New User - Plugin Install Issue and a Question on Paths

[dbott 16]

Hi...

 

Server = UnRaid (6.3.1)

Emby Type - Docker - Version 3.2.1.0

Client: Kodi 16.1 (Raspberry Pi LibreELEC)

 

So, like many users it seems, I am looking to use Emby for my Kodi setup vs MySQL. 

 

All seems well but I have run into an issue and also have a question.

 

PLUGIN ISSUE: I was able to install two Plugins yesterday when I did this setup.  All went great.  Today I went to install the TRAKT Plugin as I wanted to use it to sync all the watched states.  The issue is when I click on CATALOG and then click on TRAKT, it goes to the next screen where I should see the info on the plugin and be able to install...however, all I get is the screen with the spinning wheel and it never brings up the plugin. This happens now for any plugin I try.  I have stoped and started Emby and even went as far as to reboot the server...Same result.

 

Any suggestions would be great as it seems weird it would do this.

 

 

PATH QUESTION: As mentioned, I am using Kodi which is used locally. It is confusing to read about the options and it reads that it will use direct if you are direct.  But then I read it needs a direct path to play direct. Hummm?  I happened to be testing and the first thing I noticed when going to play back a movie, it asks me if I want to use subtitles. In researching this, it seems to only asks this when it transcodes.  Well seeing I am local it should be playing back direct and not transcoding. It does this for Blu-ray and DVD media and not other content. 

 

So...

 

1) Where and how can I turn off asking the question of subtitles as nothing I have seen stops this? If I wanted/need subtitles for something I would just turn it on.

 

2) Why would it be transcoding when it should be using direct play for Blu-ray media?

 

3) Adding an optional path I added //server/mnt/user/Movies   Is that correct path?  How would I know if it was being used? I ask for it seems anything I put it in works.  Going into the data for a movie I do see whatever the direct path is I last entered.  So is it using it or not?  I have even tried blowing away the Kodi database and having it rebuilt after I made a change.  Inside Kodi when looking at the data for a movie it shows the Emby server plugin. As such, I am not sure what it is doing or what/where/how it is doing the playback.

 

 

Hope this makes makes sense and I have posted in the right area.

 

Thank you.

 

David

[Luke 42077]

hi @@dbott, welcome. We have had some issues with our plugin server over the last day but everything should be cleared up now, so please try again. Thanks !

[dbott 16]

Confirmed.  I was able to install the plugin.  So that explains that.  

 

Now about those file paths, subtitles, and playing direct? 

[Luke 42077]

//server/mnt/user/Movies

This looks fine to me but you are the only one who can answer that, because this path needs to be a shared network folder that your devices can access.

[Luke 42077]

As far as playback goes, we'd have to look at a specific example.

[dbott 16]

As far as playback goes, we'd have to look at a specific example.

How would I be able to help with that?  What would you need etc?

 

Thank you Luke

[dbott 16]

Also...If I make a change to the file location, ie add nfs: to it to make it nsf://192.168.1.200/mnt/user/Movies  1) Do I need to rescan on Emby server and 2) Do I then need to re-import Kodi by asking it to toss the database so it remakes it?

 

Thanks 

[Luke 42077]

Also...If I make a change to the file location, ie add nfs: to it to make it nsf://192.168.1.200/mnt/user/Movies  1) Do I need to rescan on Emby server and 2) Do I then need to re-import Kodi by asking it to toss the database so it remakes it?

 

Thanks 

 

You don't need to do anything on Emby Server. The kodi addon will need to resync but I think this is automatic. @ will know.

[Luke 42077]

As far as playback, are these video files or folder rips?

[dbott 16]

The .mp4 video files for example play just fine and do not ask about subtitles and in the server is shows playing direct.

 

If trying to play a Blu-ray, main movie rip, it will ask about subtitles and then looking at the server it will show as transcoding which made to sense as Kodi should be doing the work.  Thus became the question on the paths for maybe that was it. 

[Luke 42077]

are these video files or folder rips?

[dbott 16]

Ok, well, some videos transcode and some do not.  

 

DVD's, transcode and always ask for subtitle choice.

 

Blu-rays some transcode and some play direct but always asks for subtitle choice.

 

Straight files (like mp4) play direct and do not ask about subtitles.

 

But here is an issue....Even though the Blu-ray & DVD's reads as Direct Streaming - FFMPG is invoked on the server anyway and is being used thus killing the server. (Even though it works, the server was not made for transcoding, just storage/playback)

 

Even if I switch to Native Mode all is the same.

Edited February 21, 2017 by dbott

[dbott 16]

If you are using plugin playback, this can still do direct path play, then you don't need to rescan. If you are using direct paths then you will need to reset your local Kodi db using the add-on menu item.

Tried it both ways as mentioned above.  Direct Play is not direct playing as DVD and Blu-rays may show as direct on the server when playing, but as you can see, FFMPG is running on the server and stops when I stop the movie.

 

How do you stop the Subtitle request each time?  I would have to think that there is something that is on that needs to be off but I can not find it.  

 

 

BTW...Are you saying if I switch the add-on to be native mode I need to kill the DB and reimport? 

Edited February 21, 2017 by dbott

[dbott 16]

Ok, got it running in native (local) mode so it will just always use the direct path.  I did have to blow the database away and let it rebuild so it would then get the path.  Silly me thinking that the plugin would just be given the path for direct if you set it in native mode.  (As it surely can do.)  So no idea why it chooses to transcode some items and not others.

