Remote client can't access TVserver. Database issue (1 Viewer)

[desmond]

Hi folks. I have an issue with a new install/integration into my mediaportal system. I have a “mediaportal server” which has the TV cards and is also a client in one room, and a number of clients in other rooms, all on a LAN in my house. Some of my server hardware was becoming a little old so I have built a new server around an AMD 5600G CPU, 16gb ram and a new TV card. A nice upgrade, with power efficiency in mind. I have built this using windows 11 pro, which is possibly the main problem. I wanted to “future proof” this for a while, so install using good/modern ish hardware and new software, so I get some time before I need to mess with it again was the goal.. I have also installed 64 bit software for mediaportal 1.35. I have used Mediaportal for perhaps 10 years and really like it. I am well used to having to scratch my head while doing the setup, but this time, I have really struggled. A brief timeline is as follows:

1. Build new server PC and install windows 11 pro fresh on a new NVME drive
2. Try and install mediaportal 64 bit version 1.35. I have lots of issues during the install with the database not being found/accessed during the TV server element of the install.
3. I tried removing mediaportal fully, deleting the MYsql and MariaDB databases options I tried and reinstalling a few times, starting with version 1.33 then upgrading to 1.35, all 64 bit. No luck, same problem. The TV server database was “broken”, couldn’t be connected to during the TV server install, and if I skipped it I couldn’t setup the TV server once the install was complete, as it couldn’t access the database.
4. Windows 11 did an update. May or may not be related.
5. I tried AGAIN with the install, this time installed 1.33 as admin, seemed to go ok, no errors! Then upgraded to 1.35. Again no issues. All 64 bit. Setup my skin and plugins, eg mytvseries and movies etc etc, TV server was working ok, but I couldn’t tune the channels as I had no antenna connected at this time, as I was working on the PC in another room, so as not to affect the system in use.
6. Points 1-5 are just for some history and may not be related to the points hereafter.
7. I waited until everyone was sleeping, and removed my old server and plugged in the new one. I had some dusting to do too lol.
8. TV server scanned for channels, all found as expected, though I need to setup the satellite channels, no big deal, that’s a day 2 job. Getting the main “server“ back was key, and having all other clients connect was my next priority. Wife and kids to keep happy…
9. I had already set a fixed IP address for this “server” so I went to the clients and attempted to get them to connect to the new server. NO CONNECTION. ☹ I can ping the new server from the clients, and have them connect to the new server in their mediportal configuration under TV, eg turn green, but when I attempt to watch TV on a client I get an error message something like, “IP found, ports seem open, cant access database”. So it seems that I cannot get a client to connect to the TV server database on the main server. The main server can connect to its own database without issue. All seems good on that system.

Things I have done. Disabled the windows firewalls on the systems. All of them. No change, same error. I had a look online and it seems that perhaps due to maybe how the database is configured, or windows 11 security, the database can only be accessed internally, eg within the “local host”, and not on the remote clients. So I installed a MYSQL workbench after reading a post of someone with a similar issue in 2014. Unfortunately I couldn’t follow the instructions to edit the permissions/add a new user for the remote client as the program had been updated since then and I wasn’t sure what to do. It was now 3.30 am, and I had to quit. I needed to get up at 6.30am for work. I didn’t sleep well thinking about the issues, and a way forward. The old server maybe wasn’t so bad… That’s definitely the plan B.

So some questions.

1. Is it possible to have a 64 bit server and 32 bit clients (remote Clients are on version 1.33 32 bit currently) and have the TV server work ok?
2. Remote clients are on windows 10, and can't officially receive windows 11. I know there is a work around there, but that's next on my list, maybe next month. Is that an issue, eg connecting to a TV server on Windows 11 from windows 10?
3. How can I make the clients access/read/play nice with the database on the server. I need step by step instructions here, as databases are NOT my thing.
4. Anything else obvious I have missed? I could collect logs late tonight if its useful, but it seems like a simple issue, eg just not reading, accessing a database.

Thanks in advance, from a very tired Des…

 

[CyberSimian]

Anything else obvious I have missed?

Mixing different versions of "stuff" is sometimes a risky business, and is probably best avoided. Did you install MP 1.35 on the client systems? Possible causes of the problem:

(1) MP client bitness is different from TV Server bitness (e.g. 32-bit client with 64-bit server).

