Slingbox + GerryDazoo/Slinger + Xteve + Plex Live TV

[rbf121]

Edit 11/30/2022: Plex Live TV integration with Slinger has been running well for me for several weeks. Find the most up to date setup instructions here: https://www.reddit.com/r/slingbox/comments/xhy710/plex_live_tv_integration_with_slingbox/

Also possible to set this up with Jellyfin using just the M3U file:
https://www.reddit.com/r/slingbox/comments/yttc4u/slingbox_with_jellyfin_live_tv/

[rbf121]

I modified some of the python code locally to change the channel if it's passed into the stream and have it working in Plex. The m3u file lists out all of the channels generically, ie Channel 1 through 160. Then in Plex these get mapped automatically to the correct EPG data. Plex shows it all in a nice grid view with upcoming programming.

You can select a channel in Plex via grid view which loads the stream defined in the m3u file (in this case, it would be http://ipaddress:port/slingbox?channel=20). This loads the slingbox stream and kicks off a thread to submit the IR signals to switch the channel.

I still need to figure out how to get Plex to stop timing out on loading the stream. Maybe if I could get the slinger python app to play the correct format then the ffmpeg buffering won't be necessary and plex won't time out.

[GerryDazoo]

Thanks for the info.

[GerryDazoo]

I've integrated this capability ?channel=xxx into the Slinger mainline. You'll see it in the 3.08 release coming soon.

[rbf121]

Great, thanks! You may want to review the remotes[port] section of the method call I created. I copied the IR code from somewhere lower in the python file and I'm not entirely sure this will work in every scenario. It worked in my use case so I didn't investigate more but I didn't need to tweak any of my remote settings either.

[GerryDazoo]

I ended up using your idea but not implementation. I parse the URL in the connection_manager and pass it to the streamer thread on it's message queue. With your separate thread there was an interaction with my new "LockRemote" feature and also there was a race condition with the Solo stream startup.

[rbf121]

Nice, I'll have to try it out when it's released. I thought about that race condition where I might need to add a sleep but it just worked on my M1 so I left it alone to have faster channel changing.

[rbf121]

If anyone is interested, I uploaded the sample files for Xteve that I used to integrate the Slinger software with Plex. I also included a Dockerfile which will set up a container to run both Xteve and Slinger in the same container, including all the dependencies needed. This is working on my NAS but would be curious if anyone else gets it to work correctly.

It's over in my fork https://github.com/rbf121/Slinger

[flipper2222222]

thanks to rbf121 I am making some progress on configuring for windows. will update once I get it going.

[Wildwillis]

Thanks for creating the fork and posting your Dockerfile. I’d like to try and get the same config you have running on my QNAP NAS. I am quite a novice with Docker so I was hoping to get some help understanding how to properly mount the Volumes.

I have run a few Dockerfiles like the one you posted, but they’ve all specified directory paths within the Dockerfile. I typically start from something like that, modify any options I need to change and the directory paths, then SSH into my NAS and paste in the whole Dockerfile.

I see how you have a Volumes section in the Dockerfile instead. If I’m understanding your ReadMe correctly, I should mount these Volumes with the directories I need before running the Dockerfile. I am not entirely sure how to do that.

Any chance you can help with that or provide an example. I’ve tried to look into this a bit and I understand that mounting the volumes is persistent. I think that means that I only need to mount them once - if I update or recreate the Docker file to make changes, I don’t have to re-mount the directories again. Please confirm if I’m making myself clear. Thanks so much again!

[rbf121]

I decided to run xteve in it's own docker container because I needed 2 instances of xteve to meet my needs and it just makes more sense to have different containers. I have updated the code in my fork (https://github.com/rbf121/Slinger) to include a Dockerfile that just runs GerryDazoo/Slinger latest code, v3.0.8 plus I included my samples for xteve and m3u in case anyone needs those.

I also published an image on docker hub but I need to still work on the instructions there. I have this running on my NAS in host mode but I'm just wondering if anyone else can get it to work. Let me know if there are any issues.
https://hub.docker.com/r/rbf121/slinger

I'm currently running the following for the xteve/slinger/plex integration:

• 2 x https://hub.docker.com/r/scp002/xteve (this version of xteve seems more updated than https://hub.docker.com/r/alturismo/xteve)
• https://hub.docker.com/r/rbf121/slinger

[pfuller88]

I'm having trouble getting this to work. I think I'm 99% there. I follow all the instructions and it plex seems to be connecting via FFMPEG but plex times out with the Playback error, Could not tune channel, please check your tuner or antenna. My xteve log shows the following. Any assistance is appreicated. I have xteve running natively on an Ubuntu 22 server - as is Slinger (same server). I use a unified config file for slinger with the /condo/500high address, which seems to show correctly below. The Plex server was able to build my proper TV guide. Just cannot stream. I did use the suggested FFMPEG setting: -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i [URL] -c copy -bsf:v h264_metadata=sample_aspect_ratio=4/3 -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1?

ubuntu log...

