diff --git a/addon.xml b/addon.xml
index d7892e8..fc53112 100644
--- a/addon.xml
+++ b/addon.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
 <addon  id="plugin.video.embycon" 
         name="EmbyCon"
-        version="1.9.55"
+        version="1.9.56"
         provider-name="Team B">
   <requires>
     <import addon="xbmc.python" version="2.25.0"/>
diff --git a/resources/lib/action_menu.py b/resources/lib/action_menu.py
index f9863fe..5a052f9 100644
--- a/resources/lib/action_menu.py
+++ b/resources/lib/action_menu.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import time
 import threading
 
 import xbmc
-import xbmcaddon
 import xbmcgui
 
 from .simple_logging import SimpleLogging
diff --git a/resources/lib/dir_functions.py b/resources/lib/dir_functions.py
index bf4a1a2..2791579 100644
--- a/resources/lib/dir_functions.py
+++ b/resources/lib/dir_functions.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# Gnu General Public License - see LICENSE.TXT
+
 import xbmcaddon
 import xbmcplugin
 import xbmcgui
@@ -158,7 +160,9 @@ def getContent(url, params):
     xbmcplugin.endOfDirectory(pluginhandle, cacheToDisc=False)
 
     # send display items event
+
     display_items_notification = {"view_type": view_type}
+    log.debug("Sending display_items with data {0}", display_items_notification)
     send_event_notification("display_items", display_items_notification)
 
     if (progress != None):
diff --git a/resources/lib/functions.py b/resources/lib/functions.py
index f7b1569..72bcf80 100644
--- a/resources/lib/functions.py
+++ b/resources/lib/functions.py
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ import cProfile
 import pstats
 import json
 import StringIO
-import encodings
-import binascii
-import re
-import hashlib
-import cPickle
 
 import xbmcplugin
 import xbmcgui
diff --git a/resources/lib/play_utils.py b/resources/lib/play_utils.py
index 26d7884..918333e 100644
--- a/resources/lib/play_utils.py
+++ b/resources/lib/play_utils.py
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 # Gnu General Public License - see LICENSE.TXT
 
-import binascii
-
 import xbmc
 import xbmcgui
 import xbmcaddon
-import xbmcvfs
 
 from datetime import timedelta
-from datetime import datetime
 import json
 import os
+import base64
 
 from .simple_logging import SimpleLogging
 from .downloadutils import DownloadUtils
@@ -1215,9 +1212,9 @@ class PlaybackService(xbmc.Monitor):
             return
 
         data_json = json.loads(data)
-        hex_data = data_json[0]
-        log.debug("PlaybackService:onNotification:{0}", hex_data)
-        decoded_data = binascii.unhexlify(hex_data)
+        message_data = data_json[0]
+        log.debug("PlaybackService:onNotification:{0}", message_data)
+        decoded_data = base64.b64decode(message_data)
         play_info = json.loads(decoded_data)
 
         if signal == "embycon_play_action":
diff --git a/resources/lib/utils.py b/resources/lib/utils.py
index 7b19f6a..30ddea9 100644
--- a/resources/lib/utils.py
+++ b/resources/lib/utils.py
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 # Gnu General Public License - see LICENSE.TXT
 import xbmcaddon
-import xbmcgui
-import xbmcplugin
 import xbmc
 
 import string
 import random
 import urllib
 import json
-import binascii
+import base64
 import time
 from datetime import datetime
 import _strptime
@@ -311,10 +309,11 @@ def single_urlencode(text):
 
 
 def send_event_notification(method, data):
-    next_data = json.dumps(data)
+    message_data = json.dumps(data)
     source_id = "embycon"
-    data = '\\"[\\"{0}\\"]\\"'.format(binascii.hexlify(next_data))
-    command = 'XBMC.NotifyAll({0}.SIGNAL,{1},{2})'.format(source_id, method, data)
+    base64_data = base64.b64encode(message_data)
+    escaped_data = '\\"[\\"{0}\\"]\\"'.format(base64_data)
+    command = 'XBMC.NotifyAll({0}.SIGNAL,{1},{2})'.format(source_id, method, escaped_data)
     log.debug("Sending notification event data: {0}", command)
     xbmc.executebuiltin(command)
 
diff --git a/service.py b/service.py
index d8b53ab..601412b 100644
--- a/service.py
+++ b/service.py
@@ -2,14 +2,10 @@
 # Gnu General Public License - see LICENSE.TXT
 
 import time
-import json
 import traceback
-import binascii
-from threading import Timer
 
 import xbmc
 import xbmcaddon
-import xbmcgui
 
 from resources.lib.downloadutils import DownloadUtils, save_user_details
 from resources.lib.simple_logging import SimpleLogging