All Imported MKVs Show Zero Length

[rickgillyon]

My system downloads MKVs via Sonarr and dumps them into folders where Sage can see them. These videos have been working for years with no issues, but from sometime between 28th November (last fault-free import) and 30th November something happened which made all imports show as length zero. They still play in Sage, but the timeline shows 0:00 to 0:00, can't skip forward or back, if stopped halfway through they always go back to the beginning, and never get set as played even if watched to the end. Does the same for MP4s. This is in PC Client or MiniClient, and Plex/MediaInfo/MPC-HC etc all work just fine and show correct lengths.

So something seems to have happened to Sage's import process around the end of November. Any ideas what changed around those dates? Any suggestions?

[wnjj]

Try setting “debug_ffmpeg_format_info=true” in sage.properties and then import a new file. It will show what SageTV believes FFmpeg is finding.

EDIT for anyone who finds this later. Set it to TRUE since it’s a string value.

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by wnjj

Try setting “debug_ffmpeg_format_info=true” in sage.properties and then import a new file. It will show what SageTV believes FFmpeg is finding.

Output below:

Fri 2/1 15:32:27.146 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] Seeker is starting the library import scan...
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.285 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] Starting to scan lib import root: /var/mediaext/videos
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.322 [PluginRepoUpdater@53db1c13] Local plugin repository file's checksum matches server's, no need to download a new one for SageTVPlugins.xml
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.323 [PluginRepoUpdater@53db1c13] Checking to see if the plugin repository file SageTVPluginsV9.xml needs to be updated using MD5 URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Op...VPluginsV9.md5
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.385 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] Increased StringBuffer pool to size=1
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.386 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] testFile=ffmpeg_test.mkv
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.391 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] Now using external format detector for: /var/mediaext/videos/=Missed/ffmpeg_test.mkv
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.397 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Starting all core plugins...
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.398 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The TV DB Library to after commons-logging because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin Phoenix Core Services to after Phoenix API because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin SageTV Groovy Tools to after sagex-api - SageTV API Extensions because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The Movie DB Library to after commons-logging because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin Phoenix Fanart for Malore Menus to after Phoenix API because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin SageTV Web Interface to after SageTV Groovy Tools because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The Movie DB Library to after hamcrest-core because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.399 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The TV DB Library to after hamcrest-core because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin Batch Metadata Tools - Web Interface to after Phoenix Core Services because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin Jetty Web Server to after sagex-api - SageTV API Extensions because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The TV DB Library to after api-common because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin The Movie DB Library to after api-common because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin Jetty Web Server to after ant because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin SageTV Groovy Tools to after groovy because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Moving starting of plugin SageTV Web Interface to after SageTV Groovy Tools because of its dependency on it.
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.400 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] Calling start on plugin: Jetty Web Server
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.406 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] ::INFO: Starting Jetty
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.406 [SageTV@3e38a2aa] ::INFO: Jetty Plugin log level: INFO
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.440 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] File Format Parsed /var/mediaext/videos/=Missed/ffmpeg_test.mkv=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps []
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.441 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] Added:MediaFile[id=26621679 A[26621682,26621680,"ffmpeg_test",0@0116.03:34,0,V] mask=V host=cf0856437333 encodedBy= format=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/mediaext/videos/=Missed/ffmpeg_test.mkv, Seg0[Wed 1/16 3:34:05.999-Wed 1/16 3:34:06.000]] num=25641
Fri 2/1 15:32:27.441 [LibraryImporter@39dee838] New Library File MediaFile[id=26621679 A[26621682,26621680,"ffmpeg_test",0@0116.03:34,0,V] mask=V host=cf0856437333 encodedBy= format=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/mediaext/videos/=Missed/ffmpeg_test.mkv, Seg0[Wed 1/16 3:34:05.999-Wed 1/16 3:34:06.000]]

[wnjj]

All SageTV does is run FFmpeg and then parse the text that comes out. There should be a field called “Duration:” in that output. Turning on that debug flag should dump the output into the log file.

