TVHeadend 4.3 Playback Issue – Channels Scan Correctly but No Live TV

AliSLR

Hi everyone,

I'm new using in Tvheadend and managed to install TVheadend end, I have issue in playback if can some one give me a hint:-

Ubuntu Linux : Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
TVHeadend 4.3-2722_g8ddfe2793
TurboSight TBS 6909X (Octa DVB-S/S2/S2X)
Browser: Google Chrome
VLC installed for testing

Current Status

TVHeadend starts normally.
Web interface is accessible on port 9981.
HTSP port 9982 is listening.
All DVB-S adapters are detected correctly.
Satellite networks and muxes scan successfully.
Services and channels are found and mapped.
FTA channels contain valid PMT, PCR, video PID and audio PID.
Signal is present (approximately SNR 11 dB).

Problem
Although channels are scanned and mapped successfully, live TV does not play.

When clicking the Play button from the Channels page:

Chrome does nothing (no player opens).
VLC accepts the generated stream URL but never starts video playback.
TVHeadend does not create a playback subscription under Status → Subscriptions.
The TVHeadend log does not show a user subscription such as:
subscription: "ROOT" subscribing to service ...
Only scan or EPG subscriptions appear, for example:
subscription: "scan" subscribing to mux ...
subscription: "epggrab" subscribing ...

Logs
Typical playback-related log output only shows scanning:

mpegts: 11656H in Eutelsat 3 - tuning on TurboSight TBS 6909x
subscription: "scan" subscribing to mux
scan no data, failed
subscription: "scan" unsubscribing

No playback subscription is ever created when attempting to play an FTA channel.

Question
Why does TVHeadend generate a valid play URL but never create a playback subscription for an FTA channel? What configuration or diagnostic steps should I check to determine why playback requests are not reaching the tuner/service?

ukn_unknown

As a first step: let's try to separate if the problem is related to transcoding or is up stream of that:

Can you use the PASS profile with Kodi + plugin (probably VLC can also play the PASS) and confirm is working? make sure you are using PASS profile as default --> that will prove that upstream MPEGTS is working.

AliSLR

ukn_unknown
First of all, Thanks for attending my query and much appreciated.

I checked the Stream Profiles and PASS is already enabled and set as the default profile.
I installed Kodi and configured the Tvheadend HTSP Client.

The test is successful:

Kodi connects to TVHeadend through HTSP (port 9982).
The channel list loads correctly.
FTA channels are visible in Kodi.
Live TV is working fine through Kodi using the PASS profile.

So the upstream MPEGTS from TVHeadend appears to be working correctly.

The issue seems to be related specifically to the HTTP/web playback method or browser playback, not the DVB input or MPEGTS pipeline.

G Kazaroth

I am having similar issues. A few weeks ago, there was an update that caused an issue with live TV startup. I am using Ubuntu with Kodi plugin. HTSP stream. What is happening is the stream starts, but the TvhClient shows no data incoming. After a long while, TVHeadend shows the channel as Bad and then, all of a sudden, the channel starts getting data. Only after TVH says the stream is bad will it start playing. After that, the stream plays normally. I suspect that some will not see any live TV since most players have a timeout and terminating before the bad status appears means no stream. It takes mine about 32 seconds to start playing. When playing the stream on other apps, it plays immediately. I suspect that an update has caused the issue. As an example of different apps connected to TVH, Emby app on my iPhone will wait and play the stream while playing the Emby app on the TV causes it to terminate the stream before TVH has reset the stream. Note Emby is using PASS as the profile.

I went ahead and tried VLC (which is what the issuer used). After over 30 seconds, it did start to play.

AliSLR

G Kazaroth
Thanks for the information. I tested the same scenario, but in my case waiting does not help.

Kodi with Tvheadend HTSP client works perfectly using the PASS profile and channels play normally.

However, when using the HTTP stream URL generated by TVHeadend:

VLC connects but no playback starts even after waiting several minutes.
TVHeadend does not show a normal user playback subscription.

So my issue seems limited to HTTP streaming, while HTSP/PASS is working.

