Playback and other issues are not working as well as they used to

[kuebs 6]

All,

 

I have been struggling a lot with EMBY lately, and that makes me sad.  I have been using it since before 2.0, and when we were calling it MB.   I'm ready to start looking at alternatives.    And I am a paid supporter.  And have paid in when each version changed.

 

I have a lot of media which I have had on a server for years.   We previously used a lot of different ways to playback, but have settled on two modern Roku boxes and native Windows Media Center on the other TV.

 

Playback is really problematic.   My wife is really frustrated.   To where she is talking about needed to find a different solution because she doesn't trust that any given file will playback properly or completely.  

 

The issues we have on Roku are often the files start with a good image, but then pixelate and never playback properly.   This includes on files that I know we played a year ago on a Roku box.  Something has changed.

 

The other issue is with files on Windows Media Server (Windows 8.1) where I get audio, but not video.   This is really frustrating as again, it is even happening on files which we previously played with success.   I also have issues where I cannot get WMC to play files with subtitles, even if they are forced. Compared to my other issues, this is minor, but still add it to the nuisance pile.

 

I have tried to bring up playback issues before, only to be asked ridiculously specific configuration questions.   The long and short of it is this.  We have downloaded the beta version of the Roku app, a few months ago, and that helped with some files, but we still have many which won't play, but pixelate out.

 

Once we had it set up, we touched nothing and don't tend to mess with it at all.  But something is different and making our problems so complex as its just not worth using Emby.   

I really want to get some help in understanding what may be wrong or what has changed, but I really don't the time, nor the inkling to spend days on forums uploading files and answering a lot of configuration questions.   It used to work.   And work really well.  Now it doesn't.   What happened?   What can I do?

[Luke 42078]

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

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

Thanks !

[kuebs 6]

OK, I will try to report this.   I am attaching screenshots of the pixelling for Avengers Endgame.   And the logs for Media Browser.   It pixelates on the browser version of Emby and on Roku.  Not always on Media Center.  Which makes this more frustrating.

 

 

[Luke 42078]

Hi there, did you forget to attach the log and screenshot? Thanks !

[kuebs 6]

I guess I did forget that.  Sorry.   I thought for sure I hit attach.

Emby Troubleshooting-08-02-19.zip

Edited August 2, 2019 by kuebs

[Luke 42078]

So the issue is only with Emby for WMC?

[ebr 16178]

It pixelates on the browser version of Emby and on Roku.  Not always on Media Center.  

 

I would guess this is due to transcoding to a low bitrate for some reason.

 

However, in the EMC log you provided, the item is being direct played by Media Center so Emby isn't even involved at all at that point.  Do the images you posted correspond with the playback in the log?

 

It is an AVI file though which can be pretty problematic - especially in a browser which it looks like maybe you were using?  Opera?.

[kuebs 6]

It pixelates on the Roku and in browsers.

[Luke 42078]

Can you try something besides an avi file?

[Happy2Play 9780]

If WMC is directplaying the media is there anything that can be done?

&PlayMethod=DirectPlay&VolumeLevel=31&format=Json,21,Worker

Would need to see server and ffmpeg logs for other apps.

[kuebs 6]

So, this is my point.  A year ago and longer Emby and WMC worked and played almost any content on WMC and on the Rokus.   Now, its hit or miss, and on files that we have had for years that used to play just fine.   An example was Jessie which my daughter watched for years when she was younger on the Roku.  When that one actor died recently who was a child star on Jessie she wanted to watch them again.  But they were all pixelated on the Roku and she was frustrated.

 

And yes I have loaded the beta Roku app, v3 180.   And that really hasn't seemed to help anything.   

That I must go through this troubleshooting and advanced configuration just to watch a movie or series is really frustrating.

[Luke 42078]

Can you try something other than an avi file?

