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+---- Thread: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser (/t-doesn-t-play-videos-on-external-access-in-browser)
Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - Paiper - 2025-03-23
Hello,
I have installed Jellyfin 10.10.6 on my Synology DS224+ using community packages. (Sorry, the wording might not be correct as I am using DS and Jellyfin in German and not in English.)
And I experience the following problem:
I can access jellyfin externally. The Android app on my mobile is working and I can watch movies if I am anywhere. I am using my admin account. Also trancoding is working. I am happy.
But:
As "link for streaming" does not lead to a link for streaming but for downloading - BTW why????? - I did add a new user which I want to use for family members to share certain videos.
So I added a new user with a dedicated folder and scanned the libaries. And the user does have access to this folder/library.
The new user is accessable from externally. Perfect. I can log in to the account. And I see the folder with the videos. (eg using an Android mobile with chrome browser)
But:
I cannot play the videos. If I click on the thumbnail picture, nothing is happening. Only a circling blue circle is shown for an eternal time. If I click the little play symbol above I get a message: "Playback Error - No valid media source could be found for playback" - please note that I do get this message in German, so the translation might not be 100% like the Jellyfin system one.
If I access the Jellyfin server on my PC directly the videos in the "new user-library" are perfectly visible and for playing. (on my admin account)
Again on the app (on my Android mobile) also everything perfect and can play the dedicated videos on my admin account. Incl. transcoding.
But I need and want an easy solution to share videos with persons not having installed an app etc. Just a quick and dirty solution. (most preferable just a web link to watch but that is not available.)
It seems that there are no port forwarding issues. Access works. Just videos are not playing externally in the browser.
The new user has the rights to play from all devices externally etc. (but perhaps I am missing a certain configuration)
Any ideas?
Of course it is all http and port 8096.
I want to add https at a later stage but I did not review any guides on how to do that.
Thank you.
best regads,
Paiper
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - TheDreadPirate - 2025-03-23
Depending on what you paste the link into will determine the behavior. If put into a media player that supports it (MPV or VLC) it will start streaming the video. If you paste that link in a browser it will initiate a download.
As for the playback problems, can you share your jellyfin log via privatebin.net?
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - Paiper - 2025-03-23
Thank for the link behavior.
Is the following the log-file you requested?
https://privatebin.net/?8a23e61e499bf773#7273Qhgt4ycKQVskcRk2KfH37rvawvcpFMJ4J43g8EBp
Paiper
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - TheDreadPirate - 2025-03-23
I don't see anything obviously wrong. It looks like it is transcoding each remote playback. Can you share one of the ffmpeg logs?
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - Paiper - 2025-03-23
I do not get ffmpeg logs when this one user is trying to view videos. (?)
I just have logs from working access of the admin in the app.
https://privatebin.net/?03ab197b16baeef1#CxBhT7n3U5VSCLnHYgFAzP3wL3M8UqT3SFQsXhHpsWSA
Paiper
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - TheDreadPirate - 2025-03-23
Those are ffmpeg logs. And they look fine.
For what you are asking for, sharing a link that anyone can just play, that is not possible unless the remote user pasting the link in MPV or VLC or <insert video player>. It will never work in the browser since the link is just a download link. Jellyfin does not allow access to the web player without authentication.
Additionally, the link you provide these other users includes an API key. Otherwise the download link wouldn't work, since Jellyfin requires authentication. Once you log out of your session that create the link, the API key in that link becomes invalid. So it won't stay valid forever.
This is also a security issue. Unauthenticated video sharing is not a supported use case for Jellyfin. A malicious person could use the API key included in your link to gain unauthorized access to your Jellyfin server. If this API key is for an admin user, they can make changes and delete content if they wanted to.
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - Paiper - 2025-03-23
(2025-03-23, 07:28 PM)TheDreadPirate Wrote: Those are ffmpeg logs. And they look fine.
Actually the user that does not get the videos does not produce ffmpeg logs. So the problem is before the ffmpeg starts. IMO.
Quote:
For what you are asking for, sharing a link that anyone can just play, that is not possible unless the remote user pasting the link in MPV or VLC or <insert video player>. It will never work in the browser since the link is just a download link. Jellyfin does not allow access to the web player without authentication.
Understood.
My usecase is to share videos within the family. So a user account with password would be fine but it has to work which it does not currently. The content is only family vids. So no stuff with copyrights on. But I prefer to have my videos on my server and not on an open platform in the net.
I think I will create more users for testing. (hopefully one will work)
Thank you for all your effort.
Paiper
RE: Doesn't play videos on external access in browser - Paiper - 2025-03-25
I think I found the problem.
The library that one user was allowed to access was a sub-folder of another library. Now I created that library on the same level as the others and now it seems to work. Or in other words: A user needs to have a 'top level' library.
Paiper