New user can't get EPG to work (1 Viewer)

[tsp1965]

Hi

I'm a new user trying to switch to MediaPortal now Microsoft is ending WMC on Windows 10. I'm still using W7 pre-upgrade and my TV tuner is a Win TV Nova-T Stick. I'm in the UK, Crystal Palace transmitter.

I think I have followed the instructions in the user guide - in TV Server Configuration ?I have holes and always try to update checked, CRC not checked, Grab EPG only for channels on same transponder checked, on TV EPG Grabber panel I have selected some channels to grab and have all languages selected (I started off with just English but tried changing that to all).

However, my EPG remains stubbornly empty.

I then tried setting up web EPG, but still nothing.

I'm sure there's something really obvious I am doing wrong, but I can't find it.

Can anyone advise, please?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome!

I'll get straight to the point...
Please follow the configuration instructions here for getting EPG in the UK from Freeview (DVB-T/T2) with the DVB EPG grabber:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...ee-tuner-available-issue.131391/#post-1145097

 

[tsp1965]

That's great - thanks very much. I now have EPG for most channels - but I have to say the setup method is not very intuitive!

I'm mainly a Mac user using EyeTV, which is a very polished product with a brilliant EPG, which is optimised for using with a mouse/keyboard rather than looking like a TV screen and optimised (presumably) for use with a remote control. The net result is that EyeTV is way easier to use on a computer. Some examples:

- In EyeTV you can see most of the channels you might want to watch in one screen like in the attached screen shot. MediaPortal, on the other hand, is like Windows Media Centre in thinking you only want to see a two hour slot and six channels. I have tried setting the EPG to more channels and a wider time window but then you can't read anything because it defaults to a massive TV-screen optimised font. Is there any skin or setting in MediaPortal to make it more PC screen optimised?
- I actually don't want the EPG for the channels I never watch, as it just gets in the way of finding programs in the ones I do watch. Can I disable all those channels EPGs? I thought that was the purpose in only checking some channels in the setup, but evidently that's not how it works?
- Can I change the order of the channels displayed in the EPG so if it is only going to display six at a time properly, at least it's the six I use most on top?
- In EyeTV you can save searches so you can always see whether what you like is on. You can also get it to automatically record anything which matches a saved search criteria. I can't find anything like that for MediaPortal?

 

[mm1352000]

I now have EPG for most channels...

Great.

...but I have to say the setup method is not very intuitive!

Yes I agree, and I'm working on it.

Is there any skin or setting in MediaPortal to make it more PC screen optimised?

Probably not to the level of what you've showed in the screenshot, unless you customise a skin and/or code. You can sometimes increase the number of channels in the guide with a skin theme:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...iaPortal_Configuration/13_GUI#Theme_Selection

I suppose you already found that setting.
In general, as you say, MP is primarily designed for use with a remote on a TV that is at least 6 foot away...

- I actually don't want the EPG for the channels I never watch, as it just gets in the way of finding programs in the ones I do watch. Can I disable all those channels EPGs? I thought that was the purpose in only checking some channels in the setup, but evidently that's not how it works?

You don't have to see channels you don't want to see.
Have a look at the TV Channels section in TV Server configuration. On the first tab, untick the channels you never want to see.
Perhaps also look at channel groups if you like organising channels into sets (eg. all ITV, or all BBC, or kids channels etc.). Channel groups are also where you set the order that channels are displayed in.

- Can I change the order of the channels displayed in the EPG so if it is only going to display six at a time properly, at least it's the six I use most on top?

Yes, as above: you set the order in the channel groups.
A channel can be in zero or more groups, and can have a different position/order in each group.

- In EyeTV you can save searches so you can always see whether what you like is on. You can also get it to automatically record anything which matches a saved search criteria. I can't find anything like that for MediaPortal?

Have a look at the TvWishList plugin.
https://www.team-mediaportal.com/extensions/television/tvwishlist

 

[morpheus_xx]

- In EyeTV you can see most of the channels you might want to watch in one screen like in the attached screen shot. MediaPortal, on the other hand, is like Windows Media Centre in thinking you only want to see a two hour slot and six channels. I have tried setting the EPG to more channels and a wider time window but then you can't read anything because it defaults to a massive TV-screen optimised font. Is there any skin or setting in MediaPortal to make it more PC screen optimised?

MediaPortal 2 allows you following customizations via settings (Settings->Plugins->TV)

• Number of rows in EPG
• Number of hours in EPG

For fontsizes we already have a "large font" theme for the pre-selected "Titanium" screen. If you are not afraid to modify some constants in .xaml files, you should give it a try and simply put smaller numbers for font sizes into those lines:
https://github.com/MediaPortal/Medi...hemes/default-large/fonts/default-font.xml#L2 (Default size)
https://github.com/MediaPortal/Medi...hemes/default-large/styles/Consts.xaml#L8-L18 (Other sizes)

The linked files you will find in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MP2-Client\Plugins\Titanium\Skin\Titanium\themes\default-large.

Let me know if this worked for you! Maybe other users also like a PC screen optimized version and can reuse this.