Server Version#: 1.16.3.1433
Player Version#:3.104.2
I was a happy Plex Serve v1.6 user for almost 2 years. Around the end of July 2019 the Plex team stopped updating the EPG for all version lower than v1.16. I am now running the a current version of Plex and using local storage for the DVR library without any issues. Below are the attempts made before resorting to local storage.
Use Zap2IT EPG perl script and remain on v1.6 - After spending around 30 minutes mapping 100 channels I noted that scheduled recordings were not updating beyond 7 days. I did not trust this EPG.
I upgraded a FULLY WORKING INSTALL of v1.6 to v1.16 without issue but was plagued with missed recordings. More to follow on this. See notes on #4.
Created a new virtual machine and a fresh LinuxMint install then installed v1.16. After mapping all NFS shared, updating UID’s, Group ID and permissions still missed recordings. I then modified the owner of the DVR library to Plex and still plauged with missed recordings. What’s odd is the .grab folder had the full TS file, but an error followed when it attempted to move into the DVR library.
Installed Plex v1.16 on the NAS VM that had local storage for the DVR library. Mapped the DVR library and modified a few settings. You need to create a new transcode folder with plex as the owner and add this to the Plex settings. After this recordings have been stable.
For anyone else running Plex on Linux (or maybe any OS) using network storage (NFS in my case) even with proper permissions does NOT work. You will need to resort to installing the Plex server instance on the hardware (or Virtual Machine in my case) that owns the local storage. Map the libraries to the mount point and go you should be good.
For others that fought this issue PLEASE add your “experience” as to ensure the Plex team realized what pain this caused their loyal following.
For #1 - Zapit perl script has an option to pull as many days forward as you want. This is the command line I am using and it works great. The -d 14 is pulling 14 days out. I wrote a wrapper script to run in cron 4 times a day to update the EPG automatically. I found it on this forum.
For #2 - When you move from one EPG source to another you do have to re-setup your recordings or they won’t be found. I ran into this too. By going to zapit you get the enhanced guide too and so don’t need to rely on Plex’s.
For #3 and 4 - I am not sure the version of plex matters. It has always been required that the plex server software had to have access to a filesystem mounted and that the plex user (that the plex server runs as) has full access to the filesystem location. The mount can be any kind as long as its stable and has the performance bandwidth to handle the DVR write. That didn’t change from 1.6 to 1.16 or any time else. I’ve been running Plex for about 2 years as well and it was that way when I set it up then and it hasn’t changed. I run Linux (Ubuntu) on my server but I am pretty sure this is going to be true on NAS and Windows boxes too.
Sorry to hear your experience. I’m running PMS v1.16.3.1433 on Linux Mint using network storage for all of my media, movies, and TV recording, and I don’t have problems. I’ve seen the ninjas recommend NFS, and I’m keeping that in my back pocket, but I use SMB. I mount the network storage I use for Plex at server startup (e.g. fstab) and it shows as being owned by plex:plex , permissions 755 from the command line of my Linux Mint PMS server.
There are a number of things I’ve read here that I don’t do “optimally”. e.g. Linux Mint is quirky, you should use Ubuntu. Mounts should be NFS. USB connected drives off routers aren’t a good solution. But here’s my thing: My setup has worked for nearly a year and is stable (knock on wood!), and doesn’t miss recordings. I’ve had some issues with the new EPG, Direct Play FF/RW, but have been able to work through/around those.
I hope you are able to make progress on your issue! What did the logs show as the error for the missed recordings?
