[RELEASE] Stream Link/File Manager for Channels [Streaming Library Manager Extension]

[Dxcv]

There are three videos on the main project page: GitHub - babsonnexus/stream-link-manager-for-channels: Effortlessly manage all your streaming Movies, TV Shows, and Stations (BETA) in one place with this custom add-on for Channels DVR

[Keith_Willis]

My error. I assumed github was not updated with the beta information.
That's what assuming will get you.

THANKS!

[babsonnexus]

A new release is available. Most of the items are PLM related, so the details are over in that thread. However, the general items (GEN) also impact SLM, although it's mostly cosmetic. Check out the details here:

BETA: Playlist Manager for Channels (SLM Add-on)

v2024.11.02.0936 has been released as stable. Most of the updates are related to PLM, which is why I'm posting it here.

MODIFIED: {GEN} Added pop-up boxes to various fields so values can be seen by hovering over them

Hovering pop-up info boxes are now all over the place, not just in PLM. Check them out! [image] Let me know if there are other fields where I didn't put this that would be useful. They are very easy to add now.

FIXED: {GEN} Drop down boxes now stay in their column and expand…

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@Keith_Willis

I assumed github was not updated with the beta information.

I always try to update the GitHub with all the latest info, especially new functionality. Be sure to check the Troubleshooting / FAQ section as I have updated that for some PLM items, as well.

[babsonnexus]

@jasonmcroy

I think the path should be /mnt/user/channels_data. But no matter what I do in the settings section in slm I can't get that path to work. I can't see it when I try to navigate there and I can't input it manually.

That's not how Docker works; you can't see the local files and folders, you only map them to a location within the container. This is discussed on the repo:

Also covered above:

@babsonnexus

I also like this explanation:

@chDVRuser

You have to think in docker terms, I'm in a container on the right of the colon, what should I map to on the left of the colon (my host device). Opposite/Reverse of most peoples thinking. At least for those whose languages reads left to right, top to bottom.

So, you have to think in terms of the device you're running the docker container on.
I'm (host device) going to map this port/volume to this docker container.
host:container

The same thing applies to directories. You are looking at the Docker Container's internals, not your host machine's. As it shows in the Stack:

The Environmental Variable for CHANNELS_FOLDER is your host machine (left of colon), the /app/channels_folder directory is what that is within the Docker Container (right of colon).

[jasonmcroy]

Thanks for your reply.

So, I now think I may have something setup incorrectly in my Channels installation then. I went into settings in slm and I added the path as shown above. However, channels still isn't seeing the created stream links. But, what I noticed is that while slm does create folders and puts that stream links in that path, my channels path that it created when I installed it doesn't actually use that path for it's own imports directory. It puts all that data in a path that is /mnt/user/channels_data.

I am now thinking I setup that path when I installed channels in the first place and perhaps that is what is incorrect. I do recall thinking something was odd when I installed channels initially.

[slampman]

@babsonnexus Having a weird issue. My setup is I have a standalone linux Channels server @192.168.12.30. My Linux Docker server is @192.168.12.42 and has a couple of Channels servers, Frndly, ESPN+, etc.

I do have a "shim" interface that allows a loopback so that containers can communicate to the host (put in place for macvlan containers but works for all networking in docker).

When I setup SLM Playlists I have to use the internal IP of the Channels server (docker container) when communicating with slm. This works fine, slm picks up the m3u with no issue.

The problem:
When I look at the slm generated m3u, it contains the internal private docker IP's

(http://172.18.0.109:8089/devices/M3U-BBC/channels/9002/stream.mpg?format=ts)

The issue is that my main Channels server (192.168.12.30) cannot talk to (172.18.0.109). So I changed the playlist IP for the Docker Channels server in slm to http://192.168.12.42:8093. With my "shim" in place it should be fine except... The docker channels server is throwing a 403 error because of the networking change in Channels a while back.

[DEBUG | 2024-11-02 19:12:11,893] - Starting new HTTP connection (1): 192.168.12.42:8093
[DEBUG | 2024-11-02 19:12:11,896] - http://192.168.12.42:8093 "GET /devices/M3U-BBC/channels.m3u?format=ts HTTP/11" 403 707

So I'm kind of in a rock and a hard place. I dont know if this is possible but if there was a way to override the source address in the slm generated m3u it would allow this to work.

