Live TV not working on Roku

[Sam865 13]

I started to post in the Roku forum, but decided not to - since others (including you) had already posted about the problem.  

 

I decided to post in the main forum about the problem to hopefully get the attention of Luke (and others) about the problem.

 

On your recommendation, I will also post in the Roku forum.

 

Thanks for all that you do!

I have five roku devices, (Roku 2, Roku 3 original, two Roku 3 new version (with voice search), and a TCL Roku TV. I started experiencing this exact same problem about three or four days ago on one of the new version Roku 3 devices. I have spent hours eliminating possible causes such as ethernet cables, HDMI cables, unmanaged switches, etc. I even went so far as to move the Roku to a different TV, and the problem persisted. Then I noticed that the problem has "spread" to two other Roku devices. When I discovered this problem on the forum, I checked the Roku firmware version on all five Roku devices. The three that no longer work with streaming live TV ALL have software version 7.5, while the two that are still working are version 7.2. (One of these two that still work is the TCL Roku TV. If it updates to version 7.5, I suspect that the TV will become a "brick" until the problem gets fixed.

 

I also have a question for the forum moderators: I can find ffmpg-transcoding and server log files on the Emby server, but I can't find server-side copies of the debug files that are apparently stored locally on the Roku devices. I can read the debug files on the client device screen, but I can't find them on the Emby server and, thus, can't upload files to the forum. How can I do this?

[Vitale4 15]

I added an entry in the ROKU Forums: https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=97331

 

Hopefully I will hear something from them as well.  If I get a reply, I will post.  If you review what I put on the ROKU Forum and notice I left something out, please let me know so I can correct.

 

thanks

Edited November 11, 2016 by Vitale4

[dmcneil 0]

Experiencing the same issue.   Only when I try to update the software on my Roku 3, it does not offer 7.2, only 7.5 to 7.5.  Any tips?

[AmericanMike 3]

Experiencing the same issue.   Only when I try to update the software on my Roku 3, it does not offer 7.2, only 7.5 to 7.5.  Any tips?

Tonight I just noticed that one of the Roku 3's I rolled back the other day have now updated again to 7.5 and will not work.  When I went into the Secret Menu I have the same choice as @@dmcneil, to only go from 7.5 to 7.5 now.  Only effects Live TV, all other functionality checks out.

 

As a backup I have a Simple.TV box (an original) and it is working fine.

[Vitale4 15]

Interesting -- I will need to monitor that.  My ROKU 3 still has the 7.2 version on it...

[tlsimpson 0]

Confirming my Roku 3 has auto updated to 7.5 and the Secret Screen rollback option is no longer available. Are there other hacks for Roku? Glad this forum is active, and also hope that Roku has been made aware that their update broke things.

[AmericanMike 3]

so I gotta ask.....and hopefully can get a high level answer.  On my system I use NextPVR to communicate with my Hauppauge card.  I see that when I record TV for later playback there is a .ts file created and it plays back on Emby with no issues.  I know there is magic happening with transcoding etc, but would think this process is the same for Live TV yet that does not work.

 

I am sure there is more to it so please educate me but be kind.

 

 

[Luke 37028]

@@speechles i'm going to look for a temporary workaround we can use while waiting for a fix from Roku. I haven't had a chance to test yet but one idea is using mkv as the transcoding format instead of HLS, but only when item.Type = TvChannel. I'm guessing the Roku issue is probably related to live HLS streams.

[Vitale4 15]

I posted to the ROKU Forum and there is a lot of feedback but no fixes yet.  ROKU is now asking for the model, Serial, and SW build of the ROKU being used.  So maybe we go there attention.  

 

Someone posted this in a different forum: "This buffering problem has been around for years and RP isn't the only channel affected." - so it could be a buffering issue...

