Delays while seeking in running recordings

Markus Bonet · 2026-01-08T12:57:29+00:00

I'm running a recent tvheadend server version and the Kodi PVR plugin to access it. When a recording is running, and I'm starting to watch it, everything is...

Markus Bonet

Thanks a lot for the approach.
I built tvheadend myself: Build: 4.3-2518_g7f9710c13 (2025-11-13T21:41:16+0100)

Configure arguments:
-h

Compiler:
Using C compiler: ccache cc
Using LD flags: -ldvbcsa
Build for arch: x86_64

Binaries:
Using PYTHON: python
Using GZIP: gzip
Using BZIP2: bzip2

Options:
pie yes
ccdebug no
cardclient yes
cwc yes
cccam yes
capmt yes
constcw yes
linuxdvb yes
satip_server yes
satip_client yes
hdhomerun_client yes
hdhomerun_server yes
hdhomerun_static yes
iptv yes
tsfile yes
dvbscan yes
timeshift yes
trace yes
avahi yes
zlib yes
libav yes
ffmpeg_static yes
libx264 yes
libx264_static yes
libx265 yes
libx265_static yes
libvpx yes
libvpx_static yes
libtheora yes
libtheora_static yes
libvorbis yes
libvorbis_static yes
libfdkaac no
libfdkaac_static no
libopus yes
libopus_static yes
nvenc no
vaapi yes
mmal no
omx no
inotify yes
epoll yes
pcre no
pcre2 yes
uriparser yes
ccache yes
tvhcsa yes
bundle no
pngquant no
kqueue no
dbus_1 yes
android no
gtimer_check no
slow_memoryinfo no
libsystemd_daemon no
pcloud_cache yes
ddci yes
cclang_threadsan yes
gperftools no
execinfo yes
mmx yes
sse2 yes
W_unused_result yes
f_stack_protector yes
f_stack_protector_strong yes
f_stack_check yes
f_PIE yes
strlcat yes
strlcpy yes
fdatasync yes
getloadavg yes
atomic32 yes
atomic64 yes
atomic_time_t yes
atomic_ptr yes
bitops64 yes
lockowner yes
qsort_r yes
time_ld yes
gmtoff yes
recvmmsg yes
sendmmsg yes
ifnames yes
py_gzip yes
bin_pkg_config yes
bin_xgettext yes
bin_msgmerge yes
bin_gzip yes
bin_bzip2 yes
ssl yes
linuxdvbapi yes
linuxdvb_ca yes
upnp yes
bin_cmake yes
stdcpp yes
libogg_static yes
hwaccels yes
inotify_h yes
inotify_init1 yes
dvbcsa yes
epoll_create1 yes
mpegts yes
mpegts_dvb yes

Packages:
openssl 3.2.6
zlib 1.3.1.zlib-ng
libpcre2-8 10.45
liburiparser 0.9.8
avahi-client 0.8
libva 1.22.0
libva-drm 1.22.0
dbus-1 1.16.0

Installation paths:
Prefix: /usr/local
Binaries: ${prefix}/bin
Libraries: ${prefix}/lib
Data files: ${prefix}/share
Man pages: ${datadir}/man

I've switched to Kodi on this Windows desktop (for easier access to the log files). Kodi in 21.2.0 and the plugin is version 21.2.6. My living room setup is running Kodi on an Android box with similar or exact version, I'd need to look it up later. But I've observed this behavior for a long time, so it's not bound to a recent version.

Things observed:

The delay on the Windows system is much smaller. Skipping 5 minutes within the running recording takes about 5 seconds instead of estimated 30 seconds.
Skipping in finished recordings is instant.
HTTP or HTSP settings in the plugin didn't reveal any difference.
Not too much visible in the debug logs and only "htsp" reports anything at all:
Jan 09 13:54:25 ds9 tvheadend[3604]: htsp: Opening file /daten/aufnahmen/TELE 5 HD-TELESHOPPING.2026-01-09.07-50.mkv -- OK
Jan 09 13:54:37 ds9 tvheadend[3604]: htsp: Closed opened file /daten/aufnahmen/TELE 5 HD-TELESHOPPING.2026-01-09.07-50.mkv
After enabling debugging in Kodi and its components, a lot of data is written, but nothing special occurs to me. I can prepare another good example later and post the content here.
Watching the recording (while still ongoing) in VLC is a plain file operation. It opens the file (w/o updating the remaining length) and skips just fine through the file.
I need to compare the behavior to time-shifting, too.

