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Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

Heya all

I'm having some problems with connections closing...>That's another discussion.
While I was looking to troubleshoot, I saw this in the logs:

2026/04/01 11:31:33.303008 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved adservice.google.com: 192.178.155.157, 192.178.155.154, 192.178.155.156, 192.178.155.155, 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::9a, 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::9b, 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::9c, 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::9d
2026/04/01 11:31:33.304190 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved googleads.g.doubleclick.net: 172.253.139.155, 172.253.139.154, 172.253.139.156, 172.253.139.157, 2607:f8b0:4004:c23::9d, 2607:f8b0:4004:c23::9a, 2607:f8b0:4004:c23::9b, 2607:f8b0:4004:c23::9c
2026/04/01 11:31:33.325236 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved assets.adobedtm.com: 23.3.133.83, 2600:1408:c400:18e::1e80, 2600:1408:c400:195::1e80
2026/04/01 11:31:33.327244 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved d.adroll.com: 44.206.171.50, 3.225.201.169, 52.20.196.180, 44.216.130.205, 44.197.27.201, 23.20.131.57, 98.83.126.78, 34.225.87.110, 2600:1f18:61c0:2204:4069:ac9f:f76d:1e39, 2600:1f18:61c0:2204:d8bb:b8a6:8210:9288, 2600:1f18:61c0:2205:761a:e732:aad8:3ea3, 2600:1f18:61c0:2206:b694:dfba:fd92:7e6e, 2600:1f18:61c0:2205:9e88:be4c:5c4c:13cb, 2600:1f18:61c0:2204:9d8f:292d:f3ea:22bf, 2600:1f18:61c0:2204:a652:ef86:8b7c:ecdc, 2600:1f18:61c0:2205:2948:5fbf:556a:9c1a
2026/04/01 11:31:33.328629 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved bat.bing.com: 150.171.27.10, 150.171.28.10, 2620:1ec:33::10, 2620:1ec:33:1::10
2026/04/01 11:31:33.329641 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved pubads.g.doubleclick.net: 172.253.122.156, 172.253.122.155, 2607:f8b0:4004:c09::9c, 2607:f8b0:4004:c09::9d, 2607:f8b0:4004:c09::9a, 2607:f8b0:4004:c09::9b
2026/04/01 11:31:33.348736 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved edge.api.brightcove.com: 146.75.30.27
2026/04/01 11:31:33.375315 [TRS] ad-dns: Resolved medium.ngtv.io: 104.72.124.68, 2600:1405:b400:48e::3134, 2600:1405:b400:48b::3134
2026/04/01 11:31:33.375371 [TRS] DNS Ad Blocking: OK

Why are we talking to google adservice or doubleclick?

#2

They're used in TVE and some custom M3U channel streams, like FAST channels.

#3

I see.
That seems like the sort of thing that should be disclosed. I don't care for that at all.
There is no option I can see to disable any of that TVE stupidity. Yes I know it's useful to people.
It's super shady for a service that we pay for to be secretly in contact with ANY of those sites. With all the effort that people go through to block those specific sites, to find that this software is contacting them for god knows what purpose is absolutely unconscionable. I specifically moved away from cable and using the built in smart tv features to avoid tracking. I adblock on my devices....apparently I need to up the game and try again to block those on a network level. Adding to google's tracking and profiling of us is unacceptable in every possible way and to find it out purely by accident...How the hell are people supposed to trust that.
No disclosure at all.. The closest I could see in the privacy policy was third party websites (section 10) but references when we access a third party website, nothing about the server contacting others for you. I'm so damn sick of companies thinking tracking and building profiles on us is acceptable.
Add a beta feature..TVE that can apparently cause you to contact multiple tracking and profiling sites and not even a warning or ability to disable this feature.

Wow. Absolutely unacceptable.

#4

I don't care since I run my Channels DVR Servers in docker containers on my Synology NAS.
Those containers use a headless chromium browser and are all contained in the, well... container.

I guess if Channels DVR is using your everyday Chrome browser on Windows, Mac or something else it may be cause for concern.

Can you go to the individual network websites in a browser, link your provider and stream the channels while blocking everything you want?
I doubt it.

#5

To be clear Channels DVR does not talk to these services.

Various video streams use these servers to inject video ads during commercial breaks.

You're free to block them if the video channels you care about aren't affected.

4 Likes
#6

If you chose to add a content sources to Channels DVR that uses ads, then that is your choice.
Adding content via TVE, or FAST streaming(via .m3u custom channels) that inject ads into their streams is the users choice. Channels does not provide or control what content sources you add to your CDVR server. But the Troubleshooting Page will alert if it detects you are using DNS ad blocking and that it may cause issues with TVE and other services. But Channels itself, has nothing to do with those ad servers on its own. If you do not setup a TVE service or custom M3U sources that use ad servers, then you have nothing to worry about.

