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Author Topic: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust  (Read 2612 times)

Yaobing

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NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« on: September 10, 2020, 05:50:32 pm »

Description
If an HDHomeRun device is detected and MC does not find other active online EPG (Electronic Program Guide) profile, it will attempt to download EPG data from SiliconDust.  If the user does not have an EPG subscription with SiliconDust, downloading will not succeed and nothing will happen.

Instructions
There is only one thing that needs to be done on the user's part: enable DLNA.  Tools > Options > Media Network, check the box "Use Media Network to share this library and enable DLNA".  While you are there, expand "Advanced" section and make sure the checkbox "DLNA Controller (control other DLNA devices)" is checked.  Click OK and restart MC.

If you have already been using HDHomeRun Prime (for CableCARD channels), DLNA is already enabled.  If you have only been using HDHomeRun devices for ATSC or DVB (i.e. Windows bda tuners), you need to make sure DLNA is enabled.

Nothing else needs to be done if the user does not previously have any other online EPG modes (MC2XML, XMLTV, Perc Data) set up.  If you want to switch from another EPG to SiliconDust, you should disable or delete the other EPG modes.

MC may take a few minutes to detect the device.

Details:

For new users, or existing users who never have set up any EPG loading methods, everything should be automatic.  A new EPG mode "SiliconDust" will be created and downloading attempted.  Subsequently new attempts will be made in 20 to 28 hour intervals.  If the user does not have EPG subscription with SiliconDust, downloading will just silently fail. 

For existing users who had other EPG set up previously (XMLTV, Perc Data, or MC2MXL), but want to switch to SiliconDust, all you need to do is to disable/delete the existing methods.  To do so, go to "Load Program Guide..." tool, (either by right-clicking Television tree branch on the left pane, or by going into TV Options, and choose "Load Program Guide...").  If you already see "SiliconDust" listed in the list, and the checkbox is checked, then you are all set, as MC has already tried downloading from SiliconDust.  In this case you should just wait for it to run again at the next scheduled time.  If you don't see SiliconDust in the list, you should make sure all existing EPG modes are unchecked, with exception that OTA mode can still remain active.  You may need to uncheck the checkbox "Automatically load the program guide everyday in the background" to help you deleting all the EPG modes you want to delete, just don't forget to re-check the checkbox after you are done deleting.  If an EPG mode is tied to one or more hardware profiles, it can not be deleted here.  Just uncheck the checkbox.  After you finish, click OK.  Shortly after that MC will make an attempt to download from SiliconDust.
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Yaobing Deng, JRiver Media Center

RoderickGI

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2020, 08:31:39 pm »

I assume it works with the free Silicon Dust DVR subscription, which should supply a 24 hour EPG?
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What specific version of MC you are running:MC27.0.27 @ Oct 27, 2020 and updating regularly Jim!                        MC Release Notes: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Release_Notes
What OS(s) and Version you are running:     Windows 10 Pro 64bit Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.572).
The JRMark score of the PC with an issue:    JRMark (version 26.0.52 64 bit): 3419
Important relevant info about your environment:     
  Using the HTPC as a MC Server & a Workstation as a MC Client plus some DLNA clients.
  Running JRiver for Android, JRemote2, Gizmo, & MO 4Media on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium Android 9.
  Playing video out to a Sony 65" TV connected via HDMI, playing digital audio out via motherboard sound card, PCIe TV tuner

Yaobing

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2020, 08:00:20 am »

Not sure, but I think the answer is no.  Paid subscription is needed.
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bellbuoy

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2020, 12:04:48 pm »

