HDMI Input displayed as a channel

[dcook 299]

I apologize if this is a stupid question, I have not played much with Emby's LiveTV features, I know I can buy devices to connect to my cabletv and then have those tv channels available in Emby, (HDHomeRun, Hauppauge, etc)

However what I am looking to do is take 2 HDMI feeds and have them show up in Emby as channels?

Specifically, I record my son's minor hockey team games, and I would like to have them live when possible for other family.  What I am trying to figure out is if I have two video camera's setup each with a HDMI output, what would I need to buy to install in my Emby server, to allow me to plug in these two HDMI cables, and then have those two video sources appear as two channels in Emby?

Is what I am trying to do even possible?

[Scott D 69]

I love a challenge.

I am trying to wrap my head around the set-up and the actual operation.  Questions:

1.  You say you are trying to do a "live" feed from 2 cameras into Emby Server.  Is the server running in close proximity to the hockey rink?
     a.  Will this need to be a feed over internet if Server is located elsewhere?
     b.  What type of cameras are being used?  (Cellphones, handi-cams or the like, security type cameras).
2.  Have you looked at the hardware options of HDHomeRun and Hauppauge? 
3.  Is there a pushback on the purchase of additional hardware?  Seems the easiest way to accomplish the goal.
4.  Does the feed need to be "Live" or would a delay be acceptable?
 

[dcook 299]

2 hours ago, Scott D said:

I love a challenge.

I am trying to wrap my head around the set-up and the actual operation.  Questions:

1.  You say you are trying to do a "live" feed from 2 cameras into Emby Server.  Is the server running in close proximity to the hockey rink?
     a.  Will this need to be a feed over internet if Server is located elsewhere?

Viewing the game will be accessed via internet, but the two camera's feed and the emby server itself will be in the same spot (local rink)

I was thinking to just buy a ip security camera, and connect that using one of the plugins, but from what I read it would only be good if the image is static, since there is lots of movement on the ice, the ip security camera would be laggy.  That is why I am trying to figure out how to get a HDMI signal directly into Emby

Is there a HDHomeRun type device, that takes multiple HDMI inputs, and then converts them to Ethernet?

     b.  What type of cameras are being used?  (Cellphones, handi-cams or the like, security type cameras).

The two cameras are Sony A6000 video cameras, right now I am recording the game and then copying the file to my emby server to stream, instead I wanted to see if I can just connect the cameras and have them show up as channels?

2.  Have you looked at the hardware options of HDHomeRun and Hauppauge? 

Yes, but I from what I see they are designed to take a coax signal from a cabletv or antenna, if there is a simple hardware box that will do this, that would b ideal.

3.  Is there a pushback on the purchase of additional hardware?  Seems the easiest way to accomplish the goal.

Looking to do this on a modest budget, I just don't want to end up buying the wrong thing, because I don't understand how to get the live signal into Emy

4.  Does the feed need to be "Live" or would a delay be acceptable?

Some delay of a couple minutes is ok
 

If there is a better way to do this, let me know?

 

Edited January 4, 2025 by dcook

[Scott D 69]

From what info I have from your posts.

The cheapest way I could think to add "Live" streams as channels in Emby would be to utilize security cameras.  If the hockey rink is located at a location away from your server, you could set-up a "hotspot" on a cellphone and then have the channels mapped to the rtsp ports for each of the cameras.  Would require a DynDNS for your cellphone hotspot (not sure if that is possible).  Not the prettiest of solutions, and not even sure if it would provide a desire result.

There are also "streaming" sites that might be worth looking into.  Probably a monthly subscription would be required.  Gamers are doing lots with these sites.

If a delayed playback is not a deal breaker,  simply record the game on both cameras.  Upload them as "home videos" into Emby.  Have friends and family watch on a delayed basis.

If you want to go "LIVE" there will need to be some type of $$$ expenditure.  No way around that.  Wanna play, ya gotta pay.

[dcook 299]

Internet/networking setup I have under control, using security cameras I don't think will work, as they are not meant for the constant movement and would become laggy when viewing.

From what I can read so far, I don't think HDHomeRun will work, as it wants a coax cabletv/antenna signal.

I think what I would need to buy is a HDMI encoder, for example:

https://jtechdigital.com/product/h264-ip-encoder-live-streaming/?srsltid=AfmBOooFt6EElAOfXk-5CwmuhFg5ZStkbVu9P5RWE3RrtBrz5-sVHMgf

 

Do you know if I bought this, how it would be represented in Emby?

 

[Carlo 4560]

Hi,

Give us more information about your thoughts on how you intend to do this.
What are the two cameras you have?
Will they be mounted on a tripod or similar, or controlled by an operator to follow the action live, using zoom/pan, etc?
Is your intention to do two live broadcasts or one using a combination of the two cameras, and if combined, how are you planning to do this?

