Please revert changes to remote access

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

Not too long ago there were some major changes to remote access that have caused more problems than they fixed. The only issue I had before was that the remote DVR wouldn't always connect if there was a local tuner present, now I have random disconnects and there is no "reconnect" option in settings.

Before:

  • The remote connection was 99% reliable, and only failed periodically when a local tuner was present on the network
  • If the connection was lost the UI only showed "on now" "guide" and "settings", it was immediately obvious that the remote connection was lost
  • Simple option of "reconnect" on the settings page

After

  • Loses connection a few times a day during normal use, if the app is left unattended of relaunched it is likely to lose connection. Sometimes it will randomly lose connection just from navigating through the UI.
  • When the connection is lost the is no way of knowing most of the time, the channels still show up, the "dvr" and "recordings" tabs are still there, they are just empty
  • False "no tuner available" errors due to the connection being lost
  • No simple way to reconnect since that option is no longer available in settings
  • Requires force closing the app, or in some cases just going back to the home screen and relaunching

Overall the changes have just been a headache to deal with. I assume the majority of users interested in remote access are not using it in conjunction with a remote tuner, in this case it was working reliably before the changes were made. For those of us that do have local tuners + remote dvr having the option to "reconnect" was a fairly painless solution. It would be great if local tuners and remote DVR would reliably connect every time but the changes haven't improved that aspect of the app and have been a big step backward for anyone using it solely for remote access.

#2

Which client platform/device are you referring to?

1 Like
#3

Apple TV, we use those daily but I can swap over to android for a few days to see if it is any better.

#4

The android and appletv codebases are different, so bugs in one will not necessarily exist in the other.

Diagnostics from the apple tv app after receiving the "no tuner available" message would help narrow down what's going on. Are there similar problems when attempting to play recordings as well?

There isn't really a "connection" that can be lost which would affect playback. The app simply stores the URL of your DVR, and uses that to connect when you try to watch something. The "reconnect" button before was essentially just a refresh button, which would reload the list of shows/recordings from the DVR. If those are still appearing in the app, then there's no need to refresh anything.

Sounds to me more like a networking issue or a bug in the remote tuner code. Diagnostics would shed more light.

#5

I've sent multiple after discussing it with @maddox, I'll submit a few more this afternoon.

#6

Just submitted. To be clear the "dvr" and "recordings" tabs still show up but they are empty, so I have no way of accessing the recordings to try to play one.

#8

Thanks. There is clearly some sort of bug. If you go to home and relaunch and get it working, please submit another diagnostics after its working.

#9

funny thing is "submit diagnostics" also seems to make it connect again. Next time it does it i'll close and open again before submitting... will the log still show the activity as long as I don't force close the app?

#10

Yes the log will continue as long as there is no force stop.

I just want to see diagnostics after it starts working again, regardless of how it happened.

I doubt submitting diagnostics would fix it, so probably it is breaking and then fixing itself after some time whenever you re-open the app.

#11

Ok, just submitted a log. I got the "tuner not available" error the backed out of the app and re-opened it, once back in playback started just fine.

Right now I'm sorta forcing the error by leaving the app and going back into it, which is a bit of a cheat to get the error, but I have seen it happen many times just from normal use whether it be the app sits on the guide for a little while and then gives the error when trying to start playback or in rare cases it does the same thing without leaving the app or letting it sit, I'll just be navigating through the UI looking for something to watch and notice my recordings are missing or the channel doesn't start.

#12

Part of the problem is that when you stream remotely not at Original quality, the "Tuner Not Available" message is shown for all errors as the generic error.

The tuner not available you submitted was from the DVR failing to stream for some reason. The DVR log would show more detail.

#13

Not seeing anything in the log that would point to the issue, almost all of our remote streaming is done at original quality when using the apple tv.

2018/11/18 16:20:00 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 805 from 67.197.171.166 (encoder=remux, resolution=1080, deinterlacer=, bitrate=10000)
2018/11/18 16:52:47 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch805-dANY-3de76d4079c5 @ 32m45.713745s
2018/11/18 16:52:47 [TNR] Closed connection to 1321FE7D for ch805
2018/11/18 16:53:05 [TNR] Opened connection to 1321FE7D for ch736
2018/11/18 16:53:13 [TNR] Closed connection to 1321FE7D for ch736
2018/11/18 16:58:26 [TNR] Opened connection to 1321FE7D for ch736
2018/11/18 16:58:26 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 736 from 67.197.171.166 (encoder=remux, resolution=1080, deinterlacer=, bitrate=10000)
2018/11/18 17:02:14 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch736-dANY-3de76d4079c5 @ 3m45.225s
2018/11/18 17:02:14 [TNR] Closed connection to 1321FE7D for ch736
[mpegts @ 0x80145f000]
#15

Just submitted 3 logs... first one is where playback wouldn't start, right after that I went to the recording tab and nothing was showing up and a few seconds later they did so I submitted again, and the third after starting playback normally. The app was never left/closed in this time and there isn't anything showing up in the DVR log.

1 Like
#16

Submitted a few more the other day, should I post when submitting or can you tell where the log is coming from and figure out pretty quick why they are submitted?