MPChannelUpdater v0.0.0.1: Updates channel sorting/ExternalChannels/ChannelGroups (1 Viewer)

[Hesse]

Announcing MPChannelUpdater:

Current Version: 0.0.0.1

https://www.team-mediaportal.com/files/Download/SystemUtilities/MPChannelUpdater/

The MP channel configuration is very problematic. Channels are not sorted by channel number by default. Additionally, it is very difficult to set channels to external inputs since each channel has to be edited individually to set the external input type and the external channel number. Also, the channels in groups are not sorted by channel number and it is very difficult to fix in the MP editor.

This plugin attempts to solve all of the above problems. Channels can be easily sorted by channel number in the MP database. The iSort field in the TV database is updated based on the ascending sort order for the channel number. If the channel is an external channel, the channel number is read from the ExternalChannel field of the database.

A function was written to allow all channels to be set to external channels with the same external input type. This is typically the case for satellite TV users in the US with DirecTV or other provider and a settop box (STB).

Finally, channels in the custom groups are not sorted in any fashion, therefore a function was written to write the iSort index from the channels table to the tblGroupMapping. This should be default in MediaPortal anyways.

Current Version Features:
+ Configuration control through a MediaPortal plugin interface and a
windows form.
+ Ability to sort regular channels or extneral channels by channel number
+ Ability to set all channels to specific external input type
+ Ability to sort channels in groups by channel number

Future Work:
+ Maybe some day in the future I will try to implement these changes directly
in the MediaPortal source code.

Known Issues:
+ If a user has edited the TV database in the MP configuration before running
this plugin, any updates will likely fail. I believe that MP is locking
the TV database. Therefore, this plugin can only be run if there has been
no previous access to the TV database.
+ Code is not commented too well.

 

[J-B-N]

This sounds interesting as it seems to emulate the "old" behavior of my Nokia-box ie sorting the channels based on information in the DVB-T info.

If I can add a feature request I would wish for an automatic delete of all groups exept an "All channels". For me almost all groups are useless since the provider information is erratic or plain wrong.

 

[Spragleknas]

Looks promising... Will probably please all ppl. with STB.

Great idea!

 

[jburnette]

Thank you so much for fixing this. Great, great work!

 

[Hesse]

This sounds interesting as it seems to emulate the "old" behavior of my Nokia-box ie sorting the channels based on information in the DVB-T info.

If I can add a feature request I would wish for an automatic delete of all groups exept an "All channels". For me almost all groups are useless since the provider information is erratic or plain wrong.

J-B-N,

If I understand correctly, you would like to see an option to delete all groups? This is easily done in the regular MP configuration. If you delete all groups, then the only group you will have left is All Channels. I don't have DVB-T so I don't know how that part works.

I could probably easily add an option to delete all groups if the regular MP configuration doesn't work for you.

Jesse

 

[Hesse]

As people try out this plugin, please post your experiences and feedback here. I have only tested it on my system, so there will likely be some issues.

Jesse

 

[J-B-N]

If I understand correctly, you would like to see an option to delete all groups? This is easily done in the regular MP configuration.

I know, I do it every time I reinstall MP or do a complete channel search (bopth seems to happen quite often). It was just me being lazy .

 

[lrohenaz]

I'm getting DirecTV installed today, I'll have to try this out. Good timing!

 

[natrlhy]

This does look like a great utility Hesse!

I was wondering if this plugin addresses the following:

I currently have DirecTV with over 300 channels. When I try to change the channel to an external channel on the STB, and I press say, 231 on the remote, it either goes to channel 2 or 23 (this of course depends on the order of the channels in the TV Channel database and how fast I can press the buttons on my MCE remote).

I am wondering if this plugin includes or could include the ability to populate the TV Channels with "dummy" channels. This would give me the ability to then enter channel 231 when viewing the TV Guide or Live TV and then have my STB change to that channel (I change channels via a serial cable, not IR). This is my understanding of being able to change channels using the number pad on the remote for DirecTV settop boxes (unless I am wrong).

I hope this makes sense. I haven't tried this plugin yet (I can't wait to though!). It sounds like it just sorts the channels (yes, a big pain at first) but I'm hoping it can do what I have mentioned above.

 

[jburnette]

This does look like a great utility Hesse!

I was wondering if this plugin addresses the following:

I currently have DirecTV with over 300 channels. When I try to change the channel to an external channel on the STB, and I press say, 231 on the remote, it either goes to channel 2 or 23 (this of course depends on the order of the channels in the TV Channel database and how fast I can press the buttons on my MCE remote).

I am wondering if this plugin includes or could include the ability to populate the TV Channels with "dummy" channels. This would give me the ability to then enter channel 231 when viewing the TV Guide or Live TV and then have my STB change to that channel (I change channels via a serial cable, not IR). This is my understanding of being able to change channels using the number pad on the remote for DirecTV settop boxes (unless I am wrong).

I hope this makes sense. I haven't tried this plugin yet (I can't wait to though!). It sounds like it just sorts the channels (yes, a big pain at first) but I'm hoping it can do what I have mentioned above.

Hesse actually fixed that in the latest SVN. I had the same problem, but can now type in 247 and actually get channel 247 (TBS, in my case) in my directv lineup. It doesn't add dummy channels, but actually fixes the problem entirely. Just uncheck the "select by index" option and it will work exactly as you are describing.