[Luke 42078]

@@ebr am i reading this right, it is direct playing his avi file via the file system:

2019-08-02 11:06:33.0819,Info,,Internal Player about to play Avengers: Endgame(D:\Movies\Avengers Endgame\Avengers.Endgame.2019.BRRip.XviD.MP3-XVID.avi) ,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:33.0819,Info,,Internal Player playing Avengers: Endgame,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:33.0829,Debug,,Calling MediaCenterEnvironment.PlayMedia: D:\Movies\Avengers Endgame\Avengers.Endgame.2019.BRRip.XviD.MP3-XVID.avi,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:34.1288,Debug,,Using custom player interface,1,Application

That means this has nothing to do with Emby. This is a question of how well the WMC video player is playing that file. You could see this same problem just by using a WMC video library.

[kuebs 6]

same pixeling on Roku.  Is that not through Emby?

[Luke 42078]

same pixeling on Roku.  Is that not through Emby?

 

Can we look at an example server and ffmpeg log (if there was one)? Thanks !

[Happy2Play 9780]

There are lots of factors, but I know I don't see this issue on any of the avi files I still have in my collection.  But honestly I am gradually eliminating all avi files and converting them to mp4.

[kuebs 6]

There are lots of factors, but I know I don't see this issue on any of the avi files I still have in my collection.  But honestly I am gradually eliminating all avi files and converting them to mp4.

OK, so how are you converting them?  That might be a solution, but I have not found a way to batch convert them.  Or I would do that.

 

I believe I tried to use a program called speedbrake.

Edited August 4, 2019 by kuebs

[kuebs 6]

Can we look at an example server and ffmpeg log (if there was one)? Thanks !

 

Alright.  So I ran through four Elvis movies (don't laugh).   I watched these with my Mom at Christmas, and it worked fine on Emby through the Roku.  Now they all are pixelated.

 

I am trying to attach screenshots and logs.  I got these from the Emby advanced options.

 

So I hope that are the correct files.

Emby Troubleshooting-8-4-19.zip

[kuebs 6]

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

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

Thanks !

Just an FYI, I followed the how to report a problem steps, but I think the step for Emby-Server logs might be different now.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Does the same happen if you disable Hardware Acceleration?  Is your graphics driver up to dates?

[ebr 16178]

@@ebr am i reading this right, it is direct playing his avi file via the file system:

2019-08-02 11:06:33.0819,Info,,Internal Player about to play Avengers: Endgame(D:\Movies\Avengers Endgame\Avengers.Endgame.2019.BRRip.XviD.MP3-XVID.avi) ,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:33.0819,Info,,Internal Player playing Avengers: Endgame,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:33.0829,Debug,,Calling MediaCenterEnvironment.PlayMedia: D:\Movies\Avengers Endgame\Avengers.Endgame.2019.BRRip.XviD.MP3-XVID.avi,1,Application
2019-08-02 11:06:34.1288,Debug,,Using custom player interface,1,Application

That means this has nothing to do with Emby. This is a question of how well the WMC video player is playing that file. You could see this same problem just by using a WMC video library.

 

Correct - I stated that above.

 

 

However, in the EMC log you provided, the item is being direct played by Media Center so Emby isn't even involved at all at that point.  Do the images you posted correspond with the playback in the log?

[kuebs 6]

Does the same happen if you disable Hardware Acceleration?  Is your graphics driver up to dates?

on Roku, there is no graphics driver.   But I assume you mean on my WMC PC.  And yes, the Radeon driver on that is up to date.   

 

As for hardware acceleration, where?  Or on what device?   Is there a setting on the Roku?   

[Happy2Play 9780]

on Roku, there is no graphics driver.   But I assume you mean on my WMC PC.  And yes, the Radeon driver on that is up to date.   

 

As for hardware acceleration, where?  Or on what device?   Is there a setting on the Roku?   

 

Go to the Dashboard-Transcoding on the server and set it to no and see if it makes a difference.

[kuebs 6]

So I believe I have disabled hardware acceleration through the emby configuration page and yes, the pixelization still happens.

[Luke 42078]

Can you try something other than an avi file? Thanks.