[MetalChris]

What does a uccessful "pkan" construct look like?

You should probably start reading from this page in the old ESPN 3 Fork thread and see how locomot1f got the HLS streams working.

[siuside]

What does a uccessful "pkan" construct look like?

You should probably start reading from this page in the old ESPN 3 Fork thread and see how locomot1f got the HLS streams working.

Thanks that was very helpful to get some of the context. Unfortunately I think that the pkan is not random and it gets generated based on the SWID and the current code is not doing this.

locomot1f has alluded to diving into the NBC code to see if we can borrow parts and that might be a big help. I think even a full blown ESPN app could be developed just because of how we have understood so far and with the great coders around.

[Whiznot]

The ESPN3 add-on is wonderful. The Kodi experience is miles better than the browser experience. I would simply go nuts if the same functionality was available for Watch ESPN and the SEC Network.

[lionsnob]

Hi all -

On just (I think) HLS streams, whenever the stream goes to commercial it gets jittery and pegs one of the CPU cores to 100%. These systems both use VDAPU and have NVidia cards (GT720 and 8400GS both on Kodi 15.1 - one on Xubuntu and one on OpenELEC 5.95.3). I've posted a portion of the log below. These messages just repeat over and over again. Has anyone seen this before? I thought it may be my internet connection but I've rebooted my router, cable modem and switch and it still happens. The NBC Sports Live add-on plays the Golf Channel okay, this just seems to happen with ESPN3 and only when transitioning to a commercial break.

Any ideas? Can I provide more data?

Code:

15:51:02 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:02 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:02 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 52 times.
15:51:02 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:06 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:07 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:51:07 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:10 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:10 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 26 times.
15:51:10 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:10 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:10 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 66 times.
15:51:10 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:14 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:15 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:51:15 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:18 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:19 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 93 times.
15:51:19 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:22 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:23 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:51:23 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:26 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:27 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 93 times.
15:51:27 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:30 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:31 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:51:31 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:39 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:39 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:51:39 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:39 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:39 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 90 times.
15:51:39 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:43 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:43 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:51:43 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:43 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:44 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 114 times.
15:51:44 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:47 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:48 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 93 times.
15:51:48 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:51 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:52 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:51:52 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:55 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:55 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:51:55 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:55 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:51:56 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 90 times.
15:51:56 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:51:59 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 30 times.
15:52:00 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 8 times.
15:52:00 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 3 times.
15:52:00 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 33 times.
15:52:00 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:00 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:00 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 39 times.
15:52:00 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 73 times.
15:52:04 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 1 times.
15:52:04 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:52:04 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 5 times.
15:52:04 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:04 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 8 times.
15:52:04 T:139925055792896 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(audio)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:04 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:08 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:09 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 117 times.
15:52:09 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:12 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:13 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 93 times.
15:52:13 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:16 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:16 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:52:16 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:16 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:17 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 114 times.
15:52:17 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:20 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42
15:52:20 T:139925680883456  NOTICE: Previous line repeats 2 times.
15:52:20 T:139925680883456 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available
15:52:20 T:139925055792896  NOTICE: CDVDPlayerAudio::OutputPacket skipping a packets of duration 42

[lionsnob]

An update.

The flow seems to be this: stream plays fine, hits a commercial break and skips, then the stream comes back and still skips. This is on 15.1.

I downloaded and installed OpenELEC 5.0.8 which has 14.2 on it, and the flow is: the stream plays fine, hits a commercial break and skips, then the stream plays fine.

I will submit a debug log of two PCs playing the same content (one on 14.2 the other on 15.1) tomorrow as the rodeo that's on now is coming to an end.

[locomot1f]

@lionsnob,

i only disagree with this line of thought, only because I watch A LOT of soccer, and I have this same buffering experience. and there are no commercials.

My line of thought leans more to the fact that the stream changes bitrates based on the available resources from your computer.
and it's at the moments that the stream is changing bitrates that the buffering occurs (for me).
If you watch the stream through the player, you'll see the 'Quality' always changing.
I'm not saying that your theory is completely wrong. If it is correct, then that's a whole other topic of dealing with commercials.

I don't exactly know how NBC Live handles this occurrence, or if it does at all.
I also am not sure how to handle the m38 files, for which the HLS streams produce. I don't know how to combine the strings to create the stream. So the URL that I grab is just the first one available.

I've noticed that depending on time of the day and even type of event, the streams work better.

I might have some time later this week to look at things a little more.

[MetalChris]

I will submit a debug log of two PCs playing the same content (one on 14.2 the other on 15.1) tomorrow as the rodeo that's on now is coming to an end.

It would be most helpful if you enable debugging when you do your testing. This way your logfile will include info such as cpu usage, memory usage, etc.

@lionsnob,

i only disagree with this line of thought, only because I watch A LOT of soccer, and I have this same buffering experience. and there are no commercials.

My line of thought leans more to the fact that the stream changes bitrates based on the available resources from your computer.
and it's at the moments that the stream is changing bitrates that the buffering occurs (for me).
If you watch the stream through the player, you'll see the 'Quality' always changing.
I'm not saying that your theory is completely wrong. If it is correct, then that's a whole other topic of dealing with commercials.

I don't exactly know how NBC Live handles this occurrence, or if it does at all.
I also am not sure how to handle the m38 files, for which the HLS streams produce. I don't know how to combine the strings to create the stream. So the URL that I grab is just the first one available.

I've noticed that depending on time of the day and even type of event, the streams work better.

I might have some time later this week to look at things a little more.

I've never seen a commercial while watching anything via the NBC Live Extra add-on. When there's a commercial break, a repeating video loop is displayed with the NBC Sports logo and some annoying music. Similar to what happens during the commercial breaks in the HDS and RTMP streams with the ESPN3 add-on.

