Request: can DVR Server ditch Chrome / Keystone? Is there an interim way to avoid Chrome?

Channels DVR Server
#1

As folks are probably aware, there has been lots of discussion (especially from Loren Brichter’s ChromeIsBad.com, who leads Tweetie and invented Pull To Refresh) about Chrome causing havoc on macOS and Window Server with Keystone. Today, after a mere 15 hours of uptime, my newly configured Mac mini Apple Silicon M1 crashed and rebooted itself. Console seems to indicate that Chrome is the likely culprit (though maybe it’s Backblaze). Either way, Chrome and Keystone are still horrible CPU and memory hogs.

Can Channels DVR Server please ditch Chrome at some point? It’d be really great if TVE authentication (and whatever other server features that require Chrome) could work without it and instead run well with a system’s native browser (eg, Safari on Mac, Chrome on Android, Edge on Windows, etc.). I wonder how the Chrome requirement is avoided on NAS deployments, for example.

Is there any workaround now for users who really don’t want Chrome on their systems?

Jan 3 19:56:38 101 Google Chrome Helper[20342]: Libnotify: notify_register_coalesced_registration failed with code 9 on line 2835
Jan 3 19:56:38 101 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.openssh.sshd.062549D5-CC92-4A64-BAB9-587B159667F2[21909]): Service exited with abnormal code: 255
Jan 3 19:56:49 101 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.openssh.sshd.D6222B80-77A9-4EF3-9653-99036DA87CC3[21913]): Service exited with abnormal code: 255
Jan 3 19:57:00 101 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.openssh.sshd.C803C769-1604-4D1D-BD99-708734674757[21915]): Service exited with abnormal code: 255
Jan 3 19:57:11 101 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.openssh.sshd.02CF6732-283B-46AA-855E-D22383089E8E[21919]): Service exited with abnormal code: 255
Jan 3 19:57:22 101 com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.openssh.sshd.575621FA-7365-43D1-A71B-124E2374F69A[21921]): Service exited with abnormal code: 255
Jan 3 19:58:02 localhost bootlog[0]: BOOT_TIME 1609732682 600463

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#2

I'm not familiar with what is being referred to here without more research, but I am also having issues that indicate chrome is the problem. Several channels produce this result:

Screenshot_20210104-071159_Chrome
Screenshot_20210104-071159_Chrome1080×2160 209 KB

How should I workaround this? Keep removing / reinstalling different chrome versions until it's solved?

#3

IMHO this is a bunch of FUD and has been disproven: https://9to5mac.com/2020/12/14/chrome-slowing-down-mac-performance/

Regardless there is no way to use our TVE feature without Chrome and that is not going to change.

#4

This thread is about using the dvr on macOS and unrelated to your shield issue.

You can click and hold the Sign In button after entering your TVE login to reset the chrome install on your shield.

#5

It was about ditching chrome because of issues and he uses a mac.

Thanks for the response.

#6

Thanks for circling back on this. I’m curious, what is Chrome used for with Channels DVR Server, and what if a user decides not to have Chrome on their system? Thank you!

#7

Chrome is only needed if using TVE.

#8

As stated, a Chrome chroot is used to authenticate with Locast and TV Everywhere streams. If you are simply using Channels with HDHomeRun tuners, then it is not necessary.

Then the features that require it will not work. When you try to add a source that relies upon Chrome for authentication, it will fail.

#9

FWIW, after clean installing Big Sur 11.1 on my M1 Mac mini — a pain in itself with resetpassword twice, why? — I restored my Channels DVR backup, and all of my authentications are working without Chrome. DVR processes in console seem to work without any issues.

I presume that my TVE or Locast authentications might time out at some point, but I’m a happy clam for now. At that point, I’ll install Chrome, reauthenticate TVE / Locast and clean install my M1 again to keep it tidy, perhaps.

#10

Yes, it will need to reauthenticate. Usually it lasts about 30 days or so. If you don't use Chrome yourself, their should be no need to remove it constantly; Channels run Chrome in a separate chroot, meaning it is partitioned and kept separate from everything else on the system. It does not access your user profile or access any stored Google information.

#11

On Mac and Windows you need to install Chrome yourself.

1 Like
#12

So I never have to install AND open or run Chrome.app? It only needs to be installed? Simply installing Chrome.app to the Applications folder is sufficient?

#13

Is there a way to increase the “timeout” of TVE / Locast logins?

1 Like
#14

Yes.

No it's not under our control.

2 Likes
#15

I setup a rpi4 to act as a backend server for TVE and Locast to my main channels DVR. I was having major problems on my DS218 with Comcast. Constantly getting reset password emails. I haven't had that issue since I set up the rpi4 months ago. I know it's an additional cost but may be worth getting chrome off your main machine.

1 Like
#16

This is an awesome workaround! How do you get your NAS to use the rpi as a TVE server? I’d be setting this up with Mac. Thank you!

#17

I just used the rpi4 image setup locast and TVE Then set up as 2 m3u sources on the main dvr using.

http://x.x.x.x:8089/devices/TVE-Comcast_SSO/channels.m3u?format=ts

http://x.x.x.x:8089/devices/LOCAST-501/channels.m3u?format=ts

Where the x's are the ip of the rpi4

2 Likes
#18

Don't use crap MacOS version, stick with Catalina or better Mojave.

#19

I’m on an M1 Mac. I have to run Big Sur.

My prior 2012 Mac mini ran High Sierra, which was great.

#20

I wouldn’t buy M1 at the moment, to be honest I really think market force Apple to stick with Intel and abandon M1. The only good thing in M1 is people will not do hackintosh