 

The Link to the ROKU Forum is: https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=97331

 

The Link to the Forum mentioned where other apps are experiencing the same issues: https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=96454&p=543723#p543190

[drewtlo 0]

@@speechles i'm going to look for a temporary workaround we can use while waiting for a fix from Roku. I haven't had a chance to test yet but one idea is using mkv as the transcoding format instead of HLS, but only when item.Type = TvChannel. I'm guessing the Roku issue is probably related to live HLS streams.

Thanks for all that you do, Luke! Is there any way to beta test? If you're looking for testers, that is.

[Luke 37028]

Can you guys try this zip build. Please note, it is just a quick hack test to see if it helps make live tv playable. It will make playback worse for all other content so after testing you'll want to go back to your previous build. thanks.

 

 

Emby.Roku.zip

[tpneumat 2]

Can you guys try this zip build. Please note, it is just a quick hack test to see if it helps make live tv playable. It will make playback worse for all other content so after testing you'll want to go back to your previous build. thanks.

Just tried.  Unfortunately, does not seem to help.  Seems like same issue.  Thanks for trying.

 

Metadata:

encoder : Lavf56.40.101

Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (libx264) (H264 / 0x34363248), yuv420p, 1280x720 [sAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=-1--1, 2752 kb/s, 30 fps, 1k tbn, 30 tbc

Metadata:

encoder : Lavc56.60.100 libx264

Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3 ([0] [0][0] / 0x2000), 48000 Hz, stereo, 448 kb/s

Stream mapping:

Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (mpeg2video (native) -> h264 (libx264))

Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

Press [q] to stop, [?] for help

frame= 93 fps=0.0 q=22.0 size= 1125kB time=00:00:04.06 bitrate=2266.3kbits/s dup=0 drop=90

frame= 122 fps=121 q=19.0 size= 1373kB time=00:00:05.03 bitrate=2233.6kbits/s dup=0 drop=119

frame= 144 fps= 96 q=20.0 size= 1500kB time=00:00:05.76 bitrate=2130.9kbits/s dup=0 drop=141

frame= 159 fps= 79 q=20.0 size= 1620kB time=00:00:06.26 bitrate=2118.6kbits/s dup=0 drop=156

frame= 171 fps= 67 q=24.0 size= 1651kB time=00:00:06.66 bitrate=2029.0kbits/s dup=0 drop=168

frame= 188 fps= 62 q=23.0 size= 1822kB time=00:00:07.23 bitrate=2062.9kbits/s dup=0 drop=184

frame= 201 fps= 56 q=24.0 size= 2231kB time=00:00:07.66 bitrate=2384.3kbits/s dup=0 drop=197

frame= 212 fps= 52 q=27.0 size= 2475kB time=00:00:08.03 bitrate=2523.7kbits/s dup=0 drop=208

frame= 228 fps= 50 q=27.0 size= 2719kB time=00:00:08.56 bitrate=2600.0kbits/s dup=0 drop=224

frame= 247 fps= 48 q=23.0 size= 2947kB time=00:00:09.20 bitrate=2623.9kbits/s dup=0 drop=243

frame= 259 fps= 46 q=23.0 size= 3119kB time=00:00:09.60 bitrate=2661.3kbits/s dup=0 drop=255

frame= 274 fps= 45 q=25.0 size= 3297kB time=00:00:10.10 bitrate=2674.6kbits/s dup=0 drop=270

frame= 289 fps= 43 q=21.0 size= 3596kB time=00:00:10.60 bitrate=2779.1kbits/s dup=0 drop=285

frame= 301 fps= 42 q=28.0 size= 3729kB time=00:00:11.00 bitrate=2777.1kbits/s dup=0 drop=297

frame= 323 fps= 42 q=28.0 size= 3952kB time=00:00:11.73 bitrate=2759.2kbits/s dup=0 drop=319

[mpegts @ 0x7fae1b000000] PES packet size mismatch

[mpeg2video @ 0x7fae1a807000] invalid mb type in B Frame at 61 44

[mpeg2video @ 0x7fae1a807000] Warning MVs not available

[mpeg2video @ 0x7fae1a807000] concealing 80 DC, 80 AC, 80 MV errors in B frame

frame= 341 fps= 42 q=29.0 Lsize= 4470kB time=00:00:12.33 bitrate=2969.2kbits/s dup=0 drop=337

video:3826kB audio:637kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: 0.183309%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] frame I:4 Avg QP:15.88 size: 86266

