[mythtv-users] Remotely monitor Backend is running

[Mike Perkins]

On 11/10/2021 23:51, Barry Martin wrote:
> 
> Hi Mike!
> 
>> > /That seems to be the issue: this/my computer does not have any Myth on it (other than notes, 
>> etc., /
>> > /and that isn’t what we’re looking for). So the (python) script should be looking at the Backend 
>> for /
>> > /services.api./
>> > I think you're a little confused here (or maybe I am).
>>
>> You need to have a python module on the host that is making the request in order to format it into
>> something that the api on the backend understands.
>>
>> Normally, you'd get that automatically when you install a frontend on that host.
>>
>> I though the whole point of this was that the /frontend/ needed to know if the backend was up? If
>> so, that's where this code should be running. Why are you running it on a non-mythtv host at all?
> 
> Hi Mike!
> 
> 
> I can see your viewpoint. Here if the Frontend doesn’t find the Backend it (the FE) displays a 
> screen indicating it is having problems and is asking for a button to be clicked to rescan, do 
> manually, etc. By that time the Backend has sometimes been off for hours, missing recordings.
> 
> 
> What I would like to do is have a warning message pop up on my computer, which does not have MythTV 
> on it, if something is wrong with the Backend. Something like xmessage as it puts a window up; 
> e-mail is a so-so option as I’m not always on e-mail.
> 
> 
> The ‘nc -z 192.168.4.3 6544’ command in my initial post works but only if the Backend is completely 
> off-line. Had an issue where MythTV partially hung: I was getting part of the webpage. It was not 
> recording nor communicating with the Frontends. Big annoyance was I was literally sitting with my 
> back to the Backend much of the day, just I didn’t know there was a problem because no one was 
> watching recorded TV until that night.
> 
> Hope that clarifies things.
> 
It does and thank you.

I thought that many of these reliability problems had been ironed out many versions ago. I, too, 
spend chunks of my day with my back to my mythv server (amongst others!) and it runs 24/7. I cannot 
think of the last time I logged on in the morning and it wasn't there.

Of course, everyone's setup is different, which is one reason why we have this mailing list after 
all. I wish you luck finding a solution.

In my view the best place to put a watchdog is on the backend, which is where all the software 
libraries are guaranteed to be. I know a number of folks already do this and the backend gets 
restarted should it 'unexpectedly' fail. (Tuners can also disappear and can be checked and rebooted 
in the same fashion.) Since I have never had the need I can't point to solutions but there have been 
several on this mailing list in the past.

-- 

Mike Perkins