Best client option?

[GregMo 24]

Hey, just curious, is there a great client option?  There's frustrating issues with both a Roku and playing to DLNA and when using the web client it will ask you if you're still watching even with the setting turned off.  Just wonder if any of them are consider pretty much bug free.

[roaku 842]

I've been happy with the Roku client...but I had to make changes to my library to conform to what the *Roku platform* required. That's probably going to be more or less true for everything.

Edited November 25, 2020 by roaku

[speechles 2055]

50 minutes ago, GregMo said:

... There's frustrating issues with both a Roku ...

Which issues? With the live tv guide scrolling too slowly and hanging frequently? With embedded subtitles not showing when used with MP4/M4V/MOV? Both of those we are going to solve.

But which issues? Of particular importance are those which make you seek a different platform. I am more than curious. Is it something we (Emby) can fix in the application or is it something Roku must fix? Does the Roku feel weaker than other clients? Care to give us some pointers where we should improve first in your own words? Even go into detail about where we fail you is fine. Without critics we cannot improve. Please give us some clues where you feel things have gone off the rails a bit. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

Edited November 25, 2020 by speechles

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

I use Rokus, Fire TVs and Shield TVs. The most powerful of those and the one that has the most abilities is the Shield. However the Shield, in my simple basic setup, has issues that actually makes it my least favorite device to use.

I prefer my Rokus most of the time but I am comfortable using my Fire 4K when the Rokus give problems which is very rare but does happen from time to time on very old encodes of mostly very old shows. ex. I have a few episode of Adam 12, Dragnet and Have Gun Will Travel that just seem to have problems on my Rokus. I think the Fire4K is a bit better at handling glitches than the Roku Ultra is. So far every video that jumped or cutout during playback on my roks played much better on my Fire 4K.

The reason I fall back to using my Roku and do not use the Fire all the time has to do with the interface. I just like overall Roku interface much more than I lie the Fire's. I have to admit also that Roku was the first streamer I ever had (other than a computer) I've had Roku from the beginning (The old N1000 called "The Netflix Player" ) and I have been part of their changes all along. That produces a great deal of familiarity and that may play a part in my preference for my Rokus.

I do have to say that, for now, there is no:

One Device to rule them all, One Device to find them,
One Device to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them,
In the Land of Media where the Shadows lie.

[speechles 2055]

1 hour ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

...but I am comfortable using my Fire 4K when the Rokus give problems which is very rare but does happen from time to time on very old encodes of mostly very old shows. ex. I have a few episode of Adam 12, Dragnet and Have Gun Will Travel that just seem to have problems on my Rokus.

Do you have any samples to share? Put on Google Drive, Drop Box, etc.. any of those and I will PM once I have the sample. After which you safely delete and claim back your storage space. I just need the samples to see the issue. I do have lots of samples but the only issues I have are the ones I mentioned above. The live tv has problems with scrolling the guide and sometimes playback hangs and just hangs forever. We can do better. The other problem is MP4/MOV/M4V are not allowing embedded subtitles to show. You can select them. They show selected but never appear on the screen. This will also be corrected.

But more playback issues we want to hear. I do not mean the broken record kind. You are not a broken record sir. Please tell me all issues on Roku loudly and shout them in my face. I want to know them not just hear about them browsing the forum. Mention my @speechles in there and get blunt. I do not mind people being brutal or critical and I much prefer that really since it lets me know the sore spots. Without those vocal few we cannot do better. Seriously.

To know your weakness you must know your most critical users. Get them to give you the feedback others are afraid to share. Do not be afraid to hurt our feelings or call us out on anything. This is your media your way. If we are not doing that we are not doing our jobs quite frankly. You either do as customers want or customers run away. We like everyone and want to keep customers happy. This is the difference. Please share your insults about us with us first. Let us know what we do wrong so we can correct it. That is all we want. Everyone happy.

