Zap2It Stopping Service

jburnette · 2007-06-20, 05:49

I'm not sure if anyone noticed this yet or not but it appears that zap2it will no longer be available to those of us who use it.

From their website:

For several years we have offered a free TV listings service to hobbyists for their own personal, noncommercial use. In October of 2004 we posted here an open letter saying the future of Zap2it Labs was at risk because of certain growing misuses of the Zap2it Labs data. Unfortunately this misuse has continued and grown. These misuses, combined with other business factors have led to the decision to discontinue Zap2it Labs effective September 1, 2007.

lumpy · 2007-06-20, 16:12

So anyone have an alternative source for US guide data? is the XMLTV guys already working on scraping websites again?

djshawnee · 2007-06-20, 16:59

damn... that sucks.

actually, my zap2it stopped working when i switched to 0.2.3.0 RC1. it was working fine with 0.2.2.1. has anyone else had this problem? as of right now, when the plugin is enabled, mediaportal just freezes, and have to force a quit. has anyone else had this problem? is there a new version of the zap2it plugin that i am not aware of?

yes, and what is the alternative to zap2it now for the US?

patrick · 2007-06-20, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by djshawnee

damn... that sucks.

actually, my zap2it stopped working when i switched to 0.2.3.0 RC1. it was working fine with 0.2.2.1. has anyone else had this problem? as of right now, when the plugin is enabled, mediaportal just freezes, and have to force a quit. has anyone else had this problem? is there a new version of the zap2it plugin that i am not aware of?

MP stand alone or with the TVServer?

patrick

tonyscha · 2007-06-20, 22:08

This sucks, Now I Wonder if someone else will be offering a similar service? Will mediaportal be effected?

ZetaVu · 2007-06-21, 02:14

Several threads are covering this, looks like it will die off, I am wondering if they consider products like mythtv and media portal as commercial products? I wonder if there is a way for the myth and MP admins to contact zap2it and set up a joint linking arrangement, let individual users have access for cross-credit or restricted by program or something? Otherwise, the various free (and paid) htpc groups should set up a shared source for US/Canada and run it off donations. If all the groups link to it through a common portal, requiring ads when needed for donations (I'm thinking public television, or sending through ads from sponsors) then they should be able to support themselves without too much issues.

shred444 · 2007-07-01, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by djshawnee

damn... that sucks.

actually, my zap2it stopped working when i switched to 0.2.3.0 RC1. it was working fine with 0.2.2.1. has anyone else had this problem? as of right now, when the plugin is enabled, mediaportal just freezes, and have to force a quit. has anyone else had this problem? is there a new version of the zap2it plugin that i am not aware of?

yes, and what is the alternative to zap2it now for the US?

I am having the exact same problem. Any luck getting it to work?

Topher5000 · 2007-07-02, 23:46

I haven't had freezing, but I don't get any guide data with 0.2.3.0 & TV2. If I start MP Setup & try to config the Zap2it plugin, I get an Unhandled Exception error.
I have to re-install SQL Server & TV3, so I don't know about that.
Maybe this should be discussed in a seperate thread in a support forum?

patrick · 2007-07-04, 19:59

I don't want to hijack this thread but the ones having problems with RC1 and TV2
have you tried Zap2It-Plugin-v1.8a-(MP SVN).zip from here:
http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/or...2it-t8278.html

HTH,
patrick

vort · 2007-07-05, 16:59

Over on the GB PVR forums, some users have created some alternative programs to get EPG data from Yahoo. It looks like the programs obtain the data, parse it into an XMLTV file. If MP can read this file, this could successfully replace Zap2it when it goes down?

2007-06-20, 05:49	#1 (permalink)
jburnette Portal Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 23 Posts: 755 Thanks: 142 Thanked 105 Times in 57 Posts Country: My System	Zap2It Stopping Service I'm not sure if anyone noticed this yet or not but it appears that zap2it will no longer be available to those of us who use it. From their website: For several years we have offered a free TV listings service to hobbyists for their own personal, noncommercial use. In October of 2004 we posted here an open letter saying the future of Zap2it Labs was at risk because of certain growing misuses of the Zap2it Labs data. Unfortunately this misuse has continued and grown. These misuses, combined with other business factors have led to the decision to discontinue Zap2it Labs effective September 1, 2007.

2007-07-04, 19:59	#9 (permalink)
patrick Portal Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Southeast Age: 36 Posts: 606 Thanks: 6 Thanked 36 Times in 24 Posts Country:	I don't want to hijack this thread but the ones having problems with RC1 and TV2 have you tried Zap2It-Plugin-v1.8a-(MP SVN).zip from here: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/or...2it-t8278.html HTH, patrick __________________ US/Canadian/Mexico EPG Schedules Direct Plugin http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/sh...ad.php?t=26951 US EPG CT TV Listings Plugin http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/ct...in-t29332.html Basic Home Automation via xAP BSC enabled devices http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/sh...ad.php?t=13929 US/Canadian/Mexico EPG Zap2it Plugin http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showthread.php?t=8278

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2007-06-20, 16:12	#2 (permalink)
lumpy Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	So anyone have an alternative source for US guide data? is the XMLTV guys already working on scraping websites again?

2007-06-20, 16:59	#3 (permalink)
djshawnee Portal Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	damn... that sucks. actually, my zap2it stopped working when i switched to 0.2.3.0 RC1. it was working fine with 0.2.2.1. has anyone else had this problem? as of right now, when the plugin is enabled, mediaportal just freezes, and have to force a quit. has anyone else had this problem? is there a new version of the zap2it plugin that i am not aware of? yes, and what is the alternative to zap2it now for the US?

2007-06-20, 22:08	#5 (permalink)
tonyscha Portal Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Iowa Age: 25 Posts: 89 Thanks: 7 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Country: My System	This sucks, Now I Wonder if someone else will be offering a similar service? Will mediaportal be effected?

2007-06-21, 02:14	#6 (permalink)
ZetaVu Portal Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 161 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Several threads are covering this, looks like it will die off, I am wondering if they consider products like mythtv and media portal as commercial products? I wonder if there is a way for the myth and MP admins to contact zap2it and set up a joint linking arrangement, let individual users have access for cross-credit or restricted by program or something? Otherwise, the various free (and paid) htpc groups should set up a shared source for US/Canada and run it off donations. If all the groups link to it through a common portal, requiring ads when needed for donations (I'm thinking public television, or sending through ads from sponsors) then they should be able to support themselves without too much issues.

2007-07-02, 23:46	#8 (permalink)
Topher5000 Portal Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 164 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I haven't had freezing, but I don't get any guide data with 0.2.3.0 & TV2. If I start MP Setup & try to config the Zap2it plugin, I get an Unhandled Exception error. I have to re-install SQL Server & TV3, so I don't know about that. Maybe this should be discussed in a seperate thread in a support forum?

2007-07-05, 16:59	#10 (permalink)
vort Portal Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	Over on the GB PVR forums, some users have created some alternative programs to get EPG data from Yahoo. It looks like the programs obtain the data, parse it into an XMLTV file. If MP can read this file, this could successfully replace Zap2it when it goes down?