VirtualTV plugin

[podonnell 47]

I granted access to the VirtualTV channels to other users two days ago. Since then, each day at 9:35 I get a bunch of notifications for "User Policy Has Been Updated for <user>'".

Is this normal behavior, and what is being updated? The channels haven't changed since I set them up two days ago, so I am not sure what might be happening.

Thanks

[pünktchen 1409]

On 12/22/2025 at 3:02 AM, MarkE2794 said:

Version 4.9.1.90

Working fine on my end. Please enable debug logging in the plugin and for your Emby server, replicate your problem and send me the Emby log file.

[pünktchen 1409]

11 hours ago, alex77777 said:

I have Virtual TV and Comskip plugins installed, before updating to 4.9.1.90 Comskip would work on content that was played via Virtual TV. but now it seems to be broken. When I play a channel that is playing content with commercials that Comskip would typically skip it only skips the commercials on the episode that I started on but all future episodes in that viewing session wont skip. When I go and play those episodes outside of Virtual TV they skip no problem, they only don't work when viewed with Virtual TV . I am using Playlist (Live) as my playback method. Hopefully I explained that well, if not let me know and ill elaborate more. 

This seems to only affect the Apple TV, I have the app and OS up to date as well. Anyone have any suggestions or solutions to this issue? 

Thanks

Sorry, but Comskip is out of the VirtualTV plugin's scope. You would have to replicate the issue without VirtualTV involved and create a separate bug report for the Emby devs to acknowledge this. Steps to reproduce:

• Activate "Play on another device" in Emby on your server 
• Select multiple episodes in Emby on you server where you know that Comskip will work and push the playback button 

[pünktchen 1409]

10 hours ago, podonnell said:

I granted access to the VirtualTV channels to other users two days ago. Since then, each day at 9:35 I get a bunch of notifications for "User Policy Has Been Updated for <user>'".

Is this normal behavior, and what is being updated? The channels haven't changed since I set them up two days ago, so I am not sure what might be happening.

Thanks

The plugin should alter your user policies only once (with the first guide refresh), unless you regularly change the granted users in the plugin, manually edit the Tags of these channels in the channel editor under Emby's Live TV settings or edit the Restrict Items With Tags list under Parental Control of your Emby users.

[podonnell 47]

15 hours ago, pünktchen said:

The plugin should alter your user policies only once (with the first guide refresh), unless you regularly change the granted users in the plugin, manually edit the Tags of these channels in the channel editor under Emby's Live TV settings or edit the Restrict Items With Tags list under Parental Control of your Emby users.

> Restrict Items With Tags

Ah, I think this might be it. By this you mean, if I am restricting items with these tags, it will update each guide refresh? Or will that only happen if I add a new item with that tag in between the guide refreshes?

[pünktchen 1409]

17 hours ago, podonnell said:

> Restrict Items With Tags

Ah, I think this might be it. By this you mean, if I am restricting items with these tags, it will update each guide refresh? Or will that only happen if I add a new item with that tag in between the guide refreshes?

I mean if you switch the mode between Allow and Block items with these tags or if you remove the tags starting with VirtualTV from the list of Restrict Items With Tags.

[podonnell 47]

Have a user that attempts to start a VirtualTV feed, but nothing is playing. Other content works okay.

Here are some findings from the logs:

> 2025-12-29 17:03:08.130 Info VideoService: http/1.1 Response 206 ... Content-Type=video/mp2t

> 2025-12-29 17:03:08.441 Info SessionManager: Playback start reported by app Emby Windows 2.234.2.0 playing TV1. Position: 146 ms. IsPaused: False

> Content-Range=bytes 0-554787/554788
> Content-Length=554788

> 2025-12-29 17:03:08.494 Info SessionManager: Playback progress (Unpause) reported by app Emby Windows 2.234.2.0 playing TV1. Position: 188 ms. IsPaused: False

User reports that it shows about 60 seconds of black screen as if its playing. Each attempt is just 1m of black video.

I tested the same content and it worked okay for me but I am internal.

Anything else I can help provide to troubleshoot?

[pünktchen 1409]

16 hours ago, podonnell said:

I tested the same content and it worked okay for me but I am internal.

Anything else I can help provide to troubleshoot?

If you have a reverse proxy in place, check that it allows websocket connections.

[pünktchen 1409]

@podonnellIf you look at VirtualTV in the plugin catalog, there's a Dev version 2.1.7.2. Please install this version for futher troubleshooting with the Emby Windows app.

Edited December 30, 2025 by pünktchen

[Lofth 0]

Hello, just getting my hands dirty with this plugin and it's pretty amazing! Was curious if anyone has ran into issues where you're tuned to a channel, it plays where it should according to the guide but then, after watching for a bit you tune away, and return to the channel, it starts it over at the begining instead of the timeframe of the guide.

It doesn't happen every time, but happens more often then not. 

Didn't know if I'm missing a setting somewhere. I've tried setting the channel to Playlist (live) and continuous playback (live). Also set the settings to 0 sec for start over if started within minutes, but it's the middle of the show. Couldn't find much on Google, any help is appreciated and thank you!

[pünktchen 1409]

14 hours ago, Lofth said:

after watching for a bit you tune away, and return to the channel, it starts it over at the begining instead of the timeframe of the guide.

