[MetalChris]

So when I am at school on their wifi everything works great on my phone, tablet, and laptop, as soon as I get home... smil url missing error. I'm not sure what the difference is. I'm using centurylink at home. It is really irritating.

what ISP does your school use?

This is why I'm beginning to think having different internet and cable providers is causing my inability to view the HLS streams. I have TWC internet only and up until everything went HLS, I could use the add-on, but was unable to view anything on the ESPN site. When I tried SlingTV for a month, I was able to view events on the ESPN site, and use the WatchESPN app on my Roku, but still was unable to view HLS streams with the add-on.

I've failed miserably (so far) at attempting to get erack's SAML authentication to work, but I'm pretty sure being able to login through the add-on with a valid subscription will get this working again. It's just a matter of time...

[appalachianspirit]

Yeah I emailed the helpdesk at school and inquired about their isp. They didn't know. I'm on campus tomorrow I'll inquire then.

[jfabernathy]

I have the situation that I have TWC internet only, but I have DirecTV satellite TV, which now supports WatchESPN/ESPN3. I can use a browser on my laptop and go to watchESPN and login by selecting DirecTV in the drop down box for "Provider", and it seems to bounce me to the Directv login site where I provide my Directv account login information (email and password). It works fine on the laptop. However, it doesn't work on Kodi/ESPN3.

I see that there is a "userdata.xml" in the ..\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\addon_data\plugin.video.espn_3 directory.

Can I add the provider and account information to that file to make this work? Or does the ESPN3 app assume that the internet provider is the ESPN provider?

If this condition is allowed, what do I put where in the userdata.xm file?

Follow steps 2 & 4 on this page to see how to modify your existing userdata.xml file. Try using 'directtv' or directtv_sso' for your affiliate name.

If you need to create a new userdata.xml file, go to this page while logged in to the WatchESPN site, then save the page as userdata.xml (no caps) and edit as needed.

I finally got the HAL layer installed so I could login to watch ESPN via Firefox on Lubuntu and get logged in correctly to watch live ESPN3. I can get the SWID from userdata and put that in the KODI useredata.xml file. However, I can't seem to get ESPN3 addon to play any video. Same error as before.

BTW, the link above reference steps 2 and 4 seems to be gone.

[locomot1f]

@jfabernathy,

can you post a log with the new settings?

also, try deleting the videocache.xml file in that same folder.

[jfabernathy]

@jfabernathy,

can you post a log with the new settings?

also, try deleting the videocache.xml file in that same folder.

I'll try to delete the file you suggested, but how do I exactly post a log?? Where is it located?

[jfabernathy]

@jfabernathy,

can you post a log with the new settings?

also, try deleting the videocache.xml file in that same folder.

I'll try to delete the file you suggested, but how do I exactly post a log?? Where is it located?

I'm hoping this is the log you are interested in. It's part of Kodi.log in the temp files directory under .kodi.

17:33:55 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: URL: http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/watchespn/f...e=20151122
17:33:55 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Name: Replay 10 Days
17:33:55 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: List sports
17:33:55 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/watchespn/f...e=20151122
17:34:11 T:139823465625344 NOTICE: Thread BackgroundLoader start, auto delete: false
17:34:13 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Thread LanguageInvoker start, auto delete: false
17:34:14 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
17:34:14 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Mode: 3
17:34:14 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: URL: http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/watchespn/f...e=20151122
17:34:14 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Name: Basketball
17:34:14 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Index by sport
17:34:32 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Thread BackgroundLoader start, auto delete: false
17:34:34 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Thread FileCache start, auto delete: false
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Previous line repeats 1 times.
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Thread LanguageInvoker start, auto delete: false
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Mode: 4
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: URL: 2691299,,,17349652,HLS
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Name: 12/01 - 09:30 PM - #2 Maryland vs. #9 North Carolina (M Basketball)
17:34:35 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: https://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/config
17:34:36 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: http://broadband.espn.go.com/espn3/auth/...d=domestic
17:34:40 T:139826339944384 ERROR: Playlist Player: skipping unplayable item: 0, path [plugin://plugin.video.espn_3/?url=2691299%2C%2C%2C17349652%2CHLS&mode=4&name=12%2F01+-+09%3A30+PM+-+%232+Maryland+vs.+%239+North+Carolina+%28M+Basketball%29]
17:34:40 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: Thread BackgroundLoader start, auto delete: false
17:34:41 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Thread FileCache start, auto delete: false
17:34:44 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
17:34:44 T:139825397434112 NOTICE: Thread BackgroundLoader start, auto delete: false
17:34:45 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: Thread LanguageInvoker start, auto delete: false
17:34:46 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
17:34:46 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: Mode: None
17:34:46 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: URL: None
17:34:46 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: Name: None
17:34:46 T:139824497403648 NOTICE: Generate Main Menu

[MetalChris]

17:34:36 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: http://broadband.espn.go.com/espn3/auth/...d=domestic

It's an HLS stream and I'm seeing the dreaded 'INVALID IP' in the xml returned from the link above.

