EPG guide for Ireland, using NTL

[timmfive]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.0 RC2 (2005-12-16)
Windows Version: Windows XP (SP2)
.NET CLR Version: 2.0.50727
DirectX Version: 4.09.00.0904 (9.0c)
Audio Codec: MPEG/AC3/DTS/LPCM Audio Decoder
Video Codec: Mpeg2Dec Filter
CPU Type: Intel Pentium 4 - 3.00GHz
Memory: 1 GB
TV Card Model: Hauppauge PVR500MCE (b)
TV Card Driver: 2.0.35.23348
Video Card Model: Radeon X850 Series (256 MB)
Video Card Driver: 8.205-060104a-029602C-ATI

The other night I got the EPG working for NTL-digital (NTLworld).
I only have the analogue basic channels connected to my Hauppauge PVR-500 at the moment via coax.
(Will obviously need an IRblaster and will have to pipe the digital channels via SCART to s-video cable, but that is another day's work!)

I basically followed LarryGB's (North American) guide on one of the popular sticky posts.
1) Download latest rev of XMLTV.
2) Install XMLTV into "\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv"
3) Open command window in above path and type "xmltv tv_grab_uk_rt --configure"
4) This step is a bit of a pain, you have to select "yes/no" for each channel. Up arrow is a quick way to keep selection no.
Selecting all the channel is unmanagable and caused me grief in MediaPortal, so I just selected yes for the following set:
Discover, Channel4, E4, RTE1, etc, etc...(ie: "basic" analogue NTL)
5) Once your done selecting the 16 channels you have to update all the EPG info.
Type "edit update.bat", in the editor type the following: "xmltv.exe tv_grab_uk_rt --days 7 --output tvguide.xml".
Save the file and that will take you out of the editor and back to the DOS prompt.
6) Type "update", it should pull down all the info... takes 5 minutes.
7) In Windows, goto "\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\database" and rename "TVDatabase.db3" to "TVDatabase.db3_old".
8- Close MediaPortal GUI and open the MediaPortal Config, goto Television | Program GUide.
Make sure it is set to correct path (ie C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv).
I think I might have clicked that button, update xmltv with timezone... but I dont' think it will matter... just verify...
9) Again, in MediaPortal Config, goto Television | TVchannels.
If you have hacked around adding channels, may I recommend you back them up. Then "clear" them.
Now click "import from tvguide". The program looks like it hangs, but be patient... it will pull them in after a few minutes.
10) This is a bit of a pain, but I had to configure each of the 16 channels to have a unique channel number and correct frequency.
I followed these frequencies here: http://www.ntl.com/locales/ie/en/athome/frequency.html
Except I added the extra .25 Mhz to each, as I noticed MP did this during the "autoscan"... doubt it really matters that much.
So, for example, if you double right-click Discovery, you can set it to CH1 and set the freq to 48.25 Mhz.
Then double right-click the next one... say Channel4, make it CH2 and set it to 56.25 Mhz...etc.
11) Final step is to click on the "TV Cards" tab and make sure all your Channels are added to the card(s)...
12) OK the changes in the Config prog, open up the GUI, click on TV, and Guide, and you should see your basic NTL channels there.
Beats the sh1t out of NTL's feeble Digital EPG... alot more like Sky's. Click to record, etc...

Now to iron out the rest of the bugs in my overall PVR/HTPC-esqe system!

TIm

[Deco]

Also give Alan Birtles XMLTV GUI Grabber a go (http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/). Much easier to configure than using the XMLTV command line.
I have Media Portal configured just to use the 'tvguide.xml' grabber and set windows Task Scheduler to run "XmltvGUI.exe /Grab" every week. Works OK!

Deco.

[James]

Hi guys,

I've just added a config for www.rte.ie to WebEPG. It only has two 2 days worth of guide information.

Not all channels are yet available. However, that is not difficult.

If anyones interested to test it out and give me some feedback that would be great. (It will be available in CVSs from the 31.01.2006.)

Also let me know if there are any other guide sites of interest.

Cheers,

/James

[Deco]

Thanks James; haven't ventured myself into the realms of the WebEPG. Hope to do so with the next official MediaPortal release.

Deco.

[Deco]

Originally Posted by James

Hi guys,

I've just added a config for www.rte.ie to WebEPG. It only has two 2 days worth of guide information.

Not all channels are yet available. However, that is not difficult.

If anyones interested to test it out and give me some feedback that would be great. (It will be available in CVSs from the 31.01.2006.)

Also let me know if there are any other guide sites of interest.

Cheers,

/James

Hi James,

I'm using WebEPG now and very impressed - very simple operation compared to other methods.

I've updated "www_rte_ie.xml" (mainly to get listings for Channel 6, which is a new station on NTL here). I've also updated "1-xmltv_radiotimes_com.xml" to include UTV and "channels.xml" to include Channel 6.

Deco.