Quick Guide to Using Hebrew with MP 0.1.2.0

Quick Guide to Using Hebrew with MP 0.1.2.0

General
First, let me explain that this Quick Guide does not explain how to make MediaPortal have a Hebrew UI. Only how to make it use and show Hebrew filenames, etc. Notice that this method can be used for any Unicode fonts, and probably will be useful for Arabic
as well.
Basically, there are four issues to address:

1. Make the fonts include Hebrew characters.
2. Provide TV guide with channel names and program names in Hebrew.
3. Ensure correct right-to-left display for filenames (not yet )
4. Optional: Add a language to MP so on-screen will show Hebrew.

Let me emphasize that as of 0.1.2.0, MP only displays visual-ordering Hebrew, and so filenames are displayed reversed.

As for adding a language - I hope another user will post his strings.xml file for this.
Fonts
When MP is not running, go into MediaPortal/skins directory, and make a copy of your favorite skin using Ctrl-C + Ctrl-V. Then rename the skin to something nicer than "Copy of …". I use MCE_Heb.
Now go into the new skin directory. If there is a 'fonts' sub-dir, delete it.
Edit the file fonts.xml with your favorite editor (notepad is fine).
Now, in the XML format, before the </font> tag of every font, add the following (for Hebrew):

<start>32</start>
<end>1514</end>

Re-run MP, and you have Hebrew display set up.
For the benefit of users of other languages, here is how to find the correct number for the <end>:
Go to http://www.unicode.org/charts/ and find your language. Download the PDF file that holds your own language code charts. The code charts start with the range that's included. Here are the top 2 lines from the Arabic code-chart (http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0600.pdf):

Arabic
Range: 0600-06FF

The second page has the chart itself from which it is possible to see that code 06FF is occupied. Therefore, for Arabic, use:

<start>32</start>
<end>1791</end>

For Hebrew (http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0590.pdf), code 05FF is not used, and the last code used is 05F4. However, the last letter is 05EA (=1514), and the characters from 05EA to 05F4 are never used in daily life.
Warning - Don't try to use an end value of 32000, because this increases the amount of memory MP uses considerably, and also causes the first initialization to take very long.

TVGuide
I can only recommend my own setup for Israeli viewers. I have Cable, and found that TVxb (http://www.tvxb.com) is excellent. It includes ready-made ini files for 2 different TV guide web sites for Israel. What you need to do is only to download TVxb, download the ini files, and edit them a bit. More specifically, you need everything to be in visual order for MP. So:

1. Go over the channel definitions and remove the channels that don't interest you.
2. For remaining channels, add a line like this:
   

   special=hhmmtime,righttoleft
   

   It is a bit strange, because I found that some channels did not need it, so experiment a little with one channel, and see what happens.
3. Enjoy!

I will post my fonts.xml file, and TVxb.ini files later.

Thanks amit, I have not tried it yet, but it sounds like you really put a big effort into it. This should really make the diffrence between a realy great software and unusable software.
I'm away from my computer, I'll probably try it tommorow.
Can you please send the files?

Thanks.

P.S.
I noticed you have MCE, and you still decided to uses MP. Doesn't MCE do the job?
D.

Hi Doron,

First, MCE doesn't cut it. I wrestled with it for days trying to force it to use my capture card. No capture-card => no MCE :-( And this is a card that is supposedly listed as supported... Don't know what's wrong.

Second, I couldn't see how to force MCE to accept the output of XMLTV or TVxb, so no TVGuide. And no TVGuide is like third-league for someone who built a system for the purpose of TV more than for the Videos / Music.

Lastly, I can't say that MP does the job for me either (yet)
It keeps crashing and hanging. But the Hebrew works nicely...

A.

Forgot to say, I am also away from home. Will post the files in a few hours. They'll be here, I promise.

Hi all,

Here's my MCE_Heb fonts.xml file:

<fonts>
  <font>
    <name>font10</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>10</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font12</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>12</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font13</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>13</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font14</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>14</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font16</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>16</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font18</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>18</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>dingbats</name>
    <filename>dingbats</filename>
    <height>24</height>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>font72</name>
    <filename>Arial</filename>
    <height>72</height>
    <start>48</start>
    <end>58</end>
  </font>
  <font>
    <name>fontSVT</name>
    <filename>Courier New</filename>
    <height>13</height>
    <start>32</start>
    <end>1514</end>
  </font>
</fonts>

Hi again.

Here's my TVxb.ini file. I must warn that I cannot guarantee it works. It works for me is all.

I must also give credit where it is due. Huge portions of this were copied from the TVxb ini files from http://tvxb.com/country/il-ini.html.

I have noticed that they just posted a new ini file. I plan to see if I can integrate it and will post if yes.

[Update: 3-June-2005 - File updated as promised, this is the new file.]

File: TVxb.ini

! TVxb Version 1.0068

!----------------------------------------------------
! Channel definition for Israel
! List downloads from ynet.co.il site
!
! Note:
!   This is a first attempt to read the ynet listings.
!
!   Not all channels are shown here. If you add more channels from the ynet site, then please share
!   through the feedback page.
!   
!   Some of the channel-ids ([xxxx.il]) and name=items need to be corrected.
!
!   Each schedule page contains 1 week of listings. So days=1,+7 is needed.
!
! Version 0.1 (beta)
!
! Last updated: 
!
! Update history:
! 22/05/2005 - Initial release
!
!----------------------------------------------------

!--main parameters--
!xmltvoutput="C:\Program Files\TVxb\xml\xmltv.xml"
xmltvoutput=C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\tvguide.xml
htmlencoding=windows-1255
xmlencoding=utf-8
lang=he
auto=yes
days=1,+7
special=hhmmtime,righttoleft
schedulefiller=no schedule,60
!--end of main parameters--

! Other Information on Main Parameters:
!