I’m guessing something is wrong with your FFmpeg or one of its support libraries.

EDIT: hmm. I don’t see the log message I expected. I’ll look closer at the code.

[wnjj]

Try setting it to “TRUE” since I now realize it is probably just a string not a boolean. You should get the file name, its size and then “FFMPEG Info:”

[graywolf]

[LIST]
format=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps

Is the above normal?

Can you copy a good movie file without the timeline issue and see if the scan also has the 0 kbps

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by wnjj

Try setting it to “TRUE” since I now realize it is probably just a string not a boolean. You should get the file name, its size and then “FFMPEG Info:”

Ah, that looks significant:

Fri 2/1 16:10:04.031 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] testFile=Holby City - S21E04.mkv
Fri 2/1 16:10:04.031 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] Now using external format detector for: /var/mediaext/videos/TV/Holby City/Holby City - S21E04.mkv
Fri 2/1 16:10:04.033 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] File:/var/mediaext/videos/TV/Holby City/Holby City - S21E04.mkv len=1507653508 FFMPEG Info:nice: ‘/opt/sagetv/server/ffmpeg’: Permission denied

Fri 2/1 16:10:04.033 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] File Format Parsed /var/mediaext/videos/TV/Holby City/Holby City - S21E04.mkv=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps []
Fri 2/1 16:10:04.034 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] Added:MediaFile[id=26632708 A[26632711,26632709,"Holby City - S21E04",0@0122.22:51,0,V] mask=V host=cf0856437333 encodedBy= format=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/mediaext/videos/TV/Holby City/Holby City - S21E04.mkv, Seg0[Tue 1/22 22:51:16.999-Tue 1/22 22:51:17.000]] num=25639
Fri 2/1 16:10:04.034 [LibraryImporter@273085f3] New Library File MediaFile[id=26632708 A[26632711,26632709,"Holby City - S21E04",0@0122.22:51,0,V] mask=V host=cf0856437333 encodedBy= format=MATROSKA 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/mediaext/videos/TV/Holby City/Holby City - S21E04.mkv, Seg0[Tue 1/22 22:51:16.999-Tue 1/22 22:51:17.000]]

[graywolf]

BINGO
Fix the permission, rescan, and it should be fixed
Do: chmod ugo+x /opt/sagetv/server/ffmpeg

I need to add that properties setting to my troubleshooting notes

[rickgillyon]

Yep, thanks all, that's done it.

Now I have hundreds of file that need a rescan but won't scan because they are unchanged. Any idea how I can force the importer to pick them up? Preferably without losing watched data...

[graywolf]

Do: find /var/mediaext/videos/TV -type f -name *.mkv -exec touch {} \;
That will do just the mkv file extensions. Do same for mp4 and others you want

Then do rescan.

[rickgillyon]

Fantastic, thanks so much. WAF will be much improved...

[stuckless]

The unRAID container for SageTV does reset the file permissions to the correct permissions on startup, if the files are under /var/media/tv /var/mediaext/ or var/media/videos.

But, to be sure you should make sure that the sonar container and sagetv containers are all running as the same unRAID user (set in the PUID and GUID container settings). This should ensure that you don't have ownership permissions. The fact that this just started happening... maybe the sonar container or the sagetv container changed?

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by stuckless

The unRAID container for SageTV does reset the file permissions to the correct permissions on startup, if the files are under /var/media/tv /var/mediaext/ or var/media/videos.

But, to be sure you should make sure that the sonar container and sagetv containers are all running as the same unRAID user (set in the PUID and GUID container settings). This should ensure that you don't have ownership permissions. The fact that this just started happening... maybe the sonar container or the sagetv container changed?

Thanks, but it wasn't the permission of the video files, it was the permission on the ffmpeg runtime - it had lost its execute bit.

So just a chmod +x /opt/sagetv/server/ffmpeg was needed.

