Kodi - PlexConnect vs. EmbyConnect vs. MySQL

[johnodon]

Obviously, we have numerous choices now for syncing Kodi libraries and watch status (plexconnect, embyconnect, mysql).  While I like the idea of using Plex or Emby for my Kodi library needs, the thing that has always bothered me is the fact that it is not instantaneous (like mysql).  It writes the data locally and then syncs it.  Correct?  If so, I just see this process barfing too often.

 

My other niggle is that I like to keep my Kodi (OpenELEC) instances as stock as possible.  Having to install addons to perform a function that I can do via a couple of lines in advancedsettings.xml bothers me...more things that could break.

 

Then again, mysql isn't exactly and Out-Of-the-Box, simple solution.  And, upgrading presents its own challenges.

 

Is my concern justified at all?

 

Please be objective.  I'm not looking for perspective that is completely tainted with brand loyalty. 

 

John

[bnevets27]

You're correct about the syncing locally.  I have tried all mentioned methods briefly but keep going back to mysql.  For the exact reason you mention. 

 

Plexconnect looked liked the most interesting to me due to already running plex along side kodi.  This on paper looks almost like the Holy grail if you are one to run both setups. Problem is there is some limitations imposed in kodi while using it as a database.  Can't remember them off hand. 

 

Personally though having to wait for all the clients to sync was such a regression from mysql that I could never fully adopt the other solutions.  Now I know Plexconnect was starting to implement a fast scan that would help speed things up but didn't play with it much lately. 

 

Also this is all pretty much moot if you leave all you clients on 24/7 or do a wake up and scan every so often.  Therefore getting rid of the delay of new media showing up when sitting down to watch everyday.

 

I feel like mysql will in the somewhat near future be replaced with something acceptable.  I read something about kodi restructuring to all a more server client model.  But until then.  Mysql and kodi headless work flawlessly.

 

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Kewjoe]

The first sync is the longest. After that, it typically doesn't take long to sync ongoing. I use Emby and there is a "Fast Sync" plugin that i use. When i open Kodi on one of my devices, it does a quick sync for maybe 5 seconds and that's it. I've never tried plex or mysql so i don't know if either offer a better experience for this topic.

 

[Msan]

mysql/mariadb is what I use.. quick setup and just works.

I just setup a mariadb docker on the unraid server and edit the advancedsettings file for kodi...

Total setup time is less than 10 minutes.

[danioj]

Obviously, we have numerous choices now for syncing Kodi libraries and watch status (plexconnect, embyconnect, mysql).  While I like the idea of using Plex or Emby for my Kodi library needs, the thing that has always bothered me is the fact that it is not instantaneous (like mysql).  It writes the data locally and then syncs it.  Correct?  If so, I just see this process barfing too often.

 

My other niggle is that I like to keep my Kodi (OpenELEC) instances as stock as possible.  Having to install addons to perform a function that I can do via a couple of lines in advancedsettings.xml bothers me...more things that could break.

 

Then again, mysql isn't exactly and Out-Of-the-Box, simple solution.  And, upgrading presents its own challenges.

 

Is my concern justified at all?

 

Please be objective.  I'm not looking for perspective that is completely tainted with brand loyalty. 

 

John

 

I cannot say enough good things about Emby. It just works. You install the docker. Scan you library. Install the Plugin. Configure the plugin. Sync (VERY fast) with KODI. Done. Ongoing Sync is excellent and-pretty much instantaneous to my eyes.

 

Issue I have with running MySQL is that every time there is a KODI upgrade you have to mess around with your MySQL library too. Plus you have to run another docker for this. Emby is all in, server and library sync.

 

I have the Emby plugin running on LibreELEC and it is flawless. Flawless. I don't use that term lightly.

 

I have tried all the options that you are considering and I have landed on Emby.

 

I love it!

[METDeath]

I was looking to migrate away from MySQL for transcoding outside my network and the majority of my friends use Plex. I tried EmbyConnect, didn't like it... and it couldn't sync my whole library.

I have been using PleXBMC with the Amber skin. This has been by far the most reliable for me, particularly once I set up my Plex docker correctly (passed /mnt/user/ first, needed to pass each share unlike Emby which can do substitution that removes part of the string to pass to the Kodi). This doesn't rely on modifying the Kodi db, so it is pretty close to instant it also has the benefit of allowing you to track audio/subtitle track settings across players if you tell PleXBMC to use Plex for subtitle handling!

 

If you are using a Raspberry Pi, check out RasPlex as it detects H.264 Hi10P and request a transcoded version rather than playing the file improperly.