DeltaMikeCharlie

The change in delay between clients could be a clue. Could you have a network issue?

With your TVH logging, did you enable both debug and trace options and enter a file name for the log file?

You could also post a query on the Kodi forum, perhaps someone there has encountered this issue.

Markus Bonet

I don't think it's a network issue.
Seeking in finished recordings is instant and flawless.
Also, seeking 5 minutes within a time shift buffer is instant on the Android client. This only happens while the recording is still active.
I will check trace settings.
Accessing the log files on the Android box proves to be difficult enough. So I will continue on the Windows client. The delay is smaller, but noticeable with several seconds delay.
Maybe later this evening.

DeltaMikeCharlie

Here are my debug/trace settings:

Here is an extract of the resulting log file:

2026-01-09 20:36:38.693 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileOpen
2026-01-09 20:36:38.693 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"file":"dvr/908770746","seq":7,"method":"fileOpen"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:38.693 [  DEBUG]:htsp: Opening file /storage/recordings/Weekend Sunrise/Weekend Sunrise-7 Digital2026-01-0920-00.mkv -- OK
2026-01-09 20:36:38.693 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"id":1,"size":1116550999,"mtime":1767990997,"seq":7}'
2026-01-09 20:36:38.694 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
2026-01-09 20:36:38.694 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":8,"method":"fileRead"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:38.704 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":8}'

2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileSeek
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"offset":13592614,"seq":232,"method":"fileSeek"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"offset":13592614,"seq":232}'
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileStat
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"seq":233,"method":"fileStat"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"size":1121931306,"mtime":1767991008,"seq":233}'
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
2026-01-09 20:36:50.357 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":234,"method":"fileRead"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:50.358 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":234}'

2026-01-09 20:36:51.789 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
2026-01-09 20:36:51.789 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":4148,"method":"fileRead"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.789 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":4148}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileSeek
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"offset":285877088,"seq":4149,"method":"fileSeek"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"offset":285877088,"seq":4149}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileStat
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"seq":4150,"method":"fileStat"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"size":1123147343,"mtime":1767991011,"seq":4150}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":4151,"method":"fileRead"}'
2026-01-09 20:36:51.790 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":4151}'

