emby-direct-player

Project Overview

The direct edition of embyToLocalPlayer is a patch on top of the upstream userscript that adds a "direct mode": the browser's own network requests hand Emby or Jellyfin direct links to your local player and report playback progress back. It needs no Python, no always-on local service, and no path mapping. Supported players are JRiver Media Center, MPC-HC, and MPV, and item detail pages gain three playback entries styled exactly like the native buttons.

Let the Emby web page throw the video straight to the player on your PC.

Key Features

• Direct playback: the script takes over Emby and Jellyfin play buttons and launches a local player instead of the web player
• Player support: works with JRiver Media Center, MPC-HC, and MPV
• Progress reporting: JRiver and MPC-HC report playback progress back to Emby so resume positions work
• Native-styled entries: three playback entries are inserted after "Play / Continue Watching / Download", reusing the native button styles
• Graphical setup: the relay opens its settings window on double-click, letting you browse or auto-scan player paths, register protocols, and view logs
• Switchable: turn off the direct switch to fully restore the original behavior via the Python service

Target Audience

• Users running Emby or Jellyfin media servers
• Users who prefer JRiver, MPC-HC, or MPV for playback
• Users who would rather not install Python or a local service

Quick Start

1. Import embyToLocalPlayer.direct.user.js into Tampermonkey
2. Open the userscript menu's "Direct Player: Settings", choose a mode, and enter the player address or path
3. Double-click etlp-relay.exe to open the settings window, pick your player with "Find" or "Browse", and register the protocol
4. Use "Test Connection" in the menu to confirm it works
5. Turn on the "Direct Player" switch, then click play on an Emby page to launch your local player

Core Advantages

• No Python needed: no Python, no local service, and no path mapping
• No background process: the relay is not a resident service; it is launched once per play and exits
• Player freedom: JRiver, MPC-HC, and MPV can all take over, whichever you prefer
• Reversible: flipping the switch off restores the original workflow

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	Windows (the relay is a 64-bit single-file program)
Browser	A browser that supports Tampermonkey
Player	JRiver, MPC-HC, or MPV installed locally

Notes

• Suitable for direct-link playback only; Emby transcoding, subtitle burning, and HLS segments are poor fits for external players
• With the direct switch on, web playback is forcibly blocked; turn it off to watch in the browser
• Progress stops reporting once the page closes, the price of having no background service
• MPV has no web interface, so it does not report progress