I just stumbled onto this thread and found it an interesting read.
I was surprised that nobody mentioned Montellese's Media Import Branch. It is a more generic approach for what the Emby Server + Emby Kodi Plugin does. I am aware that it is not "ready for prime time", but if this is the way of the future and I think it is. Maybe we should be suggesting this route for emby, and for their developers to submit PRs to strengthen this branch. In My Humble Opinion, the biggest win of this approach is that it would allow to use both an Emby and Kodi backends while weaknesses in each are being strengthened and even after that.
I understand and agree with the position about writing direct to the database. It should be noted that in the Emby setup the risk is different because the data is still on the server and so data would not be lost due to corruption because the kodi database could be reset and the info retrieved from the server. So in that case I agree with xnappo, "It's so bad its good though."
I have been testing both the Media Import functionality and the Emby setup and I like them both. There is a lot to like about Emby Server, for me, chief among them is the Web enabled server, users and media management functionalities. I am not sure if we are all aware that the media Import test builds sees Emby Server, and imports from it. The problem is that it imports all entries as movies. Even the TV episodes and Music Videos. Montellese mentions here that These UPnP Servers (media providers), in which Emby is included, needs to implement a feature which allows this distinction.
http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=...pid2082991
Have the Emby Devs considered this?
Would this approach still have the limitations of which they speak?
Remember, if Kodi media import functions can distinguish among the different media types, there would be no need for an Emby plugin. So their help in this branch does not only help emby server adoption by Kodi users, it will help Kodi in general as well. That's my understanding, let me know if I am wrong..