Communication Breakdown between Client and TV Server in Single-Seat Installation (1 Viewer)

[rsbrux]

Since installing MP 1.17 single seat over a fresh installation of Windows 7 Pro SP1, I occasionally have error messages when opening the EPG in MP client, complaining that the server cannot be found. Changing the MP client configuration to use 127.0.0.1 instead of the computer name does not seem to help. The error messages further complain that MP client cannot connect to the TV Server DB because port 554 is blocked by the Windows 7 firewall, but I do not see how that can be a factor in a single-seat installation. Even if it were, all MP components have inbound firewall rules allowing them access to all ports via both TCP and UDP. Furthermore the wiki page on Firewall Settings says:

If you use Windows Firewall in Windows 7, you should not need to open any ports manually for normal operation.​

I now have a default installation using SQLite. Logs are attached.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello

I now have a default installation using SQLite.

That's non-standard and therefore not supported. I wouldn't normally make a fuss about such things, but in this case the problem seems to be directly related to your database connection customisation:

[2017-08-19 10:53:44,431] [Error ] [MPMain ] [ERROR] - Tv NotifyManager: Exception at timer_tick Error: NoDefaultProviderUnclassified
Gentle.Common.GentleException: No <DefaultProvider> entry found in the configuration file.
at Gentle.Common.Check.FailWith(Severity severity, Error error, Exception e, String msg)
at Gentle.Common.Check.Fail(Exception e, Error error, Object[] args)
at Gentle.Framework.ProviderRegistry.GetProvider()
at Gentle.Framework.ProviderRegistry.GetProvider(String providerName, String connectionString, String schemaName)
at Gentle.Framework.ProviderFactory.GetProvider(String name, String providerName, String connectionString, String schemaName)
at Gentle.Framework.ProviderFactory.GetProvider(Type type)
at Gentle.Framework.SqlBuilder..ctor(IGentleProvider provider, StatementType stmtType, Type type, LogicalOperator logicalOperator)
at TvDatabase.Recording.ListAllActive()
at TvPlugin.TvNotifyManager.AddActiveRecordings()
at TvPlugin.TvNotifyManager._timer_Tick(Object sender, EventArgs e) st : at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e, Boolean needFileInfo)
at System.Environment.get_StackTrace()
at TvPlugin.TvNotifyManager._timer_Tick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(Form mainForm)
at MediaPortalApp.Main(String[] args)

So, I'm sorry to say that I can't help you.

 

[rsbrux]

Thanks for the quick response. I just ran the installer without changing anything, and am only assuming that SQLite is the default. What is the default DB now for a single-seat installation? I previously had MS SQL Server and used the Backup Settings plugin to restore some of my settings. Could that be the cause of the problems?
What confuses me most is that everything works as expected most of the time.

 

[mm1352000]

...and am only assuming that SQLite is the default.

Yes for MP2; no for MP1.
Options for MP1 are SQL Server and MySQL. Nothing else is supported.

What is the default DB now for a single-seat installation?

MySQL if you do a non-advanced install (ie. MP installer installs the DB).

I previously had MS SQL Server and used the Backup Settings plugin to restore some of my settings. Could that be the cause of the problems?

Maybe... or maybe you've been mucking around with MP2?

What confuses me most is that everything works as expected most of the time.

Sure, that can be the case with any problem.

 

[rsbrux]

Then I presumably have My SQL, at least for MP1. I installed MP2 before MP1, but have deactivated all of its services. Could it still be causing problems?

 

[mm1352000]

Then I presumably have My SQL, at least for MP1.

I wouldn't make such assumptions. Instead I'd recommend you actually check what's installed.

I installed MP2 before MP1, but have deactivated all of its services. Could it still be causing problems?

Yes, always.

 

[rsbrux]

I wouldn't make such assumptions. Instead I'd recommend you actually check what's installed.

How can I do that?
I don't find any indication in TV Server Configuration which DB is being used.
The installation log tells me only:

[ INFO] Database: D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Database​

Here are the files I find in that directory:

"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\MusicDatabaseV13.db3"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\FolderDatabase3.db3"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\VideoDatabaseV5.db3"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\PictureDatabase.db3"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\LyricsDatabaseV2.db"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\OnlineVideoDatabase.db3"
"D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database\LyricsMarkedDatabaseV2.db"​

 

[mm1352000]

How can I do that?

Check whether the MySQL service is included in the list of Windows services.
How To Start, Stop or Disable Services in Windows 7

The installation log tells me only...

You're looking at the MediaPortal install log, which is not right. The database is associated with TV Server, so if you were going to be looking at an install log (note: I'm not saying that looking at the install log would be useful) then you ought to look at the TV Server install log.

Here are the files I find in that directory:

Same as above: you're looking at MediaPortal instead of TV Server. That directory and the files inside it are irrelevant to the problem at hand.

 

[rsbrux]

Check whether the MySQL service is included in the list of Windows services.
How To Start, Stop or Disable Services in Windows 7.

services.msc shows MySQL as "started"

You're looking at the MediaPortal install log, which is not right. The database is associated with TV Server, so if you were going to be looking at an install log (note: I'm not saying that looking at the install log would be useful) then you ought to look at the TV Server install log.

No, the file I quoted from is:

D:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log\install_1.17.0.0_2017-08-08_18-29-24.log​

The complete file is attached.

P.S. After a reboot, evertything works normally again. However, this has already happened a few times.

 

[rsbrux]

Embarassingly enough, I overlooked the most obvious possible cause of this behavior. It's not a communication problem; TV Server is crashing!
The error logs (attached) show repeated exceptions in the DVB EPG timer. However, the immedaite cause appears to be something which is not recorded in the error logs (see TVService.1.log)