TV Server Crashes After Recording Ends (2 Viewers)

[Sigpi007]

Hey everyone,

I'm consistently having the TV server crash on me right as recordings end. Its not happening everytime... but it happens around once a day. I'm attaching logs and would really appreciate help since this is getting out of hand. Dispite my signature below.... I'm running MP 1.9.0 in a single seat setup.

thanks!
-sigpi007

(PS... other than the periodic crash... this MP is the best.)

 

[Sigpi007]

 

[mm1352000]

Hi Sigpi007

If you do a quick search of the forum you should easily find a bunch of relevant threads.
Here is a concise example:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/tv-server-stops-working.124552/

mm

 

[Sigpi007]

@mm1352000

I appreciate the initial response mm. But I could really use some other thoughts or specific guidance. The threads you pointed me towards (above) weren't helpful. Heck... I was one of the main people involved in one of the threads references so trust me... I'm familiar with the tweaks to get this running (as much as possible). The TV server crashes have been an issue for me through many releases no matter what I do. Sometimes it just goes away, other times its every day.

I've gone through the event logs on windows, along with the TV server and client log files and I can't pinpoint the issue. I just had another crash just while browsing the EPG. I know you're busy, but I'm just completely at a loss.

-sp

 

[mm1352000]

Hello again

I don't know how I can be more clear and specific than what I said in the linked thread, but nevertheless I'll try again:

1. CableCARD tuner support uses the IPTV filter to receive RTSP streams from the tuner.
   
2. There is a known problem with the IPTV filter: it sometimes causes crashes when an RTSP stream is stopped.
3. This crashing can affect every possible instance of stream stopping, including stopping of live TV and stopping of recordings.
4. There is no known solution or workaround, but I have given the following suggestions (to which nobody seems to have responded):
   • Try to increase the RtspTeardownRequestTimeout setting as instructed -->here<--. Try values up to 5000.
   • Swap the standard IPTV filter out for the new one -->here<--. Install instructions are in the first post. Caveat: though I have suggested people with CableCARD tuners try this filter [what feels like] many times, nobody has actually reported results... so I don't know if it works.

The TV server crashes have been an issue for me through many releases no matter what I do.

Yep, like I said: there is no known solution or workaround.

Sometimes it just goes away, other times its every day.

This is typical of the problem.

I've gone through the event logs on windows, along with the TV server and client log files and I can't pinpoint the issue.

When a crash occurs, you can expect to see entries like this in the Windows application event log:
[collapse]
"10/16/2014 10:01:01 PM";".NET Runtime";"(0)";"Error";"Application: TVService.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: exception code c0000005, exception address 59573F80
";"1026"
"10/16/2014 10:01:06 PM";"Application Error";"Application Crashing Events";"Error";"Faulting application name: TVService.exe, version: 1.9.0.0, time stamp: 0x5416805c Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000 Exception code: 0x00000000 Fault offset: 0x00000000 Faulting process id: 0xb9c Faulting application start time: 0x01cfe9246129758b Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\TVService.exe Faulting module path: unknown Report Id: d5b85c44-55a9-11e4-a00e-1078d2329f27";"1000"[/collapse]

The faulting module name is more typically MPIPTV_RTSP.dll.

I just had another crash just while browsing the EPG.

A crash while browsing the EPG could be something different, so please post fresh log files.
It is possible it is the same problem (perhaps a recording finished while you were doing this).
[Note: also make sure you have disabled the DVB EPG grabber. It won't get you EPG data, and the needless tuner starting and stopping could be increasing the frequency of your crashes.]

I know you're busy, but I'm just completely at a loss.

I know about the problem. I am not working on a solution for TVE 3 (MP1 TV Server) as I'm completely focussed on development of TVE 3.5. The CableCARD tuner support in TVE 3.5 has been rewritten to avoid using the IPTV filter's RTSP support, ergo the problem should be gone. It is just unfortunate that TVE 3.5 is unstable for other reasons and that there is no public release that is compatible with MediaPortal 1. Such is life I'm afraid.

The only thing I can say is try the two suggestions I've proposed above and elsewhere. If the second suggestion doesn't work, report it in the merged filter thread (ie. -->here<--).

Regards,
mm

 

[Sigpi007]

Hi mm,

Thanks for the additional guidance. I just had an issue today where a recording would not end. I would cycle the TVservice to stop it but I'm in the middle of recording wifey's Sunday night programs so I can't do it at the moment. I'm sure I have the issue you described.