If there are multiple quality streams inside the m3u8 file, HLS streams should adjust and provide the best quality possible based on your hardware configuration and available bandwidth, and network traffic at the source - in theory, at least. When I watch NHL games on my Roku, it seems I rarely get HD quality, and if I do it's only for a short length of time. But watching the same game with the NHL Gamecenter add-on in Kodi I can always get HD quality, though sometimes there is more buffering. Probably has to do with the ability to choose the stream quality in the Kodi add-on, while the Roku just makes the decision for me.

It might be worth it to add quality settings to the add-on for the HLS streams. Wish I could offer more, but I still haven't been able to get HLS streams working on my end.

[lionsnob]

Hi all -

The commercial behavior I see is exactly as MetalChris describes it in both add-ons. I did enable the debug log before I started. I noticed the behavior starting at 18:45 but I had it run all day. The files are large uncompressed. kodilogs.com seems to be down so I posted .zip files of the logs here:

From Kodi 14.2 on OpenELEC 5.0.8 (streams fine, skips on commercials, then streams fine)
From Kodi 15.1 on Xubuntu (streams fine, skips on commercials, then skips during the game)

I hope this is helpful. I also am not trying to be an expert here and appreciate all that you do. I merely pointed out the NBC Sports behavior as that's what I observed.

Steve

[mrdally204]

I would like to submit a feature request if it is possible.

I tend to load up a video and while it plays, I will look around for another video to load up kind of like channel surfing. A lot of times I will try and load up a stream on ESPN 3 and get hit with the SMIL blank error. Once this error is cleared, it looks like the video is trying to load, stops the video I was watching in the background and then loads nothing.

Is it possible for the addon to receive the SMIL error, knowing there is no video to load next, allow for the current stream to continue until you click on a valid link? It is petty, but would feel more natural while I am channel surfing.

[locomot1f]

i'll see what i can do.
although, if kodi gets an error, isn't that the default action?

maybe something that if your XML return with no URL, it will just not play...?

------------------------------

i'm still going to need your XML content. not just the link.
if i put the link in my browser, then i'll get the proper URL.

put it up on pastebin, or something like that.

[locomot1f]

also, i'm trying to work with @eracknaphobia to get closer to the WatchESPN addon.

he's created an Adobe Script for his NBC addon. so, just trying to figure out how it works, and how to make it compatible for ESPN

[OmegaRed1723]

I just installed the ESPN3 plugin on my Intel NUC running OpenELEC. So far the plugin is working perfectly, though I noticed the maximum live bit rate is 2200Kbps. Is this a limitation of the plugin, or ESPN3 itself? I'm watching the U.S. open right now, and while the stream is perfect, the resolution is only 896x504 which looks a little fuzzy on a 65" 4k display. It would be nice if a higher bit rate was available which could allow for 720p or greater resolution. Regardless, this is an awesome plugin!

[mrdally204]

i'll see what i can do.
although, if kodi gets an error, isn't that the default action?

maybe something that if your XML return with no URL, it will just not play...?

So I was looking at the code and it looks like the SMIL blank message is generated by the addon itself which led to me think there is a window of opportunity to not pass the information to "play" an empty url, instead disregarding the request to play. Good luck, I hope you can find a way to do it

[siuside]

also, i'm trying to work with @eracknaphobia to get closer to the WatchESPN addon.

he's created an Adobe Script for his NBC addon. so, just trying to figure out how it works, and how to make it compatible for ESPN

Yup I saw this coming NBC was the gateway for everything. Great news !

[MetalChris]

Hi all -

The commercial behavior I see is exactly as MetalChris describes it in both add-ons. I did enable the debug log before I started. I noticed the behavior starting at 18:45 but I had it run all day. The files are large uncompressed. kodilogs.com seems to be down so I posted .zip files of the logs here:

From Kodi 14.2 on OpenELEC 5.0.8 (streams fine, skips on commercials, then streams fine)
From Kodi 15.1 on Xubuntu (streams fine, skips on commercials, then skips during the game)

I hope this is helpful. I also am not trying to be an expert here and appreciate all that you do. I merely pointed out the NBC Sports behavior as that's what I observed.

Steve

Whoa! Those are some jumbo size files! lol

I don't see anything that throws up a red flag though, and since HLS streams won't work for me I've nothing to compare. Maybe locomot1f can find something in there.

i'll see what i can do.
although, if kodi gets an error, isn't that the default action?

maybe something that if your XML return with no URL, it will just not play...?

------------------------------

i'm still going to need your XML content. not just the link.
if i put the link in my browser, then i'll get the proper URL.

put it up on pastebin, or something like that.

Here's a link to my xml content returned when I try to view an HLS stream.

You might try to key on one of these areas:

Code:

<streamType>null</streamType>

<url></url>

<auth-status>
<errorCode>INVALID_IP</errorCode>
<errorMessage/>
</auth-status>

Only the HLS streams throw the 'SMIL blank' error for me. Might be easier to add an option in the settings to choose whether the add-on should display HLS streams in the menu. That way people wouldn't try watching a stream that won't work for them.

You could try adding a setting that would activate/deactivate a line like this:

Code:

if 'HLS' in streamtype:
    pass

I just installed the ESPN3 plugin on my Intel NUC running OpenELEC. So far the plugin is working perfectly, though I noticed the maximum live bit rate is 2200Kbps. Is this a limitation of the plugin, or ESPN3 itself? I'm watching the U.S. open right now, and while the stream is perfect, the resolution is only 896x504 which looks a little fuzzy on a 65" 4k display. It would be nice if a higher bit rate was available which could allow for 720p or greater resolution. Regardless, this is an awesome plugin!

That's a limitation from the ESPN site. Only the HLS streamtypes will provide an HD stream, and they're currently not working for everyone.