022/11/18 20:36:12 [xTeVe] XEPG: Ready to use
2022/11/18 20:37:22 [xTeVe] Buffer: true [ffmpeg]
2022/11/18 20:37:22 [xTeVe] Buffer Size: 1024 KB
2022/11/18 20:37:22 [xTeVe] Channel Name: Slingbox 806
2022/11/18 20:37:22 [xTeVe] Client User-Agent: Lavf/58.65.101
2022/11/18 20:37:23 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Playlist: M3U - Tuner: 1 / 1
2022/11/18 20:37:23 [xTeVe] FFMPEG path: /usr/bin/ffmpeg
2022/11/18 20:37:23 [xTeVe] Streaming URL: http://127.0.0.1:8080/condo/500high?channel=806
2022/11/18 20:37:23 [xTeVe] FFMPEG: Processing data
2022/11/18 20:37:23 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Receive data from FFMPEG
2022/11/18 20:37:43 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Client has terminated the connection
2022/11/18 20:37:43 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Channel: Slingbox 806 (Clients: 0)
2022/11/18 20:37:45 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Channel: Slingbox 806 - No client is using this channel anymore. Streaming Server connection has ended
2022/11/18 20:37:45 [xTeVe] Streaming Status: Playlist: M3U - Tuner: 0 / 1

[pfuller88]

it did not take me long to generate the 200 line m3u file. i used excel to build the first line then just copied the formula down. I cut and paste the channel lineup from my cable company’s website.

[pfuller88]

I'll also note that you can use the below website to further edit your m3u list. For example, you upload your full list and then can edit it (use the "editor" button in the dropdown found in the top right) to screen out channels then download the results. It is a free service, you will need to create an account. [https://m3u4u.com/](url)

[Toei79]

Hey wondering its anyway works with pipe , ffmpg, I'm been trying use on tvheadend but get errors while I play it, I feel.its close for what you are trying here , I need read all I guess.

My only goal its play it on tivimate but not works with explorer, but vlc its fine

There its some script on github for you take epg from zap2it, I'm able to get ota and directv guides from there

edit checking i cant get it work

pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i http://192.168.2.131:8080/Gerry/450 -c copy -bsf:v h264_metadata=sample_aspect_ratio=4/3 -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1?

pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i http://192.168.2.131:8080/Gerry/450 -c copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1

pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i http://192.168.2.131:8080/Gerry/450 -c copy -bsf:v h264_metadata=sample_aspect_ratio=4/3 -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1?

pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i http://192.168.2.131:8080/Gerry/450 -c copy -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1

pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i http://192.168.2.131:8080/Gerry/450 -c copy -bsf:v h264_metadata=sample_aspect_ratio=4/3 -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1

i try those in tvheadend , i guess its the right ones for use there?

[rbf121]

Sorry I'm not familiar with tvheadend or tivimate but I assume it should work similar to what Xteve is doing. Doubt anyone else has tried that integration so I think you will just need to experiment to get it to work properly. Perhaps if you share the error message, someone might be able to help.

Regarding zap2it EPG data, is that a free service? I have plex pass lifetime so I'm just using that but I did experiment with Jellyfin M3U Tuner using Schedules Direct for EPG but it didn't seem to pull in image content with the EPG.

[Toei79]

zap2it its online service, there its two scripts that i see working extracting the epg from there.
one of those its being running forever maybe like 10 years and working.
i just add to my tvheadend and its fits to ota channels. the directv i use to fill other channels. format its .xml.

idk about that its image from shows?
tivimate its kinda like the plex i guess but just tv channels.
i dont think you get pics from shows , but logo channels yes.

ok thank you , i just see you get kinda same error or something because tivimate just ''give up '' and give a parser error,
tivimate read .m3u playlist , so i was thinking its be same think.

i try all those that you see there , that i see you use from there sadly not working.

[Toei79]

well i installed xteve and its running. plus works on tivimate.

but then why not get working outside of xteve
pipe:///usr/bin/ffmpeg -hide_banner -loglevel error -fflags +genpts -i url-c copy -f mpegts -tune zerolatency pipe:1
i trieed this on tvheadend but no dice

if its used by xteve totally fine? its just need add buffer 0.5 or not?