Videos Don't Play on Roku or Android TV (Mi Box)

[crashbowman 1]

Hi,

 

Just setup Emby Premiere yesterday and am getting more and more frustrated and wondering why I did this.  I can't successfully play a movie (mp4) from my collection on the Android TV or Roku app.  They play fine on my Server (Win 10) in the web app.  Some will not start at all. Others will go for close to a minute and stop.  Some movies will not start on Android TV, but will start on Roku...however, like I mentioned they will still stop playing.  I have never had problems playing my files elsewhere (Plex).  Any help is appreciated.

[mastrmind11 722]

how about a log file?

[Jdiesel 1431]

Yes please post a log file. Next thing we can try is switching the version of FFmpeg that the server is using but first having a look at the logfile would be the most help.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Jdiesel

[crashbowman 1]

Which one...the "Server" or the "FFMPEG-Transcode"?  Also is there a way to attach or just a copy/paste?

[Jdiesel 1431]

Both. I usually just go into the logs section of the server web interface and copy the log file into a blank text file which I then attach to a forum post.

[crashbowman 1]

OK, here are logs.  This one will play on Roku, but keeps stopping every few minutes and then takes forever to start back.

ffmpeg log.txt

server log.txt

[mastrmind11 722]

Looks like subtitles to me.  Try playing w/ subs off, see if that helps.

[crashbowman 1]

Looks like subtitles to me.  Try playing w/ subs off, see if that helps.

OK, trying now...so since I have been having trouble with many videos, does that mean most/all are trying to play with subtitles?

[mastrmind11 722]

it's possible.  if you're curious yourself, check the transcode log and look for places where it's trying to burn in subs.

[Luke 42078]

Well these are text subs so it's not supposed to be burning them in. The app is supposed to be pulling them down directly. I'm looking into why that's happening.

[mastrmind11 722]

ah, you're right @@Luke, my bad reading the logs too quickly.

[Luke 42078]

OK, I think it is actually due to a typo in the Roku app. Roku only supports a limited set of languages. If the language isn't supported then we have to burn in the subtitles using the server.  

 

We have fre for French, when it should be fra. I've pushed an update to our zip installation to resolve this:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/8001-emby-for-roku-channel/

 

@@ebr may want to push it to the beta channel as well as apply the change to the new app.

[crashbowman 1]

That seems to have really helped!  Thank you so much!  Now, I am dealing with another set of files (Blu Ray rips converted to MP4).  Have horrible audio sync issues.  

ffmpeg log.txt

server log.txt

[Luke 42078]

You might be able to direct play that file without transcoding. The current Roku app has a default bitrate setting of 3.2mbps. Our new app will have automatic bitrate measurement, but for now, you should go into app settings and increase the bitrate to the highest value that your network can handle. For example, try 15mbps as a starting point. thanks.

[crashbowman 1]

You might be able to direct play that file without transcoding. The current Roku app has a default bitrate setting of 3.2mbps. Our new app will have automatic bitrate measurement, but for now, you should go into app settings and increase the bitrate to the highest value that your network can handle. For example, try 15mbps as a starting point. thanks.

You guys are amazing!  That seems to have done it...now I've moved back to my Android TV (Mi Box) as that is my preferred device.  First file I try to play will play for a few seconds and then stop.  I tried adjusting the bitrate like with the roku first and no change.  I only seemed to get a server log this time and not an ffmpeg.

androidtvserver.txt

Edited December 13, 2016 by crashbowman

[Luke 42078]

So it's direct playing when perhaps it should be transcoding. You may want to consider grabbing the open beta as it is dramatically improved. The discussion for that is here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/42239-android-tv-beta-13x/

 

You can learn how to get the beta here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/24350-android-open-beta-testing/

 

Thanks.

[crashbowman 1]

So it's direct playing when perhaps it should be transcoding. You may want to consider grabbing the open beta as it is dramatically improved. The discussion for that is here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/42239-android-tv-beta-13x/

 

You can learn how to get the beta here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/24350-android-open-beta-testing/

 

Thanks.

 

Thanks again!  So very impressed with the support here!

[Luke 42078]

Let us know how the beta goes. Thanks !

[mastrmind11 722]

@@crashbowman, also keep in mind that the Mi Box has issues w/ DTS audio, and you will have to force transcoding on that media.  For that reason I have a bitrate limit set @ 10mbps which seems to be the middle ground where most of my stuff direct plays and DTS stuff transcodes... at least for my collection.  

[ebr 16184]

@@crashbowman, also keep in mind that the Mi Box has issues w/ DTS audio, and you will have to force transcoding on that media.  For that reason I have a bitrate limit set @ 10mbps which seems to be the middle ground where most of my stuff direct plays and DTS stuff transcodes... at least for my collection.  

 

This kind of trickery shouldn't be necessary with the new version of the app.

[crashbowman 1]

Let us know how the beta goes. Thanks !

 

I bet this goes along with all the other comments, but the Beta has worked great!  I just have one folder of files all encoded the same way and they don't play, but when I use the "magic button" (the button on the right that you press if there is audio/video trouble) seems to allow them to play.  Overall the Beta has been significantly better.  Very tempted to ditch the Mi Box and get a Roku Ultra, but the user interface (guide specifically) is much better on the Android TV app.  Thanks again for all the tremendous support.

[mastrmind11 722]

@@ebr, since the "magic button" seems to be working quite well for everyone, is there not a way to automate whatever the magic button is doing so there's no longer a requirement for user intervention?  I'm guessing the automatic detection of troubled playback is the reason?

[Jdiesel 1431]

I think the "magic button" just forces transcoding to a more compatible format. I think most would rather avoid that unless it is absolutely necessary.

[crashbowman 1]

So do other Android TV boxes (Shield, Nexus, Fire TV) not have the DTS issues that Mi Box has?  Also is the Emby app for Fire TV the same as the Android TV app?  

[Jdiesel 1431]

I can't speak for the Nexus or Fire TV but the Shield play DTS perfectly, in fact it now also plays DTS-MA and DD TrueHD as of about a week ago. From what I recall the Mi Box has an issue with DTS that is unrelated to Emby as other media software can't play DTS either. Hopefully there is a firmware update to fix this in the near future.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Jdiesel