EPG Collector for MHEG5, EIT, OpenTV & MediaHighway

EPG Grabber for MHEG5(DSMCC), EIT, OpenTV & MediaHighway

After alot of frustration at EPG grabbers that worked of web site scraping myself & Steve combined to create an application and I have sucessfully used it with MP for the last 6 months.

EPG Collector is a Windows command line utility for grabbing EPG data directly from the DVB data streams and creating an XMLTV compliant file. It has been used succesfully by several hundred users for several months in NZ for collecting EIT and MHEG5 data for Freeview and Pay TV providers. Unlike some other EPG Grabbers this does NOT require an Internet connection as it obtains its data directly from the transmission stream.

The new version provides an easy GUI to configure the application and once it is done you just create a batch file and schedule it to run as often as you like (I do it in the early hours of the morning). I then use the MP XMLTV plugin to import the data from the output of EPG Collector.

It is an open source project and can collect a full 7 day EPG in around 2 minutes. It is available on Sourceforge at EPG Collector | Download EPG Collector software for free at SourceForge.net

There is a large community of users who can help at [EPG] MHEG5 EPG Data Collector

There is a Help (EPG Collector.chm) file available from within the Configuration Utility.

I will monitor this thread for any issues. Please use it for support rather than Sourceforge.

This is an ongoing and supported project. The aim is to develop a program that can support all known formats of EPG that are broadcast today. Four down, Freesat is on its way ...

Regards
Brad

Been using the utility for months now and can say it works a treat. I use a simple batch script that is run several times a week in the wee small hours of the day and the existing XMLTV plug-in to upload the file it produces.

Don't know if it works for dutch (DVB-S) users; but i get the message: (Also tried MediaHighway2)

Yes it should work fine. However there is a fault in the GUI in that the collection type is wrong.

Manually edit the ini file so that it ends with MHW1 instead of MediaHighway1 and try it again.

We would be very interested in knowing how it goes. We have tested it mainly on an MHW1 feed from Poland with a small amount of data from the frequency you are using.

Could you give us some feedback on your results? It would be much appreciated and we will make sure it works reliably for you.

Steve

Hi There,

Got your log file and INI file and there are a couple things you haven't set correctly

Most importantly I think you have the wrong frequency for Mediahighway and the wrong Azimuth (see Options Service - Siehfern/MHW - DVBViewer).

Form the log file...

Try this and let me know how it goes

- Open the Configuration Utility
- Click 'New File'
- Select the Satellite tab and click 'Enable Satellite'.
- Select your satellite (19.2E Astra 1H,1KR,1L,1M)
- Change the Satellite Azimuth to be 192
- Change the Scanning frequency to 12515000 - Linear Horizontal.
- Select the Services tab and then click 'Scan' - this may take a minute or two.
- Check the channels you want to collect data for
- Save the file as 'EPG Collector.ini' in the install directory (over-write the sample INI file)

This will correctly set your INI file. You can then run the EPG Collector application and it will use these settings.

If this fails send me the log and INI files.

You can also try manually editing the INI file and replace it all with this...

[GENERAL]
Output=TVGuide.xml
Timeouts=10,300
[DVBS]
TuningFile=19.2°E Astra 1H,1KR,1L,1M.xml
ScanningFrequency=12515000,22000,5/6,H,MediaHighway1
Dish=9750000,10750000,11700000
Satellite=192

Hope this all makes sense. Let me know how it goes. As Steve said - you'll be the first in the Netherlands so I'm sure we can get there in the end

Brad

It's MediaHighway2, instead of 1; thx for the link...; freq. was ok, also as stated; the GUI misforms the INI file; MediaHighway2>MHW2
But it runs for 3 mins or so; but no data in xml file. (Or Canal Digital; here in netherlands has some EPG issues); i will try again tommorow.

Question1:
Do i need to fill in Location/Area/Region?

Question2:
Can't use the EPGCollector when TVservice is active correct? (device in use..)

I have a small transport stream dump (approx 20 secs) from 12515H and it only contains MHW1 not MHW2. The only MHW2 feed I have come across so far is on 19.2e but is 10847V.

You don't need location/area/region and it needs exclusive access to a tuner. I think I may have read somewhere that TVService frees the tuner(s) if they have been idle for 60 secs but don't quote me on that. The Aussie MC forum has had some posts on this subject here EPG Grabber for Foxtel/OpenTV

Incidentally we a developing a plugin that will run the Collector seamlessly with DVBLogic. It should be around in a month or two.

Anyway have a go with MHW1 and let us know how it goes.

Cheers

Steve

Tried MHW1, again no data on several frequencies (3 channels tried; RTL4,SBS6 and the EPG channel from the provider)

On RTL4 i had succes; but those are german channels; but again no data.
[12343000,27500,3/4,H,MHW2]

Can you post the whole of the log for the 12515H run.

Thanks

Steve

Firstly, many thanks for your hard work and effort.

I have one DVB-C card for Foxtel cable and I have to stop the TV Service before the grabber can access the card to run.

Am I correct in assuming this is a MP issue, is there any known workaround?

Thanks in advance