Issues Streaming To Firesticks/TVs

[RIP314 2]

Ever since June I've been having increasing issues streaming to my Fire devices, I have several sticks spanning different generations and a TV, all of them have these problems. Sometimes my streams will freeze, the app isn't freezing as eventually the videos will begin to play again, but they often will repeatedly freeze during playback. Sometimes they freeze for a few shorts seconds, like as if buffering, but sometimes they'll freeze for a minute or more. This happens irregularly and seemingly at random. The intervals are irregular, the frequency is irregular, I really have no idea what's going on. I'm currently running Windows 10 with Emby v4.8. This did also happen when I was updated to the v4.9 so it doesn't seem exclusive to the older Emby version. I've tried changing up some settings and trying different combinations to see if it makes a difference and I can't see a difference. This happens across different formats, most of my library is mkv and mp4, it seems more frequent on larger files, but isn't exclusive to them.

 

Any one have an idea what's going?

[Luke 42077]

 

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

 

[RIP314 2]

embyserver-63900833238.txt

[RIP314 2]

Three logs attached, I'm trying to play an episode of Collision it's a 1080p, H.264 mkv. Direct stream playback doesn't work, transcoded playback doesn't work, it just keeps freezing for at irregular intervals for irregular amounts of time.

 

ffmpeg-transcode-0c1c0f2b-10a7-45ad-8537-332a1bcf0ac9_1.txtffmpeg-directstream-b78ed9b3-a5f3-460c-8ce2-a4406411e570_1.txt

embyserver (1).txt

[visproduction 315]

latest embyserver (1).txt

===
Logging into OpenSubtitles-Emby

Happens 710 times, less than 1 second apart.

Suspect embedded subtitles in .mkv file causing issues.  If the subtitles are removed by media remuxed to .mp4 container, it may fix the issue.

===

2025-12-13 14:07:16.902 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.opensubtitles.com/api/v1/subtitles?languages=en&moviehash=6a09d7f31dbb0236
2025-12-13 14:07:16.943 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/5344478/extended?meta=translations
...

 MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: Cancelling connection to https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/5344478/extended?meta=translations due to a previous timeout.

Happens 965 times, less than 0.5 second apart.

Again subtitle issue.

[RIP314 2]

9 hours ago, visproduction said:

latest embyserver (1).txt

===
Logging into OpenSubtitles-Emby

Happens 710 times, less than 1 second apart.

Suspect embedded subtitles in .mkv file causing issues.  If the subtitles are removed by media remuxed to .mp4 container, it may fix the issue.

===

2025-12-13 14:07:16.902 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.opensubtitles.com/api/v1/subtitles?languages=en&moviehash=6a09d7f31dbb0236
2025-12-13 14:07:16.943 Info HttpClient: GET https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/5344478/extended?meta=translations
...

 MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: MediaBrowser.Model.Net.HttpException: Cancelling connection to https://api4.thetvdb.com/v4/episodes/5344478/extended?meta=translations due to a previous timeout.

Happens 965 times, less than 0.5 second apart.

Again subtitle issue.

 Thanks for looking into my issue. I'm not using subtitles now, should I just uninstall open subtitles? What should I do to avoid this problem?

[visproduction 315]

Rip,

I suspect the playback issue may have something to do with excessive number of embedded subtitles and / or graphic subtitles (.sup) that are in .mkv media files, especially when copied from any blu-ray source.  I only base this suspicion on other forum posts where 30 subtitles inside a .mkv seemed to cause a playback problem and when he user removed them, the media played back better.  I have not personally tested this.  Maybe Emby is obliged to try to convert all the subtitles and that bogs down the playback.  That might not be true.  Perhaps someone who knows more about this can comment.

I remove all embedded subs and make them separate files and I never have a playback problem. MKVcleaver can remove the subs and make file copies. MKVtools or AVIDemux can remux the media,  without the embedded subs.  Each step takes less than 1 minute on most computers.  ffmpeg can probably do both at once and it's possbile to do all subdirectories with the right script, so you would just click Enter or run a command and 1000 media files can get converted.  I think the other MKV and AVIDemux software can also automatically do many media files at once, with a custom script.  If anyone figures these scripts out, maybe posting them here, would be nice.

I know that everyone would prefer that Emby handles this automatically, so no extra work is needed. Maybe there is some bug that needs fixing.  Still, if it can be fixed quickly with these other programs and possibly with one click, using a custom script... I mean... what do you all want? That's pretty easy.  

