At wits end with EPG. Please help (1 Viewer)

[spleisher]

TV-Server Version: 1.0
MediaPortal Version:
MediaPortal Skin: StreamedMP
Windows Version: Vista Ultimate
CPU Type: Pentium Dual 2.5
HDD: 1TB
Memory: 2GB
Motherboard: Asus
Video Card: GeForce 9300
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Hauppauge 2250
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hello everyone! I know this isn't the first time this has been th most difficult part of someone's MP setup, so I really appreciate your patience and guidance in pointing me in the direction of a solution to the issues I am having.

To make a long story a little shorter, I've now spent Hours upon hours upon hours trying to get some sort of programming guide set up.

I started with WebEPG combined with the XMLTV plugin, and really got nowhere in the end. Once, I was able to get some of the analog channels scanned in, but they were all mapped to the wrong channels. After trying to test a few manually, I'm no longer getting any actual program data into the XML file, just a channel listing at best.

I had heard good things about the SchedulesDirect service, and I'm CERTAINLY willing to cough up a lousy $20 a year to get that working, but now that has turned into a nightmare as well. I installed their plugin according to the directions on the download page, and I'm getting nothing there either. I THINK the plugin re-ordered my channels once, but I'm not seeing anything "change" related to EPG after enabling and configuring the plugin. I even re-scanned all my channels into the TV-Server config, but that's not helping.

I'm actually a network admin, and have been for about 10 years, so I'm not green to working with computers. But it just seems to me that getting a working EPG should not bet this complex.

There's nothing particularly magical about my setup. I have a hauppauge 2250, and the TV Server config sees all 4 tuners. I have the cards grouped the way I am supposed to, and I can scan in channels. I just can't get any form of EPG to work.

I'll take any idea at this point. If there is more I need to know about the TV-Server config to make the SchedulesDirect plugin work, I'm willing to go that route. If there is an easy way to get my schdules direct lineup into XML format for the XMLTV plugin to pick it up, I'm cool with that too. If ababndoning schedulesdirect is the way to go, fine. It just seems like no matter which direction I go, I'm running into a dead-end.

PLEASE help!!!!

And thanks!!!!!

 

[bazzz]

The first thing I would do would be to remove all your existing channels then let the SD plugin get them fresh (select the option to force an update next time the server starts; then start and stop the TV server). Maybe post some screenshots of what you can see in the TV server config.

 

[spleisher]

I actually aready removed all the channels and scanned them back in per the VERY SHORT directions included on the doanload page for the SD plugin. I did that on the card configuration page under /TV Servers/%servername%/%cardname%

There's no way that I can see from the SD plugin to do much from there other than enable it, and then wait for it to do its thing. In my case that really seems to be nothing.

I don't want this to sound bad, but the trouble with a lot of these little plug-ins is that there is really NO real documentation to be found, except for some very short steps to take to "run" the plugin. I know it's open source, and you get what you pay for, so I don't mean to sound like I'm looking a gift-horse in the mouth here... but if people really do care about the apps they develop and want them to be sueful for people, there really has to be some docs. Sorry for the rant...

Anyway, let's assume for a second that the SD plugin DID work for a second. WHere would I see the results? Would the challes in TV-Server config just have information next to them as opposed to just "unknown" under the "provider" comlumn? Od I have to jst do a drum-roll and open MP to see if something is in there?

Are there other settings in TV-Server config that have to be set a certain way for the SD plugin to work? Like, for example, on the "EPG" tab of the General Settings menu.

The trouble with the SD plugin, and really all of the ones I have tried (Like WebEPG, coupled with the XmlTv plugin, is that I just feel like I'm taking a shot in the dark. I don't feel like there is any path to go down in the troubleshooting process.

Anyway, thanks again.

Bazzz, when you say "remove all existing channels"... do you mean delete them from the "TV Channels" menu right underneath the TV Servers menu??? If I do that, I have to re-scan them in with my tuner(s). I've done that more than a couple of times, and it doesn't seem to do any good.

Thanks....

 

[moab]

I actually aready removed all the channels and scanned them back in per the VERY SHORT directions included on the doanload page for the SD plugin. I did that on the card configuration page under /TV Servers/%servername%/%cardname%

There's no way that I can see from the SD plugin to do much from there other than enable it, and then wait for it to do its thing. In my case that really seems to be nothing.

I don't want this to sound bad, but the trouble with a lot of these little plug-ins is that there is really NO real documentation to be found, except for some very short steps to take to "run" the plugin. I know it's open source, and you get what you pay for, so I don't mean to sound like I'm looking a gift-horse in the mouth here... but if people really do care about the apps they develop and want them to be sueful for people, there really has to be some docs. Sorry for the rant...

Anyway, let's assume for a second that the SD plugin DID work for a second. WHere would I see the results? Would the challes in TV-Server config just have information next to them as opposed to just "unknown" under the "provider" comlumn? Od I have to jst do a drum-roll and open MP to see if something is in there?

Are there other settings in TV-Server config that have to be set a certain way for the SD plugin to work? Like, for example, on the "EPG" tab of the General Settings menu.

The trouble with the SD plugin, and really all of the ones I have tried (Like WebEPG, coupled with the XmlTv plugin, is that I just feel like I'm taking a shot in the dark. I don't feel like there is any path to go down in the troubleshooting process.

Anyway, thanks again.

Bazzz, when you say "remove all existing channels"... do you mean delete them from the "TV Channels" menu right underneath the TV Servers menu??? If I do that, I have to re-scan them in with my tuner(s). I've done that more than a couple of times, and it doesn't seem to do any good.

Thanks....

I agree EPG is the most frustrating part.
Finally I think I have found a transparent working solution.
Big caveat is that I only just found this out and I am still working on it so bear with me.
I will write up a detail instructions when I am done.

Summary from my memory (use at your own risk)...
Use MC2XML.exe available at mc2xml.
Extract it and save a copy in your program files/team-mediaportal/tv server folder
Also download and save the xmltv.dtd to the same folder.
You can pull your channels down from Schedules Direct using the -T usernameassword option.
Run the exe and it will generate an xmltv.xml file.
rename it to tvguide.xml
At this point you have your EPG data file.

Now open the TV server config,
Plugins,
Enable the XMLTV plugin
Expand it.
Click force.
Click the second tab to map your MP TV channels to the downloaded TV guide channels.

 

[wiseman]

prior gbpvr

I had a prvs versn of gbpvr and the xml generated by mc2xml was shared by gbpvr and mp. This was causing problems, but then I created a separate folder for MP xml and it worked.