Plutotv stream failing

[loveridgem]

Yes, I realize that streamlink configuration and setup is out of scope, but I was hoping for some understanding as to how npvr is calling it. I'll do some more digging into streamlinik. I now know for certain its setup and execution is where the problem is.

I apologize for crossing the lines of scope. It's hard to keep the boundaries clean on my end when there is so much dependence on it for npvr plutotv to function properly. I appreciate your suggestions on where to look to see what's causing the stream failure.

Thanks again so much for all your help on this.
Mike

[mvallevand]

I thought I explained the process. When you see this logged that is what it happenning

"Running: streamlink https://pluto.tv/live-tv/star-trek-1 best -O"

NextPVR is simply executing a program called streamlink from the path and passing it the parameter https://pluto.tv/live-tv/star-trek-1 best -O

and then it keeps track of the spawned task

2021-08-29 15:59:16.661 [DEBUG][26] Child PID: 56422

and reads the output from the call, just like you did with > filename.ts. From there NextPVR uses the data exactly as if it was delivered from a tuner and at scheduled stop time the PID is killed so streamlink stops.

I don't run pluto tv except on Windows for testing and where I can use VOD if something interests me enough. I do use filmon which uses similar logic and I see this while it is streaming

nobody 129 1 30 08:51 ? 00:00:05 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/streamlink https://filmon.com/tv/bbc-one best -O

So the streamlink shell doing some redirection.


If you read the extra file you can see each command pair which is why I am saying the extra is not involved during play. The python requirements are for reading the Pluto API from the internet and generating that extra file and the matching XMLTV file (which would need python available to the NextPVR user)

I suggested you follow up on a few things. Based on the error you posted it is most likely finding streamlinkrc https://streamlink.github.io/cli.html?hi...reamlinkrc and it is not clear what streamlink will do for user who doesn't have a home directory

Martin

[loveridgem]

Solved the problem! It turns our that the /usr/lib/systemd/system/nextpvr-server.service file had HOME=/home/mike instead of HOME=/home/nextpvr. Once I changed it and restarted nextpvr-server it works.

I don't have any idea why NextPVR install would have set the service file to my home especially since you have to explicitly change the owner:group to nextpvr:video when installing.

Thanks,
Mike

[mvallevand]

Great. It is odd because the the deb installer doesn't add a HOME setting and there should be no /home/nextpvr unless you created one.

Here is what the installer creates

Code:

[Unit]
Description=NextPVRServer
After=network-online.target

[Service]
EnvironmentFile=/etc/nextpvr-server.conf
Type=forking
WorkingDirectory=/opt/nextpvr/system
ExecStart=/opt/nextpvr/shell/server.sh start
User=nextpvr

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Martin

[loveridgem]

Ah! Yes. Sorry, I've had so many windows and terminals in and out of sudo and a neckache from it all. :-0

The file is actually /etc/nextpvr-server.conf referred to by the service unit. It now has:
NEXTPVR_DATADIR_USERDATA=/var/opt/nextpvr/
HOME=/home/nextpvr

And I did create a /home/nextpvr in an attempt to resolve it failing because the original error was that streamlink didn't have permissions for my home folder. Even trying to make a folder in my home folder that the world had permissions to... aaaaahh!!!

My server normally runs headless that I VNC into for things just like this issue. It might be that npvr assumes not headless or because I'm not really headless in the strict sense and so it was looking for a user that would want access to the backend. What I'm trying to say is I don't know if this is an issue with the NextPVR installer or my many attempts at trying to install streamlink.

Thanks,
Mike

[mvallevand]

There is no HOME in /etc/nextpvr-server.conf either so you must of added that too, since there isn't one normally this wouldn't make sense

If you do need it for streamlink (I don't) you should note that this conf file gets re-created when you run the deb installer.

Martin

[loveridgem]

OK, good to know. Right now it's working and I don't want to mess with it anymore for a while. Seems likely then it would have been from one of the non-deb installs of streamlink then if npvr didn't put it there. I didn't put it there and it took a while looking through logs to see the reference.

[lovat]

Hi guys,
I am also having a playback issue with this extra, and think it might be permissions related.
When i run
greg@GregsAMC:~$ streamlink https://pluto.tv/live-tv/star-trek-1 best
[cli][info] Found matching plugin pluto for URL https://pluto.tv/live-tv/star-trek-1
[cli][info] Available streams: 570k (worst), 1000k, 1500k, 2100k, 3100k (best)
[cli][info] Opening stream: 3100k (hls-pluto)
[cli][info] Starting player: /usr/bin/vlc

but running
greg@GregsAMC:~$ sudo -u nextpvr streamlink https://pluto.tv/live-tv/watchfree-star-trek-1 best
error: No plugin can handle URL: https://pluto.tv/live-tv/watchfree-star-trek-1
greg@GregsAMC:~$

So to my untrained  brain, this seems like nextpvr does not have permission to execute.
Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you,
Greg

[mvallevand]

It is permissions but it probably means you didn't install streamlink properly as shown on the wiki https://github.com/sub3/NextPVR/wiki/Extra-PlutoTV

Martin

[lovat]

Thanks, Ill let you know what I find out.