Do your camera's output to HDMI while recording live? (this may not be an option)

Something to think about. I've got 5 or 6 HD cameras that range from analog to digital 4K, 3 camcorders (8mm, 1080p, 4K), 5 or 6 different 4K IP cameras, with pan/optical zoom @ 30fps or better at 4K.

For live streaming a hockey game of my son to friends and family I wouldn't use any of those cameras, nor would I use Emby to live stream it. I'd later add it to Emby with editing but would not use it for live streaming. I'd prefer to do it the simple way that's quite simple and works well.

What I would recommend you try first is broadcasting to YouTube and/or Twitch (or both) using your mobile phone. This assumes you have a "decent" camera on your phone and will have a good Internet upload speed at the hockey rink. Probably any Google Pixel, iPhone or Samsung phone purchased in the last 3 or 4 years will work well.  If the rink has WIFI you can probably use this for broadcasting. If not, you'll want a cell data plan with unlimited data and "premium" upload GB fast enough to broadcast on.  At a minimum, you'll want 5 mbs upload, but I'd shoot for 15 mbs.

The advantage of using Youtube and maybe Twitch is that you won't need hardware encoding devices and probably have everything you need already. You won't need to setup users in Emby or have friends/family using up your Premiere device licenses just for the live stream. You won't need to worry about transcoding or bandwidth on your server needed for people watching the stream.  You can have a public link that anyone can use to watch the game so your son can freely give out the link to his friends to watch as well as any family members who could give the link at as well to other family, etc.  You can of course make the YouTube link private or for "subscribers to your channel" only. Youtube will handle transcoding for you and handle all the download bandwidth so it won't matter to you if you have 1 or 1000 people watching the stream.  You biggest concern when streaming will be to use the highest bitrate and resolution you can which helps to provide end-users the best quality video out of YouTube when it transcodes.

Up to about 2 months ago I was using a Google Pixel 6 pro on Verizon network and could only get 4G connection and something like 10-20 mbs down and 5-6 mbs up.
On my new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold on T-Mobile I'm getting 800-900 mbs down and 60-80 mbs up on 5g.

Check out these two videos which show exactly how to do this without having a previous YouTube channel or subscribers.
https://youtu.be/YxyAEqRrPaE
https://youtu.be/CFtslbyxkZQ

 

[dcook 299]

Hi, they are Sony A6000 cameras

I will have a HDMI feed from each camera, and I want them show up as a channel in Emby under LiveTV

Camera 1 -> HDMI -> Emby Channel 1

Camera 2 -> HDMI -> Emby Channel 2

The camera/internet part I have figured out already, its how to present the HDMI feed from the camera as a channel in Emby that I am trying to understand

Edited January 5, 2025 by dcook

[Luke 42077]

hi, single streams can be imported into Emby Server using the iptv plugin. You just need a raw video url.

[Carlo 4560]

It depends on your budget and camera placement.

You could use an HDMI to IP encoder on each camera. These would take the video feed, encode it to H.265 or H.264 and send it to 1 or more online services. Typically, Twitch, Youtube, Facebook Live and similar. You will want to check if the device supports Unicast, Broadcast or Multicast depending on your needs. The device may or may not support "general web viewing" meaning it may not support a device "tuning" to it as it doesn't support listening or supporting multiple steams.

Generally, these types of devices are designed to send data to out only to 1 to 4 simultaneous RTMP or RMTPS servers that support RTSP streams. This makes it a bit harder to set Emby server up for its use. You could use a RTMP/RTSP gateway if needed that could make the broadcast a multicast on your home network which would allow Emby Server to "tune" into the feed as needed. In this way both feeds could be setup in an m3u file and added to your TV lineup or could be added to your system using the IPTV plugin as Luke mentioned above.

HDMI to IP Encoder
Magewell Ultra Stream HDMI
URayCoder HDMI Video Streaming Encoder
DDMALL Live Streaming Encoder, 4K60Hz
LinkPi REC1 4K HDMI-compatible Video Encoder

Each of the above was found new on eBay for $80-$160

Next is HDMI to USB adapters, that do exactly as the sound like. They take an HDMI feed and manipulate it to be able to output it via USB. The USB adapter is plugged into a computer making the feed available to use however you want, typically, via OBS.

HDMI to USB
Elgato Cam Link 4K
AverMedia Live Gamer Mini

No Devices

Your Sony A6000 cameras support being connected directly to a computer/notebook via USB. Sony also makes software available to download called "Sony Imaging Edge Webcam Software".  This allows you to plug the camera into a notebook and use the camera as a webcam. OBS is a powerful open-source software that is used by a great deal of broadcasters on Facebook Live, Twitch and YouTube. OBS allows you to do all kinds of things like switching video source, having one feed full screen with a second feed in a smaller window overlapping the main OSD. You can do overlays which could be used to have the score at the bottom of the screen as well as the period and rough time left of the period, etc..

If the two cameras are going to be near each other than a couple of USB cables and notebook are all you need to have a powerful setup that can record both cameras as well as encode and broadcast the streams to online services or to allow Emby Server to access the streams.