INTERACT FORUM

Windows => Television => Topic started by: dwalme on October 01, 2017, 07:54:23 pm

Title: EPG Season YEAR Episode BLANK issue.
Post by: dwalme on October 01, 2017, 07:54:23 pm
Currently all guide data coming from both Rovi and Schedules Direct shows the Season as the year (2017 vs season number).     And is many cases the Episode information is blank.

For instance Shark Tank Season 9 Episode 1 shows in JRiver as Season 2017 and Episode BLANK.

When I go to look up this information in thetvdb.com it won't find anything because there's no such thing as season 2017.   It wants the see Season 9 and Episode 1.

How do I configure JRiver to store this information properly.   Does it require switching to a different EPG?

Anyone else have this problem?
Title: Re: EPG Season YEAR Episode BLANK issue.
Post by: RoderickGI on October 01, 2017, 10:34:16 pm
If the EPG data doesn't have Season and Episode numbers, but does have the Original Air Date (which is saved in the MC tag [Date]), then MC will also fill in the [Year] tag, and that is copied across to the [Season] tag, leaving the [Episode] tag blank.

So what you are seeing is normal when your EPG data doesn't have Season and Episode numbers.

If you are using the SD EPG source, are you using their JSON interface? Only that interface includes Season and Episode numbers I believe. Have a look at the USA TV Setup (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,100319.0.html) thread and search the Television forum for "JSON". You should find some info on getting Season and Episode numbers.
Title: Re: EPG Season YEAR Episode BLANK issue.
Post by: dwalme on October 01, 2017, 11:04:41 pm
Thank you.

Looks like I need mc2xml v1.6 for this.    v1.4 ships with JRiver 23 and all the hosting links to mc2xml seem to be down.

Any tips on where to locate it?


UPDATE:   You pointed me in the right direction.   I downloaded xmltv.exe and have it configured to run in media center to pull the info.

For others.  Run the following commands and then setup MC to run and use the external output file.
xmltv.exe tv_grab_zz_sdjson --configure
xmltv.exe tv_grab_zz_sdjson --days 14 --output tv.xml


Season number and episode number are working properly now.
Title: Re: EPG Season YEAR Episode BLANK issue.
Post by: RoderickGI on October 02, 2017, 02:21:47 am
For future reference or if you need to switch, I always go to and recommend this site for mc2xml downloads. The others seem to be a bit dangerous, and my virus scanner doesn't like them. http://mc2xml.awardspace.info/  That site is up again now.

I think 1.6 used to be Donationware only, but now it seems you can download it without a donation. I have donated in the past anyway.

It looks like the Windows version of XMLTV.exe is still listed as Alpha software, even though it has been around for 7+ years! But if it works, all is good.
Title: Re: EPG Season YEAR Episode BLANK issue.
Post by: Yaobing on October 02, 2017, 08:49:18 am
I think 1.6 used to be Donationware only, but now it seems you can download it without a donation.

The free version is always available for download.  The problem is that it has "Microsoft" mode disabled.