HDR-FOX T2 to HDHomeRun, my journey

[tonylon]

@tonylon you could try running the program in interactive mode as a normal windows user, that will help identify if it is a permission issue due to the Service aspect. To try this:

1) Stop the windows service for DvrOnTime
2) Navigate to the Program Files\DvrOnTime folder
3) Double click the DvrOnTime.Exe file

This will run DvrOnTime as a normal program and will open a command prompt showing debug information, and then navigate to the website as usual and try adding the folder location. It should work with a mapped drive if the same logged in user can see it, and it would be possible to leave this running all the time if it works, however you would need to keep the user logged in and lose the failsafe options of having the service always start up on a reboot. Note that when the command window running the program has any focus then pressing any key will shut down the program cleanly.

Let us know how you can get on with this test.

Ran first three steps ok but then when i tried to connect to website using address used previously localhost:8084 it failed to find page.
Should I be navigating to it in a different way?
Also tried externally accessing via [machine name]:8084 and that failed to find also

 

[lc200]

It should be opening the same port and be at the same URL, maybe try running it as an administrator, although not sure that would make much difference. Are you using the newest version? There have been a few updates since the time you might have first installed it, and there is an installer now that setups all the necessary permissions for web access.

DvrOnTime – Google Drive

drive.google.com

If you are on one of the very early versions (via the Plex forum) I would recommend a fresh install using the installer at the link above having uninstalled or removed the existing version. Just take a screen shot of your current schedule and then once set up it doesn't take too long to search for the same programs and add them again (once on the latest version you can upgrade in the future without having to set everything back up). You shouldn't need to go through the process of installing the Sql database again.

To check your version under settings at the bottom it should say "Version: 1.0.4.2024", if no version number shows you are on an older version.

 

[tonylon]

Now definitely running latest version: 1.0.4.2024

But unfortunately still won't let me add full network drive path in the config field.

And if I I try and start running the executable directly then I see there's a message in the log that says "Error connecting to database" service cannot start.
So not able to run as a local user either.

So suspect I'll have to carry on with my normal arrangements and do a separate manual copy of files stores locally (on the machine where teh service is running) to my media directories on my NAS server where I run Plex.

 

[lc200]

Now definitely running latest version: 1.0.4.2024

But unfortunately still won't let me add full network drive path in the config field.

And if I I try and start running the executable directly then I see there's a message in the log that says "Error connecting to database" service cannot start.
So not able to run as a local user either.

So suspect I'll have to carry on with my normal arrangements and do a separate manual copy of files stores locally (on the machine where teh service is running) to my media directories on my NAS server where I run Plex.

I will try and have a look again at this but essentially it is something not really supported from a Windows service, everything I've seen code wise to try and make it work was always a bit of an unsupported hack. One option might be to run in interactive mode so I will check why that isn't working and get back to you.

 

[sceptic]

It should definitely work using a UNC. @tonylon, does the share need a username/password to access? If it does is the username/password the same as a local windows account? If not I would try making it the same and changing the service logon details to that account/password and then restarting it.

 

[tonylon]

Fairly certain all the user access is set correctly but I still get the message:
Error saving the media path
Could not find a part of the path '\\NAS_DS718\Media'.
when trying to connect in the application.
The shared folder on the NAS is currently set up for Guest access so any user should be able to connect to (if I get it working I'll tighten up the access)

And running the service as a local user doesn't seem to work either.
It fails to start with the message:
Windows could not start the DvrOnTimeService on Local Computer
Error 1064: An exception occurred in the service when handling the control request

 

[alanofcleeves]

But unfortunately still won't let me add full network drive path in the config field.

If you can't add the network path it might be worth experimenting with the SUBST command.
Then just reference your chosen drive letter instead of the network path.

Something like this:
SUBST W: \\NAS_DS718\Media

 

[sceptic]

And running the service as a local user doesn't seem to work either.
It fails to start with the message:
Windows could not start the DvrOnTimeService on Local Computer
Error 1064: An exception occurred in the service when handling the control request

Was the user type Administrator for that test account?

Are you sure it definitely has write permissions to that share, you could double check this by doing the following:-

1.Start -> Run -> runas local_username_you_created "%windir%\system32\cmd.exe"
2. Enter the above usernames password when prompted.
3. In the CMD window that pops up enter:-

echo some text >\\NAS_DS718\Media\test.txt​

4. Do you get any errors creating the above file?

 

[Black Cloud]

Was the user type Administrator for that test account?

Are you sure it definitely has write permissions to that share, you could double check this by doing the following:-

1.Start -> Run -> runas local_username_you_created "%windir%\system32\cmd.exe"
2. Enter the above usernames password when prompted.
3. In the CMD window that pops up enter:-

echo some text >\\NAS_DS718\Media\test.txt​

4. Do you get any errors creating the above file?

I am having the same problem recording to a network drive with DvrOnTime. I can successfully write to the network drive manually using sceptic's method. Whenever I attempt to set the network drive as the target in DvrOnTime Settings, I don't get the green tick in Settings and the target doesn't stick like it does if I enter a local drive. (Edited to correct the facts I got wrong previously)

 

[mike_m]

Hi lc200,

I'm a bit late to this party, as I only came across this thread a couple of days ago; so firstly, many thanks for making your software available! I know how much time and effort it takes to turn out such a polished piece of code. The screen shots you posted looked so elegant that I bought a HomeRun box and downloaded your software just for the pleasure of playing with it.

I have one question: In the setup page, what should go into the box marked 'The frequency used for loading the guide data:' ?

