YAY: Automate switching the Channel List to external sources

This should save your fingers from some mouse-bound and typing torture and all you need is to tell Notepad to do all the work for you. I've done this twice myself and it works great, but haven't had anyone else try it to confirm it works. The XML guide files don't seem to care what order the <entry> tags are in so I didn't run into any problems.

Warning: If you have edited your channel list in Media Portal configure program, you will need to clear it and re-import it from the tvguide for this to work properly. If you feel queezy about doing this just from my word alone, you can use XML export to backup your current channel list settings (export as channellist_old.xml or something)

1. In Media Portal configure program, import all channels from tvguide
2. export list to an XML file (channelist_clean.xml or something)
3. Open XML file in Notepad
4. Use Find/replace to switch
<entry name="number">
with
<entry name="Exernal Tuner Channel">

That changes all of your internal (TV tuner) channels to external ones without forcing you to re-enter 1000 numbers. But now you need to denote that the incoming source is Svideo or composite. So...

5. You now have two fields marked as "External Tuner Channel" so Use find/replace to switch
<entry name="External Tuner Channel"></entry>
with
<entry name="number">50000</entry>

For some reason, when a chanel is set as an external source the number field is then used NOT for the channel number, but to denote what type of external signal is being used. 50000 denotes S-Video (most of the time) and 50001 denotes composite #1 and so on. You can double check these later.

But wait! You still need to mark all the channels as external! Easy!
6. Use Find/Replace to switch
<entry name="External">no</entry>
with
<entry name="External">yes</entry>

7. Save the file under a new name (channellist_edited.xml or something)
7. In Media Portal configure program, Clear your channel list (don't worry, you exported it as a seperate XML file earlier)
8. In Media Portal configure program, import from XML the file you just made (channellist_edited.xml)

This swip-swap should have flipped all the channel numbers and source settings. If this messed up your list you have your original exported XML channellist that you can reload. This is the process I figured out for myself and it seems to have worked just fine and I can actually see my directv channels now. Let me know if you run into any problems.

Please explain exactly what MP setup screen and button to push to "export to xml". I can find nothing that exports my channels. I've tried "Backup" and this blows saying I have no RecordedTV, etc.

thanks!

[qawaali]

spockware,

Run Configuration.exe either from your Mediaportal directory or a shortcut on your desktop.

Navigate to Televison>Tv Channels.

Press Backup in the bottom right. Select a name for the file and just press 'ok' if any errors pop up. They are typically telling you things such as "you have no files in your recorded TV database etc.' Igonre these they are just for information.

Regards

Pete

Originally Posted by qawaali

spockware,

Run Configuration.exe either from your Mediaportal directory or a shortcut on your desktop.

Navigate to Televison>Tv Channels.

Press Backup in the bottom right. Select a name for the file and just press 'ok' if any errors pop up. They are typically telling you things such as "you have no files in your recorded TV database etc.' Igonre these they are just for information.

Regards

Pete

I have followed this sequence of events many times
I get "ChannelList.xml does not exist. Do you want to create it?"

Click Yes

Pop-up window = "No groups to export"

Click OK

Pop-up window = "There is no Recorded TV data to export"

Click OK

Pop-up window = "There is no Recording TV data to export"

Click OK

Then.... no ChannelList.xml to be found. :x

I guess I will post as a bug rather than continue to ruin this Tips & Tricks tread if it works for others...

[mevo]

You can run the SQL tool:
\Docs\SQLite Database Browser.exe

Open the database:
\database\TVDatabaseV21.db3 (or whatever yours is called)

And run the SQL command:
update channel set iChannelNr = '2500' || iChannelNr , bExternal = 1 , ExternalChannel = iChannelNr

Anyone know how to batch/bulk change the Setting that correlates to:
External Tab -> Input Via Field
and set it to SVHS