Installing WebEPG with MP 1.0.2 & FTR 1.4.0.1 (1 Viewer)

[Mashenden]

[UPDATE] - See newer post below or at https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...bepg-mp-1-0-2-ftr-1-4-0-1-a-75197/#post566435

All I wanted for Christmas was to understand how to install WebEPG in MP 1.0.2 & FTR 1.4.0.1 My goal is to document how to do it. If someone knows of a good step-by-step instruction document, please let me know but to date I have not found one.

I found the following which I understand applies to 1.0.0:

mediaportal - Setting up WebEPG

and the following which applies to 1.1.0 beta:

MediaPortalSetup_WebEPG - MediaPortal Manual Documentation

But nothing that seemed to work for 1.0.2 without notable confusion (although the one for 1.0.0 was the most relevant).

Here is how I did it. If you find anything that is incorrect or confusing, please let me know.

To install WebEPG when using MP 1.0.2 (1.1.0 beta and above has WebEPG integrated):

1. 1. Unzip file "WebEPG_MP_1_0_0_0_Release.zip” reference on webpage http://mediaportal.wikispaces.com/Setting+up+WebEPG into C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\ which replaces old WebEPG.exe and WebEPG.dll files with new ones. Someone mentioned that the files that come with MP 1.0.2 have been corrected, but my experience is that they did not work without using the ones noted above.

2. Create your Grabber file
• I used the approach well described by marcsulf in; https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-53/setup-webepg-ota-hd-usa-50377/#post393174
• I called mine RichmondVA.xml, and saved it in:
C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG\grabbers\US (or whatever country is correct for you).

I suggest saving this file somewhere else as a back-up as well since this can be a pain to get right and not worth losing.

3. Run WebEPG-conf.exe
• Set “Global Settings” - “Grab Days” to 14.
• Set “Import Channel Data” to TV Server then click on the Import button, and the Channel Mapping box should fill up with your channels.
• Set “Auto Mapping” - “Country” to United States (or whatever country is correct for you) then click on the Auto Map button, which should then associate which data website the channel data should be achieved from.

This points WebEPG Config to use RichmondVA.xml to create WebEPG.xml

• Select “Save” and exit.

4. Run C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG.exe
• This program creates a temp file “TVguide-writing.xml” in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\
• After 5 minutes or so when it is done processing, it will rename the file TVGuide.xml
• Copy TVGuide.xml and xmltv.dtd from:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv
to:
C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV
at which point FTR will automatically start processing it. When it is done it will move it to the Imported folder (or a Rejected folder if not successful).
• Check in the Log within FTR Management Console to verify the TVGuide.xml file was processed.

5. Start 'TV Server Configuration'
• Make sure the XmlTv plugin box is checked.
• Go to plugin "XmlTv" and select the folder with above generated Tvguide.xml C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV\Imported\
• Go to tab 'mappings'
• Select your 'Group'
• Press 'load/refresh'
• In the list box you now get your 'channels' with drop down boxes to select the belonging description from the at (6) generated TVguide.xml
• When finished selecting all channels press 'Save'
• Verify the correct selections by pressing 'load/refresh' again (all boxes should now be white)
• Go back to the 'settings' tab & press 'import': you should see your number of channels and a lot of programs importing (after a few seconds)
• Close 'TV Server Configuration'

6. Start MP and verify the Guide is populated as expected.

 

[vuego]

I don't think you need step 5. If you're using For the Record's database I see no need in importing all programs to MP's database as well. You can't even access this information anyway since the MP TV Plugin is not in use.

 

[Mashenden]

I don't think you need step 5. If you're using For the Record's database I see no need in importing all programs to MP's database as well. You can't even access this information anyway since the MP TV Plugin is not in use.

Interesting - Do you think this is why sometimes I have intermittient problems where I get "Error starting stream - not supported on your recorder/tuner" errors or "Error starting system - Failed to tune channel" errors ?

How would I undo step 5?

 

[vuego]

No those are not related. Just uncheck the XmlTv plugin and it'll stop importing xmltv files.

 

[Mashenden]

No those are not related. Just uncheck the XmlTv plugin and it'll stop importing xmltv files.

I will definitely uncheck the XmlTV plugin.

Are there known fixes for the errors I noted? I have searched but not yet found anything that seems to apply - For that reason I am considering a move to 1.0.0 b, but do not want to jump from frying pan into the fire. Any thoughts from a seasoned user on this would be appreicated.

 

[Mashenden]

I don't think you need step 5. If you're using For the Record's database I see no need in importing all programs to MP's database as well. You can't even access this information anyway since the MP TV Plugin is not in use.

I am still not clear on the final step - Automatically updating the WebEPG data .

I'm using MP 1.0.2 with FTR 1.4.0.1. I am able to create a good TVGuide.xml file that I manually move to the FTR folder and all is good for another 14 days. I'd like to automate this but am not sure how despite notable search efforts. If I missed the obvious, please let me know.

As I understand things, in 1.1.0 b WebEPG is an integrated plug-in, with a built in scheduler and the "Write programs to" option of "tvguide.xml in the following folder", which is how I would get TVGuide.xml into the proper FTR folder (typically C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV ) so it will automatically load.

