EPG help in USA (1 Viewer)

[Andrew H]

How did that go with the Donate Version and the Season/Episode shortfall? I too have dabbled in this arena, first using Schedules Direct and last year I ventured out onto the mc2xml route... As you've noticed, sometimes the show had S/E and sometimes not. The SD plug-in author has created a lookup such that it will go get them from TVDB based in the episode name... not sure of all the intricacies whether it searches only if non-existant or grabs them for each show you want to record whether or not there is an entry from SD's data. I'd prefer the later as what I'm getting from microsoft.com (via mc2xml) often has the incorrect S/E or at least it doesn't match what tvdb is using which messes up TV-Series.

 

[Andrew H]

Has anyone got 100% reliable Series/Episode data?

Sorry, not a guru here... couldn't figure out the whole EPG thing so I just opted to pay the $20/yr for Schedules Direct and use the Schedules Direct plug-in. No fuss (for me anyway). With more than $1200.00 invested in my HTPC, and MP is free ... and free OTA TV, I don't mind paying for a few other small conveniences.

- Chuck

How well is your TV-Series working with the SchedulesDirect info? What I mean is these providers seem to have issue presenting the correct Season/Episode numbers and sometimes simply do not. I know the dude managing the SD Plug-in has created a tab to go and poll the myTVDB and obtain them when they're not present - do you find that's working or are there enough "bad" S/E entries already inside the SD data to cause you grief?

I mention this because, as you said, what's $20/year if it works right out o' the box. On the other hand, I'm currently using mc2xml and the microsoft.com data (which is hit & miss on S/E population and accuracy) and am now dabbling with this new episodescanner utility to do the same as the SD's "tab." If it works out I may expand a small C++ app (a buddy o' mine wrote) to clear all of the SeriesEpisode values which would force this episodescanner utility to grab the S/E data for every show I have scheduled since there would be none left in the MP database to query.

As I say, how's the quality of the SD data and the SD plug-in for you?

Thanks

 

[ap90033]

How did that go with the Donate Version and the Season/Episode shortfall? I too have dabbled in this arena, first using Schedules Direct and last year I ventured out onto the mc2xml route... As you've noticed, sometimes the show had S/E and sometimes not. The SD plug-in author has created a lookup such that it will go get them from TVDB based in the episode name... not sure of all the intricacies whether it searches only if non-existant or grabs them for each show you want to record whether or not there is an entry from SD's data. I'd prefer the later as what I'm getting from microsoft.com (via mc2xml) often has the incorrect S/E or at least it doesn't match what tvdb is using which messes up TV-Series.

Didnt help at all and I am out 20 bucks. Sigh, I went back to Media Center as it just works.