Plex DVR Fails to Record (An unknown error occurred) and Wrong Device Status (Wrong # Used Tuners)

General Discussions Plex Features
1

Hi,

I’ve recently run into some issues using Plex DVR where a show will occasionally not record, and Plex will present an unknown error. I’ve done a bit of digging before posting here, so I’ll do my best to present the issue I’m having.

My Setup:
I’m running Plex Server v1.7.6.4058 on Fedora 26, 64 bit version. I have three Silicon Dust tuners, the Dual (HDHR3-US), CONNECT (HDHR4-2US) and EXTEND (HDTC-2US). I have one library for recording movies and another for recording TV shows.

My Issue:
Occasionally a recording will fail, and Plex will show the recording (Recording Schedule view) with a yellow triangle with exclamation mark indicating an issue. This issue is thrown within only a few minutes after the recording should have started, and Plex will report the error “an unknown error occurred”. Other recordings will continue at the same time without issue. Pictures below:


Error shown in Recording Schedule


More specific details on Modern Family error


More specific details on Stargate SG1 error

My Investigation:
I know the original Plex DVR solution only supported the SiliconDust tuners with DLNA support, which the Dual does not have. Initially I removed the Dual from my available tuners leaving only the EXTEND and CONNECT for recording to see if it was related to DLNA support. The specific example and screen shots shown in this post are from the configuration of the EXTEND + CONNECT (no DUAL).

During the issue shown above, four programs were scheduled to be recorded simultaneously, which should require all available tuners. Two of the programs succeeded and two failed, so I immediately looked for a trend.

I first checked to make sure there weren’t any folder permission issues. All folders had the correct permissions, and I could see that Plex recently recorded an episode of each series successfully:

My next thought was to review tuner status. Plex presented this for tuner status:

It appears that 1 tuner from each device is used, but upon further investigation it appears this is inaccurate:

Each SiliconDust tuner has a built in web server which provides basic information, including the status of the tuners. Here it is clear that 1 device (192.168.2.55, EXTEND) has both tuners utilized while the other (192.168.2.56, CONNECT) is completely dormant. Interesting. I double checked the Plex status and it was still showing that 1 tuner from each device was used.

I tested the dormant tuner with the HDHomerun application on a Windows 10 machine and confirmed it was functional. Since both tuners are fully functional for other clients, onto the Plex logs.

The two programs that failed were the following:
Modern Family - E1 - A Tale of Three Cities
Stargate SG-1 - E15 - Paradise Lost

I was able to find both in the logs (see attached file) with some related error messages. Here are some short excerpts:
For the Stargate episode, I found the following:
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.915 [0x7fd8607f6700] ERROR - [Transcoder] http://192.168.2.55:5004/auto/v47.2: Server returned 5XX Server Error reply
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8807ff700] ERROR - JobManager: child process returned: 1 (Operation not permitted)
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8807ff700] DEBUG - Jobs: ‘/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder’ exit code for process 4365 is 1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Using default transcode duration of 120 minutes
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Started session successfully: 564e52fb-524e-4a5d-b5ac-19216736589e
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: It took 0.0 sec to start the session for http://192.168.2.55:5004/auto/v47.2
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] ERROR - Unable to find title for item of type 5
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - MDE: analyzing media item -1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] ERROR - MDE: video has neither a video stream nor an audio stream
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - MDE: ignoring media item -1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] ERROR - MDE: no compatible media decisions are available
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.916 [0x7fd8647fe700] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Unable to compute media decision.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 14 (An unknown error occurred) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: Asked to stop recording ‘Stargate SG-1 - E15 - Paradise Lost’.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: Stopping transcode session.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Killing job.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Signalling job ID 4365 with 9
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Job was already killed, not killing again.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - Stopping transcode session 564e52fb-524e-4a5d-b5ac-19216736589e
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Grabber: Freed a tuner (now 1 available)
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.917 [0x7fd8647fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Grabber: Operation for Stargate SG-1 - E15 - Paradise Lost completed with status error (An unknown error occurred)