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by visproduction

[RIP314 2]

1 hour ago, visproduction said:

Rip,

I suspect the playback issue may have something to do with excessive number of embedded subtitles and / or graphic subtitles (.sup) that are in .mkv media files, especially when copied from any blu-ray source.  I only base this suspicion on other forum posts where 30 subtitles inside a .mkv seemed to cause a playback problem and when he user removed them, the media played back better.  I have not personally tested this.  Maybe Emby is obliged to try to convert all the subtitles and that bogs down the playback.  That might not be true.  Perhaps someone who knows more about this can comment.

I remove all embedded subs and make them separate files and I never have a playback problem. MKVcleaver can remove the subs and make file copies. MKVtools or AVIDemux can remux the media,  without the embedded subs.  Each step takes less than 1 minute on most computers.  ffmpeg can probably do both at once and it's possbile to do all subdirectories with the right script, so you would just click Enter or run a command and 1000 media files can get converted.  I think the other MKV and AVIDemux software can also automatically do many media files at once, with a custom script.  If anyone figures these scripts out, maybe posting them here, would be nice.

I know that everyone would prefer that Emby handles this automatically, so no extra work is needed. Maybe there is some bug that needs fixing.  Still, if it can be fixed quickly with these other programs and possibly with one click, using a custom script... I mean... what do you all want? That's pretty easy.  

 

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate the help. I'm gonna take your advice and extract some of the subtitles to see if that solves the issue.

[RIP314 2]

1 hour ago, visproduction said:

Rip,

I suspect the playback issue may have something to do with excessive number of embedded subtitles and / or graphic subtitles (.sup) that are in .mkv media files, especially when copied from any blu-ray source.  I only base this suspicion on other forum posts where 30 subtitles inside a .mkv seemed to cause a playback problem and when he user removed them, the media played back better.  I have not personally tested this.  Maybe Emby is obliged to try to convert all the subtitles and that bogs down the playback.  That might not be true.  Perhaps someone who knows more about this can comment.

I remove all embedded subs and make them separate files and I never have a playback problem. MKVcleaver can remove the subs and make file copies. MKVtools or AVIDemux can remux the media,  without the embedded subs.  Each step takes less than 1 minute on most computers.  ffmpeg can probably do both at once and it's possbile to do all subdirectories with the right script, so you would just click Enter or run a command and 1000 media files can get converted.  I think the other MKV and AVIDemux software can also automatically do many media files at once, with a custom script.  If anyone figures these scripts out, maybe posting them here, would be nice.

I know that everyone would prefer that Emby handles this automatically, so no extra work is needed. Maybe there is some bug that needs fixing.  Still, if it can be fixed quickly with these other programs and possibly with one click, using a custom script... I mean... what do you all want? That's pretty easy.  

 

Here's more logs. Extracting the subtitles made zero difference. First I removed some, but not all of the subtitles and it didn't make a difference, so then I deleted all subtitles leaving only the video and audio using MKVtoolnix. It still has the same exact issues.

ffmpeg-remux-cc1b945c-1e52-4013-9be9-13a8351ef6e7_1.txt hardware_detection-63901419605.txt embyserver (2).txt

[Lessaj 467]

Hi,

Looks like your network connection might be really slow, these times are way too long. From a transcoding perspective it is doing that plenty fast, several times faster than real time (it's not really transcoding, more repackaging, but it does convert the audio to AAC which is lightweight), but transferring of the segments is really slow. The bitrate is a little under 12 Mbps which isn't really that much for a local network, around 1.4 MB/s.

Quote

2025-12-15 18:50:12.720 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 10378ms. GET http://10.0.0.35:8096/emby/videos/122595/hls1/main/5.ts?PlaySessionId=8b4bcbed1a3a482b94304be79f8b509e
2025-12-15 18:50:20.794 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 7679ms. GET http://10.0.0.35:8096/emby/videos/122595/hls1/main/6.ts?PlaySessionId=8b4bcbed1a3a482b94304be79f8b509e
2025-12-15 18:50:26.827 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 5839ms. GET http://10.0.0.35:8096/emby/videos/122595/hls1/main/7.ts?PlaySessionId=8b4bcbed1a3a482b94304be79f8b509e
2025-12-15 18:50:33.777 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 6554ms. GET http://10.0.0.35:8096/emby/videos/122595/hls1/main/8.ts?PlaySessionId=8b4bcbed1a3a482b94304be79f8b509e
2025-12-15 18:50:44.095 Info Server: http/1.1 Response 200 to host1. Time: 9933ms. GET http://10.0.0.35:8096/emby/videos/122595/hls1/main/9.ts?PlaySessionId=8b4bcbed1a3a482b94304be79f8b509e
 

 

[RIP314 2]

1 hour ago, Lessaj said:

Hi,

Looks like your network connection might be really slow, these times are way too long. From a transcoding perspective it is doing that plenty fast, several times faster than real time (it's not really transcoding, more repackaging, but it does convert the audio to AAC which is lightweight), but transferring of the segments is really slow. The bitrate is a little under 12 Mbps which isn't really that much for a local network, around 1.4 MB/s.

