403 errors on TVE streams that previously worked

Channels DVR Server
#1

I have TVE set up with my Optimum account. It's worked fine in the past but is now failing for some channels, I get an error like:

Error: TVE: get https://[long URL]: 403 Not Authorized

Given that some channels work and others do not I'm assuming this is a problem somewhere between my DVR box (NVidia Shield) and Optimum, but I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? I tried deleting my TVE signin and re-adding it, verifying that I have access to the channels (which it seems I do, since they show up in the guide), but still no luck.

EDIT: no, I haven't changed my cable subscription!

TVE is actually about the only place I can test whether I'm able to get the channel: it's DRM locked on my HDHomerun so I can't view it, and I don't have any other cable box. So what are some next steps for me to debug?

#2

OK, I'm starting to wonder if my house is haunted with all these bizarre issues I've experienced with my Shield lately. But it turns out the problem was that the date and time on it was set wrong. Why it wasn't set to automatic, or when this happened... I have no idea. But I'm assuming this meant the URL could not be loaded correctly... when I set it back to automatic and restarted the Shield, everything was back to normal.

So, stupid issue. But I'm wondering if there could be any kind of useful error messaging put into Channels for a situation like this? System clock mismatch with remote TVE servers must happen every now and then. I also noticed that the guide in the web UI was empty: when I hit reload it seemed to be reloading the correct dates, except of course it was trying to present me with listings for ten days ago, which it doesn't have any more. So something has the correct date (does the guide server work to its own clock?), but not everything.

1 Like
#3

We're actually in the process of creating some automated troubleshooting for the DVR and checking for the correct time is one of the things we've implemented first.

I got hung up on some other work, but I'll try to get this released soon as part of an upcoming DVR beta to help deal with these situations.

Here's a little example of what we're building towards:

Channels%20DVR%202020-01-27%2018-46-32
Channels DVR 2020-01-27 18-46-32.png982×722 77.4 KB

#4

Awesome! Looking forward to seeing it. Thank you.

#5

This sounds similar to Lost > 50% of Hulu Live Channels. Are the channels throwing 403s Discovery Network channels by chance?