For the Modern Family episode, the following:
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.755 [0x7fd864fff700] ERROR - [Transcoder] http://192.168.2.55:5004/auto/v8.1?transcode=heavy: Server returned 5XX Server Error reply
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.756 [0x7fd8807ff700] ERROR - JobManager: child process returned: 1 (Operation not permitted)
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.756 [0x7fd8807ff700] DEBUG - Jobs: ‘/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder’ exit code for process 4362 is 1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.756 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Using default transcode duration of 120 minutes
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Started session successfully: a175f7b6-8df8-4391-ac52-15e94f221a6c
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: It took 0.1 sec to start the session for http://192.168.2.55:5004/auto/v8.1?transcode=heavy
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] ERROR - Unable to find title for item of type 5
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - MDE: analyzing media item -1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] ERROR - MDE: video has neither a video stream nor an audio stream
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - MDE: ignoring media item -1
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] ERROR - MDE: no compatible media decisions are available
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Unable to compute media decision.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] ERROR - DVR:Recorder: Error 14 (An unknown error occurred) starting the record, shutting things down.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: Asked to stop recording ‘Modern Family - E1 - A Tale of Three Cities’.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Recorder: Stopping transcode session.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.757 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Killing job.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.758 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Signalling job ID 4362 with 9
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.758 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Job was already killed, not killing again.
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.758 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - Stopping transcode session a175f7b6-8df8-4391-ac52-15e94f221a6c
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.758 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Grabber: Freed a tuner (now 1 available)
Jul 19, 2017 21:02:00.758 [0x7fd8723fe700] DEBUG - DVR:Grabber: Operation for Modern Family - E1 - A Tale of Three Cities completed with status error (An unknown error occurred)

I notice two things immediately:

  1. The EXTEND tuner is being directed to transcode=heavy
  2. The failed tuning appears to be occurring on the EXTEND tuner only (192.168.2.55). This is the same tuner that is successfully recording my two other shows. The only action I see on the CONNECT tuner, which is dormant during the time that my shows failed to record, is a lineup.json request. I found this puzzling as the EXTEND tuner is obviously working for Plex (it’s successfully recording shows), and it seems like Plex never tried to utilize the CONNECT tuner which is sitting dormant.

I was able to confirm that the default setting for the EXTEND tuner is “Highest Quality”, not “Original Format”:

I’ve changed my EXTEND tuner transcode to “Original Format” to see if this has any impact.

My Ask/Question for the Plex Community:
Has anyone else experienced this issue? I’m not an expert on the Plex coding, but it appears Plex is attempting to over utilize the EXTEND device by utilizing a 3rd tuner (which is doesn’t have) while the CONNECT device remains dormant. (This may have nothing to do with the tuner type; this could be a device 1 vs. device 2 utilization issue). If Plex thought that both device 1 and device 2 still had an available tuner (as indicated above by the screen shot) when device 1 was actually fully loaded, I can see where there could be an issue.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

I’m happy to provide additional logs and information to expedite debugging this issue.

(Note: while writing this post I observed the same behavior again on another set of shows. Plex indicated that Device 1 and Device 2 were both using 1 tuner, but the EXTEND device was fully loaded. Two additional shows failed to record)

Thanks!

2

I and several others had the same issue with Plex using only one tuner device despite there being 2 or more devices connected to Plex DVR. I don’t use any other applications for DVR or Live TV with the tuners assigned to Plex so there was no activity on the other tuner devices. I and others found that going back to version 1.6.1 resolved the issue and Plex would record more than 2 episodes. This would remove the Live TV part of Plex since it was not released until 1.7.2.

Ironically when 1.7.6 was released I had about 6 hours with no recordings so I decided to try the new release. I uninstalled version 1.6.1 and installed 1.7.6. Then tried 6 recordings at once, they all started recording. Not sure why 1.7.6 works for some users and not others but I was having this same type of issue before.

3

@johnm_ColaSC said:
I and several others had the same issue with Plex using only one tuner device despite there being 2 or more devices connected to Plex DVR.

That is really interesting; I might live without the Live TV feature to get the recordings to work.

Do you know which tuners others were using? I was planning to replace the EXTEND device with the DUAL device to see if the problem persists (I’m assuming this will have no impact).

4

My Dual device would never use more than one tuner for recordings. Luckily it was the last device used in my DVR. Have 2 Connects, a Prime, and a Dual.

5

I am experiencing the same thing. I have 2 HDHomerun Connects (2 tuners each for a total of 4 tuners). I scheduled 4 shows that all started at the same time. When the time came around for the recordings to start, 2 shows started and 2 had yellow triangles. It showed 1 show on each tuner in Plex Settings. When I view the web page of each HDHomerun box, the first box showed 2 shows recording and the second box showed no shows recording. I am running on Windows 10.

6

I can confirm that all 4 tuners are working with my two HDhomerun hdhr3-us with newest firmware of 20161117 doing ATSC recordings. I just had 4 recordings start at once at 6pm est today. Server version 1.7.6.4058 on debian linux (Uses ubuntu 64 build)

7

I have 2 HD Homerun Primes and can’t get Plex to use more than the 3 tuners on the one device. I have no problem using the HD Homerun app to use the other tuners while Plex is using the 3 on the one device. I am running 1.7.6.4058. Had same issue on previous version.

8

Yeah, I’ve been getting failed recordings too. Hope they patch this soon.

9

Agreed - Fall TV Season is only a couple of months away and I need to be able to record more then 3 shows at once and I’d prefer not to have to setup multiple servers to do it.

10

One option if not fixed would be to drop back to 1.6.1. For some reason 1.7.6 is working for me but I did drop back to 1.6.1 from 1.7.5 when I was having this same issue. Would not have Live TV though.

