A developer has released a third-party Android TV player called Yonto Player and is inviting Emby users to test it and report what is missing. The announcement was posted in the Emby community's third-party apps section on October 15, 2026.
What it does
The starting point was a familiar frustration: entering a server address, username and password one character at a time with a TV remote. Yonto Player instead shows a QR code on the TV. You fill in the form on your phone's keyboard, the details are transferred encrypted, and the relay only passes them along. Nothing is saved until you confirm on the remote.
Against the developer's own Emby server, the tested features are browsing, playback and resume, plus the same experience in the phone version of the app. Live TV has not been tried, and the developer is explicit that it should be treated as untested there.
Other details from the announcement:
- D-pad-first navigation, with focus placed where you would expect it
- Back returns you to the exact card you came from
- A Continue playing row and a Watch Next row in the launcher
- Picture-in-picture and double-tap seeking in the phone and tablet app
- Jellyfin and Plex support alongside Emby
- On Android, playback of files from a NAS over WebDAV or SMB
- No account, no ads and no analytics
The app is free with one source. A Pro tier adds more sources and plugins and is a one-off payment rather than a subscription. The developer states that the player provides no content and that you bring your own server, and notes that Emby, Jellyfin and Plex are trademarks of their owners and that Yonto Player is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Who it affects
Anyone running Emby on a TV who has set up a client with a remote knows the setup step is the worst part. A QR-code handoff to the phone is a small change that removes most of that friction, and it matters most in households where the TV is the main screen and nobody wants to re-enter credentials after a reset or a new device.
The D-pad focus and the Back behavior are also worth watching, since those are the details that separate a usable TV client from an annoying one.
Commentary for self-hosters
Treat this as an early test, not a drop-in replacement. The developer is asking for feedback, and Live TV is untested, so if your setup leans on tuners or guide data, verify that before relying on it. Try it on a secondary TV first, keep your existing client installed, and check the encrypted handoff behavior yourself before entering credentials for a server you care about.
One-off pricing with no subscription and no analytics is a reasonable model for a self-hosted audience, but confirm what the Pro tier unlocks before paying. If you want to extend your Emby setup on the server side instead, our Emby plugins cover registration, cashier and related tooling.