[RELEASE] DStv Now KODI Add-on

[enerdude]

If tried reducing bitrate, but does not seem to solve issue. So not convinced it is bandwidth related.

What do you mean by 'reducing bitrate'? The kodi addon does not do adaptive streaming like the website / android app. The only thing you can change in kodi is the resolution. Even setting the playback quality to 'custom' in settings just translate it down to a specific resolution. Best way is to set it to 'ask' and then start with a higher resolution e.g. 720p and if buffering occurs change it down to 576p, 432p, 360p etc. Problem is it might start streaming fine for a specific resolution but the addon will try to maintain that specific resolution and not adapt like the adaptive streaming on e. g. the website, so you will have to then stop the stream and select the next lower setting.

Could the buffering not be related to the WACS and SAT3 cable breaks ? Everyone's internet is suffering a little until those cables are fixed.

Definately could have an impact, together with the strain on ISP's networks due to lockdown and especially during prime time daily (19:00 to 23:00) as I said above. What I was arguing is that if streaming on the website / android app works fine (e.g. no buffering, it only switches down the quality in real time using adaptive streaming) but the kodi addon buffers, it points to the fact that the addon does not use adaptive streaming and one needs to switch down manually to a lower resolution until you get no buffering.

 

[leonb]

What do you mean by 'reducing bitrate'? The kodi addon does not do adaptive streaming like the website / android app. The only thing you can change in kodi is the resolution. Even setting the playback quality to 'custom' in settings just translate it down to a specific resolution. Best way is to set it to 'ask' and then start with a higher resolution e.g. 720p and if buffering occurs change it down to 576p, 432p, 360p etc. Problem is it might start streaming fine for a specific resolution but the addon will try to maintain that specific resolution and not adapt like the adaptive streaming on e. g. the website, so you will have to then stop the stream and select the next lower setting.

Thats what I mean. Lowering the resolution manually did not solve the buffering.

 

[enerdude]

Thats what I mean. Lowering the resolution manually did not solve the buffering.

Sounds like problem with your internet connection. What you should try is streaming from the website and see if you get the same issue. I never have an issue on the website as it adaptively switches down the quality and does not produce buffering.

On the kodi addon I usually start on 576p and if it starts buffering I manually go down to 432p and 360p. I never have a problem maintaining 360p on the kodi addon.

 

[ShakeSpeer]

@leonb

Have you tried adjusting the video cache in advancedsettings.xml?

HOW-TO:Modify the video cache

 

[enerdude]

@leonb

Have you tried adjusting the video cache in advancedsettings.xml?

HOW-TO:Modify the video cache

As mentioned by @matthuisman that maintained the addon before, the kodi cache settings has no effect for this addon.

 

[leonb]

Sounds like problem with your internet connection. What you should try is streaming from the website and see if you get the same issue. I never have an issue on the website as it adaptively switches down the quality and does not produce buffering.

On the kodi addon I usually start on 576p and if it starts buffering I manually go down to 432p and 360p. I never have a problem maintaining 360p on the kodi addon.

Have not tried going that low. I normally start at max then drop to 720p. Lower than that, I'll rather switch off TV and go reading...

On PC and Android its all OK.

 

[enerdude]

Have not tried going that low. I normally start at max then drop to 720p. Lower than that, I'll rather switch off TV and go reading...

On PC and Android its all OK.

576p still looks decent on my 50". For streaming a news channel like enca / sabc news, nothing wrong with 360p either. Not much we can do about it on the kodi addon until corona and lockdown situation improves and undersea cables are fixed.

 

[Dimpie (JIGSAW)]

I've read somewhere that the eta for the cable fix is the 4th of April

 

[enerdude]

I've read somewhere that the eta for the cable fix is the 4th of April

Yeah also saw that but we probably won't see a proper resolution to the kodi addon issue until the whole corona thing is resolved or ISPs and / or dstv come to the party with extra capacity.

 

[leonb]

576p still looks decent on my 50". For streaming a news channel like enca / sabc news, nothing wrong with 360p either. Not much we can do about it on the kodi addon until corona and lockdown situation improves and undersea cables are fixed.

