INTERACT FORUM

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Client/Server TV quirks [Solved]  (Read 882 times)

DeaneG

  • World Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 212
Client/Server TV quirks [Solved]
« on: January 20, 2020, 10:03:34 am »

I just changed my home Media Center DVR setup to 2 client/ 1 server (from 3 independent Media Centers), and noticed a few quirks:

1) The server needs to be on a static IP before the media networking is enabled. No problem, but it would be useful for the documentation to mention this prominently. Found out the hard way.

2) When viewing a recorded show from a client, the skip forward/skip back keys do not work until after a fast forward or rewind key has been pressed at least once.

3) The client does not remember the last viewing position of a TV recording when viewing is stopped and re-started.
Logged

RoderickGI

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8186
Re: Client/Server TV quirks
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2020, 02:37:31 pm »

1) Actually it doesn't need to be a Static IP Address, as long as you are using the Access Key method to connect to the Server, and all your PCs have access to the internet, to look up the Access Key and obtain the current IP Address of the Server. It is actually recommended to use IP Address Reservation though, which is like a Static IP Address, but the address is assigned and maintained by the DHCP server on your network. A search of the forum for "IP Address Reservation" will find lots of info.

2) I've never seen that on my Client, but I only use a keyboard on it, not an IR Remote. Left and right keys skip video as expected, always. I would think this was an environment issue, not a MC issue, or there would have been many reports. Are you using an IR Remote? Any additional IR software? Is MC in focus when you try to skip forward or back?

3) The Client will save a Bookmark for any and all video, and restart from the same location, if the Client is set to Synchronise to the Server, and full Authentication is turned on. This is a well tested and discussed feature. It works. If you start watching on one Client, press Stop, then go to the other Client and play the same video, it will start from where you left off. But you do need to allow a little time for the first Client to synchronise the Bookmark tag back to the server, and the second Client may not pick up the Bookmark immediately, although it will if MC is restarted, or reconnected to the server.
Logged
What specific version of MC you are running:MC27.0.27 @ Oct 27, 2020 and updating regularly Jim!                        MC Release Notes: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Release_Notes
What OS(s) and Version you are running:     Windows 10 Pro 64bit Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.572).
The JRMark score of the PC with an issue:    JRMark (version 26.0.52 64 bit): 3419
Important relevant info about your environment:     
  Using the HTPC as a MC Server & a Workstation as a MC Client plus some DLNA clients.
  Running JRiver for Android, JRemote2, Gizmo, & MO 4Media on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium Android 9.
  Playing video out to a Sony 65" TV connected via HDMI, playing digital audio out via motherboard sound card, PCIe TV tuner

DeaneG

  • World Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 212
Re: Client/Server TV quirks
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2020, 03:59:39 pm »

1) I tried the access key method first. It worked fine until the server PC got a new IP address. After this the client kept looking for the server at the old address. Wife tried it once at 6am, gave up, then I tried it again an hour later - client was still looking for the server at the old IP address. Both Server and Client have internet access with firewall permission for all JRiver processes.

2) It's a repeatable failure for me using either the keyboard or IR remote.
 a. Start watching a recorded show on the Client.
 b. Use right or left arrows to skip forward or back. Doesn't work.
 c. Use Ctl-right arrow to speed up, Ctl-left arrow for reverse. Works OK.
 d. Use right or left arrows to skip forward or back. Works fine now.
 e. Press stop to stop watching recorded show. Go back to (a). Repeats failure every time. These keys work fine when the identical PC operates in a standalone manner (when not as a client).

3. Also 100% repeatable: Start watching a show that was recorded on the Server. The video starts 2 minutes in as was set on the recording rule. Watch for a while, then press stop. Wait a minute. Press Play. The video starts from time zero. The client is set to synchronize to the server and is using full authentication. I can delete files from the server using the client.

EDIT: No issues with 2 and 3 on another client we rarely use. I'll see what's up with client #1.
Logged

tzr916

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1391
Re: Client/Server TV quirks
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2020, 04:13:47 pm »

1. I purposely have always used a static IP on my Server. Long story, but MC was not the reason.

2. Never had this exact issue on three client PC's. But I have had a kinda similar issue happen quite frequently on my Server, where randomly the left/right/up/down/ok buttons all go DEAD until I exit out of playback. This has been documented by other users, but MC staff are unable to verify.

3. Never had this issue on three client PC's. But, at one time I had a button on my harmony remote for the server programmed to press STOP twice which was resetting the bookmark, just had to get rid of that extra STOP command and it has worked ever since.
Logged
JRiverMC v32 •Windows 10 Pro 64bit •Defender Exclusions •ṈŘ 3rd party AV
•ASUS TUF gaming WiFi z590 •Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 600W
•i7-11700k @ 3.6GHz~5GHz •32GB PC4-25600 DDR4
•OS on Crucial P5 Plus M.2 PCIe Gen4 •Tv Recordings on SATA 6TB WD Red Pro
•4 OTA & 6 CableCard SiliconDust Tuners
•nVidia RTX2060 •XBR65Z9D •AVRX3700H •Fluance 7.2.2 [FH]
•SMP1000DSPѫRSS315HE-22■DIYSG Cube-12
•eD LT.500ѫeD 13ov.2■eD A3-300

DeaneG

  • World Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 212
Re: Client/Server TV quirks [Solved]
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2020, 04:21:56 pm »

I rebooted the main client PC and it is now working well. Lesson: reboot after reconfiguring Media Center.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up