Streaming IPTV Channels from Kodi

[phunkyfish]

Hey,

I've recently added support to the kodi pvr addon for Enigma2 to be able to play live IPTV streams. It's simply extracts the IPTV stream URL from the service reference and passes it to kodi.

Here's an example sRef: 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

However this means the experience is different to DVB channels in that you can't use timeshift etc., you can only stop or record.

Would it be possible to stream these channels like other channels through OpenWebIf so the same feature set can be experienced regardless of channel type?

Thanks in advance.

Note: The majority of images now support viewing/timeshifting of IPTV.

[phunkyfish]

@jbleyel any thoughts on the above?

[phunkyfish]

Any update?

[jbleyel]

What's the exact issue?
Do you have a problem with openwebif?

[phunkyfish]

Yes, if I try to open a stream whose sRef contains an IPTV url as above the stream does not open. Let me post some examples.

[jbleyel]

Where exactly do you open this stream?

[phunkyfish]

I open the stream from Kodi. For a regular channel I would stream this a URL like this:

http://192.168.1.201:8001/1:0:2:1932:7FF:2:11A0000:0:0:0

But for IPTV I try to stream a URL like this but it fails:

http://192.168.1.201:8001/1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

[jbleyel]

This needs to do in Kodi because you are getting only the channel refs.
I don't want modify the srefs.

[phunkyfish]

Can you explain a bit more? I.e. how I should modify the sRef so it would work?

[phunkyfish]

I had assumed that the channelRef was the sRef.

[jbleyel]

You can use this small check
sref starts with 4097: or 5002:
or sref contains :http%3a or :https%3a

[phunkyfish]

Ok, so if it’s any of those 3 types what should I do differently?

What I have noticed is that I can stream from kodi if I also play the channel directly on the receiver. But if I stop playing on the receiver it will stop on kodi. I’m wondering if a change is needed on Enigma2 to enable this.

@AbuBaniaz - any thoughts?

[jbleyel]

If you detect IPTV you need to remove the sref and start the stream directly.

1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

Remove 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:
Replace %3a with : and play directly

[phunkyfish]

Sorry, I think our wires got crossed. This I already do from the kodi addon. It works however as kodi handles the stream it’s not possible to timeshift.

As stated in my previous post I can however stream this URL from kodi so timeshift will work:

http://192.168.1.201:8001/1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

But this will only work if the Enigma2 is also viewing the same stream.

The intention is to be able to timeshift an IPTV stream whether you view it directly on the Enigma2 device or via the Kodi PVR addon.

[jbleyel]

This sounds like a enigma2 limitation and therefore not openwebif related.

[phunkyfish]

I agree. I think once fixed on Enigma2 OpenWebIf will just work.

[AbuBaniaz]

You can use this small check
sref starts with 4097: or 5002:
or sref contains :http%3a or :https%3a

DVB service references start with 1. If it does not start with 1, it is a stream
fields[0] != '1':

[jbleyel]

NO!!
This is also a valid IPTV ref 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

[AbuBaniaz]

Yes, you are right

Athoik committed this which might be better method.
OpenPLi/enigma2@8831e3a

[phunkyfish]

Great, and do you think that is why the stream won't start via openwebif?

Happy to test it once it appears as a Vix update.

[AbuBaniaz]

I don't know, sorry.

Doesn't OWIF not have a debug you can check?

[phunkyfish]

This is what is in the standard enigma log:

< 36920.123> [eDVBServiceStream] stream ref: 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http://my.iptvprovider.net:8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts
< 36920.124> [eDVBResourceManager] allocate channel.. 0000:0000
< 36920.124> [eDVBResourceManager] available channel.. 0802:0002
< 36920.124> [eDVBResourceManager] channel not found!
< 36920.124> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] allocate Channel: res -5
< 36920.124> [eDVBServiceStream] STREAM service event 10
< 36920.124> [eDVBServiceStream] stop streaming m_state 1

[phunkyfish]

If it's already playing on E2 device and it streams to kodi:

 37174.633> [eDVBServiceStream] stream ref: 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http://my.iptvprovider.net:8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts
< 37174.633> [eDVBResourceManager] allocate channel.. 0000:0000
< 37174.633> [eDVBResourceManager] available channel.. 0000:0000
< 37174.633> [eDVBResourceManager] found shared channel..
< 37174.633> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] allocate Channel: res 0
< 37174.633> [eDVBCIInterfaces] addPMTHandler 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:
< 37174.633> [eDVBChannel] getDemux cap=01
< 37174.633> [eDVBServicePMTHandler] ok ... now we start!!
< 37174.633> [eDVBDemux] open demux /dev/dvb/adapter0/demux22

[AbuBaniaz]

To me this usage can be described as a man in the middle approach. You are trying to make E2 play the stream so you can timeshift it on Kodi. When you stream a DVB item, DVB resources are being used on the receiver. If E2 does not have to use DVB resources, it won't play it, it will just refer it.

Your description suggests that the referral is being done.

It is and illogical approach to uses resources when you don't need to.

[phunkyfish]

All this makes the assumption that the streams are viewed directly on the receiver. My receiver is purely used as a stream server I only view it directly when modifying settings. Many users use their receivers this way now.

I think it’s fair to support that use case.

[AbuBaniaz]

I disagree.

People are likely to watch FTA and streams on their receiver. Not use their E2 boxes just as referrers.

What's the point having the box if you are not using it other than to provide a service reference for another device to use. No viewing, no recording.

Anyway everyone uses their boxes differently. Best to accommodate as many people as possible.

[phunkyfish]

I think that’s the key point. Many users have evolved the way they use their devices. I see more and more users who use every function and more of their E2 device using OpenWebIf as the remote API.

The API can be enriched with the likes of the kodi addon adding features that were previously unavailable.

[jbleyel]

Hi @phunkyfish , i don't understand your real problem.
You are want to stream a IPTV via openwebif directly on a PC or other device.
This function is implemented already.

[AbuBaniaz]

Then we go back to the original point jebyel made.

You are playing back the stream using Kodi. All you want is the stream details from the receiver. Receiver just hosts the list of streams.

IMO this is an OWIF issue, not E2.

What I gather you are saying is as follows: Kodi playing stream directly does not allow pausing.

You must use E2 as a man in the middle attack to facilitate the pausing.

If this is correct, we need a function in OWIF to stream out and play in background on E2.

[phunkyfish]

Yes, I believe that is correct @AbuBaniaz

@jbleyel is this possible?

[jbleyel]

I have no idea how to implement this.

[charzelo]

Hey,

I've recently added support to the kodi pvr addon for Enigma2 to be able to play live IPTV streams. It's simply extracts the IPTV stream URL from the service reference and passes it to kodi.

Here's an example sRef: 1:0:1:909:63:27:FFFF0000:0:0:0:http%3a//my.iptvprovider.net%3a8000/live/channels/mychannel.ts

However this means the experience is different to DVB channels in that you can't use timeshift etc., you can only stop or record.

Would it be possible to stream these channels like other channels through OpenWebIf so the same feature set can be experienced regardless of channel type?

Thanks in advance.

Note: The majority of images now support viewing/timeshifting of IPTV.

Hello Mate, did you find a way around this. For It works perfectly fine with VLC on iphone but playing IPTV from openwebif on a pc comes out with errors

[phunkyfish]

This is implemented in the kodi add-on now.

[charzelo]

This is implemented in the kodi add-on now.

Thanks I will check it out