Emby on Google TV plays audio but shows no video after playing next episode

[SjoerdBe 1]

Same issue here. Following the topic.

It appears to happen at least with 1 show. It happens exactly as OP said. I am running Emby on Synology server and I use Google Chromecast with its only remote, so I don't cast from my phone. I stopped casting from my phone a couple of months ago because this behaviour used to happen when casting on my phone but not with the remote, so I switched to the remote.

[SjoerdBe 1]

I think this information might be relevant:

It appears to happen only with shows I have watched before, gotten halfway (lets say season 4 of Big Bang Theory) and then start watching again from season 1 a half year later. Like we all do from time to time.

[Luke 42077]

@SjoerdBe

 

Hi there, let's look at an example. Please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. Thanks!

 

[SjoerdBe 1]

Will do! I just enabled the debug logs, and will await for the issue to occur again. It seems to happen sporadically, there is no consistency. I am a software engineer, I know what you need.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, has it happened again?

[SjoerdBe 1]

Yes! A couple of times, including just now (around 17:42 / 17:43)

I will attach the entire log file, but I think this is what you might be looking for:

 

2025-11-15 17:42:52.159 Debug PortMapper: Creating port map on local port 8096 to public port 8096 with device 192.168.0.36
2025-11-15 17:42:52.159 Debug HttpClient: POST http://192.168.0.1:33754/ctl/IPConn
2025-11-15 17:42:52.165 Error PortMapper: Error creating port map
*** Error Report ***
Version: 4.8.11.0
Command line: /volume1/@appstore/EmbyServer/system/EmbyServer.dll -programdata /var/packages/EmbyServer/var -ffdetect /var/packages/EmbyServer/target/bin/ffdetect -ffmpeg /var/packages/EmbyServer/target/bin/ffmpeg -ffprobe /var/packages/EmbyServer/target/bin/ffprobe -nolocalportconfig -ignore_vaapi_enabled_flag -pidfile /var/packages/EmbyServer/var/EmbyServer.pid -defaultdirectory /volume1/Public -updatepackage emby-server-synology72_{version}_x86_64.spk -noautorunwebapp
Operating system: Linux version 4.4.302+ (root@build5) (gcc version 12.2.0 (GCC) ) #72806 SMP Mon Jul 21 23:14:27 CST 2025
Framework: .NET 6.0.36
OS/Process: x64/x64
Runtime: volume1/@appstore/EmbyServer/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
Processor count: 4
Data path: /var/packages/EmbyServer/var
Application path: /volume1/@appstore/EmbyServer/system
MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: Connection refused (192.168.0.1:33754)
---> System.Net.Http.HttpRequestException: Connection refused (192.168.0.1:33754)
---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException (111): Connection refused
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.ThrowException(SocketError error, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.System.Threading.Tasks.Sources.IValueTaskSource.GetResult(Int16 token)
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.<ConnectAsync>g__WaitForConnectWithCancellation|277_0(AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs saea, ValueTask connectTask, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectToTcpHostAsync(String host, Int32 port, HttpRequestMessage initialRequest, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectToTcpHostAsync(String host, Int32 port, HttpRequestMessage initialRequest, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.CreateHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.AddHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request)
at System.Threading.Tasks.TaskCompletionSourceWithCancellation`1.WaitWithCancellationAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.GetHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.SendWithVersionDetectionAndRetryAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, Boolean doRequestAuth, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.RedirectHandler.SendAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.DecompressionHandler.SendAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpClient.<SendAsync>g__Core|83_0(HttpRequestMessage request, HttpCompletionOption completionOption, CancellationTokenSource cts, Boolean disposeCts, CancellationTokenSource pendingRequestsCts, CancellationToken originalCancellationToken)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpClientManager.CoreHttpClientManager.SendAsyncInternal(HttpRequestOptions options, String httpMethod)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpClientManager.CoreHttpClientManager.SendAsyncInternal(HttpRequestOptions options, String httpMethod)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpClientManager.CoreHttpClientManager.SendAsync(HttpRequestOptions options, String httpMethod)
at Mono.Nat.Upnp.UpnpNatDevice.CreatePortMapInternal(Mapping mapping, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at Mono.Nat.Upnp.UpnpNatDevice.CreatePortMap(Mapping mapping, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at Emby.PortMapper.ExternalPortForwarding.CreateRules(INatDevice device, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
Source: Emby.Server.Implementations
TargetSite: Void MoveNext()
InnerException: System.Net.Http.HttpRequestException: Connection refused (192.168.0.1:33754)
Source: System.Net.Http
TargetSite: Void MoveNext()
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectToTcpHostAsync(String host, Int32 port, HttpRequestMessage initialRequest, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.CreateHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.AddHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request)
at System.Threading.Tasks.TaskCompletionSourceWithCancellation`1.WaitWithCancellationAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.GetHttp11ConnectionAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.SendWithVersionDetectionAndRetryAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, Boolean doRequestAuth, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.RedirectHandler.SendAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.DecompressionHandler.SendAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpClient.<SendAsync>g__Core|83_0(HttpRequestMessage request, HttpCompletionOption completionOption, CancellationTokenSource cts, Boolean disposeCts, CancellationTokenSource pendingRequestsCts, CancellationToken originalCancellationToken)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpClientManager.CoreHttpClientManager.SendAsyncInternal(HttpRequestOptions options, String httpMethod)
InnerException: System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: Connection refused
Source: System.Net.Sockets
TargetSite: Void ThrowException(System.Net.Sockets.SocketError, System.Threading.CancellationToken)
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.ThrowException(SocketError error, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs.System.Threading.Tasks.Sources.IValueTaskSource.GetResult(Int16 token)
at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.<ConnectAsync>g__WaitForConnectWithCancellation|277_0(AwaitableSocketAsyncEventArgs saea, ValueTask connectTask, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at System.Net.Http.HttpConnectionPool.ConnectToTcpHostAsync(String host, Int32 port, HttpRequestMessage initialRequest, Boolean async, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
2025-11-15 17:42:52.191 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 206 to host1. Time: 148ms. GET http://192.168.0.36:8096/emby/videos/72116/original.mkv?DeviceId=a4b8716f24b1dcba&MediaSourceId=7628d6a372019fbe109072fc69a839ca&PlaySessionId=118630272d1c47b28dff05d4b1a1eb3f&api_key=x_secret1_x

