ServerWMC not streaming LiveTV

[RedStripe 14]

Setup

OS:             Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1

Model:        64-bit

RAM:          16.0 GB

Processor:  i5-2500k

 

Name                                                                Source           Status

HDHomeRun Prime Tuner 1313EF88-0            Digital Cable    Available                                             

HDHomeRun Prime Tuner 1313EF88-1            Digital Cable    Available                                             

HDHomeRun Prime Tuner 1313EF88-2            Digital Cable    Available                                             

Silicondust HDHomeRun Tuner 10374016-0    ClearQAM        Available                                             

Silicondust HDHomeRun Tuner 10374016-1    ClearQAM        Available

 

FireFox Version: 27.0.1

Media Browser Server Version: 3.0.5192.19560, running on ports 8096 and 8945

ServerWMC Version: 1.0.0.25, build 1129, running on port 9080

 

Statuses:

Setup works fine in Windows Media Center

Guide successfully downloaded

No errors in ServerWMC logs

ServerWMC.log

ServerWMC_lastRun.log

 

 

Issues:

1. Attempts to “play” a channel either a) displays a static image or continually displays the working icon.
2. Static image takes a long time to display (5 or 6 seconds)
3. Static image begins to play when ServerWMC is restarted
   • Plays for about 20 seconds and player closes
   • Correct channel/program plays but it is NOT live
   • Same 20 seconds plays if above steps are repeated

Edited March 21, 2014 by RedStripe

[krustyreturns 191]

In the first log, I don't see any attempts to start a live stream.  In the second log, the live tv stream started successfully but mbs closed it down almost immediately.  Maybe look at the mbs log to see why the stream is being closed down?  Or at least post that log after it fails.

[RedStripe 14]

Here is the serverlog. Only shows that LiveTV starts then stops

 

2014-03-21 19:04:17.9723 Debug - SessionWebSocketListener: Received PlaybackStart message
2014-03-21 19:04:39.6645 Debug - SessionWebSocketListener: Received PlaybackStopped message
 

No further info. Any ideas or help appreciated. Please note everything works fine in WMC!!!

 

Issue only occurs with HD & Premium channels only. However these channels ARE OK in WMC.

 

server-63531022978.log

Edited March 22, 2014 by RedStripe

[krustyreturns 191]

Sorry, I should have also said to include the ffmpeg log after a live tv stream fails.

[RedStripe 14]

Please find attached ffmpeg log...just terminates abruptly!? Could this have anything to do with the source being HD content?

 

ffmpeg-55a4adce-b550-4230-8512-baa73d8dbf2e.txt

 

Just noticed 20 lines down:

 

[mpeg2video @ 048db3c0] Invalid frame dimensions 0x0.
    Last message repeated 2 times
[mpegts @ 048b5820] DTS 172620 < 178650 out of order
[mpeg2video @ 048db3c0] Invalid frame dimensions 0x0.
    Last message repeated 1 times
[mpegts @ 048b5820] PES packet size mismatch

 

How to correct this?

Edited March 22, 2014 by RedStripe

[RedStripe 14]

Just noticed the mediaBrowser-Server specific ffmpeg directory. I assume this is the ffmpeg that MediaBrowser is using.

1) The directory is filling up with ffmpeg versions. There are currently 11 in my folder. Can I assume that the latest is the version used and the earlier versions  can be deleted?

2) How can I update to the latest version of ffmpeg? Can 64-bit version be used?

3) I thought that MediaBrowser used the same resources for LiveTV as WMC. It seem that at least regarding ffmpeg this not the case. Is that true?

Edited March 22, 2014 by RedStripe

[Tikuf 663]

Please find attached ffmpeg log...just terminates abruptly!? Could this have anything to do with the source being HD content?

 

it is not hd content > it is 528x480

 

It is likely failing due to the fact the ts may not be long enough at the time ffmpeg starts.

I am not at home at the moment so the log you posted is hard for me to read (on mobile)

try this

http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/5316-audio-slowly-gets-out-of-sync/page-1&do=findComment&comment=81243

 

it may help in your circumstances too.

 

 

 

post above

1). Yes

 

2).a)  It may not have all the library's we use so I wouldn't (I generally run a bunch of tests before any ffmpeg update to make sure everything is behaving as it should). 

    b )  refer a)

 

3) wmc doesn't use ffmpeg at all. Not sure what you are getting at.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Tikuf

[RedStripe 14]

it is not hd content > it is 528x480

I should have said TV stations are "HD stations".

 

"Try changing <Delay_WTV2TS_MS>500</Delay_WTV2TS_MS> ffmpeg may be starving a little."

