Please Please Make it Work!

[pjshots 4]

Why is is so difficult to get Live TV to work consistently?

 

My setup:

 

Server:

i7 with 4GB RAM

120GB SSD

Windows 10, Emby only

 

Tuners:

HDHomerun UK Model

 

Players:

Nvidia Shield

Android Op3T

iPad

Windows PC with Chrome

 

What works:

Everything else. It records fine (and releases the tuner) and plays the rest of my mix of media fine (1500+ movies, TV shows, 4K content, etc, no problems what so ever!)

 

My problems:

Live TV is never consistent on any of the above players...

 

NS: Have to set it to play via VLC and not to decode it via the shield for anything to show on screen, but even this sometimes fails with a grey screen requireing a restart of both the NS and Emby on the server. Emby app will not direct stream or even play the Live TV channels and if it does the odd time, it basically stutters to high heaven.

 

Android: Works ok sometimes but usually doesn't release its tuners, thus making recordings get missed and disc space getting taken up, requiring manual intervention.

 

iPad: Takes ages to start streaming, like 10+ seconds (nothing is loading down the server CPU at this time) What is it waiting for?!?

 

Windows with chrome: Live TV will play without stuttering (earlier versions of Emby were better sometimes) HD channels sometimes work but stutter sometimes.

 

What have I tried:

Pretty much everything. I know my tuner itself is fine as I can go to the web interface and load a channel and VLC opens it without issue in about 1 second! Its that fast! 

The Emby log looks like its determining what bandwidth there is and what to serve up, so I've tried just direct playing or choosing a bitrate which will sometimes work but more often still takes as long to start but does play.

 

Its the last thing that has to work, cannot be that difficult. I don't want a beta version as my kids use the NS and it has to work for streaming so don't want to break more things. I run a GBit network and everything is cabled, apart from phones and tablets.

 

Its been years now, surely it should just work?

[Luke 42077]

Hi there, can we please look at an example of a problem? Please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. thanks !

[pjshots 4]

Hi there, can we please look at an example of a problem? Please attach the information requested in how to report a media playback issue. thanks !

 

I'll post a log tomorrow when I have time to try a few other devices. Was going to do it now, but as its inconsistent, its now working (in HD at least) on Chrome. Wish it did all the time. Thanks.

[Eben 9]

I have a very similar setup as yours and can play live tv fine on ipad mini 4 and also ipad 2.  Live TV plays fine on my Apple tv 4, Chrome browser and  iphone 5s as well so there must be something else going on.  Don't have android or Shield and my HDHomerun is not a uk version.   It does take a while to get started - as long as 30 seconds at times which I hope will improve as Emby matures since it starts in about 3 seconds using the channels app.  Im using Windows Server 3.3.1.0 stable release.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Eben

[Luke 42077]

I have a very similar setup as yours and can play live tv fine on ipad mini 4 and also ipad 2.  Live TV plays fine on my Apple tv 4, Chrome browser and  iphone 5s as well so there must be something else going on.  Don't have android or Shield and my HDHomerun is not a uk version.   It does take a while to get started - as long as 30 seconds at times which I hope will improve as Emby matures since it starts in about 3 seconds using the channels app.  Im using Windows Server 3.3.1.0 stable release.

 

Thanks for the feedback. iOS will get faster with the next release because it will have a new video player.

[pjshots 4]

Emby > iPad Log attached.

 

It actually works sometimes (this was a quick load time) but then other times, its useless and never starts playing, even though Emby grabs the tuner (shown as watching). Thanks. Logs to follow later on for the Nvidia Shield.

 

I've sanity checked the log (did I miss anything, let me know) and only posted the part that from pressing the iPad play on the channel to after it stops, inc the header from the log containing versions, plugins etc.

emby-iPad.txt

[pjshots 4]

Nvidia Shield

 

OK, here's the one to get working hopefully. Regardless of the Nvidia options (apart from enabling VLC, which is a different ball game) this is what happens (log and ffmpeg info attached):

 

16:58: click play on a SD show and it later starts but stutters

16:59: click play on a HD show, round and round circle, followed by a message that says "Playback error? Is the current item exhibiting a playback problem like no video or audio?" 