Edited November 25, 2020 by speechles

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

3 minutes ago, speechles said:

Do you have any samples to share? Put on Google Drive, Drop Box, etc.. any of those and I will PM once I have the sample. After which you safely delete and claim back your storage space. I just need the samples to see the issue. I do have lots of samples but the only issues I have are the ones I mentioned above. The live tv has problems with scrolling the guide and sometimes playback hangs and just hangs forever. We can do better. The other problem is MP4/MOV/M4V are not allowing embedded subtitles to show. You can select them. They show selected but never appear on the screen. This will also be corrected.

But more playback issues we want to hear. I do not mean the broken record kind. You are not a broken record sir. Please tell me all issues on Roku loudly and shout them in my face. I want to know them not just hear about them browsing the forum. Mention my @speechles in there and get blunt. I do not mind people being brutal or critical and I much prefer that really since it lets me know the sore spots. Without those vocal few we cannot do better. Seriously.

To know your weakness you must know your most critical users. Get them to give you the feedback others are afraid to share. Do not be afraid to hurt our feelings or call us out on anything. This is your media your way. If we are not doing that we are not doing our jobs quite frankly. You either do as customers want or customers run away. We like everyone and want to keep customers happy. This is the difference. Please share your insults about us with us first. Let us know what we do wrong so we can correct it. That is all we want. Everyone happy.

The next time i run into an issue I will do that. It is not critical and the fault is really with bad encodes. The issue shows as a dropout of any playback or a breakup of the picture. I do not think anything Emby can do will fix the problem as I think the issue is in the Roku itself. If I test the same file's playback through Plex or Roku Media player the same issues appear. I remember one that at one particular place the audio and video went blank for almost 5 minutes of playback on the Roku and I tested it through Plex also on the Roku and the same thing happened at the same place. I then tried playback on my Fire and it sort of played through that area but the video kept breaking up and the audio would drop out and/or pop from time to time. I do not think that Emby on the Roku should really be expected to play such a poorly encoded file. I think the the player in Roku just gives up a bit easier than the one in the Fire.

BTW: The reason I do not have any of the "bad" files is that if I have the source, which I do for much of my library, I simply reencode when that kind of glitch hits me. That way it does not happen again if I go back and rewatch something.

[speechles 2055]

@Gilgamesh_48 I appreciate your sincere and unabashed honesty. When I said vocal critic this is not a bad name. Quite the opposite. I admire that you pull no punches. When the punch is deserved please deliver it. We can take the punch. Please don't keep secrets.

You are always so kind about Roku it makes me smile. But at the same time I don't want you to think we deserve those pats on the back all the time. When we deserve a punch or pat feel free to bring either or both.

Edited November 25, 2020 by speechles

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

1 minute ago, speechles said:

@Gilgamesh_48 I appreciate your sincere and unabashed honesty. When I said vocal critic this is not a bad name. Quite the opposite. I admire that you pull no punches. When the punch is deserved please deliver it. We can take the punch. Please don't keep secrets.

But i am so used to secrecy that it is almost second nature. If I told you everything that happens then I might then have to shoot you. ;} There are things I do not even tell my dog. He has a big mouth just below his cold nose. 

[GregMo 24]

On 11/25/2020 at 12:40 PM, speechles said:

Which issues? With the live tv guide scrolling too slowly and hanging frequently? With embedded subtitles not showing when used with MP4/M4V/MOV? Both of those we are going to solve.

But which issues? Of particular importance are those which make you seek a different platform. I am more than curious. Is it something we (Emby) can fix in the application or is it something Roku must fix? Does the Roku feel weaker than other clients? Care to give us some pointers where we should improve first in your own words? Even go into detail about where we fail you is fine. Without critics we cannot improve. Please give us some clues where you feel things have gone off the rails a bit. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

Well, the fact that the way the Roku client is designed is one issue.  There's been a post here and there about how the client runs out of memory, hangs on playing the next track, and so on.  Also the fact that it doesn't timeout playback when paused so that it can free up memory for the Roku (like Netflix and Amazon both do) is a pain.  Another thing that bugs me, and this might be more of a server issue, is that when you skip a video while playing music videos, they all go into the "resume watching" queue.

Playing to DLNA is horrible and more about it doesn't work than actually does work.  I've all but given up on using it unless I just want to play a single title.

