I just finished watching a recorded show and as soon as I backed out of it on my ATV the recording folders showed no available recordings. I looked at the server web site and it looks like it was hung up. I rebooted the server and the same thing. The recording tab is there but it shows no recordings… unless I login to my Windows Home Server 2011 and keep the remote desktop open. This is a headless server that has been running great with Channels DVR for some time now. I added a task scheduler auto-start and it has worked perfect for me all along. It looks like there was an update tonight and I suspect it is buggy. When I try to log off of my server it says that Channels DVR engine is running (even though the web page says idle and it’s not recording anything) and it won’t close when I try to, I have to force close it. It has never done this before. If I go look at my task scheduler after the server starts it shows the channels auto-login as “ready” instead of “running”.
Ugh. There were some big changes to the windows system tray code, so that’s probably what’s causing it…
I can try booting up Windows 7 here to make sure it works there (been testing on Windows 10). But it sounds like the issue is more likely the Task Scheduler based launch rather than the older Windows.
Do you mind trying to run it as a regular app to see if that works?
And just to confirm, does it stop working once you disconnect Remote Desktop?
Using it right now. Works fine as long as remote desktop is open and app is running. I suspect it would also work fine with a monitor connected to it and open without a remote desktop session running.
With remote desktop disconnected, are you able to access http://X.X.X.X:8089 from another computer or mobile device browser? Does it load, or show some sort of error?
Nope. It won’t connect. Let me clarify… When I disconnect from my remote desktop sessions I always use the log off option. I do not just click on the “x” to disconnect.
Very strange, I’m not sure what would be causing that…
I tested here on a Windows 7 computer and it was fine. I also have had no issues on my headless Windows 10 box, regardless of whether RDP is connected or not.
Do you see the channels system tray icon?
Yes
I tried to start the task scheduler manually and then log off but then it stills hangs at the program still needs to close screen saying that the channels dvr recording engine is running.
Okay, I can try setting up Task Scheduler on Windows 10 and see if I can reproduce the problem.
@ImNotSerious @ChrisH Are you having the same problem?
When you connect over RDP and look at the Log tab of the DVR, does it show a Goodbye message from when you logged out? And a new “Starting Channels DVR” message when you connected?
Trying to figure out if the DVR process is getting stopped in the background, or still running but hanging.
If you can share a screenshot (or commands) of your task scheduler settings, that will help me set one up to reproduce.
I’ve been running it on Ubuntu, since it doesn’t run as a service on Windows. I’d be happy to pop it up on a win7 today and take a look.
You might want to consider pulling the tray code out and making it a separate binary. That could also free you up to add the service wrapper code so it could run under the Local System account. While the tray could run under whoever was logged in.
No, if I log off the RDP and then log back in I do not see those messages in the log. When I log off the dvr it disappears from the ATV app and is not accessible via web (basically shutting down). When I log back into the RDP it begins working again and is accessible via the web and the ATV app.
It sounds like it’s time for us to add real Windows Service support. I’m working on the windows installer this week, so I should be able to make this all work.
I’m trying out the Task Scheduler now, but am still unsure what settings to use. Can you share your task’s security options?
Okay I think I see what’s going on… as of the last DVR release, the channels-dvr.exe no longer runs inside Task Scheduler. It crashes on boot with this error message:
[ERR] Could not start windows app: Shell_NotifyIcon
I think what was happening in your case, whenever you login to your windows machine the Auto-Run that the installer setup kicks off, and so the DVR does start up then. But when you logout it stops, and the Task Scheduler isn’t running it at all.
Good news is it should be an easy fix. I also spent the morning making the DVR compatible with Windows Service, so it will also be possible to install it as a service. I also managed to get auto-updates working when it runs as a service.
More updates soon.
Okay, I have a pre-release build available with all the fixes. I tested this build running as a regular app, running under Task Scheduler, and also as a Windows Service.
To upgrade, make sure the DVR is running and then execute in Powershell:
iwr -method put -usebasicparsing http://127.0.0.1:8089/updater/check/2017.11.02.2350
This build also has an auto-run toggle available in the system tray menu:
To switch to a Windows Service, disable auto-run and exit the DVR (or stop your Task and delete it's trigger), then run in an Administrator Powershell window:
sc.exe create ChannelsDVR binpath= "C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR\latest\channels-dvr.exe -service" start= auto DisplayName= "Channels DVR Engine" depend= tcpip/dhcp/dnscache
sc.exe description ChannelsDVR "Channels DVR engine as a Windows Service."
sc.exe failure ChannelsDVR reset= 5 actions= restart/1000/restart/5000/restart/60000
sc.exe start ChannelsDVR
You will also see the service in the Task Manager (or the Services app), and can start/stop from there:
I plan to update the windows installer next to allow easy one-click installation as a windows service.
My version of powershell is so old on that server that it doesn’t even have Invoke-WebRequest as an option. I’ll just wait for the main release. Thanks.
You can hold SHIFT and click the Check For Updates button