 

I'm not sure why it's behaving like this. The server PC and the firestick are both right next to the router.

[Neminem 1518]

Try if restarting your router helps.

[Bims0n 14]

9 hours ago, RIP314 said:

I'm not sure why it's behaving like this. The server PC and the firestick are both right next to the router.

Can you do a speedtest from the FireTV Stick (Settings -> Network -> select your currently connected network -> press the "play" button -> "run speed test") to see if you are operating with a network bottleneck?
Mabe it's also beneficial to measure the ping from the connection, however i have no experience with this on an FireTV.

Edited December 16, 2025 by Bims0n

[visproduction 315]

RIP,

Are you using web browser on the TV to access Emby or the Emby app?  I am sure the log file could tell me that, but Firestick with a TV browser is nearly impossible to use, because of Amazon blocking and even TV web browser apps also block access to web sites with just IP addresses. Browsers working in a TV app is possibly with Google TV, but terrible with Firestick.  I assumed you were using an Emby app on the TV.  I don't know what the latest options are for Emby on Firestick. 

Hopefully, Emby installs fine with Firestick. But I don't even bother getting Firestick to work with a TV browser.  It's much easier to just connect a working notebook with Emby to the TV with an HDMI cable.  And set the TV as a second monitor.

I've done the below custom setup before and Downloader, at the time, seemed to be fine.  It is a 3rd party app, so proceed with caution.  I thought you didn't need to do this anymore.  Someone, who knows more about running Emby on Firestick, please comment.
 

Quote

Install an Android app on your Fire TV stick
While it might not look likt it, Fire tv stick is based on Android - but there's no Google Play Store and by default, Amazon stops you from installing Andoroid apps.  But with a change in setting, and the Downloader App, you're good to go.
First go to Settings > My Fire Tv > Dveloper Options.  Enable "ADB Debigging", then click the "Install Unknown Apps" option.
Next download the Downloader" app from the Amazon Appstore.  It allows you to browser, download and install Android APKs.

 

Maybe this is nothing to do with your issue, but I thought I would mention it.  Getting a TV web browser to view Emby on Firestick is too much work and not worth it. The last time I tried it was July 2025.

Edited December 16, 2025 by visproduction

[RIP314 2]

On 12/16/2025 at 2:16 AM, Neminem said:

Try if restarting your router helps.

I've restarted the router several times during this whole process and that's never made a difference.

[Neminem 1518]

Hmm then what giving these delays?

Everything is not coming out of nothing.

[Lessaj 467]

How is your network setup? The firesticks will of course be wifi, are they connected to 2.4 or 5 ghz? Is your server wired via ethernet or also using wifi? Can you use another computer, preferably something that can be either wired or wireless?

The approach I would take is start by using another computer, and specifically the web browser since it's less likely to support EAC3 and will require an audio transcode so it will deliver TS segments in the same way, and compare the durations seen via wired, and then via wireless. If the wired durations are fast, but wireless it slow, then you know to shift focus there. If you have multiple access points or range extenders, maybe they are inadvertently connecting to one that's too far away, or maybe there's too much 2.4 ghz interference if they're on that network. I have a Unifi access point and it's pretty typical for me to see 40-50% or more interference on the 2.4 Ghz range, sometimes I hear pops and crackles in my wireless headset since it also uses 2.4 Ghz. I wouldn't expect it to crawl along that slowly, I'm not sure how big each segment is to do a rough calculation on the speed, but it seems like it's at least 3-5 Mbps based on the source 12 Mbps and the durations for real time playback being 2-3x the 3 second segment duration.

EDIT: Small correction, since the video isn't being transcoded these are actually 6 second segments. So only 1 segment was actually fast enough to be delivered on time, meaning it's still slower than 12 Mbps on average.

-segment_time 00:00:06.000

Edited December 17, 2025 by Lessaj