What is locking all my tuners?

[Carlo 4330]

First there is new code in the beta to help with this, so the issue should happen a lot less frequently if at all once you get that version.

I can see how setting 1 IPTV stream limit might still be an issue but if you get 3 to 5 streams this likely will never be a problem.  Unlike a hardware tuner that can be locked a virtual stream can't be locked.  Your provider shouldn't be counting it as a stream if there is no open connection.  But it's possible Emby's internal counter on number of stream used blocks you.

My provider gives 5 streams and just won't allow a 6th to be opened.  So I don't set the limit at all and leave it at 0. It's pointless for me to set it anyway as I have the vod content as strrm files which Emby can't track anyway.

[Groentjuh 0]

6 hours ago, cayars said:

This sounds like a configuration issue if I'm reading this correct.  What you're saying is basically any time Emby touches a tuner it is never freed up correct?

Are you using m3u with Emby or the TVH plugin?

I'm using the TVH plugin. The whole setup is minisatip controlling the 8 digital devices tuners (DVB-C) and 2 CI slots (with CAMs) for descambling. Minisatip actually handles the descambling. Tvheadend connects to that and receives the signals. Of course TvHeadend scans for channels and TV guide etc etc. It might take a few seconds to get the descambled signals, but it should be fine. Using the Tvheadend plugin, Emby connects to TvHeadend. Emby is sometimes a bit impatient when tuning to a scambled channel, but generally it will only have issues when all tuners were sleeping and everything has to start up. VLC or Kodi can handle that slightly better, but Emby generally has little issues with this.

What I notice really often is after some changing of channels is, just plenty of channels being tuned to by Emby, while nothing it watching it. As example see this screenshot:

My TV is tuned to NPO 2 HD. It is! There are no other devices playing anything, so you would expect Emby to only tune to NPO 2 HD. Previously this TV was tuned to NPO 1 HD, NPO 3 HD, RTL 4 HD, RTL 5 HD and SBS6 HD. Looking in Tvheadend I see:

So Emby is currently tuned to NPO 1 HD (why?), NPO 2 HD (as it should) and SBS6 HD twice (why!? and why twice!)! It can correctly stop streams, but fairly often just keeps it going.

It's so easy to get Emby to do this. Basically the only way it does not do it, is to properly stop playing it by using another client to stop the TV or by using the back button. Do NOT use "Exit" or just power off the TV. It will lock your tuner basically 100% of the time. Oh and if a tuner is a bit sluggish with descambling? Well, that's also a way to get a tuner locked! Any signal issues? Tuner locked! "Playback issue"? Tuner locked! Only the perfect happy-flow works most of the time! Any "exceptions" and it will just stay tuned and never release the channel.

In the logs you can sometimes also see it happening:

Below I pressed "Exit" or powered off my TV. (Channel stays tuned!)
Groentjuh is playing RTL 4 HD on Emby (TV)
Groentjuh has disconnected from Emby (TV)

vs

Below I pressed "Back" then "Exit"/powered off my TV. (Channel is released!)
Groentjuh is playing RTL 4 HD on Emby (TV)
Groentjuh has finished playing RTL 4 HD on Emby (TV)
Groentjuh has disconnected from Emby (TV)
 

Like CharlieMurphy, I also have a cronjob to daily restart Emby to get rid of any hanging streams.

Edited October 29, 2021 by Groentjuh

[Carlo 4330]

Thanks for the detailed info.  I understand your issue.