Chromecast Playback Problem

[Erik 124]

Hello,

 

Versions:

Server 3.5.1.0

Chromecast 2.1.0

 

Playback of either LiveTV or Recorded TV (All recorded by emby through an HDhomerun) is resulting in constant audio pauses every 1/2 second and the lower half of the screen all horizontal lines. Screenshot:

 

 

The server is "direct streaming" the media (FFMPEG log #1). I tested other media (non-livetv related) and it works fine (tested with high bitrate HD media).

 

If i lower the "Chromecast Quality" user setting to just below the media bitrate (tested at 1080p / 8Mbps) its plays perfectly (FFMPEG Log #2)

 

All of the media plays on the roku streaming stick (direct streaming of both the same recorded show and same liveTV channel)

 

I have PM'd the 2 FFMPEG logs and the server log to you @@Luke.

 

Let me know if you need more details or tests.

 

Thanks,

Erik

[Luke 42083]

Unforutnately this is just a hard one and you may need to just reduce the quality. Chromecast can direct stream many interlaced h264 streams, but not all, and it's very difficult to auto-detect this. If I just have it always transcode, then that leads to another set of complaints from another set of users.

[Erik 124]

Thanks luke,

 

Just for my understanding, the test media i used was about 15Mbps and also h264 and it plays just fine, so is it much more that all the live TV ones that are causing issues, is the issue just that they are interlaced h264? and as you say, the Chromecast just doesn't always like them?

[Luke 42083]

You said in the first post that recording files were also doing this. Is that true?

[Erik 124]

Yes, that photo was of a previous days recording playing through a ver 2 chromecast. I've been forcing the transcode to make it playable. It was only with media that was interlaced. As I said, playback of other non-interlaced media was fine.

[Luke 42083]

Actually according to the log it might not be interlaced. The problem is that Chromecast is having trouble with it but we're unable to detect this. Do you have transcoding enabled on your HDHR?

[Erik 124]

Hi @@Luke

 

I have transcoding set to "Heavy" on both HDhomerun Extend boxes and within Emby they are both set to allow hardware transcoding.

 

I will restart the server and chromecast and then get some new logs with that show (same channel) and another to see if its isolated to interlaced content or not.

[Erik 124]

@@Luke

 

I just went to do some testing and when i powered up the Chromecast (Gen2) it did a firmware update.

 

So after that was done i retested all the problem media and it all worked perfectly. So i powered up the Chromecast (Gen1) and also worked perfectly.

 

So i don't know if it was the server update (Version 3.5.2.0), chromecast firmware (Version 1.32.124602) update or both...but its working as it should.\

 

Thanks,

Erik

[Luke 42083]

Interesting. thanks for the info !