Stuck on Transcoding Starting - but nothing plays

Channels DVR Server
#1

Hi,
Channels on the AppleTv works fine, however when I try and view certain channels on my Mac via the browser, it seems to stall on Transcoding Starting. Here in the UK for example ITV (Ch3 in log below) starts almost immediately, however BBC 1 (Ch1 below) will not play. The Log shows up like this -

2018/02/27 21:54:16 [TNR] Opened connection to 12500161 for ch3
2018/02/27 21:54:16 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 3 from 192.168.1.11 (encoder=h264_videotoolbox, resolution=720, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=2000)
2018/02/27 21:54:47 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch3-dANY-ip192.168.1.11 @ 30.130678s
2018/02/27 21:54:47 [TNR] Closed connection to 12500161 for ch3
2018/02/27 21:54:57 [TNR] Opened connection to 12500161 for ch1
2018/02/27 21:54:57 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 1 from 192.168.1.11 (encoder=h264_videotoolbox, resolution=720, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=2000)
[mpegts @ 0x7ffa3f002c00] Could not find codec parameters for stream 2 (Audio: mp3 ([3][0][0][0] / 0x0003), 0 channels, s16p): unspecified frame size
Consider increasing the value for the ‘analyzeduration’ and ‘probesize’ options
[mpegts @ 0x7ffa3f002c00] Could not find codec parameters for stream 5 (Unknown: none ([11][0][0][0] / 0x000B)): unknown codec
Consider increasing the value for the ‘analyzeduration’ and ‘probesize’ options
[mpegts @ 0x7ffa3f002c00] Could not find codec parameters for stream 6 (Unknown: none ([11][0][0][0] / 0x000B)): unknown codec
Consider increasing the value for the ‘analyzeduration’ and ‘probesize’ options
2018/02/27 21:55:27 [WRN] Buffer for 12500161 ch1 is more than 50% full (clients=1, len=16777552)
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:3.
[aac @ 0x7ffa3f87a200] 2 frames left in the queue on closing
[aac @ 0x7ffa3e8d6c00] 2 frames left in the queue on closing
2018/02/27 21:55:39 [WRN] Buffer for 12500161 ch1 is more than 75% full (clients=1, len=25167052)
2018/02/27 21:55:52 [WRN] Buffer for 12500161 ch1 is more than 95% full (clients=1, len=31879968)
2018/02/27 21:55:54 [WRN] Buffer for 12500161 ch1 is more than 99% full (clients=1, len=33220972)
2018/02/27 21:59:08 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch1-dANY-ip192.168.1.11 @ 0s
2018/02/27 21:59:08 [TNR] Closed connection to 12500161 for ch1

Any ideas why? Thanks

#2

I have the same issue.

#3

This is the same problem as Web browser playback not working

I finally managed to figure it out- it’s specific to broadcasts in the UK. I have a fix in the works which should resolve the issue, and also make the transcoder start playback more quickly.

#4

I’m in the US.

Also, where can I view the log files? ( DVR is a NAS )

#5

There is a log tab at the top right of the DVR web UI.

#6

Looks like my errors are slightly different:

2018/02/27 18:22:23 [TNR] Opened connection to 106036B9 for ch9.1
2018/02/27 18:22:23 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 9.1 from 10.0.1.147 (encoder=libx264, resolution=1080, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=6000)
[ac3 @ 0xe9eea0] frame sync error
Error while decoding stream #0:2: Invalid data found when processing input
2018/02/27 18:22:34 [WRN] Buffer for 106036B9 ch9.1 is more than 50% full (clients=1, len=16777684)
2018/02/27 18:22:37 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch9.1-dANY-ip10.0.1.147 @ 0s
2018/02/27 18:22:37 [TNR] Closed connection to 106036B9 for ch9.1

