Cant watch DVBLink Recordings in MCE or in Browser

[veletron]

Hi

This used to work a few days ago, god only knows what has caused it to break.

- Using dlrecorder, I schedule a program in the DVBLink web gui
- In MCE, I goto the DVBLink media library, and selected the recorded program, and click play
- It wont start playing. The 'buffering' oscillates between 50% and 100% forever more, stream never starts playing
- In web interface on same PC, I browse to the same video and try and play it. All that happens is that chome downloads a .m3u8 file (does not know how to play it I guess) (2 days ago this worked)
- I then moved PC's and went to the web interface, doing the same thing with the same result - just downloaded the file did not play it. I can play live streams fine from MCE, the web interface etc on any PC, just not recorded stuff

DVBLink V5.5, using dlrecorder

Any idea how I can fix this?

Nigel

[the_man]

The m3u file you can play via VLC or WMP.
Seems that in your browser disabled VLC plugin or so. Also you can enable transcoding in order to watch live tv in browser without plugins. (Web-client -> settings -> web streaming -> checkbox "Disable transcoding" should be unchecked and in "General": "Enable video transcoding" should be ticked)

[veletron]

Hi

Transcoding is enabled, and I can indeed watch live TV in browser, this has always worked. Its recorded TV that stopped working. I have never used/downloaded VLC so it cant be that that got disabled.

My main issue here is that I now cannot play content recorded via DVBLink web interface in MCE. I'll live with it not working from a browser.

Nigel

[veletron]

With transcoding disabled recorded TV downloads an .m3u rather than an .m3u8 file. If I try and play this in either WMP or VLC, the stream fails to start. In MCE and WMP the screen flickers and the play/pause button changes state several times a second. I will do a video of this behaviour text week. The content of the M3U file would appear reasonable.

I believe the server end is failing to start the stream giving the client end issues. this happens whether client running on same machine as server or otherwise.

Nigel

[veletron]

Just installed a new client PC, so thought I would try this again...

To save others pulling their hair out trying to get playback of recorded TV to work in a PC web browser:

It does not matter whether or not transcoding is enabled or disabled. It is NOT POSSIBLE to play back DVBLink recorded TV on a PC (chrome or IE) web browser.

With transcoding disabled, the browser just tries to download an download.m3u file while when transcoding is enabled, the browser downloads a index.m3u8 file. The browser makes no attempt to play these files - it does not understand the format. Google says m3u8 is HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) - an Apple creation supported only by Safari.

It seems that the only way to play back these files is via VLC - and that's as an external app, not integrated into the web browser window. WMP tries to play back the m3u (non transcoded file), but the stream does not start, buffering alternates forever-more between 50% and 100%, stream never starts.

Playback of recorded TV works fine when done on an android tablet via the DVBLink app (playback is via MX Player)

I guess I will just use my tablet...

Nigel

[the_man]

Sorry that i've confused you, but in the browser you can play only Live TV and not Recorded TV.
As for Recorded tv at VLC, you can use this link:
- open VLC player, click on Ctrl+n
- past there: http://dvblink_server_ip:8100/mobile/?c ... rdedTV_m3u

[veletron]

Hi

Thanks. Good to know I have not gone completely mad. How come recorded TV does not get exposed in the same way as live TV? i.e read file treat as live TV stream, push to client window in web browser just like live TV?

Re the m3u8 file - I imagine that this would work on a mac in safari natively due to it supporting HLS out of the box?

Still not got to the bottom of the streaming issue of the non-transcoded .m3u file that will not play back either in WMP or MCE. I believe its a codec issue - I installed MCEBuddy to transcode MCE recordings, this requires FFDShow which it also installed. I am wondering whether FFDShow is what's causing the 50% .. 100% buffering issue and the failure of the stream to start. Guess I will ditch it see what happens.

Nigel

[the_man]

So, as i understand the m3u file work good at VLC, are not i?
If the playback of recordings wotks at all, then you should be able to watch recorded tv (with disabled transcoding) on Safari and on Firefox (there vlc plugin should be from the box)

[veletron]

Hi

Yep, can play back in VLC

I am using chrome, there is no vlc plugin for chrome, I have not tried firefox and dont want to switch browsers just for that so I will go without.

On my laptop for M3U file:

- VLC Works
- WMP plays back video with no audio - must be some missing a codec - god knows which one.
- No Playback through chrome, just downloads the M3u file.
- On IE, it launches WMP to play M3U file in separate window, but there is no sound.

On My MCE box on which DVBLink server runs:

- VLC works, can play M3U File with sound
- WMP cannot play file - I see 1st frame with 'buffing 50%' followed by 'buffering 100%' every 0.5 secs
- MCE cannot play file (started through dvblink addin), Blank screen, 'buffing 50%' followed by 'buffering 100%' every 0.5 secs - at one point this worked!
- Chrome downloads M3U file which VLC can play
- IE launches WMP, which then fails to play the file as above.

I have removed the stuff that MCEBuddy installed (FFDShow), in case it was that, but to no avail. Must be some codec issue, and I know I can't trust that 'uninstalling' something really does undo all that occurred during install. I dont believe its FFDShow though - since that reports that its in use by showing a taskbar icon - and I see no icon.

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Kodi plays back fine no matter whether transcoding enabled/disabled
Sony Z3 Tab plays back fine with DVBLink app or Kodi no probs

I'll just forget the DVBLink web interface for scheduling recordings and do them via Ceton My Media Centre (which links to MCE scheduler/recorder). The DVBLink app still then useful for playback of live TV on tablet/laptop

Nigel

[Videonisse]

Sorry that i've confused you, but in the browser you can play only Live TV and not Recorded TV.

Hang on, why are you saying this? Has DVBLink no support anymore watching recorded files from the DVBLink Web interface??

I thought this was the case only when using mc_recorder but not with dlrecorder. Now I'm confused...

[the_man]

Sorry that i've confused you, but in the browser you can play only Live TV and not Recorded TV.

Hang on, why are you saying this? Has DVBLink no support anymore watching recorded files from the DVBLink Web interface??

I thought this was the case only when using mc_recorder but not with dlrecorder. Now I'm confused...

You are right, you can watch recorded tv in browser with dlrecorder,but as i've written "...on Safari and on Firefox (there vlc plugin should be from the box)"