Shield suddenly having issues playing 4k files.

[Bigmack3000 107]

I don't know why this started, but suddenly 4k videos will not play on my shield.  When I check in the emby dashboard it looks like it keeps trying to buffer the first few seconds and then restarts endlessly. I'm attaching logs.

The file I'm trying right now is "Risky Business".  The one that gave me trouble a few days ago was "Phase IV",  I somehow eventually got that one to play, but I truly have no idea how.

ffmpeg-transcode-c61a7a41-8e62-429a-9cda-dde71892f094_1.txt embyserver (1).txt

[Bigmack3000 107]

just more logs. i tested a few more 4k files. some would play. some would not.

embyserver (2).txt

[Bigmack3000 107]

Just wanted to add a little more. These 4K files are playing over wifi to my phone. so the files do work.And my shield is connected to ethernet.

[Bigmack3000 107]

Just bumping to see if anyone had a chance to look at the logs yet?  I remuxed the one Risky Business file, and then it let me play, but remuxing others made no change.  I don't know what is determining if the file will play.

embyserver (3).txt

[Bigmack3000 107]

Hey, just cross posting here because maybe it makes more sense in this section:

 

 

 

[Luke 42077]

Hi, I would try setting the quality setting back to auto in the app and see if that helps.

[Bigmack3000 107]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Hi, I would try setting the quality setting back to auto in the app and see if that helps.

I was originally trying with auto quality.  It wasn't working, so I tried lowering it,  that didn't work either, so I had set it back to auto.  You'll see in the attached logs here, how random it is.  This time, "Last Black Man in San Francisco" "Apocalypse Now" and "Risky Business" worked fine.  Then "The Doom Generation" "Nowhere" and "To Die For" would not play.  Then "Demon Pond" Played fine.  All discs ripped the same way, all 4k files.  

embyserver (4).txt

Edited February 12, 2025 by Bigmack3000

[Luke 42077]

This is all inside the local network, right?

[Bigmack3000 107]

Yea, my shield is connected through ethernet.

[Luke 42077]

On the same local network as the server?

[Bigmack3000 107]

Yea, it should be.  Both have ethernet cables to the same router.

Just to clarify "both".  the emby server is on my synology nas.  my nas and my shield are both connected to the router with ethernet cables.

Edited February 13, 2025 by Bigmack3000

[Luke 42077]

What exactly is happening when you try to play?

[Bigmack3000 107]

Nothing.  it's just a black screen.  If I go into my dashboard, the timeline will count up to like 8 seconds and then restart back at 0, over and over again.  

But there's no error code/message.  Just the black screen.

Edited February 13, 2025 by Bigmack3000

[Bigmack3000 107]

Also, the files that won't play on the shield, play perfectly over wifi to my phone.

[Bigmack3000 107]

On 2/12/2025 at 8:13 PM, Luke said:

What exactly is happening when you try to play?

Any ideas?

[EHRETic 7]

Don't know if I have the same issue, but by testing a lot of movies to fine tune my new receiver, I noticed 2 4k movies that would not start either (Aquaman & Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within).

If I give a "little forward" push with remote control, movie will go on, but if I don't, movie will stay at 0:00 and screen will remain black.

I don't know if I had this problem before updating to 9.2.0, which seems to be a VERY crappy firmware version... so what firmware version do you have on your Shield? 

[Bigmack3000 107]

I have updated to 9.2 but I was having the issue before that.  

[EHRETic 7]

Hi,

To solve other issues with 9.2, I'll have to reset the device (thanks NVIDIA support for such a wonderful solution!)

I'll update you if this solves something with the movies I could spot having this problem.

[EHRETic 7]

Well, I've reset the device and for one issue I had, it seems to be solved (huge crackling sound - randomly coming)

What I discovered by testing a lot of movies is DTS-MA HD would not let the film start automatically but TrueHD would.

(Consistant with 3 movies for now, maybe more)

Is it the same with you?

PS: my receiver accept everything (Marantz Cinema 40)

Edited February 19, 2025 by EHRETic

[Luke 42077]

On 2/19/2025 at 12:48 PM, EHRETic said:

Well, I've reset the device and for one issue I had, it seems to be solved (huge crackling sound - randomly coming)

What I discovered by testing a lot of movies is DTS-MA HD would not let the film start automatically but TrueHD would.

(Consistant with 3 movies for now, maybe more)

Is it the same with you?

PS: my receiver accept everything (Marantz Cinema 40)

Thanks for following up !

[Bigmack3000 107]

3 hours ago, Luke said:

Thanks for following up !

Uh, i just want to mention that the shield update was never the issue for me, and the problem I'm having with random 4k files is definitely still happening.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, are you still having an issue with this?

[EHRETic 7]

5 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, are you still having an issue with this?

Nope, still there (even with 4.8.11), even if problem is less consistant.
I tested with the same movies, it still hangs with DTS-MA HD and starts straight away with True HD on Aquaman, but with some other films, it was not the case.

Same movie start on Plex (but I started to hate it... especially on Shield!)

I'll try to find/test more movies and let you know.

 

[yocker 1247]

DTS-MA HD used to be a problem for me as well before i got an amplifier that can handle the format.
Reason Plex can handle the format might be because it's transcoding it for you while Emby is passing it through?

Should be easy to check, have Emby transcode the movie and see what happens.
If i remember right there should also be some settings in the shield where you can set it so i doesn't pass through the format either, effectively forcing transcoding.

[EHRETic 7]

59 minutes ago, yocker said:

DTS-MA HD used to be a problem for me as well before i got an amplifier that can handle the format.
Reason Plex can handle the format might be because it's transcoding it for you while Emby is passing it through?

Should be easy to check, have Emby transcode the movie and see what happens.
If i remember right there should also be some settings in the shield where you can set it so i doesn't pass through the format either, effectively forcing transcoding.

I'm not transcoding anything for now (Plex nor Emby), my amplifier can accept anything (even DTS X)

But this subject leaves me speechless... I did some more tests a few minutes ago by forcing the transcoding to DTS ‘only’ (on the DTS-HD track) and the film ran straight away. 
I changed the sound settings back to automatic mode and in DTS-HD, the film also started!

I then tried restarting the Shield again to see if it would make a difference and the film launched in DTS-HD again, whereas earlier in the afternoon I couldn't get it to do so... 

I hate those inconsistant issues! 

PS: I have one main power switch and everything is completely restarted every time.