17:00: I click on yes to the error above and then it thinks some more and eventually starts playing but stops saying a tuner may not be available

17:02: I choose a different channel in SD and it starts after a few seconds and plays fine

17:16: Closed the Live TV stream and went back to the Emby Live TV listings

 

This is fairly typical, just not reliable or usable in most cases, which is a shame. Telling the NS to use VLC will sometimes produce better results, but lo-and-behold if you get that grey screen, its a restart of the Emby server and NS before any Live TV will even play anymore (I think it ties up the tuners and doesn't display an image, but doesn't tell you this or give any feedback).

 

IP Addresses:

192.168.0.52: Emby Server

192.168.0.168: HDHomerun

192.168.0.164: Shield

 

HDHomerun on Static IP and 2 tuners with no recording or other users using them whilst this testing was taking place.

 

Thanks for any help.

EmbyLogs.7z

[PenkethBoy 2068]

The symptoms you describe are the same as mine and others

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/57485-atv-livetv-failure/

 

Hopefully if enough people report it the devs will find the problem and a solution

[pjshots 4]

The symptoms you describe are the same as mine and others

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/57485-atv-livetv-failure/

 

Hopefully if enough people report it the devs will find the problem and a solution

 I'm not saying that is the problem, but why is it a problem. Those streams are normal HD mp4 streams with m4a audio, why is it causing a problem for Emby. Surely on the NS it just has to send them to it, not transcode or direct stream, just send them?? SD streams are a little different, but again its only MPEG2 which DVDs have been using since their release and they play fine with Emby so why again is it having issues with those streams also with a long long delay?

Edited April 4, 2018 by pjshots

[Spaceboy 2573]

We (European users) have been waiting 2+ years for answers to those questions, but welcome to the party

[pjshots 4]

We (European users) have been waiting 2+ years for answers to those questions, but welcome to the party

 

The crazy thing is that its something that should work. Treat it like a normal video stream. Send the stream to the device, let the device tell the server if it needs it converting and only then do it. This will then let me set the bandwidth (usually at auto btw) to that and it will just send it without converting, delays, just like the VLC does if its MP4 and if its not, let the server decode only and then send it.

[ebr 16169]

The crazy thing is that its something that should work. Treat it like a normal video stream. Send the stream to the device, let the device tell the server if it needs it converting and only then do it. This will then let me set the bandwidth (usually at auto btw) to that and it will just send it without converting, delays, just like the VLC does if its MP4 and if its not, let the server decode only and then send it.

 

That is what we do.  The issue is not transcoding or not.  The issue is the Google player on these devices has a problem of some sort with those specific streams and, with us being in the US and not having access to the hardware or the specific connections, it has been next to impossible for us to determine what that problem is.

[pjshots 4]

That is what we do.  The issue is not transcoding or not.  The issue is the Google player on these devices has a problem of some sort with those specific streams and, with us being in the US and not having access to the hardware or the specific connections, it has been next to impossible for us to determine what that problem is.

 

My NS will play anything I shove at it in Emby, whether it direct streams, transcodes or direct plays it. I have absolutely no issues playing any type of content so I don't see how this can be the case. I've attached the details of the streams that the UK gets (this comes from VLC streaming directly from the HD Homerun. SD & HD attached. It should be 25fps but for some reason says 50fps, maybe interlaced video...?. Anyhow, let me know if I can try or do anything else as it should be a simple non-existent issue in 2018, esp with ffmpeg which pretty much plays anything inc the kitchen sink. "Buy a UK/Europe NS/Homerun, ship it to your location and test it" comes to mind but thats a little harsh I suppose and won't solve my issue I don't think.

[CBers 7450]

I've attached the details of the streams that the UK gets (this comes from VLC streaming directly from the HD Homerun. SD & HD attached.

 

 

All of the UK Freeview channels play fine in the HDHomeRun app on my Shield(s), but Emby always has issues with the same source.

 

"Buy a UK/Europe NS/Homerun, ship it to your location and test it" comes to mind but thats a little harsh I suppose and won't solve my issue I don't think.

That won't help, as the sources aren't available in the US.

[PenkethBoy 2068]

as the streams work in everything apart from the ATV app - my bet is that its a config issue between the ATV app and the Exo player - something is not passed correctly to the player from emby

[pjshots 4]

That won't help, as the sources aren't available in the US.

 

Granted, but its a really really old codec that should just transcode/play without issues. How come ffmpeg/VLC, etc can do it without hassle but Emby has long delays, doesn't start, stutters etc? Also, you could find a clip online of a UK Region 2 DVD which will have the same video MPEG stream properties on it.

 

I know I'm going on but I love the product and for me I need that part to work as it should and it doesn't. 

