Constant pausing, buffering on iOS, Apple TV, and Shield TV

[gleep52 17]

iOS and Apple TV 4 both seem to playback fine sometimes, but other times it will pause playback and seem to lock up (while it buffers maybe?).  The server is not taxed at all, and plex plays just fine at the same time.  It's a dual xeon server with 32gb of ram - and no resources even come close to 50%.  

The Shield TV will stutter during playback (probably direct play) such as a one or two second pause and then resumes, but it doesn't happen very often at all with the Shield - again checked the server and it's not a resource problem.  

 

Server has dual gigabit NICs in a team.  Fast raid drives.  I'm not sure what the problem is.  We used to use Plex for everything, but I'm moving everything over to Emby now and finding this a bit frustrating, since if you can't playback reliably, then it really ruins the experience.

 

I have zero problems with web playback, though I don't use it too often.  

 

Would switching to the beta version provide a better playback option?  The Shield playback isn't too terrible to tolerate and sound is much better than Plex.  It's only once or twice a movie usually.  

 

But the iOS thing really is terrible.  Can I provide any logs for the iOS/TVOS side of things somehow?

[Luke 42079]

Hi there, we're very sorry to hear about your playback issue. In order for us to best help you, please discuss a specific example, and then provide the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. Thanks !

[maegibbons 1287]

Ok

 

There is generally no generic problems with the Android TV client on the shield that would cause this.

 

So, Your server seems capable BUT what is in between?

 

Describe your network because it will probabvly come down to that or the specific type of media.

 

There are a lot of cool features in the beta stuff AND it does show on the ATV the bitrate it is running at giving you an idea of network quality (Auto).

 

Krs

 

Mark

[ebr 16184]

Based on your description, it sounds like it is only a problem with direct playback.  What is the bitrate of the content?  If it is very high, it could be a network throughput issue.

[gleep52 17]

Ok

 

There is generally no generic problems with the Android TV client on the shield that would cause this.

 

So, Your server seems capable BUT what is in between?

 

Describe your network because it will probabvly come down to that or the specific type of media.

 

There are a lot of cool features in the beta stuff AND it does show on the ATV the bitrate it is running at giving you an idea of network quality (Auto).

 

Krs

 

Mark

 

All 1gb wired connections in this house.  

 

I can direct play the same movie with Plex and not have any pausing on my Shield like I do with emby - and it's never in the same spot.  When it happens, I've skipped back and played it a second time and it plays fine... so I don't think it's a throughput or bitrate issue.  Though I think I am going to jump into the beta realm.  

[gleep52 17]

Based on your description, it sounds like it is only a problem with direct playback.  What is the bitrate of the content?  If it is very high, it could be a network throughput issue.

 

See post above too as to the bitrate and throughput issue.  

 

This wouldn't affect the Apple TV or iOS issues though since those are all transcoded due to the files being mkv and apple not natively supporting those, right?

[gleep52 17]

There are a lot of cool features in the beta stuff AND it does show on the ATV the bitrate it is running at giving you an idea of network quality (Auto).

 

 

I've upgraded to the beta now - how do I show hte bitrate on the Shield TV?  What are the other features that the beta provides?

[maegibbons 1287]

In OSD click on rightmost "veritcal wavey line icon" - it will bring up a menu - at the top it will say "Quality (xx Mb/s)

 

The cool features are pausing and seeking live tv and the same in active recordings.

 

krs

 

Mark

[gleep52 17]

In OSD click on rightmost "veritcal wavey line icon" - it will bring up a menu - at the top it will say "Quality (xx Mb/s)

 

The cool features are pausing and seeking live tv and the same in active recordings.

 

krs

 

Mark

 

 

The far right icon on the OSD in my Shield TV App is the square with the exclamation mark in it to report problems.  I don't see any vertical wave line icon at all... am I supposed to use a different app to see the beta features on my Shield and iOS devices?

 

I don't see any new icon on web, iOS, or Shield... I've also noticed with the beta, whenever I start playback from a resume position, it plays for a second, then restarts playback at the resume point again (like it starts playback twice)...

