Channel tuning issue with NextPVR 3.7.7/Kodi 16.1 and 17b1

[Ark :D]

Hello,

I've got a channel-tuning issue with my NextPVR 3.7.7/Kodi 16.1 and 17b1 setup. The symptoms are remarkably similar to the content of this thread: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=214096

To summarize, channels seemingly at random fail to tune properly when using Kodi with the NextPVR plugin. At times, channel A will tune fine while channel B will not, then the next day, channel A won't tune while channel B tunes just fine. While this is going on, the affected channels will tune fine in the NextPVR interface. Also, while this is going on, affected channels can be recorded (just not watched) in Kodi. After said recording is completed, the recorded content can be watched fine in Kodi even while the affected channel cannot be watched live. Apparently a workaround solution was produced by Sub and was included in NextPVR 3.7.7, but my setup is still affected.

Attached are the log files for both NextPVR and Kodi.

Here is what I did to produce these logs:

1) Exited Kodi and stopped the NRecord service (to free up the existing log files)
2) Deleted the existing log files for both Kodi and NextPVR
3) Restarted the NRecord service, then restarted Kodi
4) Opened Live TV in Kodi, and tuned to a channel I know I was currently unable to watch live (in this instance, channel 817 - CNN HD)
5) After it failed to start streaming, I instead tuned to a channel I know I was currently ABLE to watch live
6) Closed Kodi and snatched the log files to attach to this post.

Thanks in advance for anything you guys can offer!
~Ark

[sub]

Can you enable debug logging in Kodi, then repeat and repost the logs?

I assume you can watch 817 CNN HD in NextPVR itself when you're not able to watch it in Kodi?

[Ark :D]

Can you enable debug logging in Kodi, then repeat and repost the logs?

I assume you can watch 817 CNN HD in NextPVR itself when you're not able to watch it in Kodi?

Sure, it's done, please see the attached file. However, this morning, CNN HD is working fine, while the standard def version of the channel is not. I'm hoping this isn't too much of a moving target.

*edit* To clarify, in this test, channel 817 tuned just fine, while channel 27 did not.

And to answer your question, yes, in both cases, the channel that was not viewable in Kodi was working just fine in NextPVR.

Thank you again.

[Ark :D]

Here is a repeat of the same test as above, using two different channels.

First channel, WON'T tune in Kodi but tunes fine in NextPVR, is 820 - Fox News HD

Second channel, tunes fine in Kodi and NextPVR, is 818 - MSNBC HD

[sub]

When you watching a channel in Kodi, it'll create a live tv temp file in your live tv buffer directory. I think you're going to need to copy one of these files while it's having a failed attempt so I can take a look at the file.

In your kodi logs, it looked like possibly a different problem with 27 failure vs the 820 failure.

One thing to note - you're using a cable card, so are you sure these all these channel a copy-freely? Particularly the fox 820 one? Are you ever able to watch 820 in NextPVR or Kodi?

[Ark :D]

I will try to get a copy of the live tv temp file for you to examine.

It would not surprise me if the failure on channel 27 WAS different from the channel 820 failure. My wife has told me that 27 has never worked, along with one other standard-def channel. But since the HD versions of those two channels always worked, it hasn't been a problem.

I am 99% sure every channel on my cable system, aside from premium channels like HBO and Showtime, are Copy-Freely. I've watched 817 (CNN HD) many times. I've also watched 860 - NFL Network many many times (I'm a huge football fan) and that was one of the channels that wouldn't tune earlier this week.

[Ark :D]

I apologize for the delay on this, Sub, but all of my channels have been working as expected until today. CNN HD is currently not streaming properly from NextPVR to Kodi. I will complete your requested steps above and get you the tv temp file.

[Ark :D]

Here is a file dropper link to a fresh set of Kodi logs, NextPVR logs, and the requisite .ts file generated during the channel tuning failure. http://www.filedropper.com/091516

The file was too large to attach here.

Thanks for all your help on this!

[Ark :D]

Any chance you've had a moment to check this out, Sub? I appreciate anything you're able to decipher from this.

Also, something else to think about: there does appear to be logic built into the combination of NextPVR, Kodi, and the NextPVR add-on for Kodi that will not let you schedule more recordings than you have tuners to accommodate. However, there is definitely a "bug" (I use quotes because I don't know if it's an actual bug or if it's a limitation) where occasionally, I will be watching something on live TV and my channel just abruptly changes to another. When this happens, Kodi still thinks it is tuned to the original channel. The only ways to get back to the original channel are to tune a new channel, then switch back to the original, or stop the stream and restart it on the original channel. I suspect, since this is a rarity, it only happens when every tuner is in use through a scheduled recording or through live TV on another instance of Kodi in my house, while simultaneously, a new scheduled recording begins.

If that sounds like something you'd like to dive into, I'm more than happy to stage tests or whatever you need. I suspect there is not an overabundance of people out there with my setup (a NextPVR "server" with six tuners available and four Kodi "clients" in the same house).

[Russell797]

I have the same issue. For as long as I have been using the NextPVR/kodi plugin (~6 months) certain channels seemingly at random fail to tune in. The buffer hangs at zero. Going to X-NEWA within kodi the channel in question can be tuned in and watched. The next day that channel will usually tune in, but maybe another one will not.

All recording attempts work regardless and there is no problem at all watching the affected channel directly on the computer running NextPVR.