 

Suggestions I've come up with:

 

• Let the player decide if it needs to transcode it (sending the stream straight to it, not what Emby does now with all of its re-converting/capturing of the stream to send it out as a .ts file), just send the NS the URL of the HDHomerun and let it manage it.
• Tell ffmpeg its just a MPEG or MP4 stream and let it pick its settings automatically based on the Emby quality setting and client profile
• Take the Live TV off of the platform it has problems with

 

I'm fed up of the delay to get it started (on most platforms but iOS and NS are worst), the stuttering in Chrome and the lack of consistency. I will try anything to get it to be more consistent over time.

 

My recordings do work fine however.

Edited April 4, 2018 by pjshots

[CBers 7450]

Using MX PLAYER for Live TV in the ATV app and the stream starts almost instantly, for both IPTV and HDHomeRun.

 

Plex plays HDHomeRun channels using EXOPLAYER without issue, although for some reason it transcodes AAC_LATM audio content.

[CBers 7450]

I know I'm going on but I love the product and for me I need that part to work as it should and it doesn't.

 

 

You're not alone

[pjshots 4]

as the streams work in everything apart from the ATV app - my bet is that its a config issue between the ATV app and the Exo player - something is not passed correctly to the player from emby

 

 

Using MX PLAYER for Live TV in the ATV app and the stream starts almost instantly, for both IPTV and HDHomeRun.

 

Plex plays HDHomeRun channels using EXOPLAYER without issue, although for some reason it transcodes AAC_LATM audio content.

 

I have used VLC in the past but keep getting a grey screen and then I have to restart both the Emby server and the NS before any channels will work again. I think its caused by the Emby server not releassing the tuners and then causing the grey screen issue.

 

I'd love to look at MX Player as I know from using it on Android tablets its a great app so may do later. This doesn't excuse that the Emby implementation on ATV is shockingly bad at playing Live TV and I'd very much like to see such a simple issue resolved.

[pünktchen 1409]

Using MX PLAYER for Live TV in the ATV app and the stream starts almost instantly, for both IPTV and HDHomeRun.

 

Plex plays HDHomeRun channels using EXOPLAYER without issue, although for some reason it transcodes AAC_LATM audio content.

Also the Tvheadend live channel app for Android uses Exoplayer and has no problem with the same streams where the Emby app sucks.

https://github.com/kiall/android-tvheadend

[Senna 368]

 "Buy a UK/Europe NS/Homerun, ship it to your location and test it" comes to mind but thats a little harsh I suppose and won't solve my issue I don't think.

 

That won't help, as the sources aren't available in the US.

DVBLink or TVHeadend users could provide European DVB-C streams to Emby devs for testing, by supplying a m3u with direct links to the channels from their DVBLink or TVHeadend install, to use in the Emby m3u tuner.

[Spaceboy 2573]

DVBLink or TVHeadend users could provide European DVB-C streams to Emby devs for testing, by supplying a m3u with direct links to the channels from their DVBLink or TVHeadend install, to use in the Emby m3u tuner.

this has been offered, hasnt it @@ebr

 

except it was determined to be an "edge case" so not worthy of looking at. on the one hand it is quite satisfying when the chickens come home to roost, however i've had to implement numerous costly workarounds to mitigate a problem that was always going to affect a large number of users, just very few people were using live tv 

[Carlo 4560]

If I lived in the UK I'd offer up a VM machine with access to a local network tuner that the devs could use.  I think that would probably be a better solution than an IPTV link from DVBLink or TVHeadend.  This way the devs would have local network access to the streams with no delays and could install any software needed for dev purposes.

 

Maybe someone could offer this perhaps if it would help?

 

Carlo

[Spaceboy 2573]

If I lived in the UK I'd offer up a VM machine with access to a local network tuner that the devs could use.  I think that would probably be a better solution than an IPTV link from DVBLink or TVHeadend.  This way the devs would have local network access to the streams with no delays and could install any software needed for dev purposes.

 

Maybe someone could offer this perhaps if it would help?

 

Carlo

as you seem to be hard of reading i'll write this out again. everything that is needed has been offered some time ago. unless the dev's are going be get serious about this and spend some time looking at it why in the hell would i go through all that trouble to be ignored again?

[PenkethBoy 2068]

Giving them access would be of limited benefit as its not the source thats at fault (as it works fine in everything else that people have tested) - its what the dev's do or do not pass to the player