Issue with Series Pass - Only recording the first episode

[Brad1]

I'm having an issue with Series Pass.

Problem:
I set up a series pass but only the episode airing on the day I set up the pass actually records. The following days it shows as "recorded", even before it airs.

What I'm doing:
Let's take the 6pm news on channel 3:

When I set up a series pass from the web client, I select all episodes and manually enter the channel number. That removes all recordings from +1/timeshift channels that I have. You will note that the series pass can see that there are future recordings on upcomming days:

I check the guide and see that the recordings for today and tomorrow are scheduled:

For argument's sake, I also set up a recording from an Android client for the 6pm news on channel 1. With this I don't have to select the channel number which is good. I still select to record new episodes. Once created I can see both the passes set up from web and client:

After the episodes finish, I can see the recordings for channel 3 but the one I set up via the Android app didn't record at all:

If I now go forward in the guide to tomorrow at 6pm, it shows the Three News is 'already recorded':

The fact that channel 1 didn't record at 6pm does seem to be a separate problem, but the main one I have is that the first episode records when all the rest don't, they show 'recorded'

Log below.

Appreciate any assistance

2025/07/06 13:50:30.669607 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 14:26:33.794627 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 23h58m30s
2025/07/06 14:29:12.265309 [DVR] Rule 'ThreeNews' (18) found 1 new airings (7 matching)
2025/07/06 14:29:12.269063 [DVR] queued recording job for 'ThreeNews' ThreeNews/ThreeNews @ Sun Jul 6 5:59:00PM on ch=[3] (1751781540-18)
2025/07/06 14:29:12.274578 [DVR] Waiting 3h29m47.7254216s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 14:29:12.274578 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 3h28m17.7254216s
2025/07/06 14:33:32.153778 [DVR] Waiting 3h25m27.8462211s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 14:33:32.153778 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 3h23m57.8462211s
2025/07/06 14:46:54.411621 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 5s
2025/07/06 14:46:58.382058 [DVR] Indexed 15514 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 184h4m0s) + 9819 skipped [3s index]
2025/07/06 14:47:00.324656 [DVR] pruned 104908 replaced airings in 1s.
2025/07/06 14:47:34.354278 [DVR] Indexed 572 channels (192192 airings + 0 replaced) with placeholders [34s index]
2025/07/06 14:47:34.357844 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for guide data in 19h1m55.6421554s
2025/07/06 14:47:34.357844 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for xmltv guide data in 58m30s
2025/07/06 14:47:34.366391 [DVR] Waiting 3h11m25.6336082s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 14:47:34.366391 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 3h9m55.6336082s
2025/07/06 14:50:30.737422 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 15:47:39.937983 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 5s
2025/07/06 15:47:44.140146 [DVR] Indexed 15363 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 185h34m0s) + 9845 skipped [4s index]
2025/07/06 15:47:46.177562 [DVR] pruned 106003 replaced airings in 2s.
2025/07/06 15:48:22.716150 [DVR] Indexed 572 channels (192192 airings + 0 replaced) with placeholders [36s index]
2025/07/06 15:48:22.727015 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for guide data in 17h51m7.2729845s
2025/07/06 15:48:22.727015 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for xmltv guide data in 58m30s
2025/07/06 15:48:22.730099 [DVR] Waiting 2h10m37.2699007s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 15:48:22.730099 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 2h9m7.2699007s
2025/07/06 15:50:30.811772 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 16:48:26.984076 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 4s
2025/07/06 16:48:30.801132 [DVR] Indexed 15209 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 180h30m0s) + 9872 skipped [3s index]
2025/07/06 16:48:32.716210 [DVR] pruned 104283 replaced airings in 1s.
2025/07/06 16:49:05.900861 [DVR] Indexed 572 channels (192192 airings + 0 replaced) with placeholders [33s index]
2025/07/06 16:49:05.911030 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for guide data in 16h23m24.0889698s
2025/07/06 16:49:05.911030 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for xmltv guide data in 58m30s
2025/07/06 16:49:05.911030 [DVR] Waiting 1h9m54.0889698s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 16:49:05.911030 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 1h8m24.0889698s