I don't think I was ever aware of this variant of the IPTV filter. I'll test the hell out of it if you want. But it seems like the thread was started in 2013. If I apply this over MP 1.9... will I be overwriting anything important? (Caveat... its a 33 page thread, and I have not finished reading it yet.)

Also... about the RTSP teardown setting. I tried bumping it up to 1000 (from 100), but that did something funky to how I change channels. For example, let's say I'm watching NBC and I go to the TV Guide screen and select another channel. After selecting the new channel, playback of NBC will stop and after a couple seconds (typical) NBC would start playing again for up to maybe 3-5 seconds or so, and THEN the playback switches to the new channel. The higher I set the RTSP teardown, the more pronounced this becomes (so 5000 is definitely out of the question). This weird channel switching lag essentially causes my wife and mom to start pressing buttons in complete confusion and makes matters worse. (I could personally be okay by stopping timeshifting before changing channels, but its too much to teach others the little things like this.)

-sp

 

[mm1352000]

Hello again

Thanks for the additional guidance. I just had an issue today where a recording would not end. I would cycle the TVservice to stop it but I'm in the middle of recording wifey's Sunday night programs so I can't do it at the moment. I'm sure I have the issue you described.

Recordings not stopping is not a symptom of the issue that I described.

I don't think I was ever aware of this variant of the IPTV filter. I'll test the hell out of it if you want. But it seems like the thread was started in 2013.

I don't understand the implication of the thread start date. It is a big (actually: huge would be a better word) project being worked on by one developer, so such things take time. Yes, even years. It is usable... but not yet complete, and thus not included in standard releases.

If I apply this over MP 1.9... will I be overwriting anything important?

Only the old IPTV filter. Take a backup of that if you want.

(Caveat... its a 33 page thread, and I have not finished reading it yet.)

It is unnecessary to read any of the thread apart from the install instructions in the first post.

Also... about the RTSP teardown setting. I tried bumping it up to 1000 (from 100), but that did something funky to how I change channels...

Without log files I can only assume that the lag is due to the fact that the IPTV filter is unable to close ("TEARDOWN") RTSP sessions cleanly. It tries repeatedly until reaching the timeout (ie. this is the lag) and then gives up... at which point it may or may not crash.

That is not normal/expected.

It may be a new symptom connected to the underlying cause of the crashes, or it may be entirely unconnected. Either way, I have not received reports of this before now.

At this point my understanding is that only certain people experiences the crashes. So, there may be something about your PC environment - in particular, your network environment, network configuration, security configuration etc. - that is a contributing factor to both the crashes and these delays.

Do you run a firewall or other security software? (Note: even virus scanners have been known to cause network communication issues, so please include these in your answer.)

Would you be able to capture a short (< 10 MB) Wireshark dump showing the lag?

[edit: You're not using wireless networking are you?]

(I could personally be okay by stopping timeshifting before changing channels, but its too much to teach others the little things like this.)

If the crashes and the lags are connected then my guess is that there is some kind of network or tuner communication issue, and chances are that other similar problems will persist no matter what you try. It will be interesting to see the results with the alternative IPTV filter, but I have a feeling we will be coming back to this subject.

Regards,
mm

 

[Sigpi007]

I don't understand the implication of the thread start date.

Just checking... lots of files get updated in subsequent releases, and its not always clear if old patches still should be used. This thread being from 2013... wasn't sure if it was still relevant... but I trust you.

Without log files

See attached... Couldn't export while in use by the family.

Do you run a firewall or other security software?

Avast Free Antivirus version 2014.9.0.2021
Windows Firewall
No active malware scanner

You're not using wireless networking are you?

No. The PC hasn't had wireless card for a long time. It's hooked up with 1000mbps setup to an appropriate router (Asus RT-N66U router on latest firmware).

Would you be able to capture a short (< 10 MB) Wireshark dump showing the lag?

Sure. I've not captured packets before, so this will be new for me. I'll attach in a separate post when I can do this.

 

[Sigpi007]

Of course now that I installed WireShark, I can't replicate the lag. Give it a day or two and I'll capture the packets when it happens.

 

[Sigpi007]

Had another crash today so posting more logs. I had increased the RTSP teardown to 5000 yesterday, so that did not seem to stop the crashing (today).

I haven't applied the new IPTV filter cause I wanted to see if the increase to 5000 would help things. Since it didn't, I'm going to go ahead and apply it now.