MC2XML for Atlas epg (1 Viewer)

[karl10247]

All,

So I've just switched over from using XMLTV GUI and radio times to MC2XML and atlas epg source. The new version of MC2XML is able to scrape this data no problem.
Setup was fairly pain free - I registered for a free API with atlas and followed the instructions on the MC2XML to setup which was very simple. Basically you run MC2XML once, select atlas for the source, add your API, select region and it write these settings into a dat file so next time you run it the settings are remembered and it grabs the xml. Channels can be specified with a separate config file but I just download the full UK listing and use my channel selections in MP to take what I need.

By the way..... @lisag @mm1352000 @doskabouter @RonD @TritonT @hucknallred @jameson_uk @CyberSimian using MC2XML might interest you. Feel free to tag anyone else who might be interested

When I first ran MC2XML I had issues with TCP errors but I resolved this by changing my DNS to 8.8.8.8 for google

Guide data is overall better than RT. Virtually all of the mainstream channels in the UK have data now, including all of the HD channels, +1 channels and regional channels. 7 days of data is downloaded by default but there may be an option to select more. Episode numbers and titles seem to be well provided (much better than RT for coverage) but there is a stickler (read on).
So heres what ive noticed:

Episode data is given as "Episode XX" and I'd say 95% of programs I've recorded on the mainstream channels has this data
Series data, from what I can see, is not given
Episode names are given just as often as episode numbering

Now heres the stickler, it appears that episode numbers are rolled into the episode names so if you decide to show episode numbers ONLY in MP you wont see anything. However if you choose to display episode titles ONLY in MP you will see the likes of (for example a place in the country) "Episode 12: Devon and Cornwall".

I don't have the brainpower to separate these out unfortunately but duplicate recording handling works well for me using the episode title as the key

Discussion topics:
Is there a way to get 14 days of data?
Is series data provided and if so is it under the correct XML flag?
Is there a way to postprocess and separate episode numbers from episode titles?
Is there a way to postprocess and format series/episode numbers to SXXEXX?

Lets discuss[DOUBLEPOST=1453757413][/DOUBLEPOST]p.s I take no credit for MC2XML, the developer is amazing and has been very quick answering my emails around the above discussion topics

 

[LJG]

Interesting discussion!

I am using Argus TV Server rather than MP TV Server, no sure how much difference that makes, and I am using RT data via XMLTV.

With Titan skin my guide data looks like this:



How does that compare to what you are getting now?

lisa

 

[karl10247]

How does that compare to what you are getting now?

lisa

Yes that is how my guide was with RT except it missed out so many channels that half of my freesat was going to waste.

Here is what atlas looks like through MC2XML

As you can see i have added the 'episode title' to be visible in the epg. From what i can make out neither the episode number or title is repeated in the description box but it does show in the box in the top left. That "Episode 24: The Comittment" is all episode title not number. For dated series the episode title is replaced by the air date. I use the episode title key to prevcent duplicate recordings which so far works well

 

[LJG]

Hmm, not ideal, think I'll stick to RT whilst I can. I actually only use it for the 7 or 8 main channels that I really watch (Freeview HD) the rest I just grab OTA.

 

[CyberSimian]

Yes that is how my guide was with RT except it missed out so many channels that half of my freesat was going to waste.

Once upon a time there were only two TV channels in the UK, and the only programme information available was via listings magazines (and you had to buy both listings magazines each week, as neither broadcaster allowed its programme schedules to be published in its competitor's listings magazine ). We have come a long way since then, but programme listings are still far from perfect (and probably never will be perfect).

I previously used Windows Media Center on Vista. That used the Microsoft internet EPG (14 days; repeat flag; original broadcast date; avoidance of duplicate recording). But it was not perfect, with the EPG becoming unavailable for days at a time, and containing incorrect information . Also, although Microsoft updated the EPG with major changes to the channel lineup, they never added the EPGs for the minor channels. (In fairness to Microsoft, this might have been because the minor channels could not be bothered to send the programme info to Microsoft each day.)

