?

[Max Overdrive 9]

I guess that's true. Wasn't sure if there was a technical reason or it just wasn't desired functionality in that mode. Sounds like the latter.

Either way, you've answered my question - I changed to desktop display mode and the feature is again working. Thanks again for your help, issue solved.