Where is the "Now Playing" screen?

[iamspartacus 40]

How does one access the "Now Playing" screen to be able to remote control a user's app as shown in this blog post?

 

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/blog/1/entry-177-manage-your-home-with-emby-users/

[Luke 42078]

Have you explored the buttons in the now playing bar?

[iamspartacus 40]

Have you explored the buttons in the now playing bar?

 

The now playing bar is what I'm looking for.  I'm not seeing how to access that screen.

[Luke 42078]

Have you tried playing something?

[iamspartacus 40]

Have you tried playing something?

 

I guess I'm confused.  I assumed the now playing screen was something to be accessed by the server manager to be able to view and apparently control streams that users are currently streaming.  What am I missing?

[Luke 42078]

Have you explored the "play on another device" button in the upper right?

[ebr 16183]

Hi.  You cannot look into and take over control of all devices attached to your server.  This interface is intended for the situation of you casting playback to another device and then being able to control that.

 

Does that make sense?

 

The normal dashboard display gives you playback control buttons on each tile for each session though...

[iamspartacus 40]

Oh I see, so it's just for casting control.  I was totally confused by what that meant.  I get it now.

[seanbuff 1316]

I agree, the way the article is written is a little confusing.

 

In one line it says "The server dashboard also gives you real-time access to monitor what your users are currently watching"

Then it goes on to say "Need to quickly remote control a user's app? This is easily done with the remote control functions built into the web interface."

This seems a little misleading, as if you can control actual remote users client controls?

[darkassassin07 652]

Both are true.

 

From the servers dashboard you can view what streams are currently active as well as play/pause/stop them.

 

Then separately from that, users with the correct permissions can use one app to remotely control another app. Say for example using your android phone to control playback on your xbox.

[iamspartacus 40]

Both are true.

 

From the servers dashboard you can view what streams are currently active as well as play/pause/stop them.

 

Then separately from that, users with the correct permissions can use one app to remotely control another app. Say for example using your android phone to control playback on your xbox.

 

Does this only work if the devices are on the same local subnet?

[darkassassin07 652]

No, most users can control one app from any other app signed into the same user account on the same server, regardless of where they are connected from.

 

Then there is a setting for each user as to whether or not they can control devices signed into other users on the same server as well.

 

For example:

As the admin of my server I can randomly stop my aunts playback of Dr Who and switch it to Rick-Roll if I like (she lives a good 6hrs away), but she can only see or control the devices she is signed into because she doesn't have that permission.

[ebr 16183]

It is just the screen he was looking for that was designed specifically for casting.

 

The normal dashboard does have full control of all sessions.

[iamspartacus 40]

It is just the screen he was looking for that was designed specifically for casting.

 

The normal dashboard does have full control of all sessions.

 

Should the server owner be able to fully control every stream for every user in any Emby app including the web app?

[ebr 16183]

Should the server owner be able to fully control every stream for every user in any Emby app including the web app?

 

I say yes and they currently can.

[iamspartacus 40]

I say yes and they currently can.

 

Looks like this control does not exist for the web apps.

 

 

 

[ebr 16183]

Okay, sorry.  There are certain technology requirements for this to work and those may not all be possible in every situation.

[Happy2Play 9780]

And what do you get when you click the Cast/play on button in the top Right and click on those browser sessions?

[iamspartacus 40]

And what do you get when you click the Cast/play on button in the top Right and click on those browser sessions?

 

No web browsers show up as cast options.  Only Chromecasts and mobile devices.

Edited November 15, 2019 by iamspartacus

[Happy2Play 9780]

No web browsers show up as cast options.  Only Chromecasts and mobile devices.

I am in Chrome and see my Firefox session.  I can open Edge and have it added to the list also.

 

[iamspartacus 40]

I am in Chrome and see my Firefox session.  I can open Edge and have it added to the list also.

 

 

Are those sessions on the same local network as your server?  Mine are not.

 

EDIT:  I just tried with a local firefox session and it still does not show up.

Edited November 15, 2019 by iamspartacus

[Happy2Play 9780]

Are those sessions on the same local network as your server?  Mine are not.

Yes same network.  You would have to be allowed through firewall to control other networks.

[iamspartacus 40]

Yes same network.  You would have to be allowed through firewall to control other networks.

 

Same network does not work for me, they don't show up as options.  Only the devices I mentioned above.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Same network does not work for me, they don't show up as options.  Only the devices I mentioned above.

 

Actually I just opened Chrome in a remote location (different user) and controlled it from my location (different user) across the WAN.  One thing to check is your User setting for Remote Control.

[iamspartacus 40]

Actually I just opened Chrome in a remote location (different user) and controlled it from my location (different user) across the WAN.  One thing to check is your User setting for Remote Control.

 

I'm the server owner, and yes I'm set to remote control other users and shared devices.  I also can remote control my mobile device which is on a different network.  But I can't remote control any web browser sessions.