Can't record IPTV

[Gmjh]

I've set up my IPTV on jellyfin pretty easily with no issues. In the DVR section I just left the path blank so that it can record wherever jellyfins default location for recording is. (I've also tried this with a specified path) Each time I ask jellyfin to record it just gives me a pinwheeling circle, so I have no idea what the issue is. I also have a link to my EPG for my playlist which normally gets populated by IPTV apps in about 2 minutes. Jellyfin has been stuck at 3 percent updating this for about an hour. Am I missing something obvious or simple here? Thanks very much

[Gmjh]

.............. Right, I'll just use Kodi I suppose

[EPG Tech Talk]

It sounds frustrating when recording and EPG updates don't work as expected in Jellyfin. You've clearly made good progress setting up IPTV. Let's look at why these issues might be happening, even with a blank or specified DVR path.

Understanding Jellyfin DVR and IPTV
Jellyfin's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) feature relies on several components working together for successful IPTV recording. While setting a DVR path is important, other factors can stop a recording from starting. The "pinwheeling circle" often means Jellyfin is trying to initiate a process but cannot complete it. This might be due to permissions, storage access, or even how Jellyfin handles the IPTV stream itself during recording.

EPG Update Challenges
The EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is essential for recording. An EPG playlist provides the schedule for your channels. If Jellyfin gets stuck at 3 percent while updating the EPG, it points to a problem with how Jellyfin is processing or accessing the EPG link.

Most IPTV apps quickly populate EPG data. Jellyfin's difficulty suggests a parsing issue or a timeout when trying to fetch the file. Jellyfin needs to read the XML data from your EPG link correctly. It then creates its own program guide. A slow or incomplete EPG update will prevent the DVR from functioning. It cannot schedule recordings without guide data.

Troubleshooting Steps
Consider these steps to resolve your IPTV recording and EPG issues:

For EPG problems:

Check EPG Link Validity: Open your EPG link in a web browser. Does it load quickly? Is the XML data formatted correctly? Look for any errors or incomplete files.
Jellyfin Logs: Check Jellyfin's server logs immediately after trying to update the EPG. Logs often show specific errors that can pinpoint the problem.
Firewall/Network: Ensure no firewall on your Jellyfin server blocks access to the EPG link.

Disk Space: Although unlikely for EPG, ensure enough disk space for metadata storage. EPG data can take up some space, though not enough to cause a 3% stall.
EPG Refresh Frequency: Try setting a longer refresh interval for EPG updates in Jellyfin to see if it helps.
For Recording problems:

DVR Path Permissions: Even with a blank path, Jellyfin writes to a default location. Make sure the Jellyfin user has full read and write permissions to this folder. If you specified a path, double-check permissions there too.

Storage Availability: Confirm there is ample free space on the drive where recordings would save.

Jellyfin Logs (Again): After attempting a recording, check the Jellyfin server logs for any error messages related to the DVR function or file access.
Stream Playback: Can you play your IPTV channels directly in Jellyfin without recording? If live playback also fails, the issue might be with the IPTV stream itself or how Jellyfin handles it.

Transcoding: Jellyfin often transcodes streams during recording. Ensure your server has enough processing power for this. Check if transcoding settings are causing issues. Try disabling hardware acceleration for transcoding as a test, if enabled.

These steps can help narrow down the cause of your Jellyfin IPTV recording and EPG update problems. Finding the specific error in the logs will be key to a solution.

[FistRockbone]

Cutting and pasting that doesn't fix the fact that DVR on Jellyfin is broken.