Running Kodi and VDR
 

I'm sure there is a simple answer to this!

After a lot of hassle, I've finally got Kodi 17.3 and VDR running on Slackware64-current. My next problem is to get them both running in sequence. I don't want to start VDR unless Kodi is running, so I need to start, in sequence, VDR, then Kodi.

However, when I start VDR from the command prompt - using the provided "runvdr" script - it keeps the command line open. If I start it at background it using , then Kodi can't find it. I keep getting "unable to connect to server" errors.

So, what is the trick to starting VDR, using the "runvdr" script, followed by Kodi? Preferably from the kde menu? (There are probably other applications for this trick too!)

I've tried but kodi never runs, because runvdr keeps the command open. (As does running vdr directly)

Over to the experts!

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Pete

Yeah, I've been through most of the documentation - such as it is. That page simply describes how to assemble all the necessary components and connect them together. It doesn't tell you how to start vdr - upon which kodi depends for TV. The only documentation I've found telling you how to start it invokes it all via systemd - something that Slackware (mercifully!) has avoided.

I can actually start vdr from a command prompt OK, but then it holds the command line open. Backgrounding it stops Kodi from finding it. Hence my query....

Cheers,

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Pete

Does vdr have a daemon option? Is there a man page or help output for the program?

Actually, a quick google search pulled up this page, which is a man page for runvdr. In it, it states: "runvdr needs to be called by root in order to work correct, because it will try to unload/load kernel-modules!"

Have you tried putting runvdr in your rc.local (with an ampersand & after it to background it)?

And looking at this man page for vdr, it does show there's a daemon option for vdr (which is -d). You might be able to tweak the conf file to enable it to daemonize it automatically. But since I've never used the program, this is just spitballing.

Hey bassmadrigal, I thought I saw you mention doing htpc in some other posts? You ever get into this sort of thing, DVR/PVR/VDR? Thanks

Nope. I haven't had a tv tuner card since my ATI 9800 Pro All-In-Wonder back in 2003, which was replaced my an AMD HD3870 in 2008. I just never used the tuner or video-in portions and felt it wasn't worth the effort or the money.

OK, I think I have it sorted now! A bit of background: I had an absolute nightmare trying to get VDR to work nicely with Kodi. Kodi needs an "add-on" to talk to vnsiserver in order to talk to VDR. VDR needs a "plug-in" (vnsiserver) to talk to Kodi.

First of all, the release version of VDR wouldn't compile at all under Slackware-current - presumably it didn't like the "bleeding edge" version of GCC. However the latest developer release (2.3.8) seems to have fixed that problem, but introduced another!

After I finally got it all to compile, it tried to work, but kept losing the connection to vnsiserver every time you selected a TV channel. Luckily, the guy who developed vnsiserver came to my rescue on the Kodi forum with firstly a patch to VDR-2.3.8, and then a patch to vnsiserver. After that, everything worked fine.

It was while I was struggling to get it all working that I tried calling and it refused to connect to vnsiserver at all! It appears that this "feature" was related to the other bug that kept causing vdr to segfault.

Now that everything is running smoothly, I can indeed add to rc.local, and it all works fine without hanging or crashing!

Thanks for your input folks. The problem was partly mine for not recognising the two faults were closely related. In my defence, I would just say I've spent nearly two days banging my head against a brick wall trying to get it all up and running!

All now sorted!

Cheers,

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Pete