G Kazaroth

davep

AliSLR Can you paste here the contents of the HTTP stream URL you are trying?

ukn_unknown

I don't have Ubuntu 26.04 to test but @AliSLR are you comfortable recompiling and testing one my my branches that has a redesign of transcoding path? tvheadend/tvheadend2117

AliSLR

ukn_unknown
I can test it on my current Ubuntu 26.04 installation. I prefer not to change the OS version because the DVB setup and Kodi HTSP and other apps are already working correctly.

Please send me the branch name and build instructions, and I will compile and test it.

AliSLR

davep
The HTTP stream URL I am testing is:

http://ROOT:PASSWORD@192.168.18.187:9981/play/ticket/stream/service/6a7577e70f3c3e370fe35e7a7da76303?title=AVA%20Max1%20HD

(The real password has been replaced with PASSWORD.)

Using curl with Digest authentication, this URL works and produces a valid MPEGTS stream. The saved .ts file plays correctly in VLC, but opening the live URL directly in VLC does not start playback.

AliSLR

I continued testing and found more details.

My setup:

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
TVHeadend 4.3-2722_g8ddfe2793
TurboSight TBS 6909X Octa DVB-S/S2/S2X
DVB-S satellite FTA channels

Initial problem:

Channels scan correctly.
Services are mapped correctly.
FTA channels contain valid video/audio PIDs.
Kodi HTSP client plays channels correctly.
PASS stream profile is enabled and set as default.
HTTP Play URL from TVHeadend does not play in VLC/browser.

Additional tests:

Kodi HTSP test
Installed Kodi with Tvheadend HTSP Client.
Connected to TVHeadend using HTSP port 9982.
Channels load correctly.
Live TV works normally.

This confirms the DVB input and TVHeadend backend are working.

HTTP stream authentication test

Using curl:

curl -v "http://192.168.18.187:9981/play/ticket/stream/service/..."

Initially returns:

HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized
WWW-Authenticate: Digest realm="tvheadend"

Using Digest authentication:

curl --digest -u ROOTSLR:"password" "stream URL" -o test.ts

returns:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: video/mp2t
Saved stream playback test

The stream was saved successfully:

-rw-rw-r-- 1 s2a s2a 7.7M test.ts

Opening the saved file:

vlc test.ts

plays correctly with both video and audio.

Direct VLC live playback

Trying the live authenticated URL directly in VLC:

http://ROOTSLR:password@192.168.18.187:9981/play/ticket/stream/service/...

does not start playback.

No useful error appears in VLC.

Conclusion:

TVHeadend is generating a valid MPEGTS stream and authentication works. The issue appears to be specifically related to live HTTP playback handling in VLC/browser with TVHeadend Digest authentication or ticket streaming.

Any suggestions on debugging the HTTP live playback path would be appreciated.

davep

AliSLR OK thanks, I thought there might be an issue with DNS or name resolution somewhere.

I can't find a definite answer but I suspect that VLC only works with Basic authentication. Can you switch Tvheadend to basic auth and try again?

ukn_unknown

AliSLR
please don't change your OS ... frankly I was hoping you can test the branch with your Ubuntu 🙂 .
the branch is: uknunknown/tvheadendtree/dev_transcoding_2026 and development was captured in: tvheadend/tvheadend2117
In order for me to recommend a command I need to know what PC (CPU/motherboard/RAM) you have and what codecs do you plan to use from hardware (assuming you want to enable hardware transcoding). Software transcoding should be available by default. Note that hardware transcoding will require some extra steps that were documented up to Ubuntu 24.04 on https://docs.tvheadend.org/documentation/development/compiling/compiling-tvh-with-vaapi-support/for-lubuntu-24.04 ... so for 26.04 you will have to improvise a little. Simplest way is to rely only on software transcoding for now and enable hardware transcoding later on.

AliSLR

ukn_unknown
Thanks. I will keep my current Ubuntu 26.04 installation and I can test your branch.

Before moving to transcoding changes, I would like to finish isolating the current HTTP streaming/playback issue first, since the DVB input and normal streaming are already working.

Once this issue is resolved, I can continue testing transcoding.