 

[lc200]

Hi lc200,

I'm a bit late to this party, as I only came across this thread a couple of days ago; so firstly, many thanks for making your software available! I know how much time and effort it takes to turn out such a polished piece of code. The screen shots you posted looked so elegant that I bought a HomeRun box and downloaded your software just for the pleasure of playing with it.

I have one question: In the setup page, what should go into the box marked 'The frequency used for loading the guide data:' ?

@mike, welcome on board. I should be on commission with Silicondust The frequency to use for the guide data should default to one of the HD Muxes, but the option is available to change to a different frequency, for example if you are on the margins of reception and can't get the HD muxes too well you might want to go for a different frequency. All muxes carry the same guide data. Enjoy.

@Black Cloud @tonylon

I've been playing about with the network share, and have been successfully able to get it working for me, so hopefully this will help.

So give this a try:

• Stop the DvrOnTime service
• Change the permissions for the database to allow users to access it. Go to C:\Program Files\DvrOnTime, right click DvrOnTime.mdf and click Properties, then Security, then Edit… give the Users group Full Control, OK to save and repeat for DvrOnTime_log.ldf
• Now set up a new user* in Windows (e.g. a user called DvrOnTime), set a password, make sure the password is set not to expire and also not to need changing at log-in, add the Administrators and User groups to the new user Members Of.
• Now log in as this new User, navigate to the shared drive, i.e. \\NasBox\DvrOnTime, if a password is required, enter a password and make sure to tick the Remember option. This new user should now be able to access the shared folder, if they can't, then this problem needs to be fixed first.
• Log back in as your normal Administrator user, find the DvrOnTime service, right click it and go to the Log On tab, set to Log on as: This account and enter the new DvrOnTime user name and password, click OK.
• Start the DvrOnTime service, it should start normally but now using this special user. In the DvrOnTime settings, set the shared drive and click Save, this should hopefully succeed and the text file is written to confirm read and write access. Test a recording out.

* you could use any existing user of course, but maybe best to set a new one with a password not to expire.

Let me know how your get on.

 

[mike_m]

I should be on commission with Silicondust

Absolutely!

Is there a reason why I can't get the guide to populate? DVROnTime installed fine, 'Tune channels' found 150-odd TV & radio channels. On saving the channels, the guide page appears, but it's blank - not even a date showing in the 'Show programs for day:' box. I left it for an hour or so in case it was just a slow load, but nothing else happened. I've tried Manually triggering a refresh of the EPG - the button clicks but nothing else changes. I also went onto the SiliconDust website and updated the HomeRun firmware, just in case that was an issue, then re-tuned the channels, but same result.

I must be doing something stupid, but I'm too stupid to figure out what it is!

 

[lc200]

Hi @Mik

Absolutely!

Is there a reason why I can't get the guide to populate? DVROnTime installed fine, 'Tune channels' found 150-odd TV & radio channels. On saving the channels, the guide page appears, but it's blank - not even a date showing in the 'Show programs for day:' box. I left it for an hour or so in case it was just a slow load, but nothing else happened. I've tried Manually triggering a refresh of the EPG - the button clicks but nothing else changes. I also went onto the SiliconDust website and updated the HomeRun firmware, just in case that was an issue, then re-tuned the channels, but same result.

I must be doing something stupid, but I'm too stupid to figure out what it is!

Do you see the list of channels in the guide but just no programs? If yes, go to settings and on the frequency to use for loading the guide pick one from the list, it might be defaulting to one that you can't receive. Once you have picked a frequency from the list then try Refresh EPG. If working you will get events for today very quickly (just do a F5 on the guide screen to get it to refresh with events it has fetched so far), a few minutes usually to get todays programs and the full guide loads over about 10 minutes.

If you don't see any channels in the guide, do a retune, and on the page that shows all the found channels make sure you scroll to the bottom and accept the found channels.

 

[mike_m]

There are no channels in the guide - after pressing the 'Set these channels' button, I get the confirmation screen, and on pressing 'Yes, update to these found channels', I immediately get the page as shown in the screen grab:

 

[mike_m]

Just as a test I re-tuned with only one frequency set, so that there were only 8 found channels. Still the same result as before.

 

[lc200]

Just as a test I re-tuned with only one frequency set, so that there were only 8 found channels. Still the same result as before.

Think this has happened before. Try a different browser and tune the channels, there seems to be an issue with Firefox and the channel setting doesn't take place on confirming. Once tuned FireFox will work fine, I'll take a look at the issue and fix it in Firefox.

Fingers crossed that solves it.

 

[mike_m]

Yup! That was it. Many thanks! Once again, Firefox causing problems... why do I stick with it? I guess because, unlike Google, it's not always trying to take over my life... anyway, it all seems to be working fine.

 

[Black Cloud]

@lc200. I worked my way through your troubleshooting method, which worked splendidly.

It transpires that my problem was that the logon for the DvrOnTime machine used a blank password, and that's what broke DvrOnTime's networking ability.

Yeah, I know, but the network is internal only, and it's in a secure environment. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[lc200]

Yup! That was it. Many thanks! Once again, Firefox causing problems... why do I stick with it? I guess because, unlike Google, it's not always trying to take over my life... anyway, it all seems to be working fine.

@mike_m You can let FireFox off this time I've found a bug in the JavaScript that tripped up FireFox but other browsers sort of ignored, so will be fixed in the next update.

 

[mike_m]

@mike_m You can let FireFox off this time I've found a bug in the JavaScript that tripped up FireFox but other browsers sort of ignored, so will be fixed in the next update.