Look's like he's in the same boat I'm in, and unable to view the HLS streams.

[jfabernathy]

17:34:36 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: http://broadband.espn.go.com/espn3/auth/...d=domestic

It's an HLS stream and I'm seeing the dreaded 'INVALID IP' in the xml returned from the link above.

Look's like he's in the same boat I'm in, and unable to view the HLS streams.

Not sure I understand what you said, but on my Kodibuntu system, I have install Firefox, flashplayer, and the HAL layer, so I can play ESPN3.com using Firefox on the same system. If I clear the cookies and start fresh with Firefox, I have to pick my TV service, which is DirecTV, then login with my DirecTV login information. After that while playing SportsCenter, I get the userdata.xml information that I put into the file for Kodi.

[MetalChris]

17:34:36 T:139825389041408 NOTICE: ESPN3: get_html: http://broadband.espn.go.com/espn3/auth/...d=domestic

It's an HLS stream and I'm seeing the dreaded 'INVALID IP' in the xml returned from the link above.

Look's like he's in the same boat I'm in, and unable to view the HLS streams.

Not sure I understand what you said, but on my Kodibuntu system, I have install Firefox, flashplayer, and the HAL layer, so I can play ESPN3.com using Firefox on the same system. If I clear the cookies and start fresh with Firefox, I have to pick my TV service, which is DirecTV, then login with my DirecTV login information. After that while playing SportsCenter, I get the userdata.xml information that I put into the file for Kodi.

I can view the events in Firefox, but not through the add-on. Previously, ESPN provided most of the streams in either RTMP or HDS format, but over the last few months they've transitioned almost everything to the HLS format. With the HLS format there is either some additional authentication, or different authentication taking place that works in browsers, but not (yet) in the add-on.

If you follow the link provided in your kodi log, it returns an xml file. About halfway down you'll see an 'auth-status' element which is returning the 'INVALID IP' error. I get the same results when I try to view any HLS formatted streams through the add-on.

[swegian]

I have a HTPC running Kodi. Running the system in various location I've encountered a SMIL error when accessing ESPN3 from 50% of the locations. The only difference that I can identify in the tests is the ISP. Is there some reason the SMIL error should occur? Can it be remedied?

[locomot1f]

I have a HTPC running Kodi. Running the system in various location I've encountered a SMIL error when accessing ESPN3 from 50% of the locations. The only difference that I can identify in the tests is the ISP. Is there some reason the SMIL error should occur? Can it be remedied?

yes, this --

The only difference that I can identify in the tests is the ISP

the ISP that require you to login to watch ESPN online will fail with this error.

I haven't been successful in configuring Eracknaphobia's code (NBC Sports addon) to work with this addon.

[shoulih]

yes. i'm aware of this.

it's the way I pull the stream.
i'm not experienced enough to figure out how to code in python for the m3u playlist to adjust for the bitrates.


so, when the stream hits a "bump" and should be adjusting, it "chokes" on it. and you get the stuttering.
I've found that a quick pause/play helps relieve this -- sometimes. :-(

i'm not a professional coder. i know just enough to be dangerous.

BTW, the nbc sports extra live add-on also has commercial break and it looks like either that add-on knows how to adjust bitrates from m3u playlist or the bitrate doesn't change for the commercial stream :-)
Any workaround we can find at the code level?

[jfabernathy]

I'm wondering is there is any common login process between the EPSN3 addon and NBC Sports Extra addon. I was just able to use the 2016.1.22 version of the NBC Sports extra addon on my OpenELEC 6.0 system to login there with my DirecTV account information. It's the same information that I use on any of my computers in the Firefox browser to watch ESPN.

[AlfredW]

OK be gentle here.

I am a complete newbie. I have tried to read through much of this but I am completely lost.
Which is a state I seem to be in a lot when playing with KODI.....

So I have loaded up the ESPN3 addon but every time I try to use it I get the message:

smil url blank
unable to playback video

I have no idea where to start to fix this.
So is there anyone who has the patience to guide a completly lost newbie?

Thanks,
Alfred

[User 272336]

Hi Alfred,

The message you are getting seems to indicate that your cable TV subscription of ESPN is not being recognized.
The validation is made thru your cable operator. This is what I understand, feel free to add/correct.

Are you able to get to ESPN3 with your browser?