Freesat EPG in UK anyone? (4 Viewers)

[Mew]

My apologies.

After reading your comment I just went downstairs to check and the Freesat EPG runs out on Friday so it clearly has stopped collecting any further data.

 

[RobNorthcott]

There is data in the tvguide.xml file but importing the file into xmltv fails on my system.

What I missed first time is to make the XMLTv plugin do its "map channels" thing, otherwise it only imported channel data and not program data. After that it worked for me (but does take a very long time, with the TVServer setup looking like it's frozen until the import finishes)

The output file location caused a few problems for me - I tried to make it save the xml file in the normal MP ProgramData but it wouldn't let me (probably just user rights but I couldn't be bothered to investigate), so I saved it in its own folder. It needs another file with it to make it work apparently (in the TVServer folder in ProgramData there's an xmltv folder I think from memory, with a readme file that says which file it needs- I just copied that extra file into the same directory as the xml file and it seems happy).

 

[technoweary]

What I missed first time is to make the XMLTv plugin do its "map channels" thing

All that seemed to go well with the mapping matching up very well for the channels I want in my guide. It looks like the EPG collector was set up in a different OS, maybe Win8. It appears to expect a different file structure to the Win7 OS. I discovered that you have to 'Browse' the paths into the application, as if you are confirming or refreshing the defaults, otherwise it installs the files and then fails to find them!
It did seem very swift when downloading the program data, very impressed with the speed considering it is downloading the sky package. But of course that's maybe why I have no guide!
Did you use the built in MP xmltv from frodo or install a diffent package?

 

[404]

The built in XMLTV plugin works fine...

 

[RobNorthcott]

It did seem very swift when downloading the program data, very impressed with the speed considering it is downloading the sky package. But of course that's maybe why I have no guide!
Did you use the built in MP xmltv from frodo or install a diffent package?

I'm at home now so not just typing stuff from memory Yes, the download by EPG Creator is actually not too slow - only about a minute or so. The importing into MP by xmltv takes quite a time though. But it works fine using the normal xmltv plugin - you do need the "xmltv.dtd" file in the same directory as the guide xml file though apparently.

 

[404]

But you only need to do one manual grab with the XMLTV plugin so the amount of time taken is not really a factor, after that any change in the EPG collector output folder is automatically detected and the new file is added to the database in the background.

 

[RobNorthcott]

But you only need to do one manual grab with the XMLTV plugin so the amount of time taken is not really a factor, after that any change in the EPG collector output folder is automatically detected and the new file is added to the database in the background.

That is a fair point. I've got it running on a schedule at night now anyway, so it doesn't matter how long it takes to import, but you're right - if it happens in the background then it could be done at any time.
Anyway, the important thing is that it works

 

[JJDoherty]

Just an FYI on this, I'm using 2 different EPG source, one broadcast over DBV-T2 and the other is Freesat, which last night at least, was working as expected with the next 7 days EPG filled. I can double check and confirm tonight what channel I'm using for the Freesat EPG on my TV config...

Sorry for the delay on this but work and worldwide pandemics, ye know yerself!

Anyway, the channel I am using to get the Freesat EPG is "Freesat Info" available in radio channels of the TV Setup config...

 

[kenwonders]

Just noticed mine has stopped too

 

[Jasmeet_181]

Anyway, the channel I am using to get the Freesat EPG is "Freesat Info" available in radio channels of the TV Setup config...

DBR indicates that Freesat Info was removed completely on 11 March.

It seems to me that your choices are these:


(1) Give up using DVB-S (satellite) and use DVB-T (terrestrial) instead.

(2) Use "EPG Collector" to get the DVB-S EPG, as others have suggested.

There's also the option of using an online provider like Schedules Direct, some free examples include XMLTV.co.uk, Rytec, TvProfil and WebGrab+Plus, you can also find some hosted on GitHub like acidjesuz and kens13.

I know about EPG Collector and tried it but I think it plus XMLTV, are extra steps I do not need.

NextPVR, DVBViewer and Tvheadend have built-in Freesat EPG support, Tvheadend also does Sky.