Client Mode is unreliable

[paul4ow]

Hello,

I have a Vu+ Uno4KSE configured for satellite reception and acting as a server, and an Octagon SX988 acting as a network streaming client. Both are running OpenViX 6.4.009.

The client is setup in client mode with the following settings ("Schedule EPG and channel list import" is enabled):
20231121_200604.jpg

This works well most of the time, however, sporadically the client will not show any channels on the channel list after boot and I just get a blank black screen.

If I disable Client Mode and instead only use the "Fallback Configuration" option under the Tuners menu of the client then the streaming works reliably on every boot, however, the problem with this method is that I do not get the EPG updates, nor an up-to-date channel list whenever a channel changes frequency etc.

What could be causing this reliability problem with Client Mode? I am not familiar with how to debug or the code, but one guess of mine is could it be that the FTP connection sometimes fails? Is the code that deals with this robust enough to deal with a failed FTP connection and stream anyway with existing EPG/channel list data?

Thanks,

Paul

[cactikid]

I assume other box ip has not changed and does that box need a reboot to clear any bugs.

[paul4ow]

I assume other box ip has not changed and does that box need a reboot to clear any bugs.

The server box has a static IP, and I've had this problem sporadically for almost a year now (so many reboots of the server in-between).

[bellejt]

choose ip adress instead of url. Be shure you have a free tuner on main box

[paul4ow]

choose ip adress instead of url. Be shure you have a free tuner on main box

I will try an IP instead of URL and report back, but that still wouldn't explain why when I set a "Fallback Configuration" using an auto-detected "Network Peer" it works reliably.

I have 8 tuners available on the server and I don't think they have ever been used all at once!

[paul4ow]

I will try an IP instead of URL and report back, but that still wouldn't explain why when I set a "Fallback Configuration" using an auto-detected "Network Peer" it works reliably.

I have 8 tuners available on the server and I don't think they have ever been used all at once!

OK, I tried by setting the receiver address by IP on the client as follows:
1_0_19_1B1F_802_2_11A0000_0_0_0_20231121214838.jpg

This initially worked, but after 5 or so boots later of the client it stopped working again (same problem as described in OP).

To elaborate with some more screenshots, when this problem occurs, on boot of the client I just get the following blank screen. Typing a 3-digit channel number into the remote does nothing:
screenshot_20231120121159.jpg

If I press up or down on the remote control to get the channel list I get a blank black screen with no channels listed. If I press the red "All" button I get the complete list of unsorted channels (not in a bouquet) and I can stream them by tediously manually selecting as in this screenshot:
1_0_1F_1CE9_7F6_2_11A0000_0_0_0_20231122002545.jpg

However, my main "Freesat UK - All Channels" bouquet is not present if I press the blue button for "Favourites", with only some minor bouquets present.

If I disable client mode to rely on the "Fallback Configuration" and reboot everything works as expected (except no automatic EPG and channel list updates).

[twol]

OK, I tried by setting the receiver address by IP on the client as follows:
1_0_19_1B1F_802_2_11A0000_0_0_0_20231121214838.jpg

This initially worked, but after 5 or so boots later of the client it stopped working again (same problem as described in OP).

To elaborate with some more screenshots, when this problem occurs, on boot of the client I just get the following blank screen. Typing a 3-digit channel number into the remote does nothing:
screenshot_20231120121159.jpg

If I press up or down on the remote control to get the channel list I get a blank black screen with no channels listed. If I press the red "All" button I get the complete list of unsorted channels (not in a bouquet) and I can stream them by tediously manually selecting as in this screenshot:
1_0_1F_1CE9_7F6_2_11A0000_0_0_0_20231122002545.jpg

However, my main "Freesat UK - All Channels" bouquet is not present if I press the blue button for "Favourites", with only some minor bouquets present.

If I disable client mode to rely on the "Fallback Configuration" and reboot everything works as expected (except no automatic EPG and channel list updates).

turn on debug logs (menu/setup/system/logs/settings ---> select hdd/usb, set local time, show in extensions(helpful - use blue button)) and post when issue arises

[paul4ow]

turn on debug logs (menu/setup/system/logs/settings ---> select hdd/usb, set local time, show in extensions(helpful - use blue button)) and post when issue arises

OK, here is the log from the SX988 client when Client Mode failed:
Enigma2_debug_2023-11-22_15-39-57.log


And a screenshot of the blank channel list:
screenshot_20231122155107.jpg

I thought this section from the log was maybe appropriate:

15:40:02.4756 [ClientModeScheduler][ClientModeautostart] AutoStart Enabled
15:40:02.4758 [ChannelsImporter] Fetch bouquets.tv and bouquets.radio
15:40:02.4758 [ChannelsImporter][fetchRemoteBouquets] Downloading channel indexes...
15:40:02.4759 [ChannelsImporter][fetchRemoteBouquets] 1/2
15:40:02.4759 [ChannelsImporter] Downloading remote file 'bouquets.tv'
15:40:02.5087 [ChannelsImporter][FTPdownloadFile] Error: [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
15:40:02.5088 [ChannelsImporter][fetchRemoteBouquets] Error fetching. Stopping script.

It seems the FTP transfer indeed fails. It says "network unreachable", however, by the time the boot is completed I can use the network fine. I am using a USB WLAN module - maybe the network has not had time to initialise fully before this script executes??? If indeed the FTP transfer fails, why not just use the locally stored bouquet data that is already there, rather than seemingly wiping it?

[bellejt]

strange you have client mode failed.Have masterbox vu duo2 (4 tuners ) here and 2 remote boxes duo2 and SF8008 and never a failed .Something wrong with your network ? My boxes only go in stb and all boxes view recordings from master also.
Ps: your box has only 2 effective tuners.Maybe thats the problem.

[cactikid]

Wonder if it got hard wired would it work.

[paul4ow]

strange you have client mode failed.Have masterbox vu duo2 (4 tuners ) here and 2 remote boxes duo2 and SF8008 and never a failed .Something wrong with your network ? My boxes only go in stb and all boxes view recordings from master also.

I don't think there is anything wrong with my network (Kodi clients stream flawlessly). Are your client devices connected wired or wireless? I suspect the problem may be the delay caused to authenticate the WLAN. I am using the WLAN module as at: https://www.octagon-germany.eu/produ.../wl618blister/ connected to a 5GHz network.

Ps: your box has only 2 effective tuners.Maybe thats the problem.

How do you figure that? My Vu+ Uno4KSE server has 8 tuners configured with a Unicable II FBC:
Screenshot 2023-11-22 at 17-36-44 Vu Uno4K SE - OpenWebif.jpg

Here is the front panel showing 3 streams on tuners A, B, C:
20231122_175428.jpg

[paul4ow]

Wonder if it got hard wired would it work.

I will try that, but it involves a bit of fiddling and moving the box to another room to test out the theory...

[cactikid]

Sometimes for testing having long rolls of lan cable come in handy.

[paul4ow]

Sometimes for testing having long rolls of lan cable come in handy.

Yeah - I got it set up that way now - so far no problems on wired LAN, but will report back after a few days.

[bellejt]

my network is fully cabled an 1 GB reliable with cisco switch