Just checked Sabc news which is 576p. Also buffering every now and then.

 

[enerdude]

Just checked Sabc news which is 576p. Also buffering every now and then.

It is now prime time - good luck with even 576p. Sometimes I have to take it all the way down to 360p to have buffer free streaming

edit: currently I'm streaming enca news channel @576p without buffering. I am on 50mbps fibre with vumatel/vox.

 

[Tinuva]

I found last month that Kodi struggled to keep a stream smooth. I do have it set to the highest possible resolution. Then switching to the DSTV app it would be 100%, obviously scaled down automatically.
In March I was still on 10/10 Axxess FTTH. This was the previous owner's ISP and the held the line hostage because he cancelled late.

Forgot about it, but then I moved to Coolideas 100/100 this month, and then on Sunday when I streamed MNet from 6pm to 8pm, the stream only blipped once around 6:58pm before Carte Blance (which is what I wanted to watch) but it was otherwise smooth throughout 1080i the full 2 hours and didn't drop like it would usually do in March.

So either the 100/100 fixed it, or the ISP change and the 100/100 both fixed it.

 

[enerdude]

I found last month that Kodi struggled to keep a stream smooth. I do have it set to the highest possible resolution. Then switching to the DSTV app it would be 100%, obviously scaled down automatically.
In March I was still on 10/10 Axxess FTTH. This was the previous owner's ISP and the held the line hostage because he cancelled late.

Forgot about it, but then I moved to Coolideas 100/100 this month, and then on Sunday when I streamed MNet from 6pm to 8pm, the stream only blipped once around 6:58pm before Carte Blance (which is what I wanted to watch) but it was otherwise smooth throughout 1080i the full 2 hours and didn't drop like it would usually do in March.

So either the 100/100 fixed it, or the ISP change and the 100/100 both fixed it.

Mine has also been much better the last few days, rarely get any buffering on hd and my setup stayed the same.

 

[Tinuva]

Mine has also been much better the last few days, rarely get any buffering on hd and my setup stayed the same.

AH ok. Then maybe they working on their performance server side.

 

[JeremySly]

Hopefully within the next week, the add-on will be able to buffer ahead.
I'm having to implement this myself by

1) Have a webserver running that proxies all requests to the correct origin
2) This webserver detects when kodi requests a segment, it then downloads and returns this segment
3) It then starts downloading X segments ahead and storing them in the addon profile data folder
4) When kodi requests the next segment, the webserver serves it from the cache
5) Webserver also stores the last X segments to allow for fast rewind

This should only be needed for next wee while as there is a GSOC 2020 proposal to implement cache ahead and adaptive switching:

GSOC 2020 - Interested in working on "Bitrate Switch" and "Read ahead"- **Proposal**

 

[deesef]

Hopefully within the next week, the add-on will be able to buffer ahead.
I'm having to implement this myself by

1) Have a webserver running that proxies all requests to the correct origin
2) This webserver detects when kodi requests a segment, it then downloads and returns this segment
3) It then starts downloading X segments ahead and storing them in the addon profile data folder
4) When kodi requests the next segment, the webserver serves it from the cache
5) Webserver also stores the last X segments to allow for fast rewind

This should only be needed for next wee while as there is a GSOC 2020 proposal to implement cache ahead and adaptive switching:

GSOC 2020 - Interested in working on "Bitrate Switch" and "Read ahead"- **Proposal**

Sounds fantastic. Eagerly awaiting a beta

 

[WiseCrack]

That does sound awesome and thank you for all your hard work.

I will make sure to buy Matt a coffee for his original work

 

[maboku]

Can we somehow donate to Jeremy for patiently helping us on this addon? I believe few of us can make it worth it. Few beers with his mates after lockdown

 

[maboku]

I've tried playing TV shows/ catch up /series links and above error is what I get. Other contents play well. Thanks

 

[enerdude]

@js9241698 are you aware of any issues with iptv merge in conjunction with the dstv now addon? I have done a fresh install and not getting any channel list via iptv simple client after adding dstv as playlist / epg.