You can try and use ad blocking, I use Ad Guard Home as my own self hosted DNS, but, it will cause issues with certain services. I have had it cause authentication issues with TVE providers like Comcast. It will cause stream disconnects for FAST services like Pluto and Plex.

3 Likes
#7

Feel free to create a new topic here for that.

#8

You say if I chose...that's the problem that I have. There is no indication anywhere that this will occur AT ALL.
You can put it back on me or any user that it would be our fault for adding a service that has that.

IF THERE IS NO WARNING, HOW CAN A USER BE INFORMED OR CHOOSE ANYTHING?

That's my point.
To simply say Oh channels has nothing to do with that...Then I would NOT expect to simply discover it on my own. To say channels doesn't contact them. well obviously it DOES. It contacts them for (apparently) the self diagnostics, if nothing else.
Obviously it's more than that if, as I guess it's implied here, that these other mysterious services want ads, then instead of them doing it on their side, they trigger software residing in my machine to get those ads then YES the channels software DOES have a hand in it.
Perhaps they are reaching out on behalf of the provider, but to say the server has nothing to do with it is disingenuous at best.

I find the argument that somehow it's on the user to understand that this is happening to be insulting. I find the argument that if I don't use those services I shouldn't worry to be ridiculous. If I didn't know this was even a remote possibility, disclosed nowhere, then I couldn't CHOOSE anything, now could I? Dismissive and insulting.

I use DNS blocking, but also straight up banning domains..I'm not sure how those ones slipped through on my end. That's a my bad.

#9

Yes I can stream what I need from my providers without contacting those domains.
But feel free to doubt away.

Yes I know I can start another discussion about the disconnects. This would be why I said that's another discussion.

#10

If you don't want to be monetized then don't use the services that monetize you.
For Channels DVR that would be TVE and some FAST m3u channels.
In general, I think you already know the players.

#11

Of course I can only make that decision if I know that the software is doing that.
There is no indication anywhere that the server will be doing that.
Who knew that the DVR software that I pay for would facilitate that.
At least a large % of my annoyance is that this was not disclosed.
What part of that is hard to digest?

#12

There are Projects here that let you bring those into Channels DVR, which is what you're discussing here.

#13

Project that lets me bring those channels into the DVR...>What are you talking about?
I already have the channels I want. They are already in the software.

#14

I can understand.
Just like it's not mentioned you need Chrome or chromium to use Channels DVR TVE.

#15

HDHR tuner?

If so, no need to worry about ad services then.

#16

Short discussion.
Issues reported that stream disconnects for TVE.
Diags/Troubleshooting report you are using ad blocking that block those domains.
Solution. Remove ad blocking.
Issue closed.
:sweat_smile:

Wonder how long until whiny thread gets locked by mods...

I guess your personal complaints about ad servers can be turned into a positive statement and summed up in this statement.
" I would suggest to the developers of Channels DVR to have warning or disclaimer posted somewhere obvious to me, that such optional services I may want to use, may have and use ad servers that may steal your data."

Ok. Thank You for the suggestion.

#17

No, There is no issue with stream disconnects with TVE.

I Don't use TVE.

Disconnect issue is/was unrelated. I didn't ask for rech support. Ad blocking isn't a problem. Did you bother to read everything else here?

#18

If you don't use Channels DVR TVE or Channels DVR custom M3U channels, then there are no adservers to discuss. What you posted was from the Troubleshooting page of the server, which encompasses many checks to cover as much as possible for self diagnostics.

If you're concerned that it's doing a DNS lookup on some domain names, then just block those.

#19

Then they should not be included in those diagnostics.

Discovering those connections, with no warning or anything else, does leave things to discuss and to question.

I will deal with blocking on my side now that I know about it. there were technical reasons that apparently allowed the look ups to happen outside of my network restrictions. The docker got accidentally routed through an apparently open connection.

My point is, I shouldn't have to worry about this sort of software that I pay fopr making those connections.

You want to defend it...Say I shouldnt worry. fair. Put it in the damn privacy policy then there wouldn't be a surprise or any other need for discussion. Someone could point to clause whatever that would specify using TVE or whatever would do that.

But hey, that's the users fault too, right? another choice, right?

I just can't even.... Wow.

I'm out. This is simply ridiculous.

#20

I think at this point you should be emailing the developers.
This is a USER community and I'm a paying USER like you.
You obviously have a concern the USER community can't help you with.