Head Scratcher

Channels DVR Server
#1

I'm trying to consolidate multiple DVR servers.

There are many reasons I run multiple servers and not going to get into that here as it would just muddy the water.

One reason is I want to record certain shows from Xfinity TVE since the channels thay air on are in HD vs. SD on my HDHR Prime source. Currently, I record them using passes via TVE on one server and duplicate passes via HDHR Prime using another server. That way, if the TVE recording isn't interrupted (it happens), I keep it and delete the HDHR Prime SD recording. If is was interrupted, I delete it and keep the SD recording from the Prime until I can record it in HD again.

I'm also experiencing a problem where my HDHR Prime does background channel scans every ~3 days and if my Xfinity cable happens to be down when it background scans (we never know when it will scan), the HDHR says I have 0 channels subscribed so all recordings will fail for ~3 days until the next background channel scan sees them again.

So in order to work around that problem, I created a custom m3u source that points to my HDHR Prime.

Server1 sources - (#1) HDHR Prime, (#2) Xfinity TVE
Server2 sources - (#1) m3u for same HDHR Prime used by Server1

I could easily put all three sources on the same server, but the problem is I cannot create a pass to record the same show at the same time on both TVE and HDHR sources. I know I could manually select each show to record, but that's too much work and the air times could change. It's working as it is, but I would like to get back to using a single DVR server.

Any ideas?

#2

I don't have any ideas for you here, but now I understand some of the items you mentioned in another thread talking about this background scan. I ran 4 HDHR Primes on SageTV for nearly a decade and never had this issue once. Strange.

#3

Yah, the issue only occurs if the HDHR Prime background scan happens when my Xfinity cable service is down. Doesn't happen that often, but I never know when either of them will occur. The HDHR background scans happen every 3 days +/- 12hrs. Other users like @racameron experience it when their tuning adapter locks up or craps out.

#4

Olivetin email alert when the number of channels drops to zero?

1 Like
#5

Using the M3U from the Primes will record whether you show 0 Channels or not ... so what is the problem ? ...Just do not favor any of the Prime Channels it will use TVE which is the higher numbered Channel ... If that fails it will move on to the Prime using M3U which will record even if your tuner says 0 Channels.

#6

Yep, but if I'm out of the house or on the road when that happens, I would have to remote in and do a manual scan. Most likely missing some recordings.

2 Likes
#7

this :point_up:

#8

Why do you want 2 copies of a show ? I thought you just wanted to make sure it records if 1 device fails ?

#9

So I have one good copy in case something happens like the TVE recording gets interrupted.

I mean it's not like TVE recordings ever get interrupted, right?

#10

Ok Gotcha nothing worst then an interrupted show.

#11

Agreed. TVE is great in concept, not so much in delivery.

Is it possible some of the issues you are having with the cablecard and TVE may have to do with some cabling problems?

#12

Hey Edwin, you don't suppose there is any way he could use SageTV as a backend system for Channels DVR?

#13

It's not a cablecard or cabling issue. It's when Xfinity service in my area goes down because of an issue in the neighborhood or planned maintenance. That takes down my cable TV and Internet service. If it's a short outage while the Prime is scanning it goes to zero channels and stays that way for 3 days +/- 12hrs.

Of course TVE is TVE and is just unreliable.

#14

Trying to go from 6 CDVR servers to 1, not add more servers.
What I'm doing is working, just requires multiple CDVR servers right now.

#15

I run 2 servers ... one has all the sources ... Feeds the main DVR using M3U with Gracenote Id's.

The one with all the sources controls distribution of tuners and IPTV services like Pluto Tubi etc... Controls tuner and sharing of Streams... Feeding MainDVR/EMBY/SAGETV. My MainDVR also has all devices allocated to it as a fallback.

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#16

I guess I shouldn't be too concerned with trying to consolidate it all into one server since it's working for me as is and it's all running on my newer NAS as Docker Containers and a Synology Package.

#17

My IT background is Disaster Recovery and planning so fully understand trying to make sure all events and failures are accounted for.... they cannot all be avoided but they can be limited.

2 Likes
#18

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