[mo418]

Hi.

I use a machine (backend) with Mediaportal TV server and Kodi too. Everything is fine on there.

I recently tried to setup another pc to have Kodi as a frontend for liveTV (tried on windows and linux machine). Both same results. Connection lost pop-up, no pvr client started (when selecting live tv in kodi) etc...

I have those version installed on my backend machine.

+ TV server : 1.15
+ TVServerKodi DLL : 1.15.034
+ Kodi : Jarvis 16.1
+ Mediaportal PVR Client : 1.13

I will not copy a complete log file, but here is the suspicious part, I think.

11:20:42 T:2060 NOTICE: PVRManager - starting up
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: Running the application...
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: starting zeroconf publishing
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: WebServer: Started the webserver
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: starting upnp client
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: starting upnp server
11:20:42 T:6284 NOTICE: starting upnp renderer
11:20:42 T:5056 NOTICE: ES: Starting UDP Event server on 0.0.0.0:9777
11:20:42 T:5056 NOTICE: UDP: Listening on port 9777
11:20:56 T:6284 ERROR: Unable to activate the previous window
11:21:03 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:21:03 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:21:03 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:21:03 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:21:03 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1
11:21:24 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:21:24 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:21:24 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:21:24 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:21:24 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1
11:21:46 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:21:46 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:21:46 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:21:46 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:21:46 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1
11:22:08 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:22:08 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:22:08 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:22:08 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:22:08 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1
11:22:30 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:22:30 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:22:30 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:22:30 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:22:30 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1
11:22:49 T:6284 NOTICE: Storing total System Uptime
11:22:49 T:6284 NOTICE: Saving settings
11:22:49 T:6284 NOTICE: stop all
11:22:49 T:6284 NOTICE: stop player
11:22:49 T:6284 NOTICE: PVRManager - stopping
11:22:53 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect 192.168.1.43:9596
11:22:53 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Socket::connect: (Winsock error=10060) Connection timed out
11:22:53 T:1464 ERROR: AddOnLog: MediaPortal PVR Client: Could not connect to MediaPortal TV Server backend
11:22:53 T:1464 ERROR: ADDON: Dll MediaPortal PVR Client - Client returned bad status (1) from Create and is not usable
11:22:53 T:1464 WARNING: PVR::CPVRClients::UpdateAndInitialiseClients - failed to create add-on MediaPortal PVR Client, status = 1

Thanks in advance!

[puenktchen]

Firewall?

[mo418]

I forwarded the port of my backend machine (9596) for both udp and tcp protocols.

I will double check if it could be a Windows firewall issue but don't think so.

Thanks, I'll report back

[mo418]

Ok, my port forwarding might have helped, but other than that, I think you are right about the firewall stuff.

WINDOWS FIREWALL enabled on backend
WINDOWS FIREWALL enabled on frontend
Live tv NOT working on both machine (Zorin 9 and win7 clients)

WINDOWS FIREWALL disabled on backend
WINDOWS FIREWALL disabled on frontend (win 7)
Live tv IS working on both machine (Zorin 9 and win7 client)

WINDOWS FIREWALL enabled on backend
WINDOWS FIREWALL disabled on frontend (win 7)
Live tv NOT working on both machine (Zorin 9 and win7 client)

WINDOWS FIREWALL disabled on backend
WINDOWS FIREWALL enabled on frontend (win 7)
Live tv IS working on both machine (Zorin 9 and win7 client)

To Sum up, I have to disable windows firewall on my backend to have live tv working on any frontend pvr client.

Do you know what specific program should I allow (to bypass firewall)? I think I added everything related to Kodi and mediaportal for bypassing, but I guess I missed something.

PS: Live tv is working, but there is a lot of buffering. I'll keep this issue for later. I want to set things right first.

Thanks in advance!

[nickr]

You don't need to completely disable the firewall, just open the ports needed by mediaportal. For the ports needed, that's a mp issue, not kodi, so perhaps ask there.

[mo418]

That's my goal (not to compketely disable the firewall) This was just to confirm (or infirm) the firewall route for the problem.

Ports needed are the ones required by tvserverkodi (dll).

I guess it's mostly on kodi's side, no? (Just asking)

The plugin in question asks for port 9596. I don't see what else is needed.

[mo418]

Ok, I have opened needed port (TCP 9596) in the Windows firewall, without completely disabling it. Everything is working fine! Thanks for this.

Now, for the playback issue. It seems laggy/buffering occurs. Is there a prefered way for streaming? I tried all, ffmpeg seems to be the best (?). RTSP is not supported by the client.

I will begin my research on this, but some quick help would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[nickr]

Are you on wifi or wired LAN?

[mo418]

Unfortunately, my server is on wifi, and my clients are on wifi. I have a dual band N900 router (Asus RT-N66U)

I'm totally aware this is not the best setup. I guess I should try on a wired computer to see if this is a bandwidth issues.

Is it possible to change stream quality to help my issues a little (as emby does) ?

Thanks in advance

[margro]

For documentation purposes on firewall issues:
The used ports are:
TVServerKodi plugin: 9596 tcp
Live TV playback in TSReader mode uses SMB (a.k.a. Windows file sharing), so 137,138, 139, 445
Live TV playback in ffmpeg (rtsp) used RTSP streams on port 554 tcp/udp

My advice: don't use wifi. Live streams do not use big buffers so any short disturbance is immediately visible.
In ffmpeg mode, you are using rtsp streams which work a bit better on unreliable network connections.
Note that HD channels can easily have a continuous stream of 20 mbit or beyond.