! Insert channel schedule information below this line
!----------------------------------------------------
[1.il]
name=1 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/223502/11.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26744&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[2.il]
name=2 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/223503/22.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26751&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[10.il]
name=10 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/226204/10.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=96817&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[3.il]
name=HOT 3
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/18052003/269393/33_ot.jpg
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26080&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![france2.il]
!name=France 2
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217422/france2.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26783&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[hot1.il]
name=HOT םיטרס
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26786&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![hot2.il]
!name=HOT פריים 
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer2 /03072003/315730/prime_cinema.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=96820&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![hot3.il]
!name=HOT פאן 
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33795&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![hot4.il]
!name=HOT דרמה 
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33791&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![hot5.il]
!name=HOT אקשן 
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33796&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[5.il]
name=5 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217391/5.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26787&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[23.il]
name=23 תיכוניח
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/223504/23.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26752&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[24.il]
name=24 הקיסומ
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer2 /03072003/339827/24_music.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=296768&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[33.il]
name=33 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/223505/33.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26762&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![555.il]
!name=ביפ
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/224555/bip.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33800&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![829.il]
!name=לוגי
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer2 /03072003/339829/logi.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=296770&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![foxkids.il]
!name=Fox Kids
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217421/foxkids.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26775&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![cartoon.il]
!name=Cartoon Network
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217403/CARTOON.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26754&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[kniot.il]
name=תוינקה ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217447/KNIOT.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26750&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[cnn.il]
name=CNN 
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217405/CNN.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26745&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[skynews.il]
name=SkyNews
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217469/skynews.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26771&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![bbcworld.il]
!name=BBC World
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217398/BBCW.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26770&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[8.il]
name=8 ץורע
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/218159/8.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26100&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![history.il]
!name=History
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217435/HISTORY.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26748&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[natgeo.il]
name=NGC
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217456/NATIONAL.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26746&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![81.il]
!name=טבע הדברים 
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=369081&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[axn.il]
name=AXN
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217395/axn.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33775&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![mgm.il]
!name=MGM
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217453/mgm.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26739&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![tcm.il]
!name=TCM
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217471/TCM.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26756&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[hallmark.il]
name=Hallmark
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/02202003/246399/hallmark_35x35px.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26755&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[euro.il]
name=EuroSport
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217417/EURO.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26758&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[espn.il]
name=ESPN
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217416/ESPN.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26760&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[mtv.il]
name=MTV
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217454/MTV.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26764&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[vh11.il]
name=VH1
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/218083/vh11.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26766&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[metv.il]
name=METV
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217452/metv.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33770&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[ftv.il]
name=FTV
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217426/FTV.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26763&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![sat1.il]
!name=SAT 1
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217465/sat1.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26772&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![3sat.il]
!name=SAT 3
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/90711/3SAT.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26773&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![tv5.il]
!name=TV5 - צרפת 
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217472/tv5europe.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=96794&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

[bbcprime.il]
name=BBC Prime
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217397/BBCP.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26757&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[viva.il]
name=VIVA
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217476/VIVA.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26749&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

[starworld.il]
name=StarWorld
icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/113877/starworld3.gif
url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33765&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
days=1
start=2
title=1

![zeetv.il]
!name=ZEE TV
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/290702/217488/zeetv.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=26784&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![adventure1.il]
!name=Adventure 1
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33801&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

![reality.il]
!name=Reality TV
!icon=http://www.ynet.co.il/PicServer/141002/218142/realty_tv.gif
!url=http://www.ynet.co.il/home/1,7340,L-1422,00.html?hdnSearchType=0&lstChannels=33805&lstDate=[fixedday=today,dd/mm/yyyy]
!days=1
!start=2
!title=1

Enjoy!

I tried only the font changes. It did not do the work for me . All my Hebrew media file names keep being displayed from left ot right. This is something I easily did before by altering the strings.xml language file.

To use your file, I first did the changes by your instructions. Then I changed the skin in the options to the new one. Did I forget anything?

Hi,

Just updated the previous posts. No, for now filenames that appear correct in Windows will appear reversed in MP... Sorry.

Can you tell me exactly what is working for you and what is not?

Specifically, you wrote:

This is something I easily did before by altering the strings.xml language file.

Can you explain?

Maybe you can post your strings.xml file?

Thanks,

There was a long discussions about it, but for some reason none of the participants talk about it anymore.
See strings.xml. As part of translating the software to Hebrew, it fixes the display of Hebrew fonts, but does not make it right-to-left. It should be located in ".../langauge/Hebrew" directory. You can see the encoding was changed to "ISO-8859-8-I", and the number of characters was increased to 2047.

As for the right-to-left issue, it seems that yuvalr wrote a patch that fixes it. But for some reason its status is "closed" though it does not seem to be integrated into the software.

But let's remain optimistic...