[mythtv-users] Debugging problem with ExternalRecorder and streamlink

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Sat, May 15, 2021 at 3:45 PM Peter Carlsson
<peter.jm.carlsson at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have previously written about these problems but I wonder if the
> ExternalRecorder can be run independently without the involvement
> of the mythtv backend?

Yes (at least on a system with the required MythTV
support libraries, such as your backend).  On the
recent development branch, something like (add
additional options as configured in your capturecard):

    /usr/bin/mythexternalrecorder --logpath /tmp --verbose all
--loglevel debug --conf XXXXX >/dev/null

and then you will need to enter commands that
are appropriate/understood to the external recorder.

Such as:

    0:HasTuner?
    0:TuneChannel:1234
    0:HasLock?
    0:HasLock?
    0:StartStreaming
    0:CloseRecorder

The 0 is a serial number (previous versions may
not use API version 2, with a serial number, so
if the recorder complains, eliminate the '0:'), and
would normally increment for serialization
purposes, but for manual testing you can just
use zero.

The redirect of stdout to /dev/null just throws
away the transport stream, so if you want to
keep that, redirect it to someplace useful.
As it is a raw binary stream, you will not want
it sent to your terminal.

The external recorder will respond as it would to
the backend, and also produce additional
information in the logfile which will be in the
logpath directory (named something like
mythexternalrecorder.DATETIME.PID.log).

The commands are documented in the wiki at:

     https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/ExternalRecorder

and you may be able to use a previous
BE log to suggest the commands you
want to issue for your testing.