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] frame P:337 Avg QP:21.29 size: 10598

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] mb I I16..4: 26.2% 27.3% 46.5%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] mb P I16..4: 4.7% 2.9% 0.4% P16..4: 43.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% skip:49.0%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] 8x8 transform intra:34.9% inter:56.1%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 32.6% 57.6% 26.0% inter: 14.6% 18.3% 3.3%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] i16 v,h,dc,p: 47% 28% 22% 3%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 17% 22% 32% 5% 4% 4% 5% 4% 7%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 26% 22% 17% 6% 5% 5% 6% 6% 7%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] i8c dc,h,v,p: 48% 25% 20% 7%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] Weighted P-Frames: Y:1.8% UV:0.3%

[libx264 @ 0x7fae1d105000] kb/s:2756.61

[tman 47]

FWIW, same here on two Roku 2's with 7.5. Worked fine on 7.2.

[Luke 37028]

try disabling surround sound on your roku. that will cause it to convert the audio. see if that makes a difference.

 

if it does not then please provide the ffmpeg logs produced by Emby, in their entirety. thanks.

[tpneumat 2]

No dice.  Put in stereo mode.   Here is log. https://gist.github.com/tpneumat/1f876856153e2baabb83146cf438ccb2

[tpneumat 2]

No dice.  Put in stereo mode.   Here is log. https://gist.github.com/tpneumat/1f876856153e2baabb83146cf438ccb2

Also, you might found this from the main log to be of use.  https://gist.github.com/tpneumat/47668271b87da5a2711c4f20482adddb

 

Just looks like the roku client socket gives up/quits.

 

BTW, all of my rokus auto-updated against my will and now there is no revert path.  Only option is 7.5 to 7.5.   I did see that the roku update process calls to dns wwwimg.roku.com which is cname for secure.roku.com.edgekey.net.   I'd be tempted to start blocking if I didn't already get pwned by the update. 

[Jambercob 12]

We also have this issue on our Roku 4 in the living room which recently updated. If there's anything we can do to help troubleshoot this let me know!

[sstahl 0]

Hi Luke, any update on Live TV fix? I too have the same exact issue with Roku  version 7.5. Has Roku acknowledged this as an issue for them fiix? I have not seen any new updates since Monday. Is there a fix that I missed?

[speechles 1917]

https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=97426

 

Roku has formally addressed the issue and is looking into it on their end.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Luke 37028]

Bravo, well done !

[tpneumat 2]

Based on forum post in Roku, I altered the VideoPlayer.brs and added the following line ~192 during the video init (this was in blue neon night)

player.SetConnectionTimeout(30)

That fixed it on my devices.  

Edited November 16, 2016 by tpneumat

[wingatesl 3]

Based on forum post in Roku, I altered the VideoPlayer.brs and added the following line ~192 during the video init (this was in blue neon night)

player.SetConnectionTimeout(30)

That fixed it on my devices.  

I can confirm that setting the timeout value to 30 resolved the issue. 

[Allenjs5 3]

I can confirm that setting the timeout value to 30 resolved the issue.

Sorry if this is an obvious thing that I am missing but how do we change this setting?

[wingatesl 3]

Sorry if this is an obvious thing that I am missing but how do we change this setting?

 

You have to change the source of the Blue Neon Night application. In the VideoPlayer.brs file, line 192 is currently blank, and just after player.SetPositionNotificationPeriod(1). Adding player.SetConnectionTimeout(30) in that spot will extend the timeout period for starting the stream. You then sideload the app.

 

I have attached a modified version here that you can sideload using the developer page.

BNN.zip

[tpneumat 2]

I've requested that they update in the official channel:  https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/24151-theme-blue-neon-night/?p=386304  Maybe 2nd the motion on that forum