 

-----Where do I make this modification?

 

"wmc doesn't use ffmpeg at all. Not sure what you are getting at."

 

----Assumed WMC also used ffmpeg (bad assumption). Just trying to get a sense of how 

     LiveTV/ServerWMC operate to aid in my trouble shooting.

 

Although my problem is not yet solved, I must say your support is impressive! Thanks

Edited March 22, 2014 by RedStripe

[Tikuf 663]

Sorry forgot to include the path to the config file to change (I may be wrong here are I am not at a pc but I think it is  C:\ProgramData\VdSoftware\serverwmc\config.xml

 

The path may be a little wrong but it should give you enough to locate the file I am talking about.

 

Cheers

[sbaeder@aol.com 0]

3) I thought that MediaBrowser used the same resources for LiveTV as WMC. It seem that at least regarding ffmpeg this not the case. Is that true?

 

As I understand it, WMC has a lot of things to manage the EPG, and also access "tuners" and the data they provide, and store it as WTV files on disk for later playback.  Even "live" TV is recorded so that you can pause and rewind, etc.  What ServerWMC does is to hook into all of this so it can access the DB that holds all the program guide data, as well as the information about the recorded shows and also the other types of data available.  I'm just guessing here, but I'm assuming it is similar in concepts to the "remote Potato" stuff (I have looked extensively at that code).

 

The tricky part is that depending on the tuner and source, the data streams from the WMC won't be compatible with your remote device, Media Browser is doing the re-encoding (using FFMPEG) already, so all it has to have is a data stream to pass along to you...that is what the ServerWMC plugin is doing.

 

I'm sure that there is a LOT more going on under the covers, but this is conceptually what is happening...ServerWMC is the middle man here...

[RedStripe 14]

Update:

WMC and MediaBrowser are on the same box.
I have 162 channels that play in WMC LiveTV. The channels are a mixture of basic cable, extended cable and premium cable. 20 channels that play in WMC do not play in MediaBrowser. The first problem reports was based on tests that happened to only use the channels that do not work in MediaBrowser (my bad). 14 of the channels that do not work are premium. I have since retested the playability of all 162 channels in WMC and MediaBrowser to verify the above numbers. The channels that do not work in MediaBrowser present either a grey screen in the player or an image that appears to melt and audio that is similar to the off-air TV audio.

I recorded three of the channels in WMC and the recorded program still would not play in MediaBrowser. Does this provide any insight into what the issue for the 20 non-working channels might be?

Edited March 23, 2014 by RedStripe

[Tikuf 663]

Look at ffmpeg log from one of you non playing channels if the bitrate =  in the conversion stats is very low and pretty much all the same number the channel is drm or has some other flag set so we cannot transcode it.

[RedStripe 14]

Wow!!! Lots of ffmpeg errors. DRM?

ffmpeg-3363a95b-04a5-4c06-bd7b-f2257e10592f.txt

 

What does WMC use to transcode?...Any plans to use same in MediaBrowser?

Edited March 24, 2014 by RedStripe

[krustyreturns 191]

@@RedStripe,

 

I bet the problem 20 channels, have DRM.  That's why both the recordings and LiveTV are not working on them.  Time to state it again:  Only WMC will be able to play DRM (playready) channels.  You can use mb3/swmc to schedule recordings on these channels but you won't be able to play them on anything but wmc.  

[RedStripe 14]

@@krustyreturns

 

Thanks so much for all your help.

[ernstgot 17]

I kinda have the same problem however I selected dont show DRM & ENCRYPTED channels.  

 

when i go into live it shows everything but when i click play nothing happens serverwmc doesnt even get a command to do anything. 

[krustyreturns 191]

@@ernstgot

 

you should be a able to hide drm'd recordings too, see the display tab and 'Hide content protected recordings'

[ernstgot 17]

@@ernstgot

 

you should be a able to hide drm'd recordings too, see the display tab and 'Hide content protected recordings'

I did both but when I go into WMC the show doesn't show copy once or no copy of any kind.

[ernstgot 17]

someone under "Play button" said @Luke updated something that stopped it from working in the latest DEV build and I guess I am still using the DEV builds.  But should be fixed soon.

[lexisdude 143]

Is there any hope that the ServerWMC will ever provide pass-through support for the WMC DRM decode system? Not really interested in recording DRM content - but having the ability to play DRM content in MediaBrowser would be awesome. Time Warner has pretty much everything above local channel content as DRM , and many providers are also going to this type of system.

[AgileHumor 123]

delete me, pii cleanup

Edited April 17, 2015 by AgileHumor