Live TV will not tune into channels after some time (Error 3 The recording was aborted)

[Funky_Boss]

I’m seeing errors when tuning to Live TV channels after the Plex Server has been running for a while. I’m using the latest version of the server on Windows 10, and the latest clients on both Roku and Shield TV platforms. My tuner is the Hauppauge WinTV-quadHD PCIe Card.

Looking in the logs, I see this from the 'Plex media Server.log" file when trying to tune into a channel this morning…

Jun 24, 2018 10:23:31.614 [44368] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down. Jun 24, 2018 10:23:31.614 [44368] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed. Jun 24, 2018 10:24:27.164 [44368] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down. Jun 24, 2018 10:24:27.164 [44368] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.

Nothing else gets logged to any other log files. The last thing in the “Plex Tuner Service” log was from yesterday. The only way to “fix” this, is to stop and restart the Plex server on Windows. What other info do you need to debug this?

[Funky_Boss]

Still seeing this. Seems to happen when I’ve been watching something on one Plex client, an iPad in this case this morning. Then I stop my stream from that channel. Then I try to tune into another channel afterwards from that same device. I’m seeing all kinds of good stuff in the Plex Media Server log at this time too…

Jul 03, 2018 12:28:17.895 [39392] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:17.895 [39392] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:18.114 [33164] ERROR - ClientProfileExtra: video transcode target already exists for  streaming hls
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:18.114 [33164] ERROR - PlexClient::downloadContainer: expected MediaContainer element, found html
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:18.114 [33164] ERROR - TranscodeUniversalRequest: unable to get container: /?includeBandwidths=1&offset=-1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=843CD304-D644-4F1E-BE3F-2C18D4C8F63B
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:38.172 [46068] ERROR - ClientProfileExtra: video transcode target already exists for  streaming hls
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:38.172 [46068] ERROR - PlexClient::downloadContainer: expected MediaContainer element, found html
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:38.172 [46068] ERROR - TranscodeUniversalRequest: unable to get container: /?includeBandwidths=1&offset=-1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=843CD304-D644-4F1E-BE3F-2C18D4C8F63B
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:44.967 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:28:44.967 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:29:15.913 [28516] ERROR - Couldn't delete the file "E:\Temp\logs.zip9c19be05-76b8-4fd0-a961-591d01307885": The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process
Jul 03, 2018 12:29:15.913 [28516] WARN - Could not delete file "E:\Temp\logs.zip9c19be05-76b8-4fd0-a961-591d01307885" after connection reset
Jul 03, 2018 12:29:44.953 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:29:44.953 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:30:44.954 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:30:44.954 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:31:44.956 [15692] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:31:44.956 [15692] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:32:44.957 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:32:44.957 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:33:44.959 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:33:44.959 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] ERROR - LPE: unknown item 14503.
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] ERROR - Versions: failed to generate query for path library://f3f6c4f5-7920-4880-9655-b2f7ba0a880c/item/%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F14503
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] ERROR - Versions: skipping items for generator 2671: unable to generate version set query
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] ERROR - LPE: unknown item 14503.
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] ERROR - Versions: failed to generate query for path library://f3f6c4f5-7920-4880-9655-b2f7ba0a880c/item/%2Flibrary%2Fmetadata%2F14503
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:12.421 [1580] WARN - Versions: generator The Incredibles has an empty version set query, assuming generator is no longer valid
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:44.961 [31188] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:34:44.961 [31188] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:08.268 [16136] INFO - AutoUpdate: no updates available
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:31.215 [17476] ERROR - [PlexRelay] kex protocol error: type 7 seq 11
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:31.700 [17476] INFO - [PlexRelay] Allocated port 14689 for remote forward to localhost:32401
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:46.837 [16136] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:46.868 [20280] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:46.883 [17476] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:46.915 [20280] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:52.179 [20280] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:52.195 [16136] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:52.226 [17476] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:52.242 [16136] ERROR - Exception handled: bad lexical cast: source type value could not be interpreted as target
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:54.694 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:54.694 [56232] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:54.928 [16136] ERROR - ClientProfileExtra: video transcode target already exists for  streaming hls
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:54.928 [16136] ERROR - PlexClient::downloadContainer: expected MediaContainer element, found html
Jul 03, 2018 12:35:54.928 [16136] ERROR - TranscodeUniversalRequest: unable to get container: /?includeBandwidths=1&offset=-1&X-Plex-Session-Identifier=843CD304-D644-4F1E-BE3F-2C18D4C8F63B
Jul 03, 2018 12:36:42.121 [20280] INFO - AutoUpdate: no updates available
Jul 03, 2018 12:36:44.964 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 3 (The recording was aborted) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 03, 2018 12:36:44.964 [34236] ERROR - DVR:Grabber: Starting media grab failed.

