How to use locally shared drive for Timeshift Folder for remote clients? (1 Viewer)

[mm356]

So I'm trying to connect 2 PC's on my home network to the third server PC running MP TV Server (all Windows 10). When running on the local server machine everything works great. From the other 2 PC's I can connect to the server fine, see the EPG, and even stream recordings. However, Live TV won't stream b/c the server configuration has a local drive set for the timeshift buffer. This all makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is when I try and change that local drive to a mapped version of that same location - MP won't allow it. On the local server machine it is a dedicated HD (separate from the SSD OS drive) that is D:\Media\TimeShiftBuffer. I've mapped the shared folder D:\Media to Z:\ on the local machine just as I do on each of the other remote client PC's, and even Windows Explorer shows it this way. So in theory, I should be able to point the timeshift buffer to Z:\TimeShiftBuffer in the server configuration and it should work on all three. However, the TV server configuration software doesn't show the Z: version, only the D:\Media version (even when I select it from under the "network" listing showing \\192.168.1.2\Media, it gets remapped back to the D:Media string), and thus the other two PC's get an error b/c they don't have that local folder. What really makes it odd is that the server configuration box does show other networked folders from other machines on the network, just not this one local one. If I could edit the folder location and manually type it in that would solve my problem, but I can't.

What's the best way to set up the server to use a shared locally attached drive for the timeshift buffer that other remote PC's can also access?

 

[Anthony Vaughan]

If what you are wanting to do is store timeshifts in one machine that are accessible from your other MP clients, then this link will show how this can be done:

http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_MEDIAPORTAL_1/20_Reference/Databases/Central_Database

I think the key thing here is that you should use local file referencing on the server, and use UNC file referencing for the server file shares on your client machines (do not use mapped network drives to access file shares on your server machine).

This worked for me but you will need to keep a backup of your new 'MediaPortalDirs.xml' on each machine because this file will be overwritten back to local settings if you re-install or upgrade MP1. Also, the sharing seems not to kick in until you have played, stopped and played a media file again - don't know why. After that, if you watch a program and stop it before the end and you play that program from another machine then you should be offered the option the restart viewing from where you left off.

Hope this helps.

Tony

 

[regeszter]

If what you are wanting to do is store timeshifts in one machine that are accessible from your other MP clients, then this link will show how this can be done:

There is a misunderstanding.

The timeshift puffer is shared by TvService using rtps protocol. You do not need to share it by windows.

What doesn't make sense is when I try and change that local drive to a mapped version of that same location - MP won't allow it. On the local server machine it is a dedicated HD (separate from the SSD OS drive) that is D:\Media\TimeShiftBuffer. I've mapped the shared folder D:\Media to Z:\ on the local machine just as I do on each of the other remote client PC's, and even Windows Explorer shows it this way. So in theory, I should be able to point the timeshift buffer to Z:\TimeShiftBuffer in the server configuration and it should work on all three. However, the TV server configuration software doesn't show the Z: version,

Yes, because the TvService is running under local system account but you mapped the folder under a normal user account.

What's the best way to set up the server to use a shared locally attached drive for the timeshift buffer that other remote PC's can also access?

Use the default rtps protocol.

 

[Anthony Vaughan]

When I first installed MP, timeshift sharing seemed to worked for a few days, then it stopped working except on the local machine - it would only remember the position last used by the same machine. I have one server and four client machines and was an ex-WMC user.

When I reported this, I was pointed to the link I gave above and that has worked very well since then.

I have no knowledge of doing anything to effect MP's use of rtps though.

Sorry if my post mislead in any way.

Tony

 

[regeszter]

Sorry if my post mislead in any way.

Please set the timeshift folder on TvServer to a local drive.
Set the remote MP client to use the default setting to access the TvServer. Do not enable the Multi seat setup option.

 

[Anthony Vaughan]

Yes. That's how I have the server and all client machines setup.

BTW, everything is running under Windows 10; not that I think that is relevant here.

Can't think why the shared folder option made things work when the above stopped working.

Tony

 

[regeszter]

Yes. That's how I have the server and all client machines setup.

BTW, everything is running under Windows 10; not that I think that is relevant here.

Can't think why the shared folder option made things work when the above stopped working.

Tony

Please upload you client logs.

 

[Anthony Vaughan]

Do you need the WatchDog log or one of the standard log files? If the latter, which one do you need?

Tony

 

[regeszter]

WatchDog

WatchDog please.

 

[Anthony Vaughan]

Would it help if I point the timeshift folder to a location away from the file share I have setup for the database and thumb sharing?

Then I can be sure that I have the setup the way you suggest should work. Then I will need to watch a program from one client, stop playback and resume watching it from a different client to see if it picks up the last location.

Do you want logs from both client machines?

Tony[DOUBLEPOST=1451418860][/DOUBLEPOST]Okay. I've done what I suggested above and here are the two log files. The earlier one is the first viewing and the later one I the resume watching log.

This worked exactly as you suggested it should.

When I started using MP, it worked then as well.

I will need to do further testing see whether any glitch happens over the next few days.

Thanks for the help.

Tony