In the example below if there were an override field in the playlist manager, I would substitute 192.168.12.42:8093 for 172.18.0.109:8089. Then when my main channels server tunes to the m3u it will be able to communicate with the source.

#EXTINF:-1 tvc-guide-title="BBC Four" channel-id="plm_0003" tvg-id="9002" tvg-name="BBC4" tvg-logo="https://tmsimg.fancybits.co/assets/s20684_ll_h15_ab.png?w=360&h=270" tvg-chno="10003" channel-number="10003" tvg-description="No description available..." tvc-guide-description="No description available..." group-title="HD" tvc-guide-stationid="20684" tvc-guide-art="" tvc-guide-tags="" tvc-guide-genres="" tvc-guide-categories="" tvc-guide-placeholders="" tvc-stream-vcodec="" tvc-stream-acodec="",BBC Four
http://172.18.0.109:8089/devices/M3U-BBC/channels/9002/stream.mpg?format=ts

[jasonmcroy]

Ok, so finally got most everything figured out between figuring out how to install and use Olivetin (what a freaking life saver that is!) and with the help of @bnhf, I have the dvr setup correctly and now slm can easily use the correct folders for the streamlink files.

Now, a new odd issue popped up that I haven't had before. For some reason, slm won't use the channels dvr URL anymore. It was using it fine earlier today when I would test it but it suddenly isn't working.

Here is a screenshot from slm web UI:

That is the correct URL for my server and was working earlier at that same address as I mentioned above.

Anything else I can provide that may help you tell me what I am doing wrong?

[bnhf]

@jasonmcroy

That is the correct URL for my server and was working earlier at that same address as I mentioned above.

See if the Docker internal gateway works for you, which should be 172.17.0.1:8089

[jasonmcroy]

Unfortunately that didn't work either.

[bnhf]

@jasonmcroy

Unfortunately that didn't work either.

Could you post a screenshot of your Portainer-Networks page? It should look something like this:

[mjitkop]

@jasonmcroy I had issues with the address too and this is what worked for me:

BETA: Playlist Manager for Channels (SLM Add-on)

Yes! That's what worked for me. I tried all other suggestions, including the actual IP address of the server, and nothing worked. Thank you. Will do, thanks. That will be great! I'm looking forward to the time this is functional!

[jasonmcroy]

Hmmm..., I can't find a network tab anywhere. Here is a screenshot of my UI:

[bnhf]

@mjitkop

I had issues with the address too and this is what worked for me:

host.docker.internal is primarily a WIndows thing, and is the hostname version of the IP address I'm trying to figure out for @jasonmcroy. Not to say it couldn't be set in a specialized environment like Unraid, but it's not typical.

[jasonmcroy]

Unfortunately that didn't work for me.

[mjitkop]

Ah OK, thank you for the clarification.

[bnhf]

@jasonmcroy

I can't find a network tab anywhere.

You need to click on the local environment first, and then you'll see the Networks option.

[jasonmcroy]

lol - I am so new at this! Thanks for your patience.

[bnhf]

@jasonmcroy

I am so new at this!

No worries. 172.17.0.1:8089 should have worked as that's the gateway address of your bridge network. I'd try restarting the slm container first, and then try the actual IP address in slm settings, followed by the internal gateway address. Something is not working as it should here...

EDIT: You may want to change your Channels DVR container to use host networking so that it's discoverable on your network by CDVR clients, don't you? If so, let me know, and I'll walk you through that change.

EDIT2: Does your Unraid server have Intel Quick Sync (i.e. a modern Intel GPU)? If so, we should enable that too.

[jasonmcroy]

I restarted the container and that didn't change anything. Still not working. Not too big of a deal right now as it only affects being able to update channels from within the slm UI. I just just update from the channel dvr UI.

Regarding the host networking thing. I was noticing that when I installed the container and saw the option to choose bridge vs host and got a bit confused as to which one to select. The way it's set up now I don't seem to have any issues using the channels app on my Apple TV, iPad, iPhone or MacBook.

RE: Edit2: No, I have an AMD processor.