Emby 2.0.3 Apple TV 4K – Emby app crashes during playback (Direct Play) with no server errors

[Eliran 0]

Hi, I’m having repeated crashes with the Emby app on Apple TV 4K. The app closes instantly during playback, but the server shows no errors and continues running normally.

My setup:

• Apple TV 4K Model : A2843

• tvOS version: 26.3

• Emby for tvOS version: 2.0.3

• Emby Server version: 4.9.3.0

• Network: Wired 

• Playback mode: Direct Play

• Video file: MKV with external SRT subtitle (but crash happens even without subtitles)

What happens:

• Playback starts normally

• After a few minutes, the Emby app closes itself

• No error message

• No buffering

• No server-side warnings

• Server logs show only “client disconnected”

• The same file plays perfectly on Plex on the same Apple TV

What I already tried:

• Disabled Match Frame Rate on Apple TV

• Reinstalled Emby app

• Restarted Apple TV

• Tried multiple files

• Tried with and without subtitles

• No transcoding involved (Direct Play only)

Additional notes:

• Plex plays the exact same file without any issues

• This looks like a tvOS client crash (possibly mpv/libmpv related)

ebr asked me to post here so the issue can be tracked properly. If needed, I can provide logs, timestamps, or test additional builds.

Thanks.

[Luke 42186]

 

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

 

[Eliran 0]

Here is the log file
the crash happened  (this time) after 29 minutes of play it happened around 8:45 AM (plus minus 10 minutes) 

movie file that was playing : Shelter.2026.HDR.2160p.WEB.h265-ETHEL.mkv

 

Thank You

embyserver.txt

[Luke 42186]

OK we'll take a look at this. Thanks.

[GOTCHA_SA 8]

On 23/02/2026 at 15:55, Eliran said:

Hi, I’m having repeated crashes with the Emby app on Apple TV 4K. The app closes instantly during playback, but the server shows no errors and continues running normally.

My setup:

• Apple TV 4K Model : A2843

• tvOS version: 26.3

• Emby for tvOS version: 2.0.3

• Emby Server version: 4.9.3.0

• Network: Wired 

• Playback mode: Direct Play

• Video file: MKV with external SRT subtitle (but crash happens even without subtitles)

What happens:

• Playback starts normally

• After a few minutes, the Emby app closes itself

• No error message

• No buffering

• No server-side warnings

• Server logs show only “client disconnected”

• The same file plays perfectly on Plex on the same Apple TV

What I already tried:

• Disabled Match Frame Rate on Apple TV

• Reinstalled Emby app

• Restarted Apple TV

• Tried multiple files

• Tried with and without subtitles

• No transcoding involved (Direct Play only)

Additional notes:

• Plex plays the exact same file without any issues

• This looks like a tvOS client crash (possibly mpv/libmpv related)

ebr asked me to post here so the issue can be tracked properly. If needed, I can provide logs, timestamps, or test additional builds.

Thanks.

Having the exact same issue on exactly the same HW.

Adding my +1 for an update

[Jonathan1683 29]

I am having an issue where shows i am watching stop playing and just exit to the tv show main page as if i stopped playing it. I look in the log and it still shows im currently watching. This has been happening every day for the past week. Happens every couple of hours. 

[CraigCarson 0]

Also having this same issue, any word on a fix yet?

[Jonathan1683 29]

my other apple tv is doing the same thing a lot worse it’s a generation older 

[Eliran 0]

Can we please get an update on the issue ?

it’s a denial if service situation or do they fix just premiere users issues ?

I paid for the app for external streaming , but now I  need to pay Plex they don’t have this issue 

[Jonathan1683 29]

this is pretty bad i’ve been around forever and this is the biggest problem i have faced. The dev team is very talented so i know they can fix it or maybe we can revert to a previous version ? i’m not sure though. i am a premier user too. 

[rootabaga 0]

I notice the same thing happens with music. After turning on music, walking away and not touching it, at about 30 minutes the log will say it disconnected and the AppleTV app will shutdown. To watch a complete movie, it seems like you have to keep giving it input with the remote.

Sometimes with video, the shutdown will happen immediately after selecting something from the library. The app crashes, the show never plays on the TV, but the server will report that it started playing it and it will later show up in the "Continue watching" section with a minute or two watched.

Edited 1 hour ago by rootabaga