New stream links don't seem to play in VLC or Kodi

[stephdotyml]

Not really sure as to why, but I'll attach a log file from VLC and hope that it'll help in figuring this out.

log.txt

[TheDucksterArmy]

I've had same issues until I went to the latest nightly build for Beta 2. Lots of the channels need help in Kodi as the IPTV Simple Client has major issues with the ability to reconnect with cURL-based streaming. It tends to look at things as though they are zero cache.

What I have done...

In Simple Client, I have turned on Catchup in Expert settings, inserting ?token=1 after each URL smack to activate the green dots in the playlist entries showing that it is engaged. This gets entered in the query format string. You then set your Channels Support to Append. In the Advanced tab, toggle on FFMPEG reconnect and ISA for M3U8 streams. I've tried screwing around with inserting different UserAgent settings, but many of the URLs already have this set up within them in the playlist, so you're just sending superfluous data across that doesn't need to be there.

Piers v22 has also changed the way caching now happens. You used to need a converted AdvancedSettings file or a maintenance program app. No more. You go into services. I've been using 512MB for the size and a 512KB for the chunk. Your mileage might vary (depending on networking latency), and you might need to play with this a bit. Chunk is how long the connection to the server lasts to grab each pack, size is how much junk you can put in the trunk. You want to make sure you don't slam the server with chunk requests that make it think you're a data hog one way (higher) while not slamming it with so many requests it thinks its getting a DDOS attack and CloudFlares you off (lower). As for the size of the cache, it really depends on what you're using. HTPCs have no issues with really anything you throw there, but sticks, stream boxes, Smart TVs and cellular devices will run out of memory if you set it too high.

EDIT: Moved chunk to 256KB... causes some streams to break up in initial 20 seconds until ISA figures out read rate, but allows others to load that would otherwise dump.

[TheDucksterArmy]

Also of note on Kodi... Piers has been hating on MPEG-TS streams... https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/pull/28926

[doms9]

i added an alternative provider for some channels last night (https://volder.timst.cfd/*) and even though they worked at the time, i see that they're more unstable than before

i switched said channels to a more stable provider and they should be working now

[TheDucksterArmy]

Cascading thank yous.