Troubleshooting

This guide is meant to help windows users determine why pyTivo is not working properly. However it will likely help most users.

Please go through each step-by-step

When troubleshooting it is best to run pyTivo in console mode so you can see any errors.

1. Is pyTivo running?

If you are running pyTivo in Console mode it should be open and you should see a line that says pyTivo ready:

Or if you have pyTivo running as a service type the following to make sure it is running properly:

Start -> Run -> cmd

From the command prompt type:

net start pytivo

You should then see the following response:

If you instead are told that the pyTivo server has been started. Wait 1 minute and try the above command again. If you are still told that the service has just been started and is not already running then the pyTivo service is crashing. You should run pyTivo in console mode to diagnose this issue.

If pyTivo is not running

If you are running a service and it won't stay running try running it in console mode to see if there is an error occurring.

Most Python errors are readable. Look at the last few lines of the error, these sections normally tell you exactly where your problem is. If you are still unable to determine what the problem is post your error on http://pytivo.krkeegan.com.

2. Is the pyTivo server accessible from the server?

From the server open a web browser to the folling page:

http://localhost:9032/

You should get the following response:

This is a pyTivo server.

If pyTivo is not accessible from the server

Do you see the request in the console window? It should look similar to this:

127.0.0.1 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:10:58] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -

Are there any error messages displayed in the console window?

3. Is pyTivo accessible from its IP address?

First determine the ip address of the server. You can do this by executing the following command:

Start -> Run -> cmd

From the command prompt type:

ipconfig

You should get a response like this:

Windows IP Configuration

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : socal.rr.com
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

In this example my pyTivo server is serving over my Wireless connection. And my IP address is 192.168.1.101.

Now on the server open a web browser to the following address:
http://<IP ADDRESS>:9032/

You should get the following response:

This is a pyTivo server.

If pyTivo is not accessible from the IP address

Do you see the request in the console window? It should look similar to this:

192.168.1.101 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:10:58] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -

Are there any error messages displayed in the console window?
Do you have any third party firewall running?
Do you have any spyware or malware protection running which could block pyTivo?
Is the Windows Firewall running and blocking pyTivo?

To create an exception in the Windows firewall

Start -> Control Panel -> Windows Firewall

Select the "Exceptions" Tab

Click the "Add port..." Button

You will see a dialog box similar to the following. Use "pyTivo" as the name of the program and use the port number you choose in your install as the port. Leave TCP as the selected type:

4. Is pyTivo accessible from its another computer?

Using the IP address determined above open up a browser on another computer on the same network to the following address:
http://<IP ADDRESS>:9032/

You should get the following response:

This is a pyTivo server.

If pyTivo is not accessible from another computer

Do you see the request in the console window? It should look similar to this:

192.168.1.103 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:10:58] "GET / HTTP/1.1" 200 -

Are there any error messages displayed in the console window?
Do you have any third party firewall running?
Do you have any spyware or malware protection running which could block pyTivo?
Is the Windows Firewall running and blocking pyTivo? Use the above instructions to create an exception in the windows firewall
Is this computer on the same network as the server?

5. Is the TiVo receiving the beacon?

Leave the pyTivo server running in console mode for 5 minutes.

Do you see requests in the console from the TiVo coming every minute? They should look similar to the following :

192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:38:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:39:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:40:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:41:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -

No requests from the TiVo

The likely reason for this is that the TiVo is not seeing the beacon.

1. Get the TiVo IP address.

You can get the TiVo IP address by the following:

Messages & Settings -> Settings -> Phone and Network

The IP address will be listed on this page.

2. Change the beacon address on the pyTivo server to the TiVo address

Open the pyTivo Web Configuration, or edit the pyTivo.conf file with a text editor.

Change or add the beacon address to match the TiVo address, for example:

beacon=192.168.1.150

Soft Reset or Restart the pyTivo server.

3. Wait 5 minutes. Does the TiVo see the pyTivo share?

If so you can change the last octet of your beacon address to 255 and add that IP address to your beacon so that all TiVos on this network can see the pyTivo. For example:

beacon=192.168.150 192.168.1.255

If the TiVo still doesn't see the share

Do you see requests from the TiVo in the console? Remember the look like this:

192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:38:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:39:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:40:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -
192.168.1.150 - - [02/Mar/2008 10:41:23] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContaine
r&Container=%2F HTTP/1.0" 200 -

If not then something is wrong with your network topology or your TiVo does not support GoBack? or HMO.

If you see the requests but still nothing on your TiVo.
Open the pyTivo Web Configuration or edit pyTivo.conf with a text editor and add the following blank shares:

[Video Test]
type=video

[Music Test]
type=music

Soft Reset or Restart your pyTivo server.

Wait 2 minutes.

Do you see "Video Test" at the bottom of your Now Playing List?

Do you see "Music Test" on your Music Photos and More screen?