 

So it seems I can not use all the power of Emby seeing I have to run it in the direct mode for the Kodi clients as I do not want thinks to transcode unless they are going out of the network.

[Luke 42077]

@@dbott I think that will be fine. The only thing you're really going to miss is transcoding support if you're away from home. Is that correct @?

 

Let us know how you get on with it !

[dbott 16]

@@dbott I think that will be fine. The only thing you're really going to miss is transcoding support if you're away from home. Is that correct @?

 

Let us know how you get on with it !

 

Hi...Actually only that Kodi will not be able to transcode and that is fine as it stays in place.  What I do loose is the advanced features that most of your paid features do. (Like trailers or bumper before the movie starts.) 

 

It still makes no sense that the Emby server reported Direct Playing a video but it surely was using FFMPG as shown in the screen grabs.  So it seems it is not handing out the direct link to Kodi as it should even though it thinks it is.   So I do think that there may be an issue with the server or Kodi addon (16.1) as surely this is not expected behavior.  (It would have been great to use the extra features at some point.)

 

SIDE NOTE ISSUE: I am using your UnRAID docker and the repository version that came down from your repository is 3.2.0 and the current version is 3.2.1. (released 12 days ago)  It has not auto upgraded even over night, so not sure how to get to the current version.  I did post a message about it in the docker thread for it on UnRaid forum in a thread started by an Emby developer.  https://forums.lime-technology.com/topic/43743-new-emby-docker/?do=findComment&comment=539073  

 

The only reply was...Have to wait for them to push it out.   It has been 12 days and also I would think the built in auto updater would have kicked in and brought it down.

[Luke 42077]

@@dbott, it may have reported direct stream. When it says direct stream, that means the video is just being changed into a different container but is not re-encoded.

 

Our Docker is up to date with the latest release though. Have you tried to update again?

[dbott 16]

@@dbott, it may have reported direct stream. When it says direct stream, that means the video is just being changed into a different container but is not re-encoded.

 

Our Docker is up to date with the latest release though. Have you tried to update again?

 

Hi Luke...

 

Well it is doing something as FFMPG is running and using the server.  I understand what you are saying, but understand, when you read that it will just play back directly per the docs and the server says direct playing, that is what one thinks should be going on.  If it is putting it into another container, then it is doing something with it and that is not direct. (Not to mention asking about subtitles all the time which is just silly. Whats up with that anyway.)

 

Thanks for the note on the Docker.  I have just now reinstalled the docker from the repository and it is still at 3.2.0.  I could find no way to have the Emby server force update itself and Auto Update is turned on.   So no joy on that either.

[Luke 42077]

As far as playback goes, we'd have to look at an example, so the best thing to do is provide the server and ffmpeg logs. you can learn how to do that here:

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/739-how-to-report-a-problem/

 

thanks.

[dbott 16]

Hey Luke...

 

When looking to get the upgrade to work, a note to whomever handled the docs here...

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Emby.Build#unraid-automatic-upgrades

 

It seems that the docker template container name is NOT set to be "emby-server" as the doc states, it is set to be "EmbyServer".  As such, the command in the referenced link is not correct.  It should be...

 

echo "0 2 * * * docker exec EmbyServer update" | sudo tee -a /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root

 

(All other references to installs in Linux do show emby-server, it is just the docker template that sets it in correctly and not sure how long it has been like that.  If from day one, I would suggest updating the doc.  Otherwise, the template should be updated to setup the right container. 

[hurricanehrndz 149]

Hey Luke...

 

When looking to get the upgrade to work, a note to whomever handled the docs here...

 

https://github.com/MediaBrowser/Emby.Build#unraid-automatic-upgrades

 

It seems that the docker template container name is NOT set to be "emby-server" as the doc states, it is set to be "EmbyServer".  As such, the command in the referenced link is not correct.  It should be...

 

echo "0 2 * * * docker exec EmbyServer update" | sudo tee -a /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root

 

(All other references to installs in Linux do show emby-server, it is just the docker template that sets it in correctly and not sure how long it has been like that.  If from day one, I would suggest updating the doc.  Otherwise, the template should be updated to setup the right container. 

Thanks, if you wish you can fix and do a pull request. 

[dbott 16]

Thanks, if you wish you can fix and do a pull request. 

Not sure what I would fix.  For as mentioned, not sure how long it has been like this and thus could affect people.  As of this time it seems to be a year old thus the docs are incorrect. (IMHO)

[hurricanehrndz 149]

Not sure what I would fix.  For as mentioned, not sure how long it has been like this and thus could affect people.  As of this time it seems to be a year old thus the docs are incorrect. (IMHO)

It's a typo more than anything, and the code is an example. Most users just use the EDGE variable.

[dbott 16]

It's a typo more than anything, and the code is an example. Most users just use the EDGE variable.

It does not read as an example.  

 

"On unRAID, execute the following to have the container periodically update itself..."

 

In any case, I discovered it when I tried to get the upgrade working and did what it said.   I mentioned it to try to help.

 

Thanks

[hurricanehrndz 149]

It does not read as an example.  

 

"On unRAID, execute the following to have the container periodically update itself..."

 

In any case, I discovered it when I tried to get the upgrade working and did what it said.   I mentioned it to try to help.

 

Thanks

Again thank you so much for your contribution. You could fix the typo by forking the github project and fixing the typo if you wish, that way your contribution is recognized. Otherwise, I will get to it by the end of the week or so.