[HELP] Can't scan for IPTV streams on a Synology NAS

Steve R

I'm having all ends of trouble getting TVH to work with IPTV.

H/W: Synology DS 210J
Architecture: MARVELL Kirkwood 88F6281
O/S: DSM 5.2-5967 Update 9
Connection: Wired connection to router

TVH version: Tried a bunch of versions, including the latest [4.2.8-16] (from SynoCommunity) and the latest unstable [4.4.20181215-1] from http://syno.dierkse.nl/. (The dierkse packages require some editing of config files to set user permissions before you can log in to the web interface)

Here's the weird thing: when I went into the package centre on my Synology, TVH was listed in the Community packages, but clicking on "install", or "upgrade" did nothing. I press the button, nothing happens. Other packages install fine. So I had download and install the TVH packages manually. I prompted me to install ffmpeg, which I did.

ThePROBLEM

Whenever I go to set up an IPTV network via the setup wizard, it fails to find any muxes in my IPTV playlist, going from 0 to 100% scanned instantly. I'm using [Matt Huisman's IPTV files](https://www.matthuisman.nz/2017/07/australia-iptv-epg-files.html).

Thinking it could be a problem with ffmpeg, I symlinked it into /usr/bin/ffmpeg, but still no luck. I then tried Matt Huisman's "raw" streams that don't require ffmeg, but that didn't work either. I even added a few URL streams setting up an IPTV network manually, but that still didn't work, with SCAN RESULT=FAIL

I think the problem might be that the TVHeadend package is having trouble connecting to the internet, and there's perhaps some obscure setting in my Synology I need to change. Other packages on my Synology can get online without a problem.

TVHeadend runs +fine+ in a docker imager on my laptop, but obviously I want to run it on my NAS.

Hoping for some suggestions!

Alick Wilson

I have exactly the same problem.

I have installed Tvheadend from SynoCommunity on Synology DS118. Configured using Matt Huissman's NZ IPTV files. Scan finds 16 muxes but only three services (Parliament TV, Shine, Firstlight). Used Kodi as front end. Works fine except only three channels rather than 16.

Also installed Tvheadend on Ubuntu. Used using Matt Huissman's NZ IPTV files. Scan finds 16 muxes and all 16 services. Used Kodi as front end. Works fine with all 16 channels.

Help, please!!!

Saen Acro

LimitMaximum # input streams: to 1

Alick Wilson

Thanks, but unfortunately that did not help.

I have just deleted IPTV Network and re-created with 'Maximum # input streams: 1'. The scan ran and found 16 Muxes but only 3 Services, exactly as before.

Any further suggestions appreciated.

Jens K

I've got the same problem on my 218+ . Did anyone figure out what to do?

Alick Wilson

I eventually solved this problem.

Installing Tvheadend from SyncCommunity also installs ffmpeg from SynoCommunity.

However, the m3u8 IPTV file needs to be configured to use ffmpeg from SynoCommunity and not default to using the built-in Synology ffmeg.

For example, using one of Matt Huisman's m3u8 files:

Install nano from SynoCommunity.

ssh into Synology.

sudo -i

cd /usr/bin

wget http://i.mjh.nz/nz/tvh-tv.m3u8

nano /usr/bin/tvh-tv.m3u8

Use nano to change each instance of "ffmpeg" to "/usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg"

Install and connect to Tvheadend

Configure IPTV Automatic Network

File has been modified so need local file instead of http

URL: file:///usr/bin/tvh-tv.m3u8

John Jones

Hi Alick.

I've tried to find that file but it's not in the directory you say it's in on my Synology NAS. I have a DS3617xs running DSM 6.1.4-15217 Update 1. There's no tvh-tv.m3u8 in /usr/bin/ on my system, and I have also entered Matt Huisman's IPTV files, scanned, found 28 muxes but no services.

Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here? I'm SSH-ing as root, also tried admin, but nothing. Don't know where else to look.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

MJJ

John Jones

Hello again,

I've downloaded Matt's Sydney playlist, and performed a find and replace, replacing ffmpeg with /usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg, and usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg and shared the file via my own webserver so that I can give TVHeadend a URL to pull the playlist down from and neither worked. Again, any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Alick Wilson

Sorry John, my earlier post was incomplete. I've corrected it as above. My apologies.

After you have used nano or other editor, your m3u8 file should look something like this (I am using AU IPTV, I have changed NZ from IPTV to DVB-T using HDHomeRun Quatro):

#EXTM3U x-tvg-url="http://i.mjh.nz/au/Sydney/epg.xml.gz"

#EXTINF:-1 tvg-id="tv.101406020625" tvg-logo="http://i.mjh.nz/au/images/tv.101406020625.png",TEN

pipe:///usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg -loglevel fatal -headers X-Forwarded-For:\ 52.62.247.239\r\nUser-Agent:\ FMLE/3.0\ (compatible;\ FMSc/1.0)\r\n -i http://i.mjh.nz/au/Sydney/tv.101406020625.m3u8 -vcodec copy -acodec copy -metadata service_name=tv.101406020625 -f mpegts pipe:1

Note the pipe command and the number of forward slashes:

pipe:///usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg

I hope this works!

I'm happy to help further.

John Jones

Hi all,

I've downloaded a 4.4 beta version from http://syno.dierkse.nl/ and it now I have services and can play TV. I can't yet record, but I'm working on that now. Seems that the stock version that comes down from the syno community doesn't like my NAS.

MJJ

Saen Acro

John Jones wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've downloaded a 4.4 beta version from http://syno.dierkse.nl/ and it now I have services and can play TV. I can't yet record, but I'm working on that now. Seems that the stock version that comes down from the syno community doesn't like my NAS.
>

> MJJ

Please contact admin@dierkse.nl

this is very old version

There is no version 4.4 this is some package number not corresponding to TVHeadend version numbering Version 4.4.20181215-1 aka made year2018 monthDecember date15
There is no logic to support something old with have already fixes in new version.

John Jones

That 4.4 version from http://syno.dierkse.nl/ is working perfectly now. I'm recording, watching, everything is working fantastically. I'm reluctant to go to anything else now that this is working so well... Even if there is supposedly newer versions... The syno community release that comes up on the Synology is stuck at 4.2, and it doesn't work, so I’m happy.

Dr Spalding

I just wanted to jump on and say that I was also having this problem installing tvheadend on my friends older Synology DS214. Tvheadend was trying to use the Synology inbuilt ffmpeg (version 2.7.7) instead of the community addon version of ffmpeg (version 4.3.1). I used the method posted by @Alick Wilson above.

The only caveat I would put is that I tried initially using the "newer" 4.4 version of tvheadend posted by @John Jones above on the link and it didn't work. However, when I used the syno community version within the Synology package center (version 4.3~9ed76c0) it worked. It just took a few scans to get all the channels to come up.

Posted for those searching and my future self :)