BYOB Fails to install completely or correctly.

srto2 · July 04, 2023, 10:53:56 AM

I'm attempting to install BYOB to a spare Lenovo M920Q mini PC with an Intel i7-8700T with 16GB ram and a 1TB SSD and two ICE Tuners. (With the instructions as per the website.)

The installation from USB appears to go smoothly but:.

1. On initial boot of LibreELEC the first message pop-up is "Communication Server Failed To Start"

2.When the install indicates "Installation Almost Complete" and asks for "NEXT", the setup of WiFi is skipped (Wired LAN is OK), ICETV setup is also skipped and The KODI menu appears.

3. Subsequent Popups: Headend Server 4.2 Update Fail and PVR Manager Fails To Start.

I can trawl thru the setup menus and enter WiFi details and ICE details but that doesn't help obviously. A manual update of the Headend Server also fails.

I've looked at the Lenovo BIOS and checked that nothing should be inhibiting a Linux installation, and tried the install abou seven times now - with the same results, so it looks as if the PC might be the issue. It was previously happily running Windows 11.

If anyone has any ideas to try I'd be most pleased, otherwise I might try a PC or laptop of lesser spec and see what happens. My Beyonwiz T4 is currently stuffed, and my old DP-P1 (now back in service) is a bit flaky... so life is not worth living!

Regards, Rob

Edit: I've installed onto an old i5 laptop with exactly the same result except that it did allow wifi detail entry, then skipped ICE and jumped to KODI. Communication server failed again, no headend no pvr manager...

IanL-S · July 04, 2023, 03:30:57 PM

When the setup wizard starts there is always a message about being unable to access TVHeadend, after a few moments a message appears saying successfully connected - not sure why this is not happening in your case. The failure to do network setup suggests something more serious is wrong, as is the failure to complete the setup.

One possibility is that the installation media has become corrupted; try downloading it again and then install it onto the USB drive.

Before doing a reinstallation, you could try a hard reset which will remove anything left over from the aborted IceTV wizard run. After rebooting, the setup wizard should run (hopefully to a successful completion).

srto2 · July 04, 2023, 05:01:50 PM

Thanks Ian. I was thinking a corrupted install image... But I've downloaded the image twice, installed to separate USB sticks and tried the install on three machines now - two i5 laptops of different vintages and the newer i7 mini box.- with the same result. I think it has to be the install image.

Is there another link to perhaps a newer image or a different repository?
By hard reset do you mean a cold boot or a complete HDD wipe?

Meanwhile I'll download the image to a different location (just for fun) and try again.

Update: This time I was able to enter wifi details but not Ice login. Subsequently I can enter Ice details manually but no fetch occurs.

And: The event log says TVheadend HTSP Client server is unreachable and TVheadend server 4.2 Update Failed.

IanL-S · July 04, 2023, 06:25:01 PM

Thanks for the update. You do a hard and soft resets by going into (Kodi) Settings, then into LibreELEC (right had side of first row), then select system and go down to Reset Defaults, where you can choose soft and hard reset.

Ian

srto2 · July 04, 2023, 06:45:53 PM

Thanks Ian. Hard Reset done. At startup I can enter WiFi details, LAN is OK & WiFi is OK, but Ice setup is still skipped and TVheadend does not start - and will not update.

Unless there's some screwy Router, LAN or WAN issue at my end, surely the downloaded image must be corrupted? But having said that you'd really expect the install to just fail. All settings appear to function normally otherwise, but I don't have a TV Headend. The default tuner drivers appear to install normally and they are brand new from Ice.

I've been at this all day today (and most of yesterday) but tomorrow I might temporarily bypass my router and connect the box direct to my Optus 4G modem. That will bypass the router's firewall and secure DNS etc.

DeltaMikeCharlie · July 04, 2023, 07:07:12 PM

Quote from: srto2 on July 04, 2023, 06:45:53 PMbut I don't have a TV Headend.

'tvheadend' is actually a process running on your IceBox. Kodi is the front-end GUI that you see on the screen, 'tvheadend' sits behind the scenes doing the actual recordings, etc.

You can try to browse to tvheadend by going to 'http://[IP Address of your IceBox]:9981'. This will tell you if tvheadend is running.

Another thing to check in Kodi is the setting for the 'Tvheadend HTSP Client' addon. Ensure that the IP address is 127.0.0.1 (This always means 'this machine') and that the HTSP port is 9982.

srto2 · July 05, 2023, 01:06:32 PM

Quote from: DeltaMikeCharlie on July 04, 2023, 07:07:12 PMYou can try to browse to tvheadend by going to 'http://[IP Address of your IceBox]:9981'. This will tell you if tvheadend is running.

Another thing to check in Kodi is the setting for the 'Tvheadend HTSP Client' addon. Ensure that the IP address is 127.0.0.1 (This always means 'this machine') and that the HTSP port is 9982.