My test machine specifications is my old pc:

OS: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with Radeon Graphics
Motherboard: MSI A520M-A PRO (MS-7C96)
RAM: 16 GB
GPU: AMD/ATI Cezanne Radeon Vega Series (integrated graphics)
Driver: amdgpu

I will be happy to test your branch after we complete the current investigation.

AliSLR

davep
Confirmed: switching Tvheadend authentication from Digest to Plain fixed the VLC live stream issue.

Before:

Authentication type: Digest
VLC could not play the live HTTP stream.
curl with Digest authentication worked and saved a valid .ts file.

After:

Authentication type: Plain
Same HTTP stream URL opens in VLC and plays correctly.

So it appears VLC has an issue handling Tvheadend Digest authentication for this stream path.

Additional finding:

Changing authentication from Digest to Plain fixed VLC playback. The live HTTP stream now plays correctly in VLC.

However, the built-in TVHeadend browser player still does not work. Clicking the Play button from the TVHeadend web interface does not start playback.

So the current status:

Kodi HTSP: works
PASS profile: works
curl HTTP stream: works
VLC HTTP stream with Plain authentication: works
TVHeadend web interface Play button: still fails

It looks like there may be a separate issue with the TVHeadend web player/ticket handling, not the MPEGTS stream itself.

davep

AliSLR Good to know it now works.

Tvheadend has a new web interface - see https://tvheadend.org/d/9453-tvheadend-web-gui - though rollout of pre-built releases is taking longer than planned and self-build needs a fairly recent OS version. Your problem with the web player may well be fixed in the new version.

davep

AliSLR Apologies the Tvheadend version you're running already has the new web interface (if you've installed the package from Cloudflare or built it yourself). Is your issue with the new interface?

ukn_unknown

AliSLR
transcoding will be required if you are interested on using browser as a client. Browser is not able decode mpeg-ts so pass profile will not work. You have to use one of the predefined profiles starting with 'web-'. My branch is trying to improve the compatibility with browsers. You can test with your setup before (what is now in Master) and test also the branch (for a side by side comparison). No rush ,take your time.

AliSLR

davep
Yes, I am using the web interface that comes with my current TVHeadend build (4.3-2722_g8ddfe2793).

My issue is with playback from the web interface itself:

The GUI loads normally.
Channels, services, and EPG are visible.
Clicking Play from the web interface does not start video/audio.

However:

Kodi using HTSP works.
curl can retrieve the HTTP MPEGTS stream.
The saved .ts file plays correctly in VLC.
VLC live playback works after changing authentication from Digest to Plain.

So the issue appears to be specific to the web interface player/playback path, not the TV stream itself.

davep

AliSLR I've tested with my development box (running 4.3-2719 so a little behind current) and I can reproduce your issue. Using Firefox or Waterfox, the browser opens VLC and plays the content there. However using Chromium or Brave, the internal player opens but does not play - in fact it doesn't contact the server.

davep

AliSLR I've set up a development server on a Raspberry Pi 4 using RaspiOS, and installed Tvheadend 4.3-2723 from the Cloudflare package. This of course has the new UI.

If I open the Electronic Programme Guide and click on a currently-running programme, then from the pop-out menu select Play -> Play in browser, the programme plays in a pop-up window on both Chromium and Firefox provided I select "webtv-vp8-vorbis-webm" profile. If I select Play -> Play in external viewer, on Chromium a full-size player opens in another browser tab but it doesn't work (there is no activity in the Tvheadend log). On Firefox, VLC opens and the programme plays - this may be because I've changed the settings in Firefox.

If I go to Configuration -> Channels and click on the play button, on Chromium the full-size viewer again opens and fails to play. FIREFOX invokes VLC as before.

Sorry I'm out of ideas.

AliSLR

davep
Thank davep you for testing and confirming.

I tested again on my system and my results match yours.

Firefox: playback works correctly.
Chromium: the internal player opens but does not play.

Since you were able to reproduce the same behavior on your development system, it appears this is not specific to my installation or DVB configuration.

Thanks for confirming—it helps narrow the issue down considerably.