Area-51 IPTV Setup and Use

[SLR_65]

Hi Guys,

I'm playing with the Area-51 IPTV service. I'm running windows 7 Pro 64 bit and running NextPVR 4.2.3(181112). I have the SAF6, LAV, and FFDShow Decoders installed, and I'm using the Auto Refresh Plug In that was recommended with the SAF6 Decoder Package, the Auto Refresh Plug In version is 2.4.05.03. I'm using Mullvad VPN and their 64 bit app version 2018.6. I'm also using a hardline connection to the router. I have NextPVR up and running already with a HDHomerun Prime Cable Card and it's been running stabily for a long time, for the moment though I've deleted the HDHomerun channels so I can focus on the IPTV only (this isn't my only NextPVR machine, so it's not interrupting any viewing or recording...it's just a seldom used machine in a spare room).

I like to keep notes when working on projects so I thought I'd share them and hopefully save others wanting to do the same thing some time.

[SLR_65]

Installation

My installation is up and running, if your starting with a fresh install you will need to install audio/video decoders, etc.. Those are well covered so I'll assume you've got a system up and running too, if you don't just hit the wiki or forum and you'll no doubt soon find your answer. I also have no other IPTV channels currently setup - I'm starting with a blank slate.

When you subscribe to the Area-51 service they will email you your username, password, m3u, and epg links. The m3u and epg links are specific to you as they include your username and password.

*) Open NextPVR.
*) It will be convenient to run NextPVR in windowed mode so you can get to your email to cut and paste the m3u channel list and epg guide links. If you are in full screen mode right click on the home screen to pull up the submenu and then click on "windowed mode", it should now go to windowed mode and exit back to the home screen.
*) Right click on the home screen to pull up the submenu.
*) Click on "Settings".
*) Click on "Devices".
*) Double click on "IPTV Device".
*) Click on "Import".
*) Enter your m3u list link in the "Channel List URL" box.
*) Enter your epg link in the "XMLTV File URL"
*) Click on "OK" and WAIT - it takes a while to import everything.
*) Click on "OK" after the little spinner icon shows it's done importing everything.
*) A box will pop up asking you want to do an epg update - click on "yes" and wait again, it'll take a while.
*) Once it's done importing the epg info click on "OK" and it should send you back to the home screen.
*) Your TV Guide should now be populated - don't worry if you don't see any listing, it puts some 24/7 and foregin feeds first and it often doesn't have listing for them. Click above the channel listing grid and you'll get an option for "Groups", several groups will appear, select the one you are interested in - most Canadian, Carribean, UK and US channels will have info populated.

You should be up and running now.

I haven't extensively tested this yet, as I do I'll update.

[SLR_65]

I found that some channels were stuttering a lot, but recordings recorded and played fine. If watching a stuttering channel, it seemed that many times if you watched it for a little bit and then pressed the rewind button that it'd back up in the buffer and then start playing fine.

I found a thread about another IPTV service called Vader that users were having similar experiences with and Sub had modified the nshare.dll file to deal with it and it also helped my issues, though it didn't 100% solve them as I've still seen some intermittant stuttering on some channels, but they may also simply be due to connection quality.

The patch can be found here in post #69 (you may want to review the thread to see if any updates have been posted since this post was made):

https://forums.nextpvr.com/showthrea...der-IPTV/page7

The patch is installed by:

Run the 'Stop NPVR Service' shortcut. Drop the new NShared.dll file into 'C:\Program Files (x86)\NPVR', replacing the existing file of the same name, then run the 'Start NPVR Service' shortcut.

Note - I just renamed the original file to nshared old.dll and then dropped the new one in -> that way I could go back easily if it didn't work or to compare and evaluate if it helped, which it has.

[SLR_65]

You will want to setup automatic epg guide updates. How to do that is well documented in the wiki and on the forum, however they are geared towards the more traditional Schedules Direct, ZAP2XML, etc. file downloaders that are called from a batch file. How to download from a web link in a batch file isn't well covered, but it is possible. It depends on your operating system though.

In Windows 7 use:
powershell -Command "(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadFile('http://www.example.com/package.zip', 'package.zip')"

In Windows 8/10 use: (untested by me)
powershell -Command "Invoke-WebRequest http://www.example.com/package.zip -OutFile package.zip"

An example for Area-51 that downloads the data to a file called "EPG.xml"would be:
powershell -Command "(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadFile('http://iptv-area-51.tv:2095/xmltv.php?username=yourusername&password=yourpassword&type=m3u_plus&output=ts', 'EPG.xml')"

[SLR_65]

Doing a little testing this morning I've ran across a bug I haven't found a solution for.

When I switch to HLN (CNN Headline News) it has no audio and says I need to install an AC3 decoder, however I have the LAV decoders installed and selected for AC3 audio. I installed FFDShow and when I selected it I got audio...but then lost audio for the other channels - they say I need an AAC decoder, which I have both LAV and FFDShow installed for, with LAV selected. Switching to the FFDShow AAC decoder gets me autio back, then I lose audio on HLN again! I can go through it again and use the LAV decoders, but it's the same behavior, either HLN wofks and the rest don't, or the rest work and HLN doesn't.

I'll dig in and research this later after our Christmas gathering is over.

if anyone has seen this and knows how to fix it, please post the solution.

[martint123]

I see this on their site now ;(

We are no longer taking on New Orders at this time. We are focusing on our customer base that we already have by giving the best product possible. There is no time table of when or if new orders will be available. We apologize for any inconveniences.

Didn't ACE start it's departure with similar?

[SLR_65]

From what I gather, this is standard stuff in the IPTV world - if they grow too fast their systems get overloaded and then everyone gets crappy service. Most of the more stable ones pace their subscriber growth with their infrastructure growth, so they go open for membership and closed for membership in cycles. When I decided I wanted to try them they were closed, but I checked back every day, in about a week they were open, so just keep an eye on them.

[SLR_65]

Hmmm, I notice they increased their price too...it was $5 a month for one connection, and $4 for each extra connection, now it's $7 a month.