(2) MP client database is different from TV Server database (e.g. client is sending MySQL requests to TV Server, but TV Server is expecting MariaDB requests).

(3) MP client version is different from TV Server version (there may be an incompatibility, even if (1) and (2) are not a problem).

I am not enough of an expert to know whether any of (1), (2), or (3) is a problem for MP, but they might be, so take the sensible path and ensure that all of your clients are consistent with TV Server.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[desmond]

Mixing different versions of "stuff" is sometimes a risky business, and is probably best avoided. Did you install MP 1.35 on the client systems? Possible causes of the problem:

(1) MP client bitness is different from TV Server bitness (e.g. 32-bit client with 64-bit server).

(2) MP client database is different from TV Server database (e.g. client is sending MySQL requests to TV Server, but TV Server is expecting MariaDB requests).

(3) MP client version is different from TV Server version (there may be an incompatibility, even if (1) and (2) are not a problem).

I am not enough of an expert to know whether any of (1), (2), or (3) is a problem for MP, but they might be, so take the sensible path and ensure that all of your clients are consistent with TV Server.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Thanks for getting back to me. I agree I have quite a few variables. The shift from 32 bit to 64 bit is the most time consuming as from what I read the advice is to nuke the existing installation and then have to install from fresh. With all the skin settings and other personalisations that takes quite a while. I have no issues doing that if that's what's needed.

The path of least resistance is maybe just update the client from 1.33 to 1.35, still 32 bit and see what happens. If it's no different then I could try a 64 bit install. But I'm just asking incase someone knows exactly what's compatible with what.

It almost feels like 3 versions of media portal now. Version 1 32 bit, version 1 64 and version 2, which I never gelled with. Anyhow, won't do much tonight, I'm exhausted.

On your second point above, I'm not sure exactly what database the TV server is using, but assume it's my SQL. How can I tell?

Don't you love computers...

Thanks again, des in Northern Ireland, UK.

 

[CyberSimian]

The path of least resistance is maybe just update the client from 1.33 to 1.35, still 32 bit and see what happens.

Definitely worth trying, as it may work.

On your second point above, I'm not sure exactly what database the TV server is using, but assume it's my SQL. How can I tell?

Look in the Windows "Program Files" and "ProgramData" folders to see if there are any folders that have MySQL or MariaDB (or variants thereof) in the name of the folder. If only one SQL is present, TV Server must be using that SQL. If both SQLs are present, I don't know how to determine which SQL is the one that TV Server is using.

The shift from 32 bit to 64 bit is the most time consuming as from what I read the advice is to nuke the existing installation and then have to install from fresh. With all the skin settings and other personalisations that takes quite a while.

Eliminating 32-bit MP before installing 64-bit MP is least likely to lead to problems. Some points:

• After eliminating 32-bit MP, perform a first-time install of 64-bit MP 1.33 followed by an upgrade install from MP 1.33 to MP 1.35.
• You could try saving relevant config files before uninstalling 32-bit MP, and then restoring them after installing 64-bit MP. Actually, the simplest solution is to copy the entire "ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\" folder to a different location, then you will have available all possible config files that you might need. I would suggest not renaming that folder, as then it would not be available for the uninstaller to uninstall.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[desmond]

Quick update. I updated the most used (kitchen, so it's on most of the day)client from 1.33 to 1.35, still 32 bit. The error message has changed. Now I can see the EPG and when I try and select a channel I get "can't connect to TV stream x" with x varying depending on the channel selected. The main TV server and client is still working fine.

I will think about this for a while. I might try and update a less use client to 64 bit 1.35 on a clean install and see if it works there. Based on that test I can then commit to messing with the kitchen client in more depth.

On which database system the TV server is using, it's got my SQL and mariadb folders so???

Thanks des.

 

[desmond]

Ok, so perhaps a solution, but not the "right" solution. On the client, within media portal configuration, under TV settings, advanced options, I switched to UNC paths instead of the default RSS, and it's working very well. Sure I had to figure out the paths, but no big deal.

Maybe helpful for someone in the future. Thanks for the responses. Cheers, a happy des, off now to scan my satellite channels...