11

I have the same issue and I am on 1.7.6 and it didn’t fix it. I am running Ubuntu. Have we figured out what OS 1.7.6 is working for? I also shut transcoding off and it still didn’t work.

12

I too have this issue. I have a HDHomeRun CONNECT. I have a FreeNAS machine running 1.7.6 in a Docker container. I get this error every time it tries to record. Getting pretty frustrated.

I know its not the HDHomeRun CONNECT because I can watch live TV on my phone just fine.

Plex: Can you just comment on this so we can rest easy that you are working on a fix?

13

Just one update: I updated the firmware of my HDHomeRun CONNECT from a version from 2015 to the latest version. Just install the HomeRun software from here and it will upgrade the firmware.

I will say in an effort to get it to work I also deleted the HomeRun from Plex and re-added it. So I’m not certain which thing fixed it.

Let me know if this helps someone and which thing worked for you.

14

I have 2 HDHomeRun CONNECTs.
I had to back down from 1.7.6 to 1.6.1 to record on more than 1 HDHomeRun at a time.
Updated the HDHomeRun firmware, tried multiple 1.7.x versions but can never record more than 2 shows at a time.
Would love LiveTV but with the fall shows coming I need to record more than 2 shows at a time.

15

I’m having the same problem. Some of my shows are not getting recorded just has a !/ picture with no error reason. Then it says no write access to destination , I check everything in my settings then update / refresh my library location and also check my security settings in windows 10 to make sure I have full rights to the folder… Then I do a test record and everything works perfect post processing with mcebuddy/comskip . I’m getting real tired on have to work on my server everyday just to get plex dvr to work unattended .

16

@Falcon204 said:
I’m getting real tired on have to work on my server everyday just to get plex dvr to work unattended .

The issues have been frustrating, but it is a beta. Issues are to be expected. It’s the price we pay for choosing to be on the bleeding edge.

17

Hi guys,

i experience the same issue, but my recordings (today) were displayed as “successful” but partly about 50% long. Yesterday my recordings, not all of them, were displayed als “failed” (There was a transcoder error).
I searched the Logfiles and found this line:
[5844] ERROR - [Transcoder] http://IP.TO.HR.HD:5004/auto/v41: Unknown error
i’am using a HomerunHD EXPAND

it would be great to use this feature.

edit:
Signal-Strength: 100%

18

I upgraded to 1.8.0.4109. I have 2 HDHomerun Connects. I recorded two shows at the same time. It showed 2 tuners in used on the same box in the Settings page of Plex. When I looked at the web page of each Connect, it showed 2 tuners in use on the first box and no tuners in use on the second box…just like it was suppose to. Before, I was seeing 1 tuner in use on each Connect in the Settings page of Plex but 2 tuners being used on a single Connect at the same time in the Connect web page.

Looks good so far.

19

Hi everyone, a quick update:

I had some installation OS configuration issues that forced me to perform a fresh install of everything. I’m not sure what I did differently in the installation this time, but I’m able to get both configured tuners to work as expected.

I’m using Plex version 1.7.6.4058 with Fedora 26 (64bit). I only added two tuners this time (Homerun DUAL and CONNECT), and I added the DUAL first, then CONNECT.

The order of my reinstall was this:

  1. OS install (then reboot)
  2. OS Updates (then reboot)
  3. Change MAX_USER_WATCHES from 8192 to 1048567 for proper tracking of file changes (then reboot)
  4. Map drives through fstab entries (then reboot)
  5. Install Plex
  6. Execute chown command on Plex owned folders to ensure proper plex user ownership over recording directories for TV and Movies (then reboot)
  7. Add Tuners (First CONNECT, then DUAL, allow schedule to fully update)
  8. Add libraries for TV and Movie recordings - wait for full directory scans to finish
  9. Add all other directories (Photos, Home Videos, Music, etc.)

There are several areas where I let Plex finish one task before starting the next, but this was out of an abundance of caution. These reboots and waits may not have had any impact on the successful use of both tuners.

I did not restore any previous databases, so it’s been a bit of an inconvenience waiting for all the video previews to generate. However I’ve been lucky in that all Plex features seem operational now.

UPDATE: I upgraded to the latest PLEX version 1.8.0.4109 and I can still record multiple shows. I’ll try adding the EXTEND tuner back into my lineup later this week.

20

I’ve just come back to the DVR and am running into this same problem. I’ve tried 1.7.5.4035, 1.8.1.4139, and 1.8.1.4140 and none of them have been able to record more than two shows (I’m using two CONNECT’s).

Interestingly while 1.7.5 showed one recording on each Connect, both 1.8.1 builds show the recordings both on one connect (in both cases the HDHR page has showed only one Connect being used).

Edited to add I’m running on Ubuntu Server.