Universal Search Only Returns Channels

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eromin

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Universal Search Only Returns Channels

#1

Post by eromin » Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:28 am

Within the last few weeks I have been experiencing an issue with the Universal Search function returning no results for (almost) any search. For example, say I want to check when the next episode of The Simpsons will air. I open the MMC app on my phone, click the magnifying glass, type "The Simpsons" (or just "Simpsons"), and click the magnifying glass again. The "thinking wheel" spins, and then I get a, "No search results found," message. Put in (nearly) any search term you like, and same result. I've tried other terms for shows I know have upcoming airings, like "Chicago" for Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire, but I still get no results.

If, however, I search for something that matches part of a channel name, like "news" or "ESPN," then I do get search results back. The catch is that these results are only channels; there are no TV shows returned. When searching for "news" I get results like FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, etc, (i.e., channels with news in the name or description), but I do not get news shows like "PBS News Hour" or "Eyewitness News 11pm," which I know have upcoming airings.

To make things even more interesting/frustrating, if I select "Guide" or "Channels" from the main MMC menu, I can see all of the upcoming programs for the next 1-2 weeks and interact with these listings as normal, including scheduling recordings. So clearly, the app is getting the requisite guide data. And, if I want to schedule a recording, I can still do that; I just have to know the channel the program is on, the date it will air, and the approximate time it will air, and then use the "Guide" or "Channels" option to find the episode or series. This is fine, though annoying, for easy shows like "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" that air 5 days a week at 11:35pm. However, when someone tells me that I should check out New Show X, but they don't know the channel, date, or airtime of the show (because they already have it set on their DVR and they don't watch it until 5 episodes have built up so they can binge watch them), then it's a bit more cumbersome. Even though there are ways to get the required information (a quick search with the ol' Google machine, for instance), the search function of the MMC app was my most often used tool, and is much more convenient.

Here are some troubleshooting steps I've taken:
  1. Ensure that all categories are checked in the Search Settings
  2. Attempt search via wifi (same network as HTPC) and 4G (or any other "outside" network)
  3. Check for updates on MMC app and config software
  4. Forced an update of the guide listings from within WMC, so I know it has the most current listings.
  5. Clear cache in MMC app
  6. Restart phone
  7. Run initial set up of MMC app again
  8. Confirm port forwarding on router
  9. Confirm port forwarding via canyouseeme
  10. Reboot HTPC
  11. Reboot router
  12. Uninstall/reinstall MMC app
Does anyone else have any other ideas? I'm at a loss for what to try next. The search feature had been working flawlessly up until this point, and I've been using the app since shortly after it was released.


Phone: LG G3
Android Version: 5.0.1 (last updated July 19, 2015; at least 2 months before this issue started)
Network: Verizon
MMC App: 1.3.6.5 (Latest as of Oct 3, 2015)
MMC Config: 14.2.20.821 (Latest as of Oct 3, 2015)
HTPC: Windows 7 with all updates
Live TV Software: WMC with latest guide listings
TV Tuner: Ceton InfiniTV4 PCIe

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Motz

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#2

Post by Motz » Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:49 am

Did you try to extend your timeout period to a larger number? Set it as high as it can go in the settings.
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eromin

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#3

Post by eromin » Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:05 am

Motz wrote:Did you try to extend your timeout period to a larger number? Set it as high as it can go in the settings.
Thank you for the suggestion, Motz. I must have missed that setting during my troubleshooting. Unfortunately, changing the timeout period to 49 seconds (the max) made no difference. I even tried clearing the cache again after setting the timeout period to the max. I still get the little spinning circle to indicate it's working, but that only lasts for a split second before displaying the same "no results" message.

I would also like to add that search is also returning results from my Recorded TV in addition to the Channels. I do not often have anything in My Recordings, because I use MCEBuddy to convert my recordings and store them on my unRaid server for Plex to manage for me, so that's why I didn't notice it before. Tonight, when I searched for Simpsons it returned the one episode that was in My Recordings (waiting to be converted). It also returned the one episode each of Madam Secretary and Brooklyn Nine-Nine when I searched "Secretary" and "Brooklyn," respectively. No other listings were returned, however.

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Motz

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#4

Post by Motz » Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:48 am

I am not really sure why people think Clearing the Cache does anything. It simply deletes your Database for channels. I guess I named it wrong. essentially no reason to ever try to do that.

If you DM me with your remote ip/port/pass I can try to debug it.
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eromin

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#5

Post by eromin » Thu Oct 08, 2015 4:36 am

I just figured I'd try everything I could, and clearing the cache was an option. I'll remember that in the future.

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eromin

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#6

Post by eromin » Fri Oct 16, 2015 3:46 am

All right, got it fixed. I had recently turned off Windows Search on my HTPC, and that seems to have been the issue. I turned WS back on, and Universal Search is working again. I didn't realize that would affect the app, as I didn't know the app didn't store the data locally to search but rather returned search results from WMC. My bad.

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Motz

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#7

Post by Motz » Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:11 pm

Ahhhhhh I was about ot say yeah there were no exceptions from debugging actually, just no results :) forgot about this :)
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