[ddoell]

I have a similar issue with my .mp4 video home movie files but I'm not sure how the above solution might apply to me. I moved from a Windows 10 server to the NAS server in my signature about 6 months ago. My home movies are located at /var/media/Home Movies in folders by year. For folders that already existed from 2006 to 2018 regular .mpg files play successfully. However, .mp4 and .mov files play but show zero duration and fast forward/rewind is disabled.

I made a new folder for 2019 and imported two new .mp4 files and these new files play just fine. The timeline is accurate and fast forward/rewind works in increments of 15 seconds. All the folders under Home Movies seem to have the same permissions. Anybody have a suggestion on how I might get my existing .mp4 files to play with a correct duration/timeline and fast forward/rewind enabled? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious. I'm still a noob at Linux and QNAP.

Thanks.

[ddoell]

Originally Posted by ddoell

I have a similar issue with my .mp4 video home movie files but I'm not sure how the above solution might apply to me. I moved from a Windows 10 server to the NAS server in my signature about 6 months ago. My home movies are located at /var/media/Home Movies in folders by year. For folders that already existed from 2006 to 2018 regular .mpg files play successfully. However, .mp4 and .mov files play but show zero duration and fast forward/rewind is disabled.

I made a new folder for 2019 and imported two new .mp4 files and these new files play just fine. The timeline is accurate and fast forward/rewind works in increments of 15 seconds. All the folders under Home Movies seem to have the same permissions. Anybody have a suggestion on how I might get my existing .mp4 files to play with a correct duration/timeline and fast forward/rewind enabled? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious. I'm still a noob at Linux and QNAP.

Thanks.

In looking around at the detailed settings I found a command to rescan all imported media. It said to use this if your imported media had incomplete metadata. So I tried this and it seems to have fixed my problem. I haven't checked all my files yet but the 20 or so files I have played so far all worked fine. So I seem to have fixed my problem. Thanks.

[phantomii]

So, I have been trying to solve the issue of newly imported videos having a 0:00 length as described above. I tried a full rescan of all imported videos and now all of them have a length of 0:00. I have tried everything in this thread with no luck. From my recent attempt to import here are some of the results if someone could give me a clue where else to look? All video formats are now reporting 0:00 length not just quicktime.....

