Newbie, refugee from Vista WMC Rovi Guide fiasco (1 Viewer)

[circusdog]

I have 2 Vista Ultimate 32-bit PCs and run WMC for my TV viewing and recording, at least up until 7/30/2015 when the guide died. It appears that the original version of WMC (not TV Pack) does not play with Rovi guide data.

So, last night I installed MP1 and it configured my tuners, found my OTA channels, and I was able to watch live TV. However, I just can't seem to wrap my head around what I need to do to get guide data. I live between DC and Baltimore and I get about 70 different OTA channels (limited to 26 I actually would watch). Can some kind soul help me set up the right xml files so I can grab guide data from somewhere on a regular basis?

I am familiar with the atscchannels.xml and atscprefs.xml that specify the channels to Vista WMC. I also have a W7 box with WMC and a single tuner that is getting Rovi guide data from zip code 20832 (it specifies "Washington (Hagerstown) Antenna", i think). Is there any way to get the required setup info from either of those places?

I have a Windows 2003 server that runs IIS and is "on" all the time, if that would make guide data grabbing easier, but it doesn't have tuners to run TV Server.

I'm in my 60's, and I have been a computer geek for over 40 years, and I am just having a tough time learning a new setup.

Thanks!

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome!

You're not the first refugee from WMC that has come our way in the last week... so we're somewhat prepared to offer aid.

The tail end of this post of mine gives [what I think is] a good summary of your options:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...auppauge-pvr-2250-to-mp2.131490/#post-1145992

Pick the option that's most appealing to you and take it as far as you can go. We'll be here to help if you get stuck at any point.

Hope that helps!
mm

 

[circusdog]

Thanks!

I think mc2xml has been updated and may also require the TV Pack on Vista. I'll try zap2xml tonight when I get home.

Zap2it was what the guide used before MS broke it.

 

[circusdog]

Ok, so I'm home and I got zap2xml. I ran it and got file called xmltv.xml that has OTA schedule data out to 8/10/2015. I changed the name to tvguide.xml, copied it and xmltv.dtd into the C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\xmltv directory and clicked "Import" on the General tab and nothing happened. So I went to the Mappings tab and hit the "Load/Refresh" button and it complained that I needed a tvguide.lst file. I can't find that mentioned in the wiki. help?!?[DOUBLEPOST=1438728515][/DOUBLEPOST]Oops, never mind. Pilot Error. Stand by for an update.

 

[circusdog]

When I try to import the guide data, I get this error:

tvguide.xml:Invalid XML file:An item with the same key... (can't read the rest)

The xml file is from zap2it, using zap2xml.

Help!

 

[mm1352000]

Hmmm, that would indicate that file you're attempting to import is not valid. Very odd!
Can you please zip and upload the tvguide.xml file so I can check it out.

 

[circusdog]

Hmmm, that would indicate that file you're attempting to import is not valid. Very odd!
Can you please zip and upload the tvguide.xml file so I can check it out.

Here you go, and thanks!

 

[RonD]

I'm running MP1 v1.12, downloaded your tvgudie.xml, manually mapped 3 channels WMARDT (2.1) WRCDT (4.1) WBALDT (11.1), pressed "save" then did import, after a minute or so all 3 channels loaded into my EPG, so tvguide.xml is good, looks like there is data up to Aug 10 or so.

 

[mm1352000]

Yeah, what Ron said.
Once you're up to this point in the instructions:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...e_Setup_(EPG)/XMLTV_mc2xml#Setup_XMLTV_Plugin

...the process for mc2xml and zap2xml is the same. It should be possible to follow everything there step by step and find out what you've missed.

 

[circusdog]

Thanks for looking at the file. I tried so many different things that maybe I got confused or out of step. Today I set up mc2xml (instead of zap2xml) for schedules direct, ran it, imported it, figured out the right channel to map, and now I have guide data. I chose the channels by their ID rather than trying to use the names.

Now if I could figure out how to make the channel numbers look better. For example, 2-1 is displayed as 20001. Just looks goofy to me. Oh, well.

I set up a series recording for Extant which starts tonight at 9 PM. That will be the next nail in WMC's coffin.

I moved the tvguide.xml to a shared drive on my W2k3 server, pointed the TV-Server at it, and set up a scheduled task to run daily at 4:00 AM. If that works and the TV-Server picks up the changes, that will put another nail in the coffin.

Do you have any preference of zap2xml or mc2xml, or a reason to use one over the other?

Thanks again!