DVR | General Feedback & Issues

[Jakosaur]

Still shows as recording. 2925% complete

[Jakosaur]

Now even more failed + partial recordings.

How long does Plex wait to receive data/an image from the tuner?
How many devices does Plex try to tune the channel with, as I have 3 tuner devices.
1x 4 tuner, and 2x 2 tuners.

Just wondering as the 2x 2 tuners are 100% working with the channel it tried to record on, with a delay in my devices getting an image. The 4 tuner fails to load the image which would explain the failure, but would’ve thought Plex might’ve gone through multiple devices to try tune the channel.

Thanks

Plex Media Server Logs_2020-04-04_20-44-11.zip (5.2 MB)

EDIT: More details

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

Recording failed to start at 20:29PM today. I realised I think sometime after 20:40PM. Tried to load BBC2HD through Plex, same tuner error. Then Plex “apparently” started recording in the Activity button/dropdown.

The logs show an error returned by the tuner. I don’t have more than that.

Apr 03, 2020 20:29:00.534 [0x14bc0694b700] DEBUG - DVR:Segmenter: Creating a new recorder for http://192.168.1.4:5004/auto/v102.
Apr 03, 2020 20:29:00.535 [0x14bc0694b700] DEBUG - Grabber: Waiting for a tuner on device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/1250247B (4 available) for at most 1920 seconds.
Apr 03, 2020 20:29:00.535 [0x14bc0694b700] DEBUG - Grabber: Allocated a tuner on device://tv.plex.grabbers.hdhomerun/1250247B (3 left)

Apr 03, 2020 20:29:05.580 [0x14bce1447700] ERROR - [Transcoder] http://192.168.1.4:5004/auto/v102: Server returned 5XX Server Error reply

Apr 03, 2020 20:29:05.581 [0x14bcf0c9e700] DEBUG - Jobs: '/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder' exit code for process 18931 is 1 (failure)

So the tuner returned a 5xx response - it could be any of the 500 range error codes - this was returned when Plex Media Server attempted to tune through http://192.168.1.4:5004/auto/v102

Other info from the logs is the quality

we are logging zero for quality - not sure if it means it was zero or tuner was unable to return that information - these get logged for live tv and can be seen when you started tunes later

Apr 03, 2020 20:44:25.265 [0x14bc6e80e700] DEBUG - Grabber: Signal information for tune on channel 102: strength: 100, quality: 0
Apr 03, 2020 20:44:28.298 [0x14bce1849700] DEBUG - Grabber: Signal information for tune on channel 102: strength: 100, quality: 0

Apr 03, 2020 20:44:34.823 [0x14bc6f9fc700] DEBUG - Grabber: Signal information for tune on channel 103: strength: 100, quality: 0
Apr 03, 2020 20:44:37.856 [0x14bcf0a9d700] DEBUG - Grabber: Signal information for tune on channel 103: strength: 100, quality: 0

It was logged for BBC2 (102) and ITV (103)

[Jakosaur]

Thanks for that, can confirm that IP device caused the failures today which also makes sense yesterday.

• If Plex can’t tune on the first network TV device’s tuner, my suggestion would be to go through the other tuners (if more than one) on that device before checking other devices’ individual tuners setup in Plex with the same channel. This is to see if they can tune the channel when trying to record/live tv.

• If no individual tuners on any devices work but it’s a recording with partial recording enabled, wait a few minutes and try tune again on each individual tuner per device again.

• If partial recording is disabled, try reschedule. Copy minutes before start & minutes after end settings from original recording.

• Repeat until the end of the recording block (with end extension time added by user). If there’s no success tuning on any device for a partial recording, try reschedule.

• If partial recording is enabled, and Plex establishes a working tuner to start a partial recording; try find a suitable reschedule airing now to try get a full recording. Rather than trying to reschedule after the partial has ended as it’ll miss the beginning on a +1 channel. Copy minutes before start & minutes after end settings from original recording.

• If no devices work and it’s for Live TV viewing, throw an error to try again.

Maybe all this is already a feature, and just failed on this occasion.

Also, some mobile app notifications for DVR for when:

• a recording fails to start/tune
• a recording has recovered and started a partial
• a recording has been scheduled due to a partial being started
• an episode is rescheduled (when partial is disabled or failed to tune through whole time block)
• a recording missed the time block and isn’t available to be rescheduled

^ Goes handy with the error detection written above.

This also might have been what caused the infinite recording yesterday, but only started showing as recording after I tried to watch live tv on the affected recording channel. Either way, it is still showing now as recording

For the above page, can Plex see if other software/devices are using tuners on those devices? So maybe show 1 in use by Plex, 2 in use by other devices if possible.