2025/07/06 16:50:30.881887 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 17:49:10.999938 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 5s
2025/07/06 17:49:14.730383 [DVR] Indexed 15035 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 180h30m0s) + 9921 skipped [3s index]
2025/07/06 17:49:16.683680 [DVR] pruned 104302 replaced airings in 1s.
2025/07/06 17:49:49.829276 [DVR] Indexed 572 channels (192192 airings + 0 replaced) with placeholders [33s index]
2025/07/06 17:49:49.838706 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for guide data in 15h52m40.1612937s
2025/07/06 17:49:49.838706 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for xmltv guide data in 58m30s
2025/07/06 17:49:49.841914 [DVR] Waiting 9m10.1580856s until next job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 17:49:49.841914 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 7m40.1580856s
2025/07/06 17:50:30.941677 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 17:59:00.000249 [DVR] Starting job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews on ch=[3]
2025/07/06 17:59:00.000249 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 23h58m30s
2025/07/06 17:59:00.764165 [TNR] Opened connection to M3U-MyMainStreaming for ch3 Three
2025/07/06 17:59:00.764670 [DVR] Recording for job 1751781540-18 from M3U-MyMainStreaming ch3 into "TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg" for 45m59.9997502s
2025/07/06 17:59:00.794596 [IDX] Generating video index for job 1751781540-18
2025/07/06 18:45:15.002730 [TNR] Closed connection to M3U-MyMainStreaming for ch3 Three
2025/07/06 18:45:15.015543 [SNR] Buffer statistics for "TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg": buf=0% drop=0%
2025/07/06 18:45:15.015543 [SNR] Streaming statistics for "TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg": timeouts=0 segment_timeouts=0 playlist_timeouts=0
2025/07/06 18:45:15.022963 [MTS] Statistics for "TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg": discontinuity_detected=0 transport_errors=0 saw_pcr=true saw_pmt=true highest_pts=2788.828000
2025/07/06 18:45:15.045459 [DVR] Finished job 1751781540-18 ThreeNews
2025/07/06 18:45:15.054571 [DVR] Processing file-24: TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg
2025/07/06 18:45:15.054571 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 23h58m30s
2025/07/06 18:45:15.633710 [DVR] Running commercial detection on file 24 (TV\ThreeNews\ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg)
2025/07/06 18:49:55.443595 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 5s
2025/07/06 18:49:59.441668 [DVR] Indexed 14846 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 180h3m0s) + 9987 skipped [3s index]
2025/07/06 18:50:01.734541 [DVR] pruned 103742 replaced airings in 2s.
2025/07/06 18:50:31.018288 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 18:50:37.673258 [DVR] Indexed 572 channels (192192 airings + 0 replaced) with placeholders [35s index]
2025/07/06 18:50:37.682574 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for guide data in 14h29m52.317426s
2025/07/06 18:50:37.682574 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for xmltv guide data in 58m30s
2025/07/06 18:50:37.684728 [DBG] Scheduling wake timer for scheduled recording in 23h58m30s
2025/07/06 18:50:58.554450 [DVR] Commercial detection for ThreeNews 2025-07-06-1759.mpg finished with 6 markers in 5m42.921821s (3 threads).
2025/07/06 19:50:31.089579 [NAT] Successfully mapped port 8089 using upnp
2025/07/06 19:50:42.543008 [DVR] Fetched guide data for XMLTV-MyMainStreaming in 4s
2025/07/06 19:50:46.235248 [DVR] Indexed 14671 airings into XMLTV-MyMainStreaming (178 channels over 179h0m0s) + 10044 skipped [3s index]
2025/07/06 19:50:48.132677 [DVR] pruned 103158 replaced airings in 1s.

[racameron]

Most likely culprit: incomplete guide data. Whichever XMLTV provider you are using is not marking each airing of that program with a unique ID, therefore Channels believes that every airing is the same. Additional airings beyond the first are not recorded, because Channels thinks it has already been recorded.

There isn't really a good answer, and maybe somebody will have a clever workaround, but I haven't had my coffee yet.

The “proper” solution is to give Channels guide data that more fully describes the content, such as giving each new airing its own unique identifier.

[Morris_Altman]

Racameron may have the answer. I'd love a little more info to confirm route cause.

What is the source? HDHomeRun cable or antenna, TVE, Custom Channel and if so more details on the custom channel.

What do you see if you click the blue Matches(7)?

Do you see the show scheduled in DVR/Schedule or DVR/Calendar?

[chDVRuser]

@Brad1

The fact that channel 1 didn't record at 6pm does seem to be a separate problem

It's because you selected New only and the guide data doesn't have the airing marked as New.

