Emby server on Ubuntu, can't stream to Kodi clients (various OS)

[naf623 10]

Hi, new to Emby and struggling to get things working properly.

Please let me know if this would be better asked in a different part of the forum.

 

I have Emby server running on my Ubuntu Server machine, with all my media in /mnt/movies and /mnt/tv. Both of these are shared via NFS (as is /mnt); they're also shared through Samba.

 

I have these Kodi clients:

- Ubuntu

- OpenELEC for Raspberry Pi

- Windows (actually not yet configured, so untested)

 

I can connect to the Emby server no problem, and the clients download all of the info, artwork etc. No problem. But when I try to play anything, it fails.

I can get the Ubuntu machine to work if I mount the NFS share with the same path as on the server; but this isn't an option in OpenELEC due to a read-only file system, and can't work in Windows either.

I got a previous trial install working by using the path substitution; but how does that work across different OS and share types - if I set up the substitution for NFS, then Samba still isn't going to find it, right?

 

Can anyone help with how to get this working properly?

Edited February 28, 2016 by naf623

[Luke 42077]

@@Angelblue05 what info should he provide?

[Luke 42077]

Actually I would start by seeing here:

 

http://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/17599-how-to-report-a-problem/

 

Thanks.

[naf623 10]

Emby Version: 2.2.4 (I assume all clients are the same version as I've installed them all the same way today)

Kodi Version: 15.2, one on OpenELEC 6.0.1

 

Error: "One or more items failed to play"

 

Log Snippet:

17:24:16 T:139986414388992  NOTICE: EMBY PlaybackUtils -> Play called.
17:24:16 T:139986414388992  NOTICE: EMBY PlayUtils -> Verifying path: /mnt/tv/<video>.mp4
17:24:16 T:139986414388992  NOTICE: EMBY PlayUtils -> Can't verify path, assumed linux. Still try to direct play.
17:24:16 T:139986414388992  NOTICE: EMBY PlayUtils -> File is direct playing.
17:24:16 T:139986414388992  NOTICE: EMBY PlaybackUtils -> Play as a regular item.
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: Opening: /mnt/tv/<video>.mp4
17:24:16 T:139988207982528 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(player)::Put MSGQ_NOT_INITIALIZED
17:24:16 T:139986290018048  NOTICE: Thread DVDPlayer start, auto delete: false
17:24:16 T:139986290018048  NOTICE: Creating InputStream
17:24:16 T:139986290018048   ERROR: CDVDPlayer::OpenInputStream - error opening [/mnt/tv/<video>.mp4]
17:24:16 T:139986290018048  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::OnExit()
17:24:16 T:139988207982528   ERROR: Playlist Player: skipping unplayable item: 0, path [plugin://plugin.video.emby.tvshows/c42fd4a8fbfa73f10fa282d46ff42085/?dbid=3682&mode=play&id=e9fc7e63370009619ef17cc736dbfac6&filename=<video>.mp4]
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::CloseFile()
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: waiting for threads to exit
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: finished waiting
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::CloseFile()
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: waiting for threads to exit
17:24:16 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: finished waiting
17:24:16 T:139986422781696  NOTICE: EMBY Player -> Clear playlist properties.
17:24:16 T:139986422781696  NOTICE: EMBY KodiMonitor -> Method: Player.OnStop Data: {"end":false,"item":{"id":3682,"type":"episode"}}
17:24:17 T:139986422781696  NOTICE: EMBY KodiMonitor -> Method: Playlist.OnClear Data: {"playlistid":1}
17:24:17 T:139988207982528   ERROR: PlayMedia could not play media: plugin://plugin.video.emby.tvshows/c42fd4a8fbfa73f10fa282d46ff42085/?dbid=3682&mode=play&id=e9fc7e63370009619ef17cc736dbfac6&filename=<video>.mp4
17:24:22 T:139986422781696  NOTICE: EMBY KodiMonitor -> Method: Input.OnInputRequested Data: {"title":"Enter master lock code","type":"numericpassword","value":""}
17:24:22 T:139986422781696  NOTICE: EMBY KodiMonitor -> Method: Input.OnInputFinished Data: null
17:24:29 T:139988207982528   ERROR: Unable to activate the previous window
17:24:32 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: Storing total System Uptime
17:24:32 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: Saving settings
17:24:32 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: stop all
17:24:32 T:139988207982528  NOTICE: stop player

Sorry, I'd overlooked 'Report a Problem' as being more like bug reporting than asking for help.

 

I should also mention that when I add the folders as sources in Kodi, I can browse and play the media no problem. As far as I can see, the entire problem lies with the way Emby points Kodi at the files.

Edited February 28, 2016 by naf623

[Angelblue05 4132]

Use emby path substitution to make your path valid. You'll have to change them because Kodi needs the file protocol attached. Check our Kodi forums, there's plenty of examples on how to make your paths valid, just search unable to playback or similar keywords. Once you adjusted the path in the emby dashboard > library > path substitution, you can test to see right away if it's working in Kodi.

 

I'll be back later.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[naf623 10]

Use emby path substitution to make your path valid. You'll have to change them because Kodi needs the file protocol attached. Check our Kodi forums, there's plenty of examples on how to make your paths valid, just search unable to playback or similar keywords. Once you adjusted the path in the emby dashboard > library > path substitution, you can test to see right away if it's working in Kodi.

I'll be back later.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have seen various threads about path substitution; however I haven't found any which help when it comes to different OS. The same path substitution isn't going to work for Windows/Samba as with NFS.

[Angelblue05 4132]

What file protocol are you using to access your content? Nfs or smb? If you use smb (I can't escape slashes in tapatalk)

 

You'll want to make your paths look like

 

From: /mnt/

To: \\{servername or ip}\

 

Otherwise nfs:

To: nfs://{server ip}/

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[naf623 10]

What file protocol are you using to access your content? Nfs or smb? If you use smb (I can't escape slashes in tapatalk)

You'll want to make your paths look like

From: /mnt/

To: \\{servername or ip}\

Otherwise nfs:

To: nfs://{server ip}/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ubuntu and OpenELEC use NFS, Windows uses Samba.

[Angelblue05 4132]

I think you can also use NFS with windows servers, just not windows.

 

Anyway, doing the nfs path substitution should get it working for you. Let me know.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[naf623 10]

I get "unable to direct play", then it starts playing and on the server Web interface it says it's 'direct streaming'. Then I get another error that it failed 3 times, HTTP streaming enabled. Is that what should happen?

[gstuartj 40]

Just curious, is there a reason you must use both NFS and SMB? Ubuntu and OpenELEC can do SMB just fine, why not use it everywhere?

[Angelblue05 4132]

No, it should be direct playing. If you navigate via add-ons > install from zip > nfs to your content, does Kodi ask you for credentials to gain access to your content? Does the path at the top of the window when you navigate there reflects the path substitution you added in emby?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[naf623 10]

No, it should be direct playing. If you navigate via add-ons > install from zip > nfs to your content, does Kodi ask you for credentials to gain access to your content? Does the path at the top of the window when you navigate there reflects the path substitution you added in emby?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think I got it.

The path substitution is quite sensitive to slashes. I had:

/mnt/ going to nfs://<IP>/mnt

Just had to change it to

/mnt

And now it direct plays.

Thanks very much!

[gstuartj 40]

That's interesting. If Emby has an issue with trailing slashes perhaps it should truncate them automatically?

[Angelblue05 4132]

No, it was just not added to the nfs path.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[naf623 10]

Yes, I see. It's just a direct text replacement in the path, not any underlying redirect. So either the slash should be in both or neither.