EPG USA setup using xmltv. STICK THIS!

[Athfar]

OK, I'm sure people have gone over this billions of times, but because I have had the same stupid things go wrong over and over. I am bringing you an updated USA guide post for anyone installing on 0.2 RC2. This is also for me to reference next time I crash my box hehe.

** Registering for your listings using Zap2it **
1) Visit http://labs.zap2it.com/.
2) Register for an account using the certificate code ZYZM-TE5O-SBUT (this is specified when you run xmltv.exe grabber --configure as well).
3) Setup your listings/lineups for your area using the zap2it website.
4) Also note, zap2it subscriptions expire every 3 months. All this means is you will have to relogin and resubscribe.

** Media Portal Configuration **
1) Install MediaPortal package. (no brainer)
2) Download the latest version of xmltv (0.5.42 today) here.
3) Extract only the contents of the xmltv-0.5.42-win32 directory (its in the zip) into your c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\xmltv\ directory.
4) Run "Setup Mediaportal" and skip through the wizard because stuff in the wizard never works for me. Then run it again so you get the regular looking setup GUI.
5) Goto Television > Program Guide. Uncheck "Use time zone information from XMLTV file." Set your "Compensate time zone" to your time zone (ie: mine is -6 for CST).
6) Goto the "Scheduler" tab. Set the "Grabber" to tv_grab_na_dd. Click "Run Grabber."
7) This should run the --configure command for xmltv. If it doesn't bring a command prompt up and ask you for a time zone offset skip down to the bottom to "Manual xmltv --configure".
8) For Timezone offset set +0000. All other settings are explained well or default. This command added all the channels for xmltv to grab in the tv_grab_na_dd.conf. This will also go ahead and grab all the data as well. If you dont see "Downloaded XXXX programs in..." you've done something wrong.

** Manual xmltv --configure **
1) Open command prompt (windows key r > cmd). Type cd c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\xmltv. Type xmltv tv_grab_dd_na --configure. Resume Step 8 from above.
2) Also run the "Run Grabber" again so that you can actually get the data instead of just setting up your .conf.

** Notes about time zone offset settings **
In the RC2 I have never been able to "Get time zone data from the XMLTV file" because if it did get that data you shouldn't have to set the offset (atleast thats why I would think). If you are having problems with your times being off, make sure you are following this guide from a fresh install (delete the mediaportal directory). This is the only way I know of getting the time zone stuff to work as it should.

** Windows Task Scheduler Settings **
Well, this stuff works pretty much how it is. Set your administrator account and password (or another user that has rights to create tasks).

I tried to italicize any information that may be different if you are configuring this for another country, or in a different directory.
Thats pretty much it. Feel free to post anything I have missed.
I do take donations via Paypal... haha just kidding

-Chris

[mackworth]

when I tell it to run grabber in step 6, I get a file not found exception. This is on a fresh install. I haven't been able to find anything in the forum about this. Any ideas?

C:\Documents and Settings\My User Name>"C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\
MediaPortal\TVGuideScheduler.exe"
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified
The following exception was raised:
The system cannot find the path specified

Unhandled Exception: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file 'C:\Do
cuments and Settings\My User Name\xmltv\TVguide1.xml'.
File name: 'C:\Documents and Settings\My User Name\xmltv\TVguide1.xml'
at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
at System.IO.FileInfo.get_Length()
at MediaPortal.TVGuideScheduler.GetGuideData.Main(Str ing[] options)

Also, Manually running xmltv through your instruction works.

[RickWesh]

Quick note here!
If you look at the Zap2It website in the forum, XMLTV doesn't support timezone designation, merely Timezone offset.

I'm in Northwest USA and my offset is set to -9.5. This gives me accurate EPG data.

Also, delete MP in order to correct your settings; hmmmm. Try changing the offset, hit the 'Remove All Programs from TV Database' then run the Grabber.

There is an website that has the correct TZ for anywhere planetwide but I can't seem to find it in my bookmarks. Google for Timezone.

I would like to state that the guide offered here is an excellent source and should in no way be discredited.

[uketommyv]

i have problems too , when i put in my user name and password , i get this error


WARNING: error parsing DD xml: ERROR: FETCH ERROR401 Unauthorized at /PerlApp/grab/na_dd/tv_grab_na_dd line 705.

Bad XML from DD, cannot continue.

how can i fix this stuff?

[wishywashy]

What version of xmltv are you useing? Did the configure portion work correctly?

[uketommyv]

yea i think it did all of the other steps worked fine , its just this

i think it might be something wrong with my anti virus

i have the norton internet security , but its hard to tell , any idea?

[uketommyv]

oh its the new one i think i just tried this

[wishywashy]

can you post the first 5 or so lines of your tv_grab_na_dd.conf file (minus user/pass)? You can find it in the /xmltv/.xmltv directory.

[Tech Geek]

Originally Posted by uketommyv

i have problems too , when i put in my user name and password , i get this error


WARNING: error parsing DD xml: ERROR: FETCH ERROR401 Unauthorized at /PerlApp/grab/na_dd/tv_grab_na_dd line 705.

Bad XML from DD, cannot continue.

how can i fix this stuff?

It means the login failed. Either your username or password is bad or you don't have an account set up to log into.

I ran into it today when I typed the wrong password when setting up my new HTPC.

BTW, it's a real PITA to have to uninstall/reinstall MP if the tv guide gets messed up. I had to wipe it out completely.
If anyone knows what files to delete or mod this would save a lot of people hours of work.
I also had difficulty with it trying to force a european guide on me if I used the wizzard to set it up. I might have clicked the wrong thing though. I think it's best to skip that step in the wizzard if you are in the US or you'll have to clean out the database.

[Tech Geek]

Originally Posted by Tech Geek

I also had difficulty with it trying to force a european guide on me if I used the wizzard to set it up. I might have clicked the wrong thing though. I think it's best to skip that step in the wizzard if you are in the US or you'll have to clean out the database.

Ok, I checked it out and it's giving me the UK guide.
Didn't select it but that's what it grabbed.