2026-01-09 20:37:08.815 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
2026-01-09 20:37:08.815 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":10019,"method":"fileRead"}'
2026-01-09 20:37:08.816 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":10019}'
2026-01-09 20:37:09.029 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileClose
2026-01-09 20:37:09.029 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"playcount":2147483646,"seq":10020,"method":"fileClose"}'
2026-01-09 20:37:09.029 [  DEBUG]:htsp: Closed opened file /storage/recordings/Weekend Sunrise/Weekend Sunrise-7 Digital2026-01-0920-00.mkv
2026-01-09 20:37:09.029 [   INFO]:subscription: 0002: "HTSP" unsubscribing, hostname="127.0.0.1", username="127.0.0.1", client="Kodi Media Center"
2026-01-09 20:37:09.029 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"seq":10020}'
2026-01-09 20:37:09.042 [  TRACE]:htsp: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - method updateDvrEntry
2026-01-09 20:37:09.042 [  TRACE]:htsp-req: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":908770746,"playposition":1288,"seq":10021,"method":"updateDvrEntry"}'
2026-01-09 20:37:09.042 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"id":908770746,"idStr":"babd2a367f963983c376603ee913fce3","enabled":1,"channel":1321731563,"channelName":"7 Digital","eventId":346474,"start":1767988800,"stop":1767999600,"startExtra":3,"stopExtra":30,"retention":2147483646,"removal":2147483646,"priority":2,"contentType":0,"ageRating":0,"playcount":0,"playposition":1288,"title":"Weekend Sunrise","description":"Summary of the week's news and current affairs complimented with interviews, finance reports and late breaking stories.","creator":"127.0.0.1","image":"http://images.icetv.com.au/placeholder/2547_poster.png","files":[{"filename":"/Weekend Sunrise/Weekend Sunrise-7 Digital2026-01-0920-00.mkv","fsid":-2208040875749008991,"size":1131889850,"info":[{"type":"H264","width":1920,"height":1080,"duration":3600,"aspect_num":16,"aspect_den":9},{"type":"AC3","language":"eng","audio_type":0},{"type":"TEXTSUB","language":"eng","composition_id":0,"ancillary_id":0}],"start":1767988834}],"path":"/Weekend Sunrise/W
2026-01-09 20:37:09.042 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"id":908770746,"idStr":"babd2a367f963983c376603ee913fce3","enabled":1,"channel":1321731563,"channelName":"7 Digital","eventId":346474,"start":1767988800,"stop":1767999600,"startExtra":3,"stopExtra":30,"retention":2147483646,"removal":2147483646,"priority":2,"contentType":0,"ageRating":0,"playcount":0,"playposition":1288,"title":"Weekend Sunrise","description":"Summary of the week's news and current affairs complimented with interviews, finance reports and late breaking stories.","creator":"127.0.0.1","image":"http://images.icetv.com.au/placeholder/2547_poster.png","files":[{"filename":"/Weekend Sunrise/Weekend Sunrise-7 Digital2026-01-0920-00.mkv","fsid":-2208040875749008991,"size":1131889850,"info":[{"type":"H264","width":1920,"height":1080,"duration":3600,"aspect_num":16,"aspect_den":9},{"type":"AC3","language":"eng","audio_type":0},{"type":"TEXTSUB","language":"eng","composition_id":0,"ancillary_id":0}],"start":1767988834}],"path":"/Weekend Sunrise/W
2026-01-09 20:37:09.043 [   INFO]:dvr: "Weekend Sunrise" on "7 Digital": Updated (P)
2026-01-09 20:37:09.043 [  TRACE]:htsp-ans: 127.0.0.1 [  | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"success":1,"seq":10021}'

In my first posting, I gave the wrong HTSP method, as you can see from my log, it should have been fileSeek.

During normal playback, there are lots of fileRead requests, however, when I skip there is a fileSeek and a fileStat before continuing with more fileRead requests.

Try this on your system with the worst performance and see if there are any noticeable differences in the log time between the fileSeek request and answer operations.

Markus Bonet

OK, I focused on the sequences for fileRead and how they change after fileSeek. In your example I can see that fileSeek doesn't only request an offset, but also a different sequence. Last read was seq=8, fileSeek sets it to seq=232.

21674 2026-01-09 22:50:14.630 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21675 2026-01-09 22:50:14.630 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":141168,"seq":6907,"method":"fileRead"}'
21676 2026-01-09 22:50:14.630 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6907}'
21677 2026-01-09 22:50:14.643 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21678 2026-01-09 22:50:14.643 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6908,"method":"fileRead"}'
21679 2026-01-09 22:50:14.643 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6908}'
21680 2026-01-09 22:50:14.649 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21681 2026-01-09 22:50:14.649 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6909,"method":"fileRead"}'
21682 2026-01-09 22:50:14.649 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6909}'
21683 2026-01-09 22:50:14.655 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21684 2026-01-09 22:50:14.655 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6910,"method":"fileRead"}'
21685 2026-01-09 22:50:14.655 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6910}'
21686 2026-01-09 22:50:14.662 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21687 2026-01-09 22:50:14.662 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6911,"method":"fileRead"}'
21688 2026-01-09 22:50:14.662 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6911}'
21689 2026-01-09 22:50:14.668 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21690 2026-01-09 22:50:14.668 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6912,"method":"fileRead"}'
21691 2026-01-09 22:50:14.668 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6912}'
21692 2026-01-09 22:50:14.674 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21693 2026-01-09 22:50:14.674 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":162269,"seq":6913,"method":"fileRead"}'
21694 2026-01-09 22:50:14.674 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6913}'
21695 2026-01-09 22:50:14.688 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileSeek
21696 2026-01-09 22:50:14.688 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"offset":556327700,"seq":6914,"method":"fileSeek"}'
21697 2026-01-09 22:50:14.688 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"offset":556327700,"seq":6914}'
21698 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileStat
21699 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"seq":6915,"method":"fileStat"}'
21700 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"size":5762995289,"mtime":1767995414,"seq":6915}'
21701 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21702 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6916,"method":"fileRead"}'
21703 2026-01-09 22:50:14.689 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6916}'
21704 2026-01-09 22:50:14.695 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21705 2026-01-09 22:50:14.695 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":165539,"seq":6917,"method":"fileRead"}'
21706 2026-01-09 22:50:14.695 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6917}'
21707 2026-01-09 22:50:14.776 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21708 2026-01-09 22:50:14.776 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6918,"method":"fileRead"}'
21709 2026-01-09 22:50:14.776 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6918}'
21710 2026-01-09 22:50:14.783 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21711 2026-01-09 22:50:14.783 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":141168,"seq":6919,"method":"fileRead"}'
21712 2026-01-09 22:50:14.783 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6919}'
21713 2026-01-09 22:50:14.796 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21714 2026-01-09 22:50:14.796 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6920,"method":"fileRead"}'
21715 2026-01-09 22:50:14.796 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6920}'
21716 2026-01-09 22:50:14.803 [ TRACE]:htsp: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - method fileRead
21717 2026-01-09 22:50:14.803 [ TRACE]:htsp-req: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - request '{"id":1,"size":65536,"seq":6921,"method":"fileRead"}'
21718 2026-01-09 22:50:14.803 [ TRACE]:htsp-ans: 10.99.66.179 [ markus | Kodi Media Center ] - answer '{"data":"binary","seq":6921}'