I also understand that in 1.0.2 (which is what I have) WebEPG is not integrated and does not include a scheduler. While it is easy enough to use a Schedule Task in XP to automate running WebEPG.exe, I do not see a way to automatically write the file to the proper FTR folder. When using WebEPG-conf.exe to set it up, a comparable "Write programs to - tvguide.xml in the following folder" does not seemingly exist.

What am I missing?

Mashenden

 

[arion_p]

Instead of scheduling WebEPG directly, schedule a batch file, that calls WebEPG, then copies tvguide.xml to the folder you want. Something like the following:

start /wait "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG.exe"
copy "C:\Documents and Settings\AllUsers\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\tvguide.xml" "C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV"

Note the use of start /wait to make sure the command processor waits for WebEPG to finish before copying tvguide.xml

 

[Mashenden]

Instead of scheduling WebEPG directly, schedule a batch file, that calls WebEPG, then copies tvguide.xml to the folder you want.

This works well. Thank you for solving that for me. The only change I made was I had to insert a title in the start command. It is reported that Microsoft documentation says the title is optional, but that there may be problems if it is omitted. Mine did not run without a title. Here is my final code:

start "AutoWebEPG" /wait "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG.exe"
copy "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\tvguide.xml" "C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV"

/wait makes it wait for WebEPG to finish before copying tvguide.xml

 

[Mashenden]

This is the Set Up Guide I have been working on (and superceeds my post dated Dec 25 2009 @ 19:05) - Please comment if something does not work - I may have missed a few tidbits:


WebEPG – A TV Guide where info is automatically downloaded from the web and is also customizable using logos etc.

Objective - To install WebEPG when using MP 1.0.2.0 and FTR 1.4.0.1 with the main focus being on a United States - HD Over The Air (OTA) set-up.

Note: It is reported that 1.1.0 beta and above has WebEPG integrated as a plug-in with a scheduler as well. The following Webpage may be a better source for help if you are using MP 1.1.0 beta+: MediaPortalSetup_WebEPG - MediaPortal Manual Documentation

1. Obtain revised WebEPG files
• Unzip file "WebEPG_MP_1_0_0_0_Release.zip” reference on webpage mediaportal - Setting up WebEPG into C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\. This will replace the old WebEPG.exe and WebEPG.dll files with new ones (make copies of the old ones if this concerns you).

Note A: It has been posted that the WebEPG files that come with MP 1.0.2 have been corrected and work properly, but my experience is that they did not work without using the two noted above.

Note B: It was also posted somewhere in the webpage noted above that the zip contains WebEPG-conf.exe to replace the existing one. It does not. The existing one seems to work with this process, though.

2. Create your Grabber file
• I used the approach well described by marcsulf in; https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-53/setup-webepg-ota-hd-usa-50377/#post393174
• I called mine RichmondVA.xml, and saved it in:
C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG\grabbers\US (or whatever country is correct for you).

I suggest saving your grabber file somewhere else as a back-up since this can be a pain to get right and not worth losing.

3. Run WebEPG-conf.exe
• Set “Global Settings” - “Grab Days” to 14.
• Set “Import Channel Data” to TV Server then click on the Import button, and the Channel Mapping box should fill up with your channels.
• Set “Auto Mapping” - “Country” to United States (or whatever country is correct for you) then click on the Auto Map button, which should then associate which data website the channel data should be achieved from.

This points WebEPG Config to use RichmondVA.xml to create WebEPG.xml

• Select “Save” and exit.

4. Run C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG.exe
• This program creates a temp file “TVguide-writing.xml” in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\

PATIENCE - After 5 minutes or so when it is done processing, it will rename the file to "TVGuide.xml"

• Copy TVGuide.xml and xmltv.dtd from:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv
to:
C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV

PATIENCE – In a few minutes, FTR will automatically start processing this file. When it is done it will move it to the Imported folder (or a Rejected folder if not successful).
• Check in the Log within FTR Management Console to verify the TVGuide.xml file was processed.

5. Start MP and verify the Guide is populated as expected.

Note C: If you are using Blue skins, the developers have not yet corrected the date format in MP's TV Guide so that it is tied to the system default. For this reason the date shows up as dd/mm instead of mm/dd. MP is saying this is an FTR issue and FTR thinks it is a MP issue. Feel free to voice concern since this is an annoying nit that I would love to see corrected.


Add network logos:
• Copy logos files to C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\Channel Logos. The logo File names must match the Channel names in MP.

Schedule to automatically get new data:
• Use Notepad to create a bat file with the following code included:
Start "AutoWebEPG" /wait "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\WebEPG.exe"
Copy "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\xmltv\tvguide.xml" "C:\Program Files\For The Record\Services\XMLTV"
• Use Windows Schedule Task to run the bat file automatically every couple of days.
• Check in the Log within FTR Management Console to verify the TVGuide.xml file was processed.

 

[ap90033]

Does this still apply to MP 1.1.3 and for the record 1.5.3 (or 03 whatever is the latest)? I dont think so when I tried to install for the rec it warned the pluging to MP wasnt supported in my version (1.1.3) of MP...