I didn't include these points because they've all already been mentioned before.  Emby manages the library better than anything else I've tried, but playback of it seems to suffer.

[ebr 16184]

13 hours ago, GregMo said:

Also the fact that it doesn't timeout playback when paused so that it can free up memory for the Roku

Hi.  The Roku can only run one app at a time so doing this isn't going to free up memory for anything.

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

33 minutes ago, ebr said:

Hi.  The Roku can only run one app at a time so doing this isn't going to free up memory for anything.

While you are correct in the general definition of "app" the Roku actually does sort of run two apps at a time. It runs whatever app is active and it also runs, if the running app is using little memory, the currently selected screensaver and, if the memory usage is too great for that, it runs the Roku default screensaver. Clearly if an app is good at getting out of the way then there is greater likelihood that the selected screensaver will run.

But that does not really matter much as I do not think many people intentionally watch the screensaver.

[Carlo 4561]

But only a single app can run at once regardless. A dev is not going to be worried about the performance of the system screen saver.

[GregMo 24]

3 hours ago, cayars said:

But only a single app can run at once regardless. A dev is not going to be worried about the performance of the system screen saver.

Funny that the real problem with the Roku app was overlooked to narrow focus on the trivial one.  I hear you though.  Why make the app look polished and professional like Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime, right?  Yet let's look to charge $4.99 for no content while Hulu can be had for $5.99, just as an example.

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

1 hour ago, GregMo said:

Funny that the real problem with the Roku app was overlooked to narrow focus on the trivial one.  I hear you though.  Why make the app look polished and professional like Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime, right?  Yet let's look to charge $4.99 for no content while Hulu can be had for $5.99, just as an example.

That is not a valid comparison. You could just as easily say that Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime charge but they cannot play local content while for only $4.99 Emby can. BTW: The core functionality of Emby is free and, unless something has changed, even the app on the Roku is free. Emby cannot and should not provide content and asking it to is unreasonable and unrealistic. 

With Emby you provide the content and Emby provides the playback machine. If you want content you should use a system that provides content but if you own content then you can use Emby to play it. 

There is no comparison between Emby and the likes of Hulu because they have no real functionality in common.

[Carlo 4561]

1 hour ago, GregMo said:

Funny that the real problem with the Roku app was overlooked to narrow focus on the trivial one.  I hear you though.  Why make the app look polished and professional like Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime, right?  Yet let's look to charge $4.99 for no content while Hulu can be had for $5.99, just as an example.

Agree with others about the content.  Why pay $5.99 per month and STILL have to watch commercials?  But besides that I really dislike the Hulu UI.  You can't easily see who's in movies, or linked movies by actor and many other super cool things that can be done in Emby.

I just don't like horizontal UI.  Of course this is personal and I'm sure others love that type of UI.

[ebr 16184]

13 hours ago, GregMo said:

Funny that the real problem with the Roku app was overlooked

Hi.  What are you considering the "real" problem?  Have you created a topic with specifics that we can investigate?  We'd love to chase it down and fix it for you.

Thanks.

 

[speechles 2055]

@GregMo We do not find it funny that problems are overlooked. Perhaps you can let us in on the joke? Which part of the application is most frustrating? Have we really disregarded fixing it or are we just not aware it is this big a problem? We try to fill in all the blanks but occasionally some slip through the cracks. If your thread was one we missed we apologize. We are human just like you are. It was not intentional or intended to disregard any issues. Please give us some clue as to where we need to focus to fix this problem. This is your media your way and if we are fail at that we would sure like to know where. Thanks. Happy Holidays.

Edited December 21, 2020 by speechles

[Carlo 4561]

The way I read his post is that for $5.99 you get content from Hulu (with ads) but for $4.99 you get no content with Emby, so that is what he thinks "we overlook".

But that is the appeal of Emby.  You don't get crappy content but only the content you want to add to your own server.  YOUR MEDIA, YOUR WAY!

[jhoff80 94]

For what it's worth, since the original topic was the best client, I personally find that the Roku is best for less technical users, whereas more advanced users tend to hate the UI (meaning the device UI, the app is great nowadays).

