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[jmone]

FYI (from the Myth TV site) some info on the technical side of things that may help with adding support for EPG from DBV-T signals.

Electronic Service Guide Information
Recently, end of 2008, the best source of guide data is now the EIT content being broadcast by the Free TV networks over DVB-T, of course if you are still using an analogue feed then you will need to refer to the more traditional xmltv notes below.

Free TV Australia Operational Practice OP-44
Implementation Guide for the DVB Event Information Table (EITp/f) http://www.freetv.com.au/media/Engineering/OP44%20_Implementation_of_Electronic_Service_Guide_Information_%20Issue_3_September_2008.pdf provides good with interoperability with MythTV.

The status of the networks compliance is currently as follows:

Network  event_name_char (Title)  text_char (Episode)  extended_event_descriptor (Description)  content_descriptor (Categories) 
ABC  good  unused  good  good 
Seven  good  sometimes  good  unused 
Nine  good  unused  good  good 
Ten  good  poor duplicate of Description  good  unused 
SBS  good  unused  good  good 

[Matt]

The over-the-air guide quality can be poor in America, so we're leaning towards XMLTV.  Is this a possibility for you?

[jmone]

Sure (once Raym / Richard write up a nice simple how to guide for us Aussies and sticks it in the Wiki!!!)

[raym]

Subtle hint there Nathan 

Try this for starters. If it works for you I will knock something up more formally for the wiki.

The manual process should be something like this:

1. Download source data for your region: http://xmltv.locost7.info/
2. Extract it to wherever you like (say c:\epg)
3. Configure MC to reference the extracted file under c:\epg - ie, Television > Configure... > Load Program Guide... > XMLTV

Now, I actually use WebScheduler on my server to download daily epg updates and I've configured my htpc clients to grab a local copy of this as required (and on startup). I've created a simple bat script for you though to automate the above process on a stand-alone machine. Call it via MC's "Run an executable to retrieve XMLTV data" option on the XMLTV dialog page or simply schedule it with Windows scheduler.

Code: [Select]

REM DownloadEPG.bat
REM Downloads and extracts XMLTV guide data

@ECHO OFF

CD C:\EPG

REM cleanup previous files
DEL /F /Q *.xml
DEL /F /Q *.ZIP

REM download the xmltv source
wget.exe http://xmltv.locost7.info/Melbourne/OztivoMelbourne.zip

REM extract it via winzip
C:\Progra~1\WinZip\winzip32 -min -e c:\epg\OztivoMelbourne.zip
Note: Script assumes you have WGET. Download it from here: http://users.ugent.be/~bpuype/wget/ and copy it to your system32 folder. Also, it assumes you have winzip installed in the above location. Obviously, change "C:\EPG" and "OztivoMelbourne.zip" to whatever is appropriate for you.

Finally, if you schedule the script to run automatically with Windows scheduler, you may need to include calls in the script to stop MC before executing the extract and then re-starting it when complete. I'm not sure so try it. I just have a feeling that MC may place a lock on the xmltv file while it's running which will make updating it impossible.

Cheers,
Ralf.

[jmone]

Thanks Ralf, 
I've got it mostly working (helps to know where the source data is & WGET...Nice).  I'd probably run the BAT file from Win Scheduler but is it possible to use the inbuild Windows Unzipper as they now charge for WinZip and I've really no need for it...
Nathan

PS - TheaterView is still poor for TV veiwing as as soon as some data is missing (eg the HD channels) you can not just "play" the channel as it does not appear BUT I KNOW that the good people at JR have said they will fix this (soon).

[raym]

Thanks Ralf, 
is it possible to use the inbuild Windows Unzipper

Not sure. But there are many free alternatives to winzip like this: http://stahlforce.com/dev/unzip.exe - That'll do the trick.

7-zip (http://www.7-zip.org/) is a very good open source alternative also which can be invoked from the command line.

[rpalmer68]

Sure (once Raym / Richard write up a nice simple how to guide for us Aussies and sticks it in the Wiki!!!)

