TV Server unreachable from time to time (1 Viewer)

[Requiem]

Hi,

I've already started a thread a while ago about this problem in the german forums but got no answers. However, also with 1.5pre and 1.5 my problem stays the same. Please get the log files from here https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-erreichbarkeit-der-datenbank-kein-tv.121499/

The problem: I have a multiseat setup. Always worked seamlessly, regarding Live TV. Some time ago (might have been under 1.4, might have happened before on 1.3, not sure, also not sure if I did something to my setup to cause this problem) I had the problem that the TV server was not reachable. That is: The server is reachable, the clients tell me that "Connected to TV Service, All TCP/IP-Ports available, no connection to database".
After some server restarts - TV becomes available again without any problems. Then, after a while, I get the same error back (sometimes after a server reboot). When Live TV works, no problems there, works just great.

I had to reinstall my main HTPC some days ago, same problem with a fresh windows and a clean 1.5 installation.
Also the same on my desktop PC.

So I guess, problem is on the server side, but I found no reason. I stopped TVservice manually on MePo update installations.
"Test channels" on the TV Server config works. I am using the internal database.

(Hint: The log entries about timeshift folder not being available are temporary errors on system reboot, as I use a ramdisk which is generated later. But the problem is unrelated to that, I've had this error before switching to a RAM Disk).

Any ideas on how to fix this issue? THANKS a lot!

 

[mm1352000]

Hello Requiem

Looks like the issue is with connecting to the database (ie. MySQL).
In your MediaPortal config you're using the IP address to connect to the server.
In your Gentle DB config you're using the hostname to connect to the server.

I'd suggest:

1. Make sure the server is configured with a static IP address.
2. Change the hostname in the gentle.config to an IP address. You need to do this on the server first, and then also on all the clients.

mm

 

[Requiem]

This is what I thought (using the internal database, BTW, as I had some problems with the 2012 MSSQL Server).
The server has a static IP address on my home network and is configured with its IP in the clients MP configuration.
Even after my complete clients reinstallation (where I always used the IP address instead of the name), there's "server" again in the
clients gentle.config (does it pull this information from the server itself?)
I've already changed this for testing purposes some days ago, but only on the client...will also try to edit gentle.config on the server.
I still do not understand why it sometomes will work and sometimes it won't...especially, as all other server services inside MePo are always accessible (radio,
other media files etc....)
Thanks a lot!

 

[mm1352000]

The server has a static IP address on my home network and is configured with its IP in the clients MP configuration.

Okay, good.

Even after my complete clients reinstallation (where I always used the IP address instead of the name), there's "server" again in the
clients gentle.config (does it pull this information from the server itself?)

Yes, the gentle.config is pushed from the server down to the clients. That's why I said you need to update the server... then the clients (just to be sure).

I still do not understand why it sometomes will work and sometimes it won't...especially, as all other server services inside MePo are always accessible (radio, other media files etc....)

Well, direct connection to the TV Server DB is only used for specific things, so only specific things would be broken. Ideally it shouldn't be used at all... but that is a problem that TVE 3.5 has dealt with.

 

[Requiem]

At a first glance, this seems to do the trick. Restarted my server several times for testing purposes, no problems so far. Thanks!

 

[jernis]

I hade the same problem,(multi seat running 1.5 final.) after resume the client couldent connect to the server?
The client connection test to the server worked fine. but when i pressed "OK" inside the configurations it complained about missing root element inside gentle.config.
Looking at the gentle.config in the client, and it was blank. Copied the gentle.config from the server back to the client and re run the configuration and after that the tv was once again running. First time i ever heard about the gentle.config file.

 

[peram1]

... had the same problem too: test connection ok, missing element, empty gentle.config on client side ...
THIS is really ANNOYING - switching on TV, copying gentle.config's from there to there! - don't know about you, but not my idea of an easy to use TV ...
I'd really appreciate a STABLE TV functionality - PLEASE work on the bread and butter BEFORE you do the nice to have's ...

 

[mm1352000]

empty gentle.config on client side

...which indicates something went really badly wrong. Like... really wrong.

THIS is really ANNOYING - switching on TV, copying gentle.config's from there to there! - don't know about you, but not my idea of an easy to use TV ...
I'd really appreciate a STABLE TV functionality - PLEASE work on the bread and butter BEFORE you do the nice to have's ...

Of course, and we do. That is why the gentle.config files are gone in TVE 3.5.
Sometimes things just go wrong. We can't anticipate every possible thing that somebody can do to break their installation...

 

[peram1]

Sometimes things just go wrong. We can't anticipate every possible thing that somebody can do to break their installation...

I fully agree ... but if I "BREAK" my installation through closing Mediaportal/shutting down the client the normal way and restarting it a few hours later ... something still goes teribbly wrong in Mediaportal's TV functionality ...

I really appreciate your work MM135200, so do NOT take it personal !

 

[Owlsroost]

Sometimes things just go wrong. We can't anticipate every possible thing that somebody can do to break their installation...

I fully agree ... but if I "BREAK" my installation through closing Mediaportal/shutting down the client the normal way and restarting it a few hours later ... something still goes teribbly wrong in Mediaportal's TV functionality ...

I really appreciate your work MM135200, so do NOT take it personal !

If it happens again, please post the logs so we might stand a chance of working out what caused it.

In relation to the 50k+ MP1 user base (based on the download stats) a lot of the problems you see posted in the forums are actually quite rare and/or system specific.