In this log file I can see a fileSeek after fileRead with seq=6913, fileSeek sets an offset but seq=6914. I can observe then in the log file the "accelerated" reads, but it doesn't skip to the requested offset. This explains the delay when skipping forward.

Btw, skipping back after my initial jump forward is more or less immediate. Skipping forward within my initial time frame is then ok. Strange.

DeltaMikeCharlie

Markus Bonet Last read was seq=8, fileSeek sets it to seq=232.

This was just me cutting out sections of the log and concentrating on fileSeek requests.

Markus Bonet

OK, so my understanding is this:

fileRead
(...)
fileRead
fileSeek
fileStat
fileRead
(...)

The fileSeek's answer confirms the offset and the following fileStat returns back the remaining size(?).
Then fileRead continues to fetch 64k blocks.

From the logs it looks the very same as in your example.
What I can see from the log while Kodi/PVR is waiting to skip the 5 minutes from my example, lots of fileReads with less interval compared to simply watching the recording. Like a fast forward playback, which would explain the 30s delay until the playback can continue. So roughly a 300s/30s=10x speedup.

Just to be on the very same page: your example is also from a still ongoing recording, not a finished one?

DeltaMikeCharlie

Markus Bonet Just to be on the very same page: your example is also from a still ongoing recording, not a finished one?

Yes, I tested on a recording that was in progress.

Markus Bonet Like a fast forward playback, which would explain the 30s delay until the playback can continue. So roughly a 300s/30s=10x speedup.

Could you have a problem with your control device, sending a fast forward and not a skip forward?

I would consider posting to the Kodi forum to see if anyone there has experienced this behaviour and has a solution.

Markus Bonet

OK, I double-checked now the behavior with a second seek during the same playback.

Start playback of a recording which is ongoing and has 60 minutes recorded so far
Seek 5 minutes forward: This will take 30s
Jump 5 minutes back: instant
Seek 3 minutes forward again: instant
Jump back to beginning: instant
Seek 5 minutes forward: instant
Seek additional 5 minutes forward: 30s

Tony Wagner

Markus Bonet What is the Stream Profile of your active recording profile in TVHeadend?

I remember having some issues with Kodi seeking within in-progress Matroska profile recordings. I had to change them to “pass” stream profile instead (TS container). Then I made a post-processing script to convert TS to Matroska MKV containers when they are done, because seeking seemed better in completed Matroska recordings.

Markus Bonet

Tony Wagner
Hi Tony,

I've missed your answer in January.
I gave it a try and switched from Matroska to pass and indeed, now it works flawlessly.

Maybe this is of interest for the developers why the behavior would be different.

Anyway, I can perfectly live with this container for now and it fixed my problem. Thanks a lot!