[MrCrispy]

IMO Emby is far better than Plex. It has progressed much further in a very short time, it is far more configurable, and it just does the right thing. It was designed to work alongside Kodi, their default metadata is to store Kodi compatible nfo files, and the devs are vert responsive. Plex is far more popular though.

 

Emby and Plex do more than just have a central database. Its the right way to do metadata instead of having a client do it.And the server transcoding and controlling clients is a huge plus. And Emby does more on the server and is easier.

 

Emby server + LibreElec or streaming client is the best possible home media setup.

[meep]

 

I cannot say enough good things about Emby. It just works. You install the docker. Scan you library. Install the Plugin. Configure the plugin. Sync (VERY fast) with KODI. Done. Ongoing Sync is excellent and-pretty much instantaneous to my eyes.

 

Issue I have with running MySQL is that every time there is a KODI upgrade you have to mess around with your MySQL library too. Plus you have to run another docker for this. Emby is all in, server and library sync.

 

I have the Emby plugin running on LibreELEC and it is flawless. Flawless. I don't use that term lightly.

 

I have tried all the options that you are considering and I have landed on Emby.

 

I love it!

 

I'd concur with this.

 

From a user / usability perspective, the Emby plugin approach is much more manageable and friendly than setting up what's essentially a hack to use a single DB with Kodi. (I looked into it about 18 months ago and didn't take to the process too well).

 

I use it extensively across several Kodi instances on Windows and OSX and it just works. My clients run mostly 24/7 but in cases where I have occasion to shut them down or restart for any reason, the sync speed is so reasonable as to be largely irrelevant.

 

Only two things bug me;

1. Emby itself can take some time to recognise new media dropped into it's watched folders. Therefore it doesn't show up, even in Emby web UI, for a while

2. There doesn't seem to be auto-update of the Kodi plug-in. (maybe I've missed something?).

 

 

 

[danioj]

 

I cannot say enough good things about Emby. It just works. You install the docker. Scan you library. Install the Plugin. Configure the plugin. Sync (VERY fast) with KODI. Done. Ongoing Sync is excellent and-pretty much instantaneous to my eyes.

 

Issue I have with running MySQL is that every time there is a KODI upgrade you have to mess around with your MySQL library too. Plus you have to run another docker for this. Emby is all in, server and library sync.

 

I have the Emby plugin running on LibreELEC and it is flawless. Flawless. I don't use that term lightly.

 

I have tried all the options that you are considering and I have landed on Emby.

 

I love it!

 

I'd concur with this.

 

From a user / usability perspective, the Emby plugin approach is much more manageable and friendly than setting up what's essentially a hack to use a single DB with Kodi. (I looked into it about 18 months ago and didn't take to the process too well).

 

I use it extensively across several Kodi instances on Windows and OSX and it just works. My clients run mostly 24/7 but in cases where I have occasion to shut them down or restart for any reason, the sync speed is so reasonable as to be largely irrelevant.

 

Only two things bug me;

1. Emby itself can take some time to recognise new media dropped into it's watched folders. Therefore it doesn't show up, even in Emby web UI, for a while

2. There doesn't seem to be auto-update of the Kodi plug-in. (maybe I've missed something?).

 

Emby has a real time scan enabled by default and this is what you are saying can "take a while":

 

 

I agree it is not always instantaneous, but I find that its always a matter of minutes rather than hours etc. I would suggest people think practically about how often they are sat in from of their TV waiting for a scan where by seconds / minutes matter that much! But hey-ho, each to their own!

 

However, if you're not happy with the real time monitoring then you can enable scheduled tasks to scan your library on intervals of your choosing. Remembering that after the initial scan all future scans are incremental and fast.

 

 

I personally however think if one was unhappy with the real time monitoring then there is a better way (so you don't have to do the scheduled incremental library scan) - IF you use an application to get your media for you. Often such applications have "notification settings" where in which you can set said application to "notify" Emby when a new file has been added to the folder structure and it is instantly added to the Emby library. You need the Emby API key for this and it is located (almost hidden in Emby settings) here:

 

Emby>Manage Server> Scroll to bottom of main window>bottom of page link called "Api"

 

 

Once Emby is updated, the KODI Add-On is that good that updates to KODI are almost instantaneous to my eyes.

 

Furthermore, in LibreELEC (I don't know if this is in Vanilla KODI) under the Emby Add-on settings there is an option called "Auto-update". Tick this and then the add-on gets updated automatically just like any other add-on.

 

 

Hope this helps!