 

embyserver.txt

[SjoerdBe 1]

@Lukedid you see the logs / find the issue? Can I check the emby source out somewhere? I could troubleshoot for you

[SjoerdBe 1]

@Lukedid you see the logs / find the issue? Can I check the emby source out somewhere? I could troubleshoot for you.

Edit: more logs in attachment. Playing a serie of "Bobo" I downloaded recently this morning and the issue occurs over and over again.

 

Edit2. I found the github repo, I will see what I can do

embyserver.txt

Edited December 7, 2025 by SjoerdBe

[SjoerdBe 1]

You might want this too, chromecast versions:

Firmwareversie van systeem: UTTC.250917.004

Firmwareversie van Cast: 3.72.446070

[SjoerdBe 1]

@Lukedid you see the logs / find the issue? Can I check the emby source out somewhere? I could troubleshoot for you. 

 

Edit: Found the source, but I think its old. However here is a copy-pasteable for your Jira ticket with cause and possible solution.

---

 

Issue breakdown

 

Server: Emby Server 4.8.11.0 on Synology. 

 

Client: “Emby for Android 3.5.16” on Chromecast HD / Android 14 (AndroidXMedia3/1.5.1 in the UA).

 

Symptom:

 

When watching a series with auto-play next episode enabled, the next episode sometimes plays audio only with a black screen on the TV.

 

If I go back and manually start the same episode, it plays normally with both audio and video.

 

This happens with multiple series.

 

What I see in the server logs

 

For transitions that work and transitions that fail, the server log is effectively the same:

 

A PlaybackInfo request:

 

2025-11-15 17:41:05.613 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 3ms.

POST /emby/Items/72116/PlaybackInfo ... IsPlayback=true ... AutoOpenLiveStream=true ...

 

Immediately followed by a direct-play request for the original file from the Chromecast:

 

2025-11-15 17:41:06.755 Info Server: http/1.1 GET

/emby/videos/72116/original.mkv?DeviceId=a4b8...&MediaSourceId=7628d6a3...&PlaySessionId=...

User-Agent: Emby/3.5.16 (Linux;Android 14) AndroidXMedia3/1.5.1

 

On Bobo it’s the same pattern with original.mp4:

 

2025-12-07 07:40:24.297 Info VideoService: GET

/emby/videos/78581/original.mp4?DeviceId=a4b8...&MediaSourceId=mediasource_78581&PlaySessionId=...

2025-12-07 07:40:24.316 Info VideoService: Response 206 to host2. Time: 264ms.

 

No transcoding job is started for these plays, no ffmpeg commands, and there are no server-side errors at the time the client shows audio-only.

 

 

So from the server’s perspective, both the “good” and “bad” next-episode transitions look healthy: it returns 200 for PlaybackInfo and then 206 for the direct-play stream (original.mkv / original.mp4), and the Chromecast keeps reading data.

 

That suggests it’s not a “server returns 200 too early before transcoding is ready” issue, because in these cases the episodes are direct-played, not transcoded.

 

Hypothesis (possible cause)

 

The Chromecast / Google TV client (Media3/ExoPlayer 1.5.1) seems to reuse the same playback pipeline when auto-playing the next episode in the same session.

 

Occasionally, when switching to the next episode via auto-play, the player ends up with only the audio renderer active and never re-initialises the video decoder / surface.

 

The server keeps feeding the file (direct-play), but on the Chromecast side the video track is never actually displayed, hence audio-only, black screen, even though the HTTP stream is fine.

 

 

In other words, the difference between “works” and “fails” appears to be entirely on the Android/Chromecast client side, not in what the server is returning.

 

Possible direction / suggestion for a fix

 

From what I see in the logs, a robust fix probably has to be on the Android TV / Chromecast client:

 

For cast sessions when auto-playing the next episode:

 

Treat it as a fresh playback instead of just swapping media items in the same player instance.

 

Concretely: send a Stop for the current item and then a brand-new Load for the next episode (new Media3/ExoPlayer instance / fresh cast load), instead of reusing the existing session/renderer pipeline.

 

 

That should force the video decoder and surface to be recreated for each new episode, which would avoid the “audio-only” state even though the direct-play stream itself is fine.

 

 

If you want I can provide exact log timestamps of a “good” and a “bad” transition, but the high-level pattern is the same in both cases: server OK, client appears to get stuck only showing audio.