IPTV m3u8 403 Forbidden Error

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

Hi,

I have installed channels DVR on an ubuntu server install and successfully added an m3u8 playlist.

http://i.mjh.nz/nz/raw-tv.m3u8

However on some channels I get a 403 forbidden error in the logs, see below. The same channels work fine in NextPVR and Emby.

2021/03/19 22:08:54.561958 [ERR] Failed to start stream for ch1: M3U: get https://i.mjh.nz/nz/tv.9.m3u8: 403 Forbidden
2021/03/19 22:08:54.597606 [HLS] Couldn't generate stream playlist for ch1-dANY-ip192.168.0.11: M3U: get https://i.mjh.nz/nz/tv.9.m3u8: 403 Forbidden
2021/03/19 22:08:54.597744 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch1-dANY-ip192.168.0.11

Can anyone help me resolve this error?

Thanks
Henry

#2

Are you in NZ?

That URL ( https://i.mjh.nz/nz/tv.9.m3u8 )seems to redirect to a cloudfront URL that gives a 403 error if it detects you are accessing it from outside NZ (if you fire up a NZ VPN) it will feed you a master.m3u8 file.

#3

@tlspambait is 100% correct. Just for fun, I brought this M3U into VLC and tried to play it (in NY, USA) and only a couple channels worked. I engaged my VPN and connected to Auckland and then all the channels played just find. You're running into a geolocating issue.

#4

I am in NZ so shouldn't be geolocation issue. And all streams work fine in NextPVR. Could Channels DVR be making the connection look like it is from outside NZ? I am not using the remote connection option.

#5

Are you using a smartdns service? It might have cloudflare assigned to go via another region making you appear that you are accessing it from outside NZ. Try changing your dns provider to your isp's default.

Are you able to watch tvnz 1 directly from their website on that machine? https://www.tvnz.co.nz/

#6

Thanks for help and suggestions. Yes can access tvnz.co.nz no problems and just using ISP provided DNS. Double checked my IP and it is NZ based.

However, I have managed to find another playlist without the cloudfront redirect and that works fine. So that has solved it.

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