Limit users to their own devices.

[ertagon2 44]

So I have multiple users on my emby server, mostly family etc.
And I have one major issue, when inside the Android (and presumably other apps) you can do
"Download To" and you can select a device other than the one you are using right now.

This is pretty bad, for example me and my sister have the same phones and we end up
downloading content to each other's phones.

It'd be great if there was an option (either per user or globally) to limit user/s to their own devices (and maybe limit casting to devices on network since I think it works the same way)

[rbjtech 5284]

Simply set the user to be limited to their own device(s) in user Access settings, rather than 'All' devices ... 

 

Note - "Filtering user device access will prevent them from using new devices until they've been approved here."

Edited April 16, 2020 by rbjtech

[ertagon2 44]

Simply set the user to be limited to their own device(s) in user Access settings, rather than 'All' devices ... 

 

Note - "Filtering user device access will prevent them from using new devices until they've been approved here."

Yes but then I have to manage every single device which is not as simple as you think, for example (one of many) for some reason (not sure if true but lets assume so) new chrome versions are registered as new devices, or (making another point here) even another browser is a new device.

Not to mentioned that "Chrome - Emby Web" is not even assigned to a user (in the access settings) so I have no idea who a particular instance belongs to.

 

Each device is created/bound to an account right ? Just have a setting that will use the creator as a filter, i.e. if (created by == user ) { access }

[Jdiesel 1431]

Each device is created/bound to an account right ? Just have a setting that will use the creator as a filter, i.e. if (created by == user ) { access }

Multiple users can use the same device so the device isn't exclusive.

 

Downloading is only supported by mobile devices and the Windows Store I believe. Unless they have multiple phones and tablets and switch them often it shouldn't be too difficult to manage them.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Jdiesel

[ertagon2 44]

Multiple users can use the same device so the device isn't exclusive.

 

Downloading is only supported by mobile devices and the Windows Store I believe. Unless they have multiple phones and tablets and switch them often it shouldn't be too difficult to manage them.

Right but then it turns into a mess that you have to manage, and then users have to make effort to reach out to you so that they you can add their devices.

It's just a messy solution overall.

 

I'd say that my idea of

 

Each device is created/bound to an account right ? Just have a setting that will use the creator as a filter, i.e. if (created by == user ) { access }

is probably the most optimal since it's a single setting you have to tick, and you are done with it. Just put a warning under it, that shared devices won't work.

 

I honestly can't imagine many scenarios where two users share a single device, I mean even if you login to emby on your tv, it's not like you are going to log out and in every single time someone wants to watch something?

What I do is create another user for the TV for everyone, and then individual users for private devices. 

But even then just do user groups. 

if (usergroup.contains(user){ access }

 It's also super simple, okay maybe not super simple but from a programming stand point I can't imagine it being too difficult.

Edited April 16, 2020 by ertagon2

[Luke 42080]

Currently you can achieve this but it requires quite a bit of manual control via user permissions. It's an area we will look to improve in future updates.

[rbjtech 5284]

Currently you can achieve this but it requires quite a bit of manual control via user permissions. It's an area we will look to improve in future updates.

 

A more effective way would be to allow you to deny a device (that is generally what you would want) - which allows new devices to be registered and used without issues.

[ertagon2 44]

A more effective way would be to allow you to deny a device (that is generally what you would want) - which allows new devices to be registered and used without issues.

Not sure I agree with it.

Say you have a 50 devices and 25 users 

And you want each user to have access to only their own devices (which isn't too unreasonable of a request)

And then you add your own 51st device and have to MANUALLY go to each user to deny that new device for each one of them.

 

It adds unnecessary additional work on the admin side.

The reason I use emby is because it's mostly automatic,

- fetches metadata automatically

- different scheduled tasks

- backups

- etc.

 

and as a user I wouldn't want to

A more effective way would be to allow you to deny a device (that is generally what you would want) - which allows new devices to be registered and used without issues.

and with the solution proposed by me you can still register new users and devices.

 

Now I'm not fully familiar with Emby's source code so I don't know how difficult a feature like this would be but as a user this how I'd like it to be.

Edited April 17, 2020 by ertagon2

[ertagon2 44]

@Luke
Any plans for doing this. It's a real pain in the ass having 15 users with 15 devices and then figuring out which DESKTOP-JI23JI321 is yours etc.

[Edit]
Also it's messy.

Edited January 23, 2021 by ertagon2

[Luke 42080]

This should be improved for the next release of the server. thanks.

[Carlo 4561]

Luke I have

25 minutes ago, Luke said:

This should be improved for the next release of the server. thanks.

I haven't looked or tested this yet.  By any chance it there a setting that would limit a user to download only to the device they are using (assuming it can receive downloads)?

If not that would be a very simple solution for those not wanting to manage this beyond the basics.  The admin could then expand on that if they wanted for themselves or users to allow download to from other apps but at least a user could download ONLY to the device they happen to be using.

[ertagon2 44]

@cayars Sorry to bother you, stupid question but is this feature out yet?
Is this it?

[Carlo 4561]

If you select the 2nd option for shared devices the person should only be able to cast to devices they have previously logged in as as far as apps go.
Then there is DLNA and Chrome casting as well on the local LAN.

But that should stop them from casting or downloading (syncing) to devices they've not logged in on.

[Luke 42080]

Have your questions been answered?