I have created another install USB stick on completely different PC and installed ICE to a virgin SDD. I have connected the WiFi directly to the service that Optus 4G provides (a multi layer private network) thus bypassing my Router. The result is the same. I can install WiFi details but that's it. The install bypasses any other setup and jumps to KODI. Any other install/setup input can be installed from appropriate menus but nothing works.

The machine appears on my network ie (after restoring its connection to my Router) but the headend cannot be reached with a browser. I can browse the contents of the drive with a file manager. But I don't know what settings need to be checked or changed. Presumably SSH will work, too. From the add-ons menu the HTSP settings appear to be correct. The TVHeadend Server 4.2 appears to be installed... The settings are set to defaults.

If I switch to TV on the main menu the PVR server startup remains at 0% forever.

After about 20 installs on three different machines with the same result I have to conclude that there is either something screwy with the install image - or I am making some weird mistake over and over ad-nauseam - or my Optus 4G internet connection is inhibiting some required module.

Now, I know this thing is in Beta but I didn't expect this sort of issue. There must be a newer version of the install image, or at the least, a copy from another repository. Surely.

For the moment I have run out of ideas and I'm hoping for some more input from a guru!

MD · July 05, 2023, 01:30:07 PM

When you have done the wifi setup do you have an IP address in the chosen wifi pane? If so, after that, does it go to SMB/SSH which can be left as the default SMB only, then on pressing "next " the next pane that comes up should say please simply wait for up to 30 seconds until the IceTV setup menu appears. Don't do anything until it does. It is very important to DO NOTHING or the IceTV setup will be skipped. Once it's appeared fill in your IceTV details and then channel scans, EPG matching and timers should run.

srto2 · July 05, 2023, 01:48:10 PM

Quote from: MD on July 05, 2023, 01:30:07 PMWhen you have done the wifi setup do you have an IP address in the chosen wifi pane? If so, after that, does it go to SMB/SSH which can be left as the default SMB only, then on pressing "next " the next pane that comes up should say please simply wait for up to 30 seconds until the IceTV setup menu appears. Don't do anything until it does. It is very important to DO NOTHING or the IceTV setup will be skipped. Once it's appeared fill in your IceTV details and then channel scans, EPG matching and timers should run.

Thanks Boss! Yep. All of that. Many times now. The IceTV setup menu NEVER appears. I've even gone to make coffee or have lunch waiting for the IceTV setup to appear. So no channel scans, no EPG. It always just jumps to the KODI menu.

The TVHeadend Server 4.2 appears to be installed but I can't reach it with a browser as suggested by DMC. I can browse the drive with a file manager.

As I've detailed I have tried this install many times now on three machines - and I can't tear my hair out because I don't have any... I'm sure there's something screwy happening but I don't know where to start looking beyond what I've already done.

srto2 · July 05, 2023, 02:28:37 PM

NOTE: At the point where you press "NEXT" and wait for the IceTV setup I get the pop-up "TVHeadend Server 4.2 Update Failed" The IceTV setup never appears.

MD · July 05, 2023, 02:35:09 PM

Are you sure you get a IP address at the network setup section otherwise you can't setup IceTV?

Why do you specifically need to access TVHeadend? If the installation follows through to the completion of the IceTV user details the channels will be scanned etc.

srto2 · July 05, 2023, 02:53:58 PM

Quote from: MD on July 05, 2023, 02:35:09 PMAre you sure you get a IP address at the network setup section otherwise you can't setup IceTV?

Why do you specifically need to access TVHeadend? If the installation follows through to the completion of the IceTV user details the channels will be scanned etc.

Absolutely I get an IP address. I can ping the box and I can browse the SDD remotely with a filemanager.

I don't want to access the TVHeadend! Believe me! A message pops up that an update to the TVHeadend failed. That's at the time I would expect the IceTV menu to appear but it never does. It seems to me that is the point of failure.

But what would I know!!

Subsequent trawling thru the menus shows that an update to the TVHeadend is available, but it won't install from there either. The installation fails from there too.

If the thing is trying and failing to update itself on the initial installation maybe a patch to the install image might effect a fix?

Please!

MD · July 05, 2023, 03:03:31 PM

Is the IP address visible in the network setup section? If not you are not connecting.

If connected once signed in to IceTV a very brief, maybe 2 seconds max, TVHeadend "not connected" message will appear but as it connects via IP a successful connection message will appear.

I suspect you either don't get an IP address in the initial BYOB setup page, the third one after language and then naming the box, or you have a local network issue that is holding back a proper connection. We have thousands logging in every minute and no issues whatsoever.

Daniel Hall at IceTV · July 05, 2023, 03:05:23 PM

Under the settings of Kodi, in the LibreELEC settings, under the About tab on the left, what is the version number that is displayed?

Daniel Hall at IceTV · July 05, 2023, 03:15:08 PM

I have an idea on what the issue is now, and if you are using a mini PC then you won't have an nVidia graphics card in play, I have just had the download links updated with the latest version of the IceBox BYOB software, please install that on the machine and give it another go.

The download links can be found at https://support.icetv.com.au/hc/en-us/articles/6591367595407-IceBox-BYOB-Installation-Links