I use this script by Calvi.

http://forums.dvbowners.com/index.php?s=fb27b57feba1179dbd3cd6a4aa2e115b&showtopic=6598

It will download from multiple sources, (ABC website, SBS website, Oztivo community, over the air EPG for each channel and others) and then builds a full guide with the best data it gets.

Calvi is in Melbourne, so it's ready to go for melbourne, but doesn't take much to tweak for Sydney - Happy to help or provide my scripts

Been working a treat for me now for a long time, and especailly good when one source is down.

Richard

[rpalmer68]

Finally, if you schedule the script to run automatically with Windows scheduler, you may need to include calls in the script to stop MC before executing the extract and then re-starting it when complete. I'm not sure so try it. I just have a feeling that MC may place a lock on the xmltv file while it's running which will make updating it impossible.

MC doesn't lock the file, in fact it only loads it when you click the button, so updating the file requires you to reload the data manually.

I'm assured it will do it automatically, or there will be an MCC command to tell it to, but not quite sure when this is going to happen.  Hence the reason I don't use MC for recording at this stage.

Richard

[jmone]

Thanks gents - I'm having a play and will report back.  I've posted on the DVBOwners forum regarding how to config the multi source script for Sydney but any hints Richard (I like how it also uses EPGScan to get OTA info)?
Nathan

[rpalmer68]

Thanks gents - I'm having a play and will report back.  I've posted on the DVBOwners forum regarding how to config the multi source script for Sydney but any hints Richard (I like how it also uses EPGScan to get OTA info)?
Nathan

I'm on the Manly ferry at the moment but pm me your email and I'll email you my config when I get home.

Richard

[JimH]

Manly Ferry

[raym]

MC doesn't lock the file, in fact it only loads it when you click the button, so updating the file requires you to reload the data manually.

I'm assured it will do it automatically, or there will be an MCC command to tell it to, but not quite sure when this is going to happen.  Hence the reason I don't use MC for recording at this stage.

hmm... I see what you mean. I expected MC to reload the file automatically on startup. 

[jmone]

Thanks Richard - PM sent...

Yup Jim that is the correct area and Richard is currently probably stuck with a view like this:

[rpalmer68]

Thanks Richard - PM sent...

Yup Jim that is the correct area and Richard is currently probably stuck with a view like this:

yup...It's a hard thing to take

I'll have something for you a little later Nathan.

Richard

[jmone]

Thanks Richard it just all worked out of the box - I did not have to change a thing and the resultant XML file is the most complete I've seen!  I notice that with SBS HD and ABC HD get duplicate entires (sometime just 1 min apart, other time at the same time) - do you get this problem often and does it effect the schduling of the recordings?
Nathan

[rpalmer68]

I notice that with SBS HD and ABC HD get duplicate entires (sometime just 1 min apart, other time at the same time) - do you get this problem often and does it effect the schduling of the recordings?
Nathan

Do you mean the SD and HD programs are the same just a minute out with each other?

I've just checked my guide from last night and I do see this with SBS and ABC too, it could be because the guides are being pulled form different sources.  Or it could be a bug

You could check the xmltv.xml files in each source to see what's going on.  Maybe the over the air epg has lightly different timings than say oztivo or the abcjc/sbsgrabber sources.

I heading out again today (Darling harbour for the kids!) but will chekc it later when I get home.

Richard

[jmone]

Thanks Richard - no rush, it was just an observation.  We are yet to agree as a Familly where we are going to go for Australia Day today (son is still in bed!)
Nathan

[rpalmer68]

Thanks Richard - no rush, it was just an observation.  We are yet to agree as a Familly where we are going to go for Australia Day today (son is still in bed!)
Nathan

My eldest is 3 1/2 so we get the say

Just checked the EPGScan (over the air) data from last night, ABC and SBS seem to be programmign down to the second! 

Calvi's scripts round to the nearest whole minute (like the web based sources) so hence there is a slight difference in timing.

I think the rounding is configurable, but to be honest I wouldn't worry.  Just have a buffer for the start/fininh schedule to allow for a few minutes either side.

Enjoy your day, whever you decide to go, and if it's Darling Harbour, I'll see you there 

Richard