Connection Timeout Issue When Selecting Channels in Kodi with NextPVR

[Paul92]

Hello everyone,
I’m experiencing a recurring issue when attempting to load channels in Kodi using the NextPVR add-on. When I select a stream, I often receive a connection error, and I have to select the channel multiple times (sometimes up to five attempts) before it successfully loads.
It seems like this could be due to a timeout setting, where the connection window closes if the stream doesn’t load within a certain timeframe. I’m wondering if adjusting this limit—perhaps increasing the timeout duration—might help solve the problem, but I’m unsure if it’s something I can configure or if there might be another underlying cause.
Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Verified that the NextPVR server is accessible from the web interface.
   
2. Temporarily disabled firewall and antivirus settings, just in case they were blocking the connection.
   
3. Checked both Kodi and NextPVR logs, but I didn’t see anything conclusive about connection issues.
   

Has anyone else encountered this problem, or does anyone have suggestions on how to adjust the timeout settings? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

[mvallevand]

This is a common problem with too many unnecessary IPTV channels or too short a timeout in Kodi or both. Typically users have changed the default timeout. Best to post a link to your Kodi debug log to start

Marrin

[Paul92]

This is a common problem with too many unnecessary IPTV channels or too short a timeout in Kodi or both.  Typically users have changed the default timeout.  Best to post a link to your Kodi debug log to start

Marrin

Hi Marrin.

Thank you for your prompt response - as per usual.

A bit difficult to send logs as the problematic devices are Android TV boxes, and this one is locked down....

What you can do, if possible is explain how to change the default timeout, as that's certain what I require.

These streams are HLS which link to ErsatzTV, so it may take a few seconds longer for packets to start sending/receiving, but when they do the picture is usually crystal clear. 


Will await feedback.

Cheers
Paul

[mvallevand]

Sorry I missed it was a playback issue not a load issue for the channel list For this we need the zipped NextPVR logs.

There are add-ons that upload your Kodi logs on line and you can use ad link to get Kodi Android logs.

Basically posting logs with the first post will save time understanding what the issue is.

Martin

[Paul92]

Sorry I missed it was a playback issue not a load issue for the channel list  For this we need the zipped NextPVR logs. 

There are add-ons that upload your Kodi logs on line and you can use ad link to get Kodi Android logs.

Basically posting logs with the first post will save time understanding what the issue is.

Martin

Check your PMs.

Sent the log file privately, as the logs contain valid working links to view streams in VLC, something I would rather not share publicly.

[mvallevand]

OK thanks for the PM, you never noted that you were trying to connect over the Internet which is quite different than a LAN connection. I want to see your zipped NextPVR logs too but as I suspected the error is not a timeout the server is returning a 404.

Also for the future reference Kodi logs typically need to be debug logs, but it did tell me the 404 and also that you are running an old version of Kodi (you've skipped 20-22) so not much I can do there.

Note that remote URL's only work from the IP that requested them otherwise the PIN is needed. Buy yeah, best not to publish the IP though so yeah download the Kodi log and do a search and replace if need be.

Martin

[Paul92]

OK thanks for the PM, you never noted that you were trying to  connect over the Internet which is quite different than a LAN connection.  I want to see your zipped NextPVR logs too but as I suspected the error is not a timeout the server is returning a 404. 

Also for the future reference Kodi logs typically need to be debug logs, but it did tell me the 404 and also that you are running an old version of Kodi (you've skipped 20-22) so not much I can do there.

Note that remote URL's only work from the IP that requested them otherwise the PIN is needed.  Buy yeah, best not to publish the IP though so yeah download the Kodi log and do a search and replace if need  be.

Martin

That's strange that the streams work then - as the remote IP address that initially requested the stream was my main PVR headend was in Amsterdam, I was able to view the stream at my current location without needing to enter the pin.

That aside. I am a little closer to solving this.

NextPVR isn't to blame..

There's nothing wrong with the streams, they eventually do open, but there is a bit of a delay. Not once have I had a stream not open.

The issue is that I run my own channels with ErsatzTV. These connect to Rclone, as content is stored in the cloud.  ErsatzTV is set to MPEG-2 HLS based streams. When a channel is accessed. Kodi obviously calls NextPVR, which in turn calls the channel, which in turn starts up FFMPEG on the ersatzTV server. This then, needs to load the data from Rclone. I understand due the the complexity, channel loading may not be instant, nor am I expecting it to be. But somewhere along the line the server most likely isn't responding, due to it being busy, and ignoring the request initially may send a timeout back to kodi. Suspect it's to do with my Rclone settings, or HLS in ErsatzTV, but hesitant to change anything, despite this issue being annoying, but it eventually does work...

I wish I could put implement a delay of some kind.

[mvallevand]

Perhaps you have a proxy that makes you clients look the same.

In any case (since we still haven't seen the logs) if it is an IPTV timeout of an m3u8 stream there is a config.xml setting <M3U8DownloadTimeout that you can increase.

Martin

[Paul92]

Perhaps you have a proxy that makes you clients look the same.

In any case (since we still haven't seen the logs) if it is an IPTV timeout of an m3u8 stream there is a config.xml setting <M3U8DownloadTimeout that you can increase.

Martin

I think you may be right, as even though my main PVR didn't request the channel, and all channels would be requested from the main PVR server, but I tested a channel from the sever on VLC from the IP address that's requested the channels from my main sever. So that's been solved.

Where about is the m38u download timeout setting? Still think it's a case of a high buffer which needs to load first before it responds...

[mvallevand]

Hard to say anything based on the 404 again that is not buffering it is before. The config.xml file I mentioned is in the data directory

Martin