Sun 4/4 9:52:44.006 [LibraryImporter@31cf42a0] File Format Parsed /var/media/external/sde1/Media-A/HD DVD Files/The Fugitive.m4v=Quicktime 0:00:00 0 kbps [{Description=Wrongfully accused of murdering his wife, Richard Kimble escapes from the law in an attempt to find her killer and clear his name. Pursuing him is a team of U.S. marshals led by Deputy Samuel Gerard, a determined detective who will not rest until Richard is captured. As Richard leads the team through a series of intricate chases, he discovers the secrets behind his wife's death and struggles to expose the killer before it is too late., CollectionName=The Fugitive / U.S. Marshals Collection, MediaTitle=The Fugitive, OriginalAirDate=744609600000, Director=Andrew Davis, CollectionOverview=U.S. Marshals is a 1998 action thriller film starring Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, and Robert Downey Jr.. It is a sequel to the 1993 film The Fugitive. The storyline of U.S. Marshals does not feature the character Dr. Richard Kimble, but Jones and the rest of the team of U.S. Marshals who pursued Kimble in the first film reprise their roles, now hunting another fugitive (Snipes)., ScrapedBy=Phoenix, MediaProviderID=tmdb, TagLine=A murdered wife. A one-armed man. An obsessed detective. The chase begins., UserRating=73, IMDBID=tt0106977, ScrapedDate=1530475130396, Producer=Arnold Kopelson, Year=1993, Rated=PG-13, CollectionID=134011, Actor=Harrison Ford -- Dr. Kimble;Tommy Lee Jones -- Samuel Gerard;Sela Ward -- Helen Kimble;Julianne Moore -- Dr. Anne Eastman;Joe Pantoliano -- Cosmo Renfro;Andreas Katsulas -- Sykes;Jeroen Krabb? -- Dr. Charles Nichols;Daniel Roebuck -- Biggs;L. Scott Caldwell -- Poole;Ron Dean -- Detective Kelly;Joseph F. Kosala -- Detective Rosetti;Tom Wood -- Newman;Dick Cusack -- Walter Gutherie;Richard Riehle -- Old Guard;Andy Romano -- Judge Bennett;Nick Searcy -- Sheriff Rawlins;Miguel Nino -- Chicago Cop #1;John Drummond -- Newscaster;David Darlow -- Dr. Lentz;Jane Lynch -- Dr. Kathy Wahlund;Neil Flynn -- Polizist;Kevin Crowley -- State Trooper;Mark D. Espinoza -- Resident;Gene Barge -- 11th District Cop;Joe Guzaldo -- Prosecutor;Nicholas Kusenko -- Assistant Defense Attorney;Joan Kohn -- Asst. Prosecuting Attorney;Joe Guastaferro -- Coroner;Thom Vernon -- Carlson;Ken Moreno -- Partida;Eddie Bo Smith Jr. -- Copeland;Frank Ray Perilli -- Jail Officer;Pancho Demmings -- Young Guard;Jim Wilkey -- Bus Driver;Danny Goldring -- Head Illinois State Trooper;Michael James -- Head Welder;Michael Skewes -- Highway Patrolman;Cody Glenn -- Paramedic;Cynthia Baker -- Woman in Car;Johnny Lee Davenport -- Marshal Henry;Mike Bacarella -- Marshal Stevens;Bill Cusack -- Tracing Technician;Tighe Barry -- Windshield Washer;Afram Bill Williams -- Salesman;Noelle Bou-Sliman -- Myoelectric Technician;Greg Hollimon -- Skating Orderly;Cheryl Lynn Bruce -- O.R. Doctor;Ann Whitney -- Myoelectric Director;Turk Muller -- Clearing Officer;Eugene F. Crededio -- Visitation Guard;Pam Zekman -- Newscaster;David Pasquesi -- Newscaster;Dru Anne Carlson -- Gerard's Secretary;Kirsten Nelson -- Betty;Juan Ram?rez -- Man on 'El';Allen Hamilton -- Host;Lester Holt -- Newscaster;Suzy Brack -- City Hall Employee (uncredited);Darren W. Conrad -- Deputy at Train Wreck (uncredited);Kevin Mukherji -- Doctor (uncredited);Sal Richards -- Warrant Captain (uncredited);John-Clay Scott -- Mad Motorist at Tunnel (uncredited), MediaType=Movie, Genre=Adventure/Action/Thriller/Crime/Mystery, MediaProviderDataID=5503, RunningTime=7800000, TrailerUrl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hdx4iYs7k, Writer=Jeb Stuart;David Twohy}]

[wnjj]

So you ran with debug_ffmpeg_format_info=true in sage.properties? Are there other lines before that one you showed? Those will provided better insight into why the format detection is failing.

[phantomii]

Actually that was the beginning of the file and there were no lines before that. I tried to grab all the lines associated with that movie. I did not look further down in the file as after the last line of what i posted it appears to be looking at another movie that was imported.

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by phantomii

Actually that was the beginning of the file and there were no lines before that. I tried to grab all the lines associated with that movie. I did not look further down in the file as after the last line of what i posted it appears to be looking at another movie that was imported.

Stuff older than that will be in sagetv_1.txt. You must have just had it roll over. Look there or recreate another detection.

[phantomii]

So I looked through several of the sagetv_#.txt files and the results are the same for movies as presented above. I went through the process and touched the files on one drive and rescanned with no difference. Still no durations and I do not see an error. I assume the error shows in the sagetv_#.txt files?

Other things to note. I found this thread through a search and just noticed it is in the Docker section. I am not using docker but a plain Linux install. I am also running Java 11 so not sure that matters, but it is different than before.