What I’ve also noticed is if a partial recording happens on a recording with minutes after end added - if the show is on another channel like +1 straight after the initial partial recording, it records another partial on the other channel as it starts the 2nd recording after the airing block has started. Maybe when it starts a partial, try reschedule at that stage to avoid another partial and get a full recording regardless of whether it has an end delay? My settings for minutes before start & minutes after end are both 1 minute.

Also reschedules for failed/partial recordings don’t seem to copy minutes before start & minutes after end settings for me

Just noticed something else:

1. Airing couldn’t tune throughout time block yesterday
2. Was rescheduled for today
3. Delete previous episodes from library via a file manager (not the episode scheduled)
4. When Plex detects they’re gone, the rescheduled airing is then gone from my schedule when still in recording priority.

@Jakosaur

Seems like once it’s in the recording priority, the poster art (for series and one off episode recordings) and SSEE numbers + episode name for one off recordings, don’t update if changed on the EPG.

For one off episode recordings, the text could use the same layout as series recordings. Maybe change the SSEE numbers + episode name part to one red dot then “Episode” beside it. Remove it from recording priority after successful recording? Then just have to look into poster art changing, when changed on the EPG. Not too important, but just some feedback.

@Jakosaur

When you schedule a recording, for an airing that’s already started; does Plex check if it’s on a HD Channel? Just did a test recording after changing a docker setting, and it used Channel 003 when available in HD on 103 . Or does it just go by what channel you scheduled it from if the airing is already in progress? Prefer HD was selected.

Just some feedback for the team

EDIT: Bit more clarity in feedback.

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

Still shows as recording. 2925% complete

could you get me the output from this request - you can put the request in a browser

http://192.168.1.15:32400/media/subscriptions/scheduled?X-Plex-Token=xxxxxxxxxxxxx

See this article for how to find the server token - substitute that for the xxxxxxxxxxxx
https://support.plex.tv/articles/204059436-finding-an-authentication-token-x-plex-token/

Edit: Also output from

http://192.168.1.15:32400/media/subscriptions?includeGrabs=1&X-Plex-Token=xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur I added one more request to my last post

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

For the above page, can Plex see if other software/devices are using tuners on those devices? So maybe show 1 in use by Plex, 2 in use by other devices if possible.

The design assumes Plex Media Server has full use of the DVRs - adding such information would be something to consider if Plex use allows shared access to tuners

@Jakosaur

• If Plex can’t tune on the first network TV device, my suggestion would be to go through other devices setup in Plex (as shown in image, as the other two devices work right now), to see if they can tune the channel when trying to record/live tv.
• If no devices work but it’s a recording with partial recording enabled, wait a few minutes and try again on all devices again.
• If partial recording is disabled, try reschedule.
• Repeat until the end of the recording block. If there’s no success tuning on any device for a partial recording, reschedule.
• If no devices work and it’s for Live TV viewing, throw an error to try again.

I will raise an enhancement / feature request to look into error handling and possible improvements

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

How long does Plex wait to receive data/an image from the tuner?

Waiting x seconds is one of the causes for slow tunes - we are trying to avoid doing that to improve on tune times

[cburbs]

Recently I have notices Plex DVR seems to be marking episodes wrong.

Examples -

9-1-1 - S03e11 - Seize the Days

9-1-1 - S03e13 - Fools

9-1-1 - S03e14 - Pinned

Should be 11, 12, 13 not sure why is skipped 12.

Same with Hawaii Five-0
S10E20, 21, 24 and it should be 22 instead of 24.

Doesn’t seem to be all my recordings just some. Odd. Where can I begin to look for the issue?

[Jakosaur]

Jakosaur ZIP.zip (10.3 KB)

Hopefully that’s alright! Have also added some more feedback & clarity into my above post. Thanks

EDIT: Added to above post to put feedback together

[sa2000]

@cburbs

Recently I have notices Plex DVR seems to be marking episodes wrong.

Examples -

9-1-1 - S03e11 - Seize the Days

9-1-1 - S03e13 - Fools

9-1-1 - S03e14 - Pinned

Should be 11, 12, 13 not sure why is skipped 12.

Same with Hawaii Five-0
S10E20, 21, 24 and it should be 22 instead of 24.

To investigate, I will need the lineup name (visible on the DVR settings page in server settings at the top) and the channel number and channel name and dates and times (and timezone) of the airings

[cburbs]

DVR—Broadcast TV Portland OTA Broadcast

Hawaii Five-O
CBS (6.1)
9-10PM
Friday 4/3

Pacific Daylight Time

Recorded as Hawaii Five-0 (2010) - S10E24 - Aloha (Goodbye).ts

Should have been S10E22.

