Nearly 10 years with Emby can you help me fix what is missing.

[T800 10]

2026 will make it 10 years since I made the full move to Emby/Premiere from Kodi.

 

Two things I'm still missing are subtitles/audio cycle shortcuts and percentage zoom (rather than fixed options) on the Android TV Emby app.

 

Does anyone have a workaround for these, particularly shortcuts to cycle subtitles without opening the OSD?

Edited December 31, 2025 by T800

[ebr 16169]

3 hours ago, T800 said:

particularly shortcuts to cycle subtitles without opening the OSD?

Hi.  Android TV device remotes only have a few buttons.  How would there be a shortcut to that one feature?

P.S.  Did you recently change your screen name in the forum?

[T800 10]

1 hour ago, ebr said:

Hi.  Android TV device remotes only have a few buttons.  How would there be a shortcut to that one feature?

P.S.  Did you recently change your screen name in the forum?

I could use extra buttons like the 'Netflix' button or double tap/hold or a keyboard or a flirc. Just like I could on a PC. I replaced my HTPCs with Shields.

Not that I'm aware, why? There is a chance over the years I've signed up with two separate names.

[ebr 16169]

6 hours ago, T800 said:

I could use extra buttons like the 'Netflix' button

The app doesn't have access to that.  Netflix paid money for that button .

6 hours ago, T800 said:

or double tap/hold or a keyboard or a flirc

Okay, but virtually no one is going to have that on a TV device.

6 hours ago, T800 said:

Not that I'm aware, why? There is a chance over the years I've signed up with two separate names.

You said you've been around for 10 years and I just didn't recognize your screen name.  Thanks for the support.

[T800 10]

10 hours ago, ebr said:

The app doesn't have access to that.  Netflix paid money for that button .

10 hours ago, ebr said:

Okay, but virtually no one is going to have that on a TV device.

That was probably a bad example. I was bringing up a button that not everyone uses. Double tap and log hold could use any button. Most smart TVs running Android TV have many buttons that could easily be repurposed. Even using the numeric keys to jump to timestamps. When they are watching Emby all those other buttons are wasted. You'd be giving users options and putting the Android app much more in line with Kodi its options for usability. I don't understand why something that could have so many functions like Emby Theater is limited.

10 hours ago, ebr said:

You said you've been around for 10 years and I just didn't recognize your screen name.  Thanks for the support.

Thank you for the app and for responding to me

[ebr 16169]

5 hours ago, T800 said:

more in line with Kodi its options for usability

Not very often you see "Kodi" and "usability" in the same sentence 

The issue is that, even if we could find some esoteric way of making this happen, you would be the only one that knew about it.  And then someone else wants another sequence for changing audio, and then another one for...

And you end up with so many options to have to try and implement and support and virtually no one is actually using them.  It just isn't a good cost/benefit equation.

[js28194 36]

Kodi is my daily driver with Emby as a backend on ShieldTV.  The only time I must use Emby app on my SheildTV is when I have to access my remote server in another far far away land.  Trust me, I'm working on a more elegant solution to this in 2026 to pull that Emby Server directly into my Kodi.

The thing that makes it extremely usable is that is that kodi has mapped all functions to keyboard keys.  This is where a FLIRC and any old IR remote become extremely invaluable to the older generation that was accustomed to using numbers and channel up / down, guide, mute buttons on the remote.  I cannot tell you how many times I personally struggle with these small remotes and the fact it literally do not want to use my voice.  The Shield remote is just something I do not use.  Kodi keyboard commands linked which I am sure you are well aware compared to Emby keyboard commands, which i imagine works on computers and for others that have fancy overly complicated (IMO) keyboard type remotes for their devices.  I am pretty sure that most Emby commands could be mapped to FLIRC, just FLIRC made it much easier with native Kodi/Keyboard support so I dunno.  I fell the OP in that respect, but I just don't have the same issue since I have used KODI as my daily driver for too long.

https://kodi.wiki/view/Keyboard_controls

Vs

 

 

Setup is 5 identical invdividual Sheild TV Pros all running Kodi, all running same skin configured identically, all using Emby4Kodi, all using FLIRCS, 5 Harmony 600's all using the same FLIRC so remotes are interchangable and if one cannot be found which happens.  All using EENLOOP's which seem to last forever. I think I got these batteries 15 years ago.

 

Edited January 1 by js28194

[T800 10]

6 hours ago, ebr said:

Not very often you see "Kodi" and "usability" in the same sentence 

The issue is that, even if we could find some esoteric way of making this happen, you would be the only one that knew about it.  And then someone else wants another sequence for changing audio, and then another one for...

And you end up with so many options to have to try and implement and support and virtually no one is actually using them.  It just isn't a good cost/benefit equation.