[meep]

Emby has a real time scan enabled by default and this is what you are saying can "take a while":

 

I agree it is not always instantaneous, but I find that its always a matter of minutes rather than hours etc. I would suggest people think practically about how often they are sat in from of their TV waiting for a scan where by seconds / minutes matter that much! But hey-ho, each to their own!

 

However, if you're not happy with the real time monitoring then you can enable scheduled tasks to scan your library on intervals of your choosing. Remembering that after the initial scan all future scans are incremental and fast.

 

Most helpful, thanks for the comprehensive response though my real time scanning must be borked as it can take many hours (sometimes overnight) for new media to sho up. Sometimes it's pretty instantaneous.

 

I'll review the config. over the weekend and see if there's something I can click to fix.

[mikeyrad]

For you guys using emby over Plex - have you tried the plexkodiconnect addon (not plexbmc)? It works exactly like the emby addon for Kodi so you can use any skin (even Kodi 17, which I'm using now).

 

I used both, emby because I love the integration with Kodi, and plex because all my other devices have plex and it was the easiest way for me to stream to them....now that I'm trying to use plexkodiconnect and wondering if I even need Emby anymore. The thing I miss most about Emby right now is the boxsets - plex doesn't do that, though maybe there's another addon for Kodi that will do it on the client...

[danioj]

For you guys using emby over Plex - have you tried the plexkodiconnect addon (not plexbmc)? It works exactly like the emby addon for Kodi so you can use any skin (even Kodi 17, which I'm using now).

 

I used both, emby because I love the integration with Kodi, and plex because all my other devices have plex and it was the easiest way for me to stream to them....now that I'm trying to use plexkodiconnect and wondering if I even need Emby anymore. The thing I miss most about Emby right now is the boxsets - plex doesn't do that, though maybe there's another addon for Kodi that will do it on the client...

 

I don't have the considerations where other devices have Plex already so for me it's a straight Emby vs Plex and for me Emby wins. So now I have a working setup, moving to Plex offers me nothing (that I can see) that I want.

 

As for boxsets in Emby. There is a plugin to Emby server called "autoboxsets" which uses TMDB to get Collection data. Then creates the sets in Emby for you. Change Kodi to display sets (via simple switch in Video settings in KODI) and then do a one off manual sync. Done. 5 mins.

[dalben]

I've disabled Emby for a while.  I was hunting down what was keeping one of my 4 cores running at nearly 100% all the time and narrowed it down to Emby.

 

As I've got Kodi and MariaDB running nicely for my devices I'm in no rush to see if I can tune Emby to be less CPU intensive.  As my small ARM based kodi streamers reach end of support for later Kodi releases I'll start looking at Emby again.

 

In saying that, I did like the functionality Emby brings.

[lilomaster]

I know this is quite an old post, but I have just discovered PlexKodiConnect because of a very specific need. I have one server, one Amlogic, Coreelect-based box, and one Stick-PC, Libreelec-based computer, plus my laptop computer that also has Kodi installed. A few days ago, Kodi Matrix (v19.0) has been released as a stable release, but both, Coreelec and Libreelec don't release a stable, Kodi-Matrix-Based release yet. Besides, it turns out that my Amlogic-S912-Based box won't be compatible with the latest version of Coreelec, based on Kodi Matrix. I have updated my laptop computer and my server (which serves a media server, a Plex server, and Kodi viewer for the TV set I have in my living room, all at the same time) to the latest Kodi Version, and my Stick Pc and Amlogic box are still running Kodi 18.9. 

MySQL database in Kodi, as said in previous posts, works flawlessly, but it turns out that Kodi 18 and Kodi 19 databases are different, and therefore are not synchronized to each other. When all my devices were based on Kodi 18.x, there was no problem at all, but with two devices with Kodi 19 and two devices with Kodi 18, they work like two completely separate databases, although they use the same engine, with the same user, in the same server. As a result, If I started viewing a movie in my TV set in my living room, which is based on Kodi 19, the resume point was not synchronized for me to cotinue watching the movie in my bedroom, which is where I have my Amlogic, Coreelec-Based TV box. Trying to find a solution to that specific problem, I found PlexKodiConnect, which works like a charm to synchronize all my devices, regardless what version of Kodi they are running. In addition, since I used Plex to have access to my content out of home, I can also synchronized my resume points with the content I am watching through a Plex app, whether installed in my laptop computer or in any of my mother's TV sets at her place. In summary, using PlexKodiConnect you can syncrhonize different Kodi devices running different versions of Kodi. I know, in the ideal world, I should have all my devices running the latest version of Kodi, but many times developers take longer to develop specific ports for specific hardware, and they also stop developing ports for older hardware.