2018/02/27 18:25:09 [TNR] Opened connection to 106036B9 for ch7.1
2018/02/27 18:25:09 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 7.1 from 10.0.1.147 (encoder=libx264, resolution=1080, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=6000)
2018/02/27 18:25:24 [WRN] Buffer for 106036B9 ch7.1 is more than 50% full (clients=1, len=16781632)
2018/02/27 18:25:31 [WRN] Buffer for 106036B9 ch7.1 is more than 75% full (clients=1, len=25173632)
2018/02/27 18:25:36 [WRN] Buffer for 106036B9 ch7.1 is more than 95% full (clients=1, len=31878652)
2018/02/27 18:25:37 [WRN] Buffer for 106036B9 ch7.1 is more than 99% full (clients=1, len=33219656)
2018/02/27 18:25:46 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch7.1-dANY-ip10.0.1.147 @ 0s
2018/02/27 18:25:46 [TNR] Closed connection to 106036B9 for ch7.1

#7

You’re using an ARM-based NAS which is not powerful enough to transcode video.

#8

It streams fine to AppleTV and IOS devices, just not in house on a laptop.

#9

Yes, because Apple TV and iOS devices do not require transcoding when you are at home, only when watching remotely. They are able to playback directly at home.

The web player always requires a transcoder because browsers cannot play mpeg2 directly.

#10

Gotcha. Thanks!

#11

@Gwyn_P I’m testing a fix for this issue. Please open terminal on your mac running the dvr, and paste this command:

curl -XPUT http://127.0.0.1:8089/updater/check/2018.03.07.0153

Then try watching again and let me know if it works or not.

#12

Hi,
Thanks for your effort. Doesn’t seem to do anything unfortunately.

Here is the log file. I am seeing a lot of httpu:error while parsing … errors now also - not sure if this is since running the code in terminal.

2018/03/07 18:21:23 httpu: error while parsing response: unexpected EOF
2018/03/07 18:21:23 httpu: error while parsing response: unexpected EOF
2018/03/07 18:22:58 [DVR] Recording engine started in /Volumes/Backup 1812/TV Recording
2018/03/07 18:22:59 [NAT] Failed to discover upnp: UPnP port discovery failed.
2018/03/07 18:22:59 [NAT] Failed to discover router using natpmp and upnp.
2018/03/07 18:22:59 [SYS] Bonjour service registered with Gwyns-Mac-mini.local
2018/03/07 18:23:00 [SYS] Created database snapshot: backup-20180307.182259
2018/03/07 18:23:25 [IDX] Pruned 1288 expired airings from GBR-1000044-DEFAULT in 17.277831284s.
2018/03/07 18:23:28 [TNR] Opened connection to 12500161 for ch101
2018/03/07 18:23:31 [HLS] Probing live stream for codec/bitrate took 3.070083042s
2018/03/07 18:23:31 [HLS] Starting transcoder for channel 101 from 192.168.1.150 (encoder=h264_videotoolbox, resolution=720, deinterlacer=blend, bitrate=2000)
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f5803600] mmco: unref short failure
[mpegts @ 0x7fe8f4804200] Could not find codec parameters for stream 2 (Audio: aac_latm ([17][0][0][0] / 0x0011), 0 channels, fltp): unspecified sample rate
Consider increasing the value for the ‘analyzeduration’ and ‘probesize’ options
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f4040e00] co located POCs unavailable
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f4870200] reference picture missing during reorder
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f4870200] Missing reference picture, default is 65726
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f4040e00] reference picture missing during reorder
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f4040e00] Missing reference picture, default is 65742
[h264 @ 0x7fe8f580b600] mmco: unref short failure
[h264_videotoolbox @ 0x7fe8f4817400] Color range not set for yuv420p. Using MPEG range.
Too many packets buffered for output stream 0:1.
[aac @ 0x7fe8f486e000] 2 frames left in the queue on closing
2018/03/07 18:24:03 [HLS] Stopping transcoder session ch101-dANY-ip192.168.1.150 @ 0s
2018/03/07 18:24:03 [TNR] Closed connection to 12500161 for ch101

#13

Okay I see what happened. Please try again with:

curl -XPUT http://127.0.0.1:8089/updater/check/2018.03.07.2234

#14

That worked! Thank you very much!

1 Like