EPG Downloader Service for TV Server ONLY

[tompa]

Originally Posted by knight1fox3

Hello all,

I read all 13 pages of this thread and haven't seen anyone ask this question, will this work for TV listings in the US? Thanks.

Hi knight1fox3!

If you have a source for EPG data it might work.

/tompa

[globaldonkey]

Originally Posted by tompa

Hi knight1fox3!

If you have a source for EPG data it might work.

/tompa

Yes, any service that you can access via a URL that provides XMLTV data should work. It can also unzip the data if it is zipped. It can't scrape http pages like WebEPG can. It gets a bit trickier with complex websites that split the data into multiple URL's / files, but Kev has written a good setup guide that explains it. Just be careful with the setup guide - it still refers to TVLibrary as the database name, and as of RC2 it changed to MpTvDbRC2.

I've actually used WebEPG to scrape the yahoo pages in Australia and generate a local XMLTV file, and then I'm using EPG Downloader to grab this and some other internet feeds to combine them and import them into MP. I'm mainly doing this so I have a choice of data sources - these things tend to move or dry up, particularly the free ones, and some of the data sources are not so good. I could do the same with WebEPG, but it's a little cumbersome setting up the XML config files. This tool is just brilliant in it's simplicity if your source is already in XMLTV format, and it shoves the data straight into the TV database (without overwriting any channels you might have setup for DVB grabbing). The real annoying thing about WebEPG is that for any sites that require authentication, you need to manually edit this in the WebEPG.xml file, and every time you run the config tool, it gets rid of this section.

From a US perspective, I don't think it would work with Zap2It or Yahoo, because I think that needs to be scraped, but I think it might work with Schedules Direct.

The obvious limitation of http scraping is that you are at the mercy of the website designer. If they re-organise the website, you need to change your templates. It's also probably against the conditions of use of the website.

[PeteA]

Hi Tompa thanks for the reply,

u can find the setup-file where u start the app (under "All programs").
If u don't find it ill upload it here

I think that you have misunderstood me, or I am being a bit thick here. I already have the MediaPortal XML downloader installed on my system, it works ok and downloads all the TV services that I want but MP does not show any of them in its EPG. What I wanted to know is how do I use your program with MP? as I have read that a lot of people have a lot of trouble getting MP's version to work correctly. I can find no instruction on here, All I was able to find was a link further back in this thread but it goes to a dead web page, and there are no instructions on the download site or within the zip file, after I downloaded your program and unzipped it it just sits on the desktop and does nothing with no setup that I can find within the program.
Very Confused

[knight1fox3]

Thanks for the replies Tompa and GlobalDonkey,

Unfortunately, the US doesn't have a website (that I could find for free) that has periodic updates of an XML format TV listing guide. I was able to get the MP guide updated via the following thread. Both MP TV and guide are up and running. Thanks again!

[tompa]

First of all, its not my program, I just like this "downloader" very much

The MPEPG is done by BIG_KEV! Its dowloaded from link in first page of this thread.

You have to choose between MPEPG or other XMLTV plugin, and note that MPEPG can only be used with TV-server.

You must setup MPEPG before you can use it, and all is in the manual!

Did this help??
/tompa

[globaldonkey]

Originally Posted by PeteA

there are no instructions on the download site or within the zip file

You need to launch the self extracting installer to get to the setup instructions. It is a little bit of a chicken and egg situation. Stop at the first screen of the installer, go look under Program Files | MP EPG Dowloader, and you will find setup.pdf. Then proceed with the installation. You do need to jump into SQL first to create an id for the downloader to use (ie don't use sa to login).

The setup instructions are pre-RC2 and use the database name TVLibrary. That changed in RC2 to MpTvDbRC2. Make sure you chane this otherwise you want connect to the database.

I'll attach setup.pdf here so you can read it first.

[PeteA]

Thanks for all the replies Tompa and GlobalDonkey,

Over the weekend I have done a complete re-installation of MP and xmltv now works again, but only for the first time I do a download, then it goes back to not updating anymore? and yes I have enabled the EPG grabber plugin in MP config. I will give this program a try now I have the setup instructions. Globaldonkey thanks for the setup pdf file, the problem was there was no setup file included with the download file just the actual exe and some dll's, it was also just a zip file? so not able to click it and do an installation? anyway now I have it I can give it a whirl.

[globaldonkey]

Originally Posted by PeteA

Globaldonkey thanks for the setup pdf file, the problem was there was no setup file included with the download file just the actual exe and some dll's, it was also just a zip file?

Not sure what you've got there, but it ain't the download from the link in the first post to this thread. Should be MPEPGdwnsetup_0_0_0_12.exe

Originally Posted by PeteA

Over the weekend I have done a complete re-installation of MP and xmltv now works again, but only for the first time I do a download, then it goes back to not updating anymore? and yes I have enabled the EPG grabber plugin in MP config.

What do you mean by "I do a download". There are two parts to the webEPG / xmltv process. Are you talking about doing the grabbing with WebEPG, or doing the import of the data into the TV database with xmltv? If the later, try a reboot. I have seen xmltv stop "watching" the tvguide.xml file and a reboot fixes.

This is a bit off topic for this particular thread, if you are having problems with WebEPG / xmltv plugin, then you should open a thread in the appropriate forum.

[arsenal333]

Hello,

What url are people using in Aus for epg data?

Thx

[globaldonkey]

I'm using WebEPG to scrape the yahoo guide. I think its probably the best out of the data I've seen, next to the DVB-T data. 7 days worth and a full HD program (no gaps). Also includes the pay TV channels.

I also use the EPGstream url (posted earlier in this thread) as a "backup source" but I don't like it because it's full of ads. You also need a client id, and you can't get them anymore. They've "repackaged" the service and provide a downloader for it, which has a nag in it for donations. Basically, I think it's the OZ Tivo data anyway.

The example URL in the setup guide Index of / seems to be an extract from OzTivo, but it doesn't have any HD channels in it.

I used to be able to get to OzTivo data directly, but I think it may have moved recently. If somebody does have the URL for OzTivo, could they post it? The problem I do recall with OzTivo is that it was not a full guide for the HD channels - just the breakaway programs, so you had to turn on gap filling, and that could be a bit problematic at times.

Have heard IceTV is ok, but I think it's days may be numbered thanks to some court action by nine. Nothing like charging for something to bring the lawyers out in force