Ha! Granted Kodi has its issues. It just happens to do those things

Wouldn't you just be adding what other versions of Emby have, though? Why wouldn't the goal make them all as good as the other?

[T800 10]

2 hours ago, js28194 said:

Kodi is my daily driver with Emby as a backend on ShieldTV.  The only time I must use Emby app on my SheildTV is when I have to access my remote server in another far far away land.  Trust me, I'm working on a more elegant solution to this in 2026 to pull that Emby Server directly into my Kodi.

The thing that makes it extremely usable is that is that kodi has mapped all functions to keyboard keys.  This is where a FLIRC and any old IR remote become extremely invaluable to the older generation that was accustomed to using numbers and channel up / down, guide, mute buttons on the remote.  I cannot tell you how many times I personally struggle with these small remotes and the fact it literally do not want to use my voice.  The Shield remote is just something I do not use.  Kodi keyboard commands linked which I am sure you are well aware compared to Emby keyboard commands, which i imagine works on computers and for others that have fancy overly complicated (IMO) keyboard type remotes for their devices.  I am pretty sure that most Emby commands could be mapped to FLIRC, just FLIRC made it much easier with native Kodi/Keyboard support so I dunno.  I fell the OP in that respect, but I just don't have the same issue since I have used KODI as my daily driver for too long.

https://kodi.wiki/view/Keyboard_controls

Vs

 

 

Setup is 5 identical invdividual Sheild TV Pros all running Kodi, all running same skin configured identically, all using Emby4Kodi, all using FLIRCS, 5 Harmony 600's all using the same FLIRC so remotes are interchangable and if one cannot be found which happens.  All using EENLOOP's which seem to last forever. I think I got these batteries 15 years ago.

 

I'm gonna give it a go. My biggest issue is suddenly the controls being different for the wife but I suppose I could tweak Kodi so it acts the same for the common button presses.

[js28194 36]

Keep it simple with FLIRC, I have never had to use any of those advance ATL-CTRL etc etc features of Kodi keyboard commands.  If you have the proper remote with FFWD-RWND, play, pause etc it's super elegant.  Like Kodi hast "variable seek backwards" but the rewind button is there and kodi is configured to go 5 seconds back so pointless, however, I digress.

[T800 10]

11 hours ago, js28194 said:

Keep it simple with FLIRC, I have never had to use any of those advance ATL-CTRL etc etc features of Kodi keyboard commands.  If you have the proper remote with FFWD-RWND, play, pause etc it's super elegant.  Like Kodi hast "variable seek backwards" but the rewind button is there and kodi is configured to go 5 seconds back so pointless, however, I digress.

Yeah, I had Kodi set up and used it for nearly 10 years before dropping it for strictly Emby, so I'm quite comfortable with the workings of it and never used rewind/FF just the direction pad for seeking. 

[Luke 42077]

HI, have you tried our standard Android app? It has shortcuts to cycle through tracks.

[T800 10]

2 hours ago, Luke said:

HI, have you tried our standard Android app? It has shortcuts to cycle through tracks.

Hello, I just ried it now. Plugged in a keyboard. Other than navigation hardly anything worked. Out ocuristy why would the standard app have the shortcuts and Android TV not?

[ebr 16169]

36 minutes ago, T800 said:

Out ocuristy why would the standard app have the shortcuts and Android TV not?

Because it is designed for a multitude of device types and the TV app was designed specifically for TVs.

[js28194 36]

21 hours ago, T800 said:

Yeah, I had Kodi set up and used it for nearly 10 years before dropping it for strictly Emby, so I'm quite comfortable with the workings of it and never used rewind/FF just the direction pad for seeking. 

Fair enough, I'm sure all the Emby Keyboard shortcuts can be mapped to a FLIRC using the Keyboard option in the software.  I'm just too lazy at this point and major change (from Kodi to Emby) will generate some level of spousal abuse at this point.  Too comfortable with Kodi.

The other item I do like about Kodi is that in Favourite Android Apps in Kodi, then rename the favourite menu item to "Sports" as I have MLB, ESpn and Red Zone, so I never have to leave Kodi as those Android Apps which launch natively. I'm not advocating one or the other, like I said, everything is just comfortable and entering exiting android apps is not a thing for me and hasn't been in a very long time.  It's all about ease of use for the family.

[T800 10]

16 hours ago, ebr said:

Because it is designed for a multitude of device types and the TV app was designed specifically for TVs.

I don't understand the distinction. Why would a TV app need fewer options?

[ebr 16169]

7 hours ago, T800 said:

Why would a TV app need fewer options?

It wouldn't implement functions that 99.9% of the user base could not use.  It was designed specifically for the TV platform.