Video lags behind audio when streaming remotely -

Channels DVR Server
#1

I have a ChannelsDVR setup at home - I also have Apple TVs at 2 different locations, which I use to watch either recorded shows, or live TV, as neither location has any OTA service. Everything was working pretty darn well for quite some time, but recently we've had some issues. The major change was I enabled Tailscale in the hopes of securing everything better (not just channels). But what seems to have happened is that frequently (not always!) the video portion of the show I'm watching starts to fall behind - audio stays current (I know this because I would hear a delay when listening to music videos) but the video starts to slow down, gets a bit choppy, but occasionally catches up by itself. I'm not sure if its a speed or encoding issue when viewing things remotely, or a problem with the internet service itself, but as it is in 2 different locations, with 2 different providers, and 2 different brands of router, and the only thing constant is Channels on AppleTV 4K -

Ideas, or thoughts on what to test or try out?

#2

Sounds like the two other things in common are your source (TVE/M3U?) and Tailscale.
If your Tailscale connection is going through their DERP relay servers, it will be a slower connection.
Also, TVE/M3U connections can be fickle.

Try a speed test between the Channels client and the Channels DVR Server while using Tailscale.

You can also see if Tailscale is using a DERP relay or Direct connection. I find I need to run tailscale ping to see this.

1 Like
#3

Thanks for the help -

I first made sure that all devices were logged into Tailscale, and latest version, and authorized. I also reduced the streaming quality. I finally got a chance to go to our other place, and found that the speed seemed fine - running Speedtest on the AppleTV showed 71MBPS down, 79 up. I have no idea what a DERP relay is, or how to find that out.

I'm still noticing the same issue - basically, the audio is coming thru fine, but the video (on recorded or live shows, on Channels only) the video acts like its dropping frames, or getting hung up somehow, occasionally catching up. In the previous years we never had this problem - it seems to be just recently, with either the difference being the Unifi router I installed, or the installation of Tailscale, or possibly a Channels update?

#4

Was that using the built in Channels app speedtest on the Apple TV while it was connected as AT HOME via Tailscale to your DVR server?

Tailscale has some excellent documentation in their knowledgebase articles.

#5

Thanks for trying - I've turned off Tailscale on every device, and so far that seems to have helped with speed and access to Channels locally - Unfortunately, my CDVR is a few hundred miles from my cabin, and trying to troubleshoot these things without having someone who can make changes or check settings at one end or the other simultaneously is problematic - so I can only try to check things on the occasions I go back and forth.

However - a new issue seems to have come up, and I am not sure what it is related to - I am running CDVR on a first gen Mac mini M1, which has a small drive, so I put the storage onto a Synology 920+ NAS. That has all been working fine for quite a while - until recently -

When I open Channels on my AppleTVs, I can see the live streams from the HDHomeruns, and I can see the library listings, but trying to play a recording, I get an error saying the recording cannot be found. I've discovered that it's a disconnect between the Mac and Synology, that seems to occur if there is a system update (to Sequoia, and then to it's first update) and I have to remount the NAS to the Mac - the auto mount has been working great for a long time, but seems to fail now, either due to the Sequoia update, or possibly a Synology update - so if I reboot the Mac, I need to make sure the NAS gets manually remounted as the automatic setup that worked for a couple years no longer does. Any ideas about that?

Finally - has anyone done comparisons of running CDVR on the M1 Mac, vs running it on the Synology NAS? Maybe it would be easier to just have it all running on the NAS, but it feels like the power of the M1 should provide a better service to multiple users/tuners? But honestly, I just want to keep it simple -

I'm headed north and can see if the Sequoia update, or the extra RAM I added to the NAS, or the turning off of Tailscale on everything local, has had any effect on the remote streaming experience. Fingers crossed -

Remote access broken overnight -
#6

I don't use a Mac, so can't comment.

You should make a new post about automounting the NAS share on your Mac.

And maybe another new post about the pro/con of running CDVR Server on a Mac vs Synology.

You'll get more visibility and probably more replies that way.

Remote access broken overnight -