[ebr 16184]

The far right icon on the OSD in my Shield TV App is the square with the exclamation mark in it to report problems.  I don't see any vertical wave line icon at all... am I supposed to use a different app to see the beta features on my Shield and iOS devices?

 

I don't see any new icon on web, iOS, or Shield... I've also noticed with the beta, whenever I start playback from a resume position, it plays for a second, then restarts playback at the resume point again (like it starts playback twice)...

 

You don't have the beta version.  Try  forcing an update.  

[gleep52 17]

Will my devices automatically know I have the beta server and therefore auto update the clients to the beta version?  I don't know how that would work with iOS... But my server is currently running: Version 3.2.8.10 beta

 

How do I force an update?

[Luke 42079]

He means the beta version of the app I think.

[gleep52 17]

He means the beta version of the app I think.

 

That's what I was thinking too - but I don't see any way to download the beta version on my Shield or iOS devices.  How do I do that?

[maegibbons 1287]

Read here:

 

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

 

Krs

 

Mark

[gleep52 17]

Read here:

 

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

 

Krs

 

Mark

 

Thanks Mark!

 

What about using Apple TestFlight for iOS users?

[gleep52 17]

To clarify a reproducible problem on iOS.  Open Emby -> Start a movie playback -> close the emby app in the middle of a movie (do not stop playback first).  Come back to ipad later (15 minutes?) and then open Emby again - it will be in the movie but will not play.  Pressing play flashes green for a second and then nothing happens.  The app is VERY sluggish at this point too.  Backing out of the movie to the movie's info screen and resuming playback will SOMETIMES work, but often we end up force closing the app.

[Happy2Play 9781]

To clarify a reproducible problem on iOS.  Open Emby -> Start a movie playback -> close the emby app in the middle of a movie (do not stop playback first).  Come back to ipad later (15 minutes?) and then open Emby again - it will be in the movie but will not play.  Pressing play flashes green for a second and then nothing happens.  The app is VERY sluggish at this point too.  Backing out of the movie to the movie's info screen and resuming playback will SOMETIMES work, but often we end up force closing the app.

 

So does the same happen if you stop playback and close the app?

[gleep52 17]

The buttons are totally unresponsive - clicking on subtitles, audio track, etc. do nothing.  I can click on the back arrow but it takes a lot of clicks and at least 10 seconds of waiting before it goes back to the movie description screen.  Perhaps the icons aren't actually unresponsive but the app lags so bad it seems like they are unresponsive?

 

But if you mean stopping and closing the app instead of closing it while playing - I'll have to try that.  It's my kids who are using it and they get pretty frustrated with it.  I'll report back with my findings soon.

[gleep52 17]

Read here:

 

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

 

Krs

 

Mark

 

 

What else can I do if I've done this but still haven't received any notification on my Shield TV about an app update?

[gleep52 17]

I guess after I went into the app store and opened it, then it  updated because now the vertical bars are showing up and they weren't when I just checked prior to the appstore.  

[maegibbons 1287]

I was just going to tell you to go in to the Playstore.

 

It seems to refresh available updates

 

Krs

 

Mark

[Luke 42079]

To clarify a reproducible problem on iOS.  Open Emby -> Start a movie playback -> close the emby app in the middle of a movie (do not stop playback first).  Come back to ipad later (15 minutes?) and then open Emby again - it will be in the movie but will not play.  Pressing play flashes green for a second and then nothing happens.  The app is VERY sluggish at this point too.  Backing out of the movie to the movie's info screen and resuming playback will SOMETIMES work, but often we end up force closing the app.

 

I am looking into this scenario. Thanks.

[gleep52 17]

on iOS 10, on the testflight beta, this problem does not exist any more (so far?)... however, iOS 9 is still REALLY sluggish and hard to control since the menu fades away before the screen press is carried out.  As of right now, our iPad 3 on the lastest iOS available (9.3.5) is the only problem client we have.  Beta works great on phones and ipads on iOS 10.