How does one actually do this?  I had an active EPG in order to get the DVR to work.  On the "Schedule Guide Reloading" page I checked "Clear program guide" and unchecked "guide mode 'MC2XML'".  I clicked OK and the guide data disappeared.  I "double clicked to set up a program guide", the  "Schedule Guide Reloading" page reappeared, I left the "guide mode" checkbox blank, clicked OK, and was back at the  "double click to set up a program guide".  I clicked "Add" since it was apparently looking for a guide mode to be able to continue, and the "Load program guide" page appeared.  There is no way to uncheck the entries on that page.
I have an HD Homerun Quattro which was correctly identified prior in the setup.  I have a current DVR subscription and it is working just fine through this PC.  I am using a WD NAS for making recordings.  That way I have access to all my recordings on all my devices.
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Yaobing

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2020, 12:11:36 am »

Right now, I have not added the capability to manually add SiliconDust EPG mode.  I will do it next week.

To get auto loading to work, you need to disable all other EPG modes (uncheck them or delete them), except you can leave OTA mode on.  If you see "SiliconDust" mode already showing up in the list, auto loading has already been attempted.  You should leave it in checked state and wait for it to try again at the next scheduled time.  If you need it to try again immediately because you think it is not working, you should delete "SiliconDust" mode, not just uncheck its checkbox because unchecking an existing SiliconDust mode tells MC that you do not want to use it.  Click OK after you have deleted SiliconDust from the list, and unchecked or deleted all other modes. 

Shortly after that MC will try SiliconDust and create a new SiliconDust mode.  If you have subscription, you should get the EPG data.  Now  you can go back to "Load Program Guide" window and see SiliconDust being the only active EPG mode (with the exception that OTA mode may be there too if you decided to leave it on).  Click Cancel to avoid running it again unnecessarily (or choose "Do not run now, just save settings" before you click OK).
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bellbuoy

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2020, 07:21:08 pm »

I could not get the Silicon Dust checkbox to appear in the setup, even after starting from scratch   twice.  I just downloaded version 27.0.13.  The Silicon Dust checkbox appeared.  I continued through the setup and got the error message "execution of external program failed".  I started over, same result.  As I indicated in my previous post, I have a paid HD Homrun DVR subscription.  It is set up to use my NAS as the recording device (not my PC) so that I have access to all my recordings on all my devices.  The HD Homerun tuners were properly detected in set up.  The Silicon Dust EPG is found and downloaded using EPG123 on my PC successfully.  For some reason, though, it needs to be manually refreshed in your "schedule guide reloading" page.  How do we let Media Center know that I have a valid Silicon Dust subscription on my NAS?
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JimH

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2020, 07:26:16 pm »

I think it's intended to just work if you have a subscription.  I don't know why it's not.  You might try rebooting your PC and the HDHomerun.
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bellbuoy

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2020, 08:43:58 pm »

Rebooted both PC and HD Homerun, same result, "execution of external program failed".  I reinstalled my EPG123, it was only good for 6 days because I had not refreshed it.  I did so and it is now 14 days.  That tells me that the HD Homerun subscription information is available in the PC, but for some reason MC is not acknowledging it.
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Yaobing

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2020, 11:50:21 am »

Rebooted both PC and HD Homerun, same result, "execution of external program failed".  I reinstalled my EPG123, it was only good for 6 days because I had not refreshed it.  I did so and it is now 14 days.  That tells me that the HD Homerun subscription information is available in the PC, but for some reason MC is not acknowledging it.

Is your HDHomeRun device recognized inside MC?
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Yaobing

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2020, 12:07:28 pm »

Please turn on logging, restart MC, wait for MC to discover the devices and then repeat the procedure of setting up EPG.  Then grab the log file and email it to me.  yaobing at jriver dot com
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Yaobing

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Re: NEW: Auto-load EPG from SiliconDust
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2020, 08:21:44 am »

I made some changes to the instructions.  Instead of saying "Nothing needs to be done on the user's part", we are now saying "There is only one thing that needs to be done on the user's part: enable DLNA".

I forgot the fact that OTA tuners did not need DLNA, so some people who do not user server-client setup and do not use other DLNA devices may never have DLNA enabled.
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