This is the last thing in the Plex Tuner Service log after I closed the channel I was watching from the iPad…

Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.829 [39288] WARN - [E] http_streamer_t: http write error
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.829 [37552] INFO - [I] http_streamer_t::send_thread_func: removing http client
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.829 [37552] INFO - [I] http_streamer_t::send_thread_func: all clients are deleted. Setting exit flag
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [10104] INFO - [I] streamer_container_t::control_thread. Removed disconnected streamer ed6ff309-ef21-477b-a9be-cc1649cbf2bd
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [10104] INFO - [I] streamer_container_t::delete_streamer. Last streamer was deleted. Stop program streamer
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [10104] INFO - [I] dvb_program_streamer_t::stop. Stoping program streamer for channel triplet://0:1001:7
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [10104] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::stop_channel. Stop request for channel triplet://0:1001:7
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [53304] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::RemoveAllPids. Removing PIDs for client triplet://0:1001:7
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:09.844 [10104] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::start_idle_timer
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:13.218 [1484] INFO - [I] device_manager_t::idle_timer_func. Stream container for channel triplet://0:1001:7 on device dvb#bda#0#@device:pnp:\\?\pci#ven_14f1&dev_8880&subsys_6a180070&rev_04#6&29bdcbed&0&000800e2#{71985f48-1ca1-11d3-9cc8-00c04f7971e0}\{9f0e8b90-c677-11db-beb4-00a0c9f21fc7} is idle. Deleting it.
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:19.342 [19764] INFO - [I] Stopping graph
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:19.404 [53304] INFO - [I] StopDevice()
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:19.420 [53304] INFO - [I] stop_graph: hr=0, state=0
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.279 [1484] INFO - [I] device_manager_t::idle_timer_func. Device dvb#bda#0#@device:pnp:\\?\pci#ven_14f1&dev_8880&subsys_6a180070&rev_04#6&29bdcbed&0&000800e2#{71985f48-1ca1-11d3-9cc8-00c04f7971e0}\{9f0e8b90-c677-11db-beb4-00a0c9f21fc7} is idle. Unloading it.
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.279 [1484] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::stop_idle_timer
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.279 [1484] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Waiting for streaming thread to stop
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.294 [1484] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Streaming is stopped
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.294 [1484] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Stream source is stopped
Jul 03, 2018 12:24:23.482 [19764] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::idle_thread_func finished

Let me know what else you guys need!

[Funky_Boss]

Seeing this again. What’s odd is I can’t seem to tune into a new channel when this happens, but I can tune into one that I was watching previously the same day.

[signal15]

I’m having similar problems. I have the 4 tuner HD Homerun box. It’s super flaky, saying that it can’t tune channels. A restart of PMS fixes it temporarily, but I can’t watch for more than a few minutes. I also get recording errors in the logs.

More worrisome is that it makes PMS unresponsive. Like going to port 32400 with a web browser won’t work for several minutes and then start working again. And when it does work again, if I click on server settings, it says that those are not available. If I wait awhile or restart Plex, it will start working again.

I’m running 1.3.5223 using the Synology package downloaded directly from the Plex website. I tried completely uninstalling Plex and reinstalling and have the same issues.

I didn’t have problems with the old version, but I only ran it for about an hour before I upgraded to get the grid channel guide.

I don’t seen any crashes in my logs either. Things just get unresponsive.