So you are saying it starts the correct program as seen in the guide, but it starts the video right from the beginning instead of with an offset?

[Lofth 0]

Yeah, in the beginning that is.then when you tune off, and come back it starts at the begining....most of the time. Maybe once in a blue moon it starts where it should.   I was using windows/browser then went to roku and was able to replicate on both. It has been a movies category. TV shows has been going ok, but they are shorter.

[pünktchen 1409]

1 hour ago, Lofth said:

when you tune off, and come back

Only within the same program slot or also when a new program entry is already airing?

[Lofth 0]

Also a new entry. It's even playing a totally different file. Maybe it's a me issue, idk.

This is new, usually plays the same file from the beginning.

Edited January 1 by Lofth

[pünktchen 1409]

36 minutes ago, Lofth said:

It's even playing a totally different file. Maybe it's a me issue, idk.

Is there maybe some timezone difference between your Roku and your server or did you exchange the video files for a better quality version after the guide refresh?

[Lofth 0]

No, all locally networked off the same router with no time difference or file changes. Happens on the server as well, not just the roku. Probably cache or something dumb on my end cause 2/4 television (not movies) channels are fine. 

I'll try deleting them and re-add but did that before, Appreciate the response!

Edited January 1 by Lofth

[podonnell 47]

On 12/30/2025 at 2:57 PM, pünktchen said:

@podonnellIf you look at VirtualTV in the plugin catalog, there's a Dev version 2.1.7.2. Please install this version for futher troubleshooting with the Emby Windows app.

Got this version installed now. Let me know what I can do to help provide more info on the user policies being updated.
This definitely started after adding the Restrict Item from Tag

My end goal is just to prevent my M3U source from showing up for other users.

[Neminem 1518]

On 12/27/2025 at 3:39 PM, pünktchen said:

Please enable debug logging in the plugin and for your Emby server, replicate your problem and send me the Emby log file.

@podonnellguess you need to do this

[tsbrickey 0]

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but has there been a thought of adding the ability to add a watermark or graphic 'bug' that could be placed on the screen to identify the 'channel' For example, I have a James Bond Channel, and it would be super cool to make a 'Bond Channel' graphic to add to the lower third corner.

[pünktchen 1409]

13 hours ago, tsbrickey said:

Sorry if this has been discussed before, but has there been a thought of adding the ability to add a watermark or graphic 'bug' that could be placed on the screen to identify the 'channel' For example, I have a James Bond Channel, and it would be super cool to make a 'Bond Channel' graphic to add to the lower third corner.

I do not have any control about the app interface, so the logo would have to be burned in into the video stream. But transcoding is something most people try to avoid.

[Hypnotic01 0]

On 8/18/2024 at 9:27 PM, ZanderKeen said:

Howdy folks! I noticed when the AppleTV app updated, the Virtual TV channels stopped working on those devices. It was working completely fine the day prior to the appletv app update. When I click to play, it attempts to stream, I hear audio for about 1/2 second on the tv, then it closes the stream connection on the server and promptly exits the app.

I tested this on the web and theater app and VirtualTV still works fine.

Emby Server Version 4.8.8.0
OS: Linux Fedora Server 40
Kernel version: 6.10.3-200.fc40.x86_64
VirtualTV Version 1.1.3.2

@pünktchen Should I be using a different version of VirtualTV maybe? I assume it updates on its own but maybe I am wrong? I see an unavalible 2.x version up above

Logs attached just in case its useful.

Emby-log-appletv-virtualtv-crash.txt 29.25 kB · 2 downloads

Having the exact same issue.  Everything is updated, and everything works fine when not played on an AppleTV.  But when we try to play VirtualTV on either of our AppleTV devices, this is what we get.  Flicker of video, can hear the audio playing, but it goes back to the channel description / show description screen.  

[Clem.cdt 1]

Bonjour impossible de faire disparaitre ce logo de mes media si vous avez une solution sachant que je n'est plus le plugin

[Lyfesaver 133]

So, I have been using this plugin for about 4 or 5 months and then all of the sudden it quit working. On one device it still shows the channels listed (but wont play) but on all others the channels are not there. All the channels are listed (see img)


I have debug logging turned on in Emby and in VTV plugin but logs reveal nothing. Also, the logs for channel rules drop down revels no channels

I refreshed, forced refresh, restarted, updated to 2.1.7.2

 

 

Finally, I tried creating a NEW channel called TestFlix and it will show up. So it's just all my older good channels are borked.

Any help is appreciated, thx so much 

[pünktchen 1409]

10 hours ago, Clem.cdt said:

Bonjour impossible de faire disparaitre ce logo de mes media si vous avez une solution sachant que je n'est plus le plugin

English please! Just disable Live TV access in your Emby user profiles.

[pünktchen 1409]

10 hours ago, Lyfesaver said:

I have debug logging turned on in Emby and in VTV plugin but logs reveal nothing.

Please send me your log after a guide refresh and if possible also your VirtualTV.xml file that is in ...\programdata\plugins\configurations.

 

10 hours ago, Lyfesaver said:

Also, the logs for channel rules drop down revels no channels

Ups. That seems to be broken in the plugin.