9-1-1
12.1 KPTV (FOX)
8-9PM
3/30

9-1-1S3·E14—Pinned

Should be S3-E13-Pinned

[Jakosaur]

Quick question, I know DVR now uses Poster Art from the EPG when adding to the library. Does poster art in the library update when changed on the EPG? Maybe after another recording or never? If not, guessing feedback alongside info/images in recording priority updating correctly.

@Jakosaur

Seems like once it’s in the recording priority, the poster art (for series and one off episode recordings) and SSEE numbers + episode name for one off recordings, don’t update if changed on the EPG.

For one off episode recordings, the text could use the same layout as series recordings. Maybe change the SSEE numbers + episode name part to one red dot then “Episode” beside it. Remove it from recording priority after successful recording? Then just have to look into poster art changing, when changed on the EPG. Not too important, but just some feedback.

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

Quick question, I know DVR now uses Poster Art from the EPG when adding to the library. Does poster art in the library update when changed on the EPG? Maybe after another recording or never? If not, guessing feedback alongside info/images in recording priority updating correctly.

With the exception of the issue with the Recording Priority discussed here, they should update, however, there is a 24-hour caching within Plex Media Server. The next version of Plex Media Server 1.19.2 will clear the cache before every full EPG refresh including the overnight scheduled task EPG Refresh

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur with regards to the 5xx error code returned by the tuner and discussed here, the DVR log may have some extra information

Accessed through
http://192.168.1.4/log.html

[Jakosaur]

Thanks for that link. Can see this, have retuned since. It seems something is auto-retuning them quite often and causing channels to not work every now and again. Might be retuning itself.

20200403-19:29:01 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 102 BBC TWO HD (t8dvbt2:474MHz-17472)
20200403-19:29:06 HTTP: rejecting request from 192.168.1.15 - no video data
20200403-19:29:06 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (requested time reached)

Using https://www.plex.tv/tv/#modal-ota for the UK, anything other than the first 4 characters of your post-code doesn’t work for me. I think I remember something similar in Plex Media Server a long time ago, but have only entered 4 characters since I encountered that. If only the first four characters are needed; would it be best to limit character input for the UK on that website and DVR setup?

Not sure if other countries also only require a certain amount of characters in their ZIP/Post-Code but could be applied to applicable countries where that information is required (website and DVR setup).

Just some feedback on that, to add to my edited big feedback post above. I really like the channel lineup feature on the Plex website!

[Jakosaur]

07/04/2020 - 004/104 8PM - The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer - Episode name should be Carol Vorderman, Kelly Brook, Rob Rinder, Mo Gilligan. Pretty odd as all previous episodes have had a name.
11/04/2020 - 003/103 7:30PM - In for a Penny - Should be S02E03 Bognor
11/04/2020 - 003/103 8PM - Britain’s Got Talent - Should be S14E01 Probably episode name of Auditions 1? Start of a new series.
12/04/2020 - 009/106 9:30PM - The Sky at Night - Think should be S2020E2
14/04/2020 - 004/104 8PM - The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer - Shouldn’t be NEW.

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

20200403-19:29:01 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 102 BBC TWO HD (t8dvbt2:474MHz-17472)
20200403-19:29:06 HTTP: rejecting request from 192.168.1.15 - no video data
20200403-19:29:06 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (requested time reached)

Are these times an hour out? Trying to match to server logs

[sa2000]

@Jakosaur

Using https://www.plex.tv/tv/#modal-ota for the UK, anything other than the first 4 characters of your post-code doesn’t work for me. I think I remember something similar in Plex Media Server a long time ago, but have only entered 4 characters since I encountered that. If only the first four characters are needed; would it be best to limit character input for the UK on that website and DVR setup?

Not sure if other countries also only require a certain amount of characters in their ZIP/Post-Code but could be applied to applicable countries where that information is required (website and DVR setup).

I have raised this before and it was thought the example given (faint text in the zip code / post code box) is sufficient - for UK that shows CF31

[Jakosaur]

@sa2000

Are these times an hour out? Trying to match to server logs

I believe so, I had to figure that out myself. Seems they’re on UTC, whilst Plex logs are in local time (BST)?

Here’s the whole timeslot of scheduled recording failing, then me trying two channels through Plex.

20200403-19:29:01 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 102 BBC TWO HD (t8dvbt2:474MHz-17472)
20200403-19:29:06 HTTP: rejecting request from 192.168.1.15 - no video data
20200403-19:29:06 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (requested time reached)
20200403-19:44:26 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 102 BBC TWO HD (t8dvbt2:474MHz-17472)
20200403-19:44:31 HTTP: rejecting request from 192.168.1.15 - no video data
20200403-19:44:31 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (requested time reached)
20200403-19:44:35 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 103 ITV HD (t8dvbt2:474MHz-17603)
20200403-19:44:40 HTTP: rejecting request from 192.168.1.15 - no video data
20200403-19:44:40 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (requested time reached)