As far as your Three News issue, racameron is correct in that your XMLTV EPG (XMLTV-MyMainStreaming) for that custom M3U source (M3U-MyMainStreaming) isn't using unique identifiers for each airing, so they all look like the same episode to Channels DVR (generic airing listings).

[Brad1]

Thank you, that's very helpful. Source is m3u from IPTVeditor.com to simplify my FTA channels. I will try and dig deeper in there as I'd much prefer to use IPTVEditor than take the source which has channels I don't want.

Any tips on how to do this would be appreciated.

[Brad1]

Ahh yes, sorry, didn't notice that point. Critical one. Thanks

[Brad1]

IPTV editor m3u is the source. If I click the blue matches(7) it shows all upcoming episodes for the next seven days. So it knows before recording the first one that there are future episodes, but after the first one records it thinks that all the others listed are already recorded.

This is where the problem is odd, it knows before recording there are future episodes on multiple days but after first recording it thinks every future episode is already recorded.

[Morris_Altman]

Please show the schedule. It may think the future airings are the same show

[Brad1]

Yes that's the problem, it thinks future, new airings are already recorded:

[Morris_Altman]

You need to modify your pass. Change from "New Episodes" to "All Episodes" If this is too many consider what you can filter using an Advanced Pass.

[Brad1]

Like I said, when I click the matches for "all episodes" it shows all upcoming episodes for the next seven days. So Channels DVR knows before recording the first episode that there are future episodes, but after the first one records, it thinks that all the others listed are already recorded.

This is where the problem is odd, it knows before recording there are future episodes on multiple days but after first recording it thinks every future episode is already recorded.

[maddox]

The issue is that your third party guide data isn’t providing each airing with a unique identifier. So Channels DVR Server thinks it has already recorded it, and won’t record the other airings.

This is core to the recording engine and without proper guide data, it won’t record any additional airings as it thinks they are all the same ones.

[Morris_Altman]

As maddox points out every broadcast appears to be the same one due to the guide. My suggestion to record All Episodes will overwrite the previous one when i records. This appears to be news broadcasts so it may may be acceptable. There are some third party addons to Channels that might help you with this. Stream Link Manager has a feature to address some mu3 issues. I have not used that feature. You will need to investigate

[racameron]

@Morris_Altman

My suggestion to record All Episodes will overwrite the previous one when i records.

I do not believe that's correct. As long as an episode is currently in the library, a second copy scheduled from a pass will not be recorded.

@Brad1 If this is a news program that you regularly watch before the next airing, my suggestion is to set your pass to record all episodes (not just new), but to additionally set the option to re-record deleted episodes. Then, as long as your program is deleted before the guide updates and rules are evaluated, the next airing should be scheduled to record.

(Also note, this only applies to passes. Airings that are manually selected for recording will always record, regardless of whether it was previously recorded, or even if the same program is currently in the library.)

[jtanderson]

It sure would be nice if the admin tool had a details view of guide data entries similar to the details view of file objects.

[racameron]

You can always use the API to get the full content of the metadata for any recording. For future airings, you can do the same to request guide data in full in either JSON (via API) or XMLTV via export endpoints.

(I believe that future recordings can be queried and their data returned in JSON. And for the very intrepid users, you can directly access and look into Channels' own DBs, as they are BoltDB files. However, I thoroughly recommend making a backup and working from that, or stopping the DVR as you don't want to look into files being actively accessed.)

[jtanderson]

Yeah, I generally use PowerShell when I want to examine the guide data, but I've often thought that it would be nice if you could click on a show in the guide and the gear drop-list would include a Details option to get either a JSON dump of the guide entry or some sort of formatted display.

[Brad1]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not saying your wrong but I find it odd that it can see future airings in the EPG for the next seven days at the time of setting up the recording but then after the first episode is recorded then the recognition breaks?
I'll need to play around with IPTVEditor more to work out a way to give each airing an unique identifier.

[Brad1]

@racameron

my suggestion is to set your pass to record all episodes (not just new), but to additionally set the option to re-record deleted episodes. Then, as long as your program is deleted before the guide updates and rules are evaluated, the next airing should be scheduled to record.

That sounds like it could work. Will give it a go, thanks for the suggestion.

[racameron]

@Brad1

I find it odd that it can see future airings in the EPG for the next seven days at the time of setting up the recording but then after the first episode is recorded then the recognition breaks?

No, it recognizes the future airings. It just thinks they are re-airings of the same episode it already recorded. Again, your guide data is not telling Channels those are different unique airings; it thinks every airing is a repeat of the same episode, day after day.