[jayoungers]

I’ve consistently had issues tuning channels for the past 6 months or so and finally decided to look at the logs tonight. I have a Hauppauge wintv-quadhd and am seeing this in the tuner service log when tuning failed:

Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.463 [4832] WARN - [E] http_streamer_t: http write error
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.464 [8176] INFO - [I] http_streamer_t::send_thread_func: removing http client
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.465 [8176] INFO - [I] http_streamer_t::send_thread_func: all clients are deleted. Setting exit flag
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.466 [8960] INFO - [I] streamer_container_t::control_thread. Removed disconnected streamer bf8b983e-6586-4980-a30c-5ece38cce3fa
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.470 [8960] INFO - [I] streamer_container_t::delete_streamer. Last streamer was deleted. Stop program streamer
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.470 [8960] INFO - [I] dvb_program_streamer_t::stop. Stoping program streamer for channel triplet://0:915:6
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.470 [8960] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::stop_channel. Stop request for channel triplet://0:915:6
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.512 [6972] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::RemoveAllPids. Removing PIDs for client triplet://0:915:6
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:00.513 [8960] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::start_idle_timer
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:03.847 [5760] INFO - [I] device_manager_t::idle_timer_func. Stream container for channel triplet://0:915:6 on device dvb#bda#0#@device:pnp:\\?\pci#ven_14f1&dev_8880&subsys_6b180070&rev_04#6&2e0a3d76&0&00100008#{71985f48-1ca1-11d3-9cc8-00c04f7971e0}\{9f0e8b90-c677-11db-beb4-00a0c9f21fc7} is idle. Deleting it.
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:10.528 [3448] INFO - [I] Stopping graph
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:10.569 [6972] INFO - [I] StopDevice()
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:10.586 [6972] INFO - [I] stop_graph: hr=0, state=0
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:13.916 [5760] INFO - [I] device_manager_t::idle_timer_func. Device dvb#bda#0#@device:pnp:\\?\pci#ven_14f1&dev_8880&subsys_6b180070&rev_04#6&2e0a3d76&0&00100008#{71985f48-1ca1-11d3-9cc8-00c04f7971e0}\{9f0e8b90-c677-11db-beb4-00a0c9f21fc7} is idle. Unloading it.
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:13.916 [5760] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::stop_idle_timer
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:13.916 [5760] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Waiting for streaming thread to stop
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:13.945 [5760] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Streaming is stopped
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:13.946 [5760] INFO - [I] CTVSStreamSource::Term. Stream source is stopped
Jul 08, 2018 21:15:14.608 [3448] INFO - [I] transponder_streamer::idle_thread_func finished

In the web admin I can see it says one of the quad tuners (it shows up in plex as two devices of 2 tuners) is using both tuners and the other is using one. Since a show is being recorded (and I had previously been watching something), there should only be 2 in use and not 3. It’s like that particular 3rd OTA channel is locked up and I can’t tune it unless I restart plex

Is there another log I should be looking at that would be more helpful?

[Funky_Boss]

Interesting, we both have 4-tuner devices, but the symptoms seem a little different. Watching LiveTV doesn’t affect the rest of my server at all. It just will eventually not allow me to tune into a LiveTV channel anymore after a while.

[Funky_Boss]

Yep, this sounds like the same thing I’m seeing too! Both of us have the same tuner also. I know there was a note in one of the recent server release notes (1.13.3.5208) about…

(Live) Tuners could remain in use indefinitely if clients disconnected without notice (#8019)

… which seems like this issue we’re seeing… Unfortunately, it didn’t fix it for this issue though. Let’s keep trying to investigate it on our servers, and report back here every few days with new info if found. Eventually, someone at Plex will notice and help fix this!

[mlacouague]

Bump on this thread. I’m having the same issue.

Running Plex Server on an Nvidia Shield all hardwired thru a gigabit switch. HDHomeRun Quattro Tuner and Roku TV clients.

Everything about the system works great EXCEPT I can’t watch live TV for more than about 5 minutes. Doesn’t matter the channel, it will hang like it’s buffereing and stall at 33% then eventually say that it can’t stream this channel. I can attempt to go back to the guide and play the channel but it won’t start to stream. BUT, close the app, open it up again and it’ll work for another 5 minutes or so.