I now use the broadcast EPG on DVB-T/T2. Although only 7 days, it includes all channels. There is no repeat flag or original broadcast date, so recording series requires a different approach. Depending on the series, I sometimes record all occurrences, and then run a batch script to compare the xml files and delete recordings that are duplicates. But this has to be done with human intervention, since some series have the same programme description for all episodes (typically documentaries and current affairs programmes, rather than drama).

I note that you are using satellite. I believe that there is a broadcast EPG for satellite too, but that it is transmitted in the form of a radio channel, so you need to be sure to include that channel in your channel lineup in MP, in order to be able to receive it. I don't know what quality it is (probably similar to DVB-T/T2).

You may know that the EPG for DVB-T/T2 (and probably DVB-S/S2) contains series ids and programme ids that uniquely identify every programme (I don't mean the simplistic "SnnEnn" identifications). Commercial DVRs use these to provide true series record capabilities (e.g. my "Humax HDR Fox T2"). The problem is that MP currently does not use this info . However, I believe that the intention is to include support for this in the next major release of TV Server (usually referred to as "TVE 3.5"; note that MP1 uses "TVE 3"). But even then, we consumers of TV will be dependent on the accuracy of the information provided by the broadcasters. Discussions in the Humax forum on Digital Spy include complaints from users to the effect that their series recordings have not worked correctly, apparently because the broadcasters messed up the series ids or programme ids.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[karl10247]

Hmm, not ideal, think I'll stick to RT whilst I can. I actually only use it for the 7 or 8 main channels that I really watch (Freeview HD) the rest I just grab OTA.

Perhaps there is a way to post process the atlas data to give series/episode data like RT? Its beyond my knowledge to do this unfortunately[DOUBLEPOST=1453841673][/DOUBLEPOST]@CyberSimian thanks for your post

I note that you are using satellite. I believe that there is a broadcast EPG for satellite too, but that it is transmitted in the form of a radio channel, so you need to be sure to include that channel in your channel lineup in MP, in order to be able to receive it. I don't know what quality it is (probably similar to DVB-T/T2).

Actually I've been trial testing DJ Blu's OTA scraper which made OTA grabbing easy and the series link did work quite well but for episode/series data was absent making archiving a painful manual process. So far I've tried OTA, digiguide, RT and atlas. Atlas, although not perfect is the best so far in terms of data provision and the episode title necessary for me to prevent duplicate recordings and archive easier. Filebot can pickup this title and rename nicely. I might even automate it if I can be bothered

You may know that the EPG for DVB-T/T2 (and probably DVB-S/S2) contains series ids and programme ids that uniquely identify every programme (I don't mean the simplistic "SnnEnn" identifications). Commercial DVRs use these to provide true series record capabilities (e.g. my "Humax HDR Fox T2").

I didn't know that, too bad MP doesn't use this data

 

[karl10247]

Errrrgggghhh just when i was enjoying the atlas XMLTV feed, this announcement came up:

Back in December 2011, MetaBroadcast took over from RadioTimes the job of supplying UK linear TV schedule data to the XMLTV community. Until this point, RadioTimes had provided a feed, which was turned off as part of a systems change. While we initially provided a like for like replacement, the original announcement made clear that we would move users to a different service in due course.

We stopped maintaining this feed back in 2012, and announced it would eventually be discontinued. Today we are confirming that this feed will be turned off on 16 June 2016.

Guess i'll have to go back to XMLTVgui and RT unless someone has an alternative? (not digiguide)

 

[mm1352000]

A quick forum search...
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/uk-atlas-metabroadcast-not-happy-via-xmltv.134330/
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...stopping-free-access-to-metabroadcast.134380/

 

[LJG]

Guess i'll have to go back to XMLTVgui and RT unless someone has an alternative? (not digiguide)

I think it is that RT feed that is being turned off completely from 16 June 2016, and at the same time ATlas are changing their terms and conditions to restrict grabbing to just 24 hours at a time.

 

[karl10247]

My thoughts exactly

and i just got it setup all nice