For more advanced users, definitely the Shield TV Pro.  Where you can use the Emby app as the next step up, or then use Emby for Kodi as the most flexible option.  That gives you the most customization and best quality short of an HTPC running MadVR.

(The Chromecast with Google TV is a decent entry-level option as well, but it promotes all of the Google supported content over your Emby content.  Which is fine, but that puts you in the same situation as a Fire TV, where it's their content first, yours second.)

[clarkss12 304]

For just an Emby client and NOT a streamer (Netflix, Disney+, ect), nothing compares to an inexpensive Amlogic Android box running CoreELEC.  It plays every audio and Video that you can throw at it.  It also has automatic frame rate switching. Run the Kodi Emby app with the Embruary skin, and you have an awesome media player.

My TV is a curved Samsung, but you get the idea from these photos.

[clarkss12 304]

Screen saver scrolls across screen.

[FreeBSD_Lover 14]

So I don't see that there was much said about various clients. Mostly a Roku discussion.

From the users I'd like to ask: From your perspective which 'box' is the best box to install and use the Emby client/app, has great user inaction, and great audio and video, etc.

From the Emby developers I'd like to ask: From your perspective which 'box' is the best box to install and use the Emby client/app, has great user inaction, and great audio and video, etc.

 

I need to start thinking about my future plans for my home theatre. I still stream using DLNA to Sony PS3, but was hoping for a native client app to install on PS4 or PS5 but that seems to be a dead end. Really wish that would change. But my audio/video receiver has lots of HDMI inputs so it time to use more than just one connector.

Roku? Kodi?

Or I could use web interface using Linux; seems decent and no apps to upgrade on a box. And I am done buying 'smart' TVs for various reasons.  Fundamentally I am looking for phenomenal audio and video to feed into my home theatre system, and ideally my wife can use a remote control.

[sross44 431]

So my two cents on best client.... In my house we have almost everything you could want as a client. Shield Pro (2019), Apple TV 4k, FireCube TV (2nd gen) and Roku Ultras. I think that from a pure Emby experience I would lean towards the Shield/FireCube (you can throw in 4k fire stick here too). But I think ultimately it comes down to a few things as well. 

1) Mostly for movies/tv shows?

2) Live TV at all? 

3) How much 4k HDR content are you going to be playing? 

I’ve learned that some of the above clients have issues with HDR content while others don’t. For example on the Apple TV, I sometimes have to use Infuse to play 4k content. But at the same time, I’ve had issues with the Shield when it comes to Live TV etc. One of the things that Plex does a better job of than Emby (and no, this is not an endorsement of Plex) is consistency across all clients. I’ve mentioned this on these forums a few times now, but a consistent UI across all clients is huge. For the most part all clients should behave the same. A user should have the “emby experience”. Not the “emby on roku” or “emby on apple tv” experience. 

But to come full circle... I honestly would rank in this order for Emby only (if you’re looking for media streamers as a whole my rankings would change) 

1) Shield

2) FireCube/FireStick

3) Apple TV 

4) Roku 

[sross44 431]

14 hours ago, clarkss12 said:

For just an Emby client and NOT a streamer (Netflix, Disney+, ect), nothing compares to an inexpensive Amlogic Android box running CoreELEC.  It plays every audio and Video that you can throw at it.  It also has automatic frame rate switching. Run the Kodi Emby app with the Embruary skin, and you have an awesome media player.

My TV is a curved Samsung, but you get the idea from these photos.

What plug-in are you using to get live tv working with Embuary like that? I can’t get tv to work for me. 

[clarkss12 304]

5 hours ago, sross44 said:

What plug-in are you using to get live tv working with Embuary like that? I can’t get tv to work for me. 

IF you use HDHomeRun tuners, you can subscribe for their DVR, and that is what I am using.  This is the "plug-in" that I use >> https://forum.silicondust.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=71135

I used to use TVheadend as my DVR and it is also supported under CoreELEC.  You can run the Tvheadend DVR server and client right  from the same device.  Tvheadend server works with multiple different tuners, not just the HDHomeRun tuners.

Both of these solutions will work with the Embuary skin, just as I show.

Edited December 22, 2020 by clarkss12