[confirm] LiveTV blank screen no sound on client video and sound works on server (1 Viewer)

[loftus]

Hi All,

I stumbled on this thread as I have the exact same symptoms as the OP.

I have recently upgraded a client from Win7 x86 to Win7 x64, when encountering this bug. If I boot back to my original install (32bit) everything is fine - however in the 64 bit Win7 I get a blank screen trying to play live TV (recorded TV wouldn't play either)

After checking the Win7 firewall settings for MediaPortal I see that there are UDP and TCP rules for the Public domain, but not private. Adding the private domain to the two mediaportal rules fixes the problem.

The bug seems to be (in my case) the installer did not correctly configure the firewall rules in the Win7 x64.
Although MediaPortal works in Win7 x86 without issue - so I assume the installer is OK with 32bit installations.

I hope this helps....

L

 

[mm1352000]

Hi loftus

I reported this during 1.2.0rc development and testing. The response from other members in the team was that the Windows firewall should prompt you if a port is being actively blocked. I use Windows XP (I don't have Windows 7) so I can't really comment and I only have one computer so I can't reproduce. Are you able to confirm that you didn't get the prompts and that you hadn't turned the prompts off?

Cheers
mm

 

[loftus]

Hi,

My issue (no TV playback in the MP client) was immediately apparent on a fresh install of Win 7 Pro x64. I had not touched the firewall settings at all, and relied on the MP installer to create the necessary rules.

I double-checked my Win7 firewall config and the option to "Notify me when Windows Firewall blocks a new program" is checked.

Actually I think the word "NEW" is the key here. As a test I tried deleting the MediaPortal firewall rules, and then when starting MP I get the expected Firewall notification - along with the options to create a rule for the Private and/or public domains.

As a second test I recreated the original MediaPortal firewall rules (Public domain only), and sure enough the client TV session fails every time... SILENTLY - without any Windows firewall notification

So in this case, having miss-configured firewall rules is worse than having no firewall rules created at all - it prevents the notification message from the firewall that communication between the server and client is being blocked.

Hopefully an easy bug to squash in the installer. Or if a workaround is needed: have the installer detect x64 OS and deliberately skip the firewall rule creation.

L

 

[mm1352000]

Thanks once again Loftus
I'll raise the issue once again with our team and get the people with multi-seat installs and W7 64 bit clients to double check and see if they can reproduce your results...

mm

 

[thirdoff]

Yes, it is a CONFIRMED bug with the installer, like I said way up there. With the default settings on a windows7 64 bit it does not create the private exception. There is NO prompt to open the port as the installer has system permissions and "just does it", but it sets it wrong. All this was clearly stated but not implemented (sorry didn't mean ignored). This is still present in 1.2rc and it needs to be added to the install noted for people with clients, please check firewall exceptions.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi thirdoff

It was *not* ignored. People in the team explicitly tested this and did not have a problem. Like I said, we're going to check again. It is a little tricky to fix problems that can't be reproduced sometimes...

mm

 

[thirdoff]

The problem might be with OEM packaged Windows 7 64 bit, or at least the variation that your testers there have. They might also have "optimized" some settings making it inconsistant with most users setup. My main server is 32 bit and my clients have been 64 bit.

 

[kensiko]

Wow and I thought that mediaportal was not compatible with 64 bits ! I didn't use mediaportal on my 64 bits computers thinking that.

Thanks guys now I can listen to the TV from my computer (connecting to another PC)

 

[2BitSculptor]

Okay ... I'm being a bit dense ... what settings in the firewall do I have to make to get my client to play the TS stream from the Server. I do not know what I am looking at, so I need a "stupid beginner's" explanation.

I 'm running MP 1.2.2 as a client on my XP sp3 32bit machine. I turn off the firewall and can I play the stream, so that is the issue. What do I do where?

btw. MediaPortal Configuration is the only exception set, should there be any others?

Thanks for the hand holding.

Chuck

 

[Owlsroost]

The Wiki page is a good starting point.

If the problem is that you can see EPG data etc. but streams don't play, then check that UDP traffic is allowed through for MediaPortal (inbound and outbound)

Tony