Unsupported Formate for the new Emby Android App

[lstryhrn 7]

I was having problems with VC1 videos trying to direct play on an unsupported device. Went to the play back settings and found this in the Emby Android app.(see below or attached picture). Why is this even a thing? Why not automatically have Emby transcode for unsupported formats on a device? Never had that issue with the Emby Android TV app. If something wasn’t supported Emby would pick up on it and transcode. 

[Luke 42078]

Hi, it's not automatic because the app will play with software decoding when a hardware decoder isn't available.  How well it will play just depends on how powerful the device is and it's hard to predict that.

[lstryhrn 7]

30 minutes ago, Luke said:

Hi, it's not automatic because the app will play with software decoding when a hardware decoder isn't available.  How well it will play just depends on how powerful the device is and it's hard to predict that.

My Emby server is trying to direct playing or  do you  mean there some software /hardwarde decode happening on the device itself (firestick). The Emby Android TV app realizes that your device doesnt support the codec  and then makes the server transcode it. Seems like the new Emby app is just trying force direct play everything . 

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

@lstryhrnWhen you run into this try pressing the down arrow on your remote and then scroll over to the star * and click on it and then, in the resulting dropdown, choose "Playback correction" and choose it and see what happens. I "think" that forces transcoding and I have found it is needed for a few videos. Also, there are two Emby apps in the Amazon Fire store and you might try the other one. 

On my Shield the Android for TV app has some minor playback issues but those clear up when using the "regular" app as it uses a different player. I do not really like the "regular" app and I use the playback correction on the few videos that have problems. 

But that is just me, it seems that a lot of people like the "regular" app. The app you want to use on the Fire devices is 3.4.74

[lstryhrn 7]

1 hour ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

@lstryhrnWhen you run into this try pressing the down arrow on your remote and then scroll over to the star * and click on it and then, in the resulting dropdown, choose "Playback correction" and choose it and see what happens. I "think" that forces transcoding and I have found it is needed for a few videos. Also, there are two Emby apps in the Amazon Fire store and you might try the other one. 

On my Shield the Android for TV app has some minor playback issues but those clear up when using the "regular" app as it uses a different player. I do not really like the "regular" app and I use the playback correction on the few videos that have problems. 

But that is just me, it seems that a lot of people like the "regular" app. The app you want to use on the Fire devices is 3.4.74

Thanks for the info. Correct The Emby Fire Tv one works but the new Emby Android that they are pushing doesnt. I have to force it to transcode.  The Emby Android app tries to direct play everything. My Shield works just fine. The Shield is just a beast.  Its the fire tv devices that is having issues. Most of my users have the fire tv. I think I might go back to the old app. Just wasnt for sure was the app going to stop working. 

What I am trying to prevent is having my family/friend call me everything time they play a video and I have to lead them through the process to fix it. If their device doesnt support a codec the server should be forced to transcode. 

[Luke 42078]

I would just force it to transcode. The TV app is probably doing that but just not giving you a choice about it.

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

10 minutes ago, lstryhrn said:

Thanks for the info. Correct The Emby Fire Tv one works but the new Emby Android that they are pushing doesnt. I have to force it to transcode.  The Emby Android app tries to direct play everything. My Shield works just fine. The Shield is just a beast.  Its the fire tv devices that is having issues. Most of my users have the fire tv. I think I might go back to the old app. Just wasnt for sure was the app going to stop working. 

What I am trying to prevent is having my family/friend call me everything time they play a video and I have to lead them through the process to fix it. If their device doesnt support a codec the server should be forced to transcode. 

Just as a point for the Emby team: This is kind of the opposite of my experience as the regular Android app works for me but is hard for me to use while the older app has some minor problems but is more pleasant to use. 
I, personally, would like it better if the older app was simply, or not so simply, fixed and the better video player added but that is my preference and others may not agree. 

@lstryhrn I do not think the issue is really the codec involved but rather something more obtuse. I also own a Fire TV and, on it, I use the new app and everything seems fine but i use my Fire a LOT less than I use my Shield and, with the way Amazon is going, my Fire devices could get retired pretty soon.

[CBers 7450]

On 22/06/2025 at 05:38, lstryhrn said:

Why not automatically have Emby transcode for unsupported formats on a device?

 

11 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, it's not automatic because the app will play with software decoding when a hardware decoder isn't available.  How well it will play just depends on how powerful the device is and it's hard to predict that.

@Luke Just out of curiosity, with the convert unsupported audio option, how would the app work with a VC1 file?

Would it direct play the video and transcode the audio to DD?
 

[Luke 42078]

9 hours ago, CBers said:

 

@Luke Just out of curiosity, with the convert unsupported audio option, how would the app work with a VC1 file?

Would it direct play the video and transcode the audio to DD?
 

HLS is the transcoding protocol, so it depends on whether or not the audio can be carried in HLS. If it can't, then it would be converted as well.