(original thread) US/Canadian/Mexico EPG Zap2it Plugin Released (1 Viewer)

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eric.c.mi

Portal Pro
March 11, 2006
63
0
Michigan, USA
Hey brad. Just installed the latest build. I noticed something about the air dates.

0206298wh.png

Notice the episode name and air date everyone.

Selected above in the TvGuide is a brand Spanking new epidode of Minoriteam scheduled to air exactly at midnight Eastern Standard Time Monday June 19, 2006. The date above states that the original airing is June 18th, which is sunday. Seeing how it is actually on monday at midnight the org air date should be 6/19/2006.

I have a hunch that this error may only happen when the program is less then the amout of hours of your timezone offset past midnight. ex. if the program were new and on at 6AM rather than 12AM it would show the next day as the original air date, since 6AM is greater than -5 offset. if ya know what i mean.

Other than that everything seems to be working just fine. I like the sound of the plugin automatically configuring the freqs for US cable, but have not yet tested it.

Also, would it be extremely difficult to have the color of the program in the tvGuide change color or something if the episode is new? Or perhaps just have the description read "First Run" rather than "Originally Aired on blah blah" since originally is the wrong tense when speaking of dates that are in the future. Like saying "It originally aired in two weeks" ;)

Thanks for everythhing
eric
 

cheuschober

New Member
June 12, 2006
1
0
bradsjm said:
Good question, thanks for helping test this plugin :)

MediaPortal keeps an internal table for EPG mapping that maps your channels to the "XMLid" which is the internal ID that the guide is using. Once this mapping is established all imports simply use that to do their lookup (this applies to traditional XMLTV imports too).

Of course, the problem is, how do we establish that mapping for a new channel from Zap2it that we've not seen before? The XMLTV import does a channel number + name match but because Zap2it provides more information about your lineup, I can do different tests:

  • 1. I check for an existing map, if there is one, I use it. This means if your mappings are screwed up, rerunning the import isn't going to fix it. You need to start from scratch.

    2. I check for a callsign match so if you name your channel identically to the Zap2it name (e.g. SCIFI), it will find a match.

    3. If this is an ATSC channel, I look for a major/minor channel match (e.g. 4-1) only against any channels that haven't been mapped to anything yet.

    4. If this is a broadcast channel (either over the air or analog cable) I try to match the channel number only to a channel that has been autotuned (I check it has a frequency found) and that hasn't been mapped yet (this was added in 1.1)
If none of that works and you haven't disabled the adding of new channels then I add the channel. Right now, that channel is just a placeholder but some new features are coming to this in the future 8)

Easy right :) The most likely issue is that the import assumes your existing mappings are CORRECT and won't try to "fix" any problem mappings. You'll know this is happening because the epg.log will have messages saying "channel was found in EPG mapping database".

Wow. What a perfect plugin. Working with raw XMLTV has been nothing but a headache for me. Thanks so much!

Okay, now to the part where I make your life less-easy. (Sorry about that -- very new to the world of MP (as in less than 24 hours)). My particular analog cable/over-the-air broadcast lineup doesn't actually exist. It's some hodgepodge of whatever is freely running over the cable lines and as-yet no epg I have found has all my channels mapped correctly, even if all the channels exist.

So if the epg believes that WNYW is Fox and should be channel 5 and in reality WNYW is Fox and is channel 6 how do I best negotiate remapping? I know it can be done but it seems that there are several different points where this could be handled and I honestly have no clue where the right one is.

Many thanks for being so helpful!
~Chad
 

bradsjm

Retired Team Member
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  • October 28, 2005
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    New York City, USA
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    cheuschober said:
    My particular analog cable/over-the-air broadcast lineup doesn't actually exist. It's some hodgepodge of whatever is freely running over the cable lines and as-yet no epg I have found has all my channels mapped correctly, even if all the channels exist.

    So if the epg believes that WNYW is Fox and should be channel 5 and in reality WNYW is Fox and is channel 6 how do I best negotiate remapping? I know it can be done but it seems that there are several different points where this could be handled and I honestly have no clue where the right one is.

    Many thanks for being so helpful!
    ~Chad
    Wow, this one has no nice answer but I think I have a method that should work. Assuming you have version 1.2 and your channels are tuned and working (but mapped wrongly) you will need to go to the Configuration.exe program and edit the channel lineup.

    For each channel you will need to double click on the channel entry and change the number AND frequency to the correct number and frequency. You may also want to rename the channel so it has the correct display too. Make sure in the Zap2it plug-in configuration you don't have the option to "rename existing channels" turned on if you are changing the names!

    Unless Zap2it makes a change to that channel, build 1.2 won't change the number or frequency after it has initially mapped and set it so you should be good. Just to be safe, EXPORT your lineup once you get it working :)
     

    broadband412

    Portal Pro
    April 20, 2005
    84
    0
    New Yrok
    Jonathan, I can no longer downoad listings for some reason. I am using latest vesion of the plugin and SVN build from 06-13-2006. My system infor is Intel Pentum IV @ 2.53Ghz 512 MB RAM Soundmax Intergrated Digital Audio, Nvidia Geforce MX 440 with 128 MB of VRAM, and Windows XP Home with SP2. Here is hte log file



    06/12/06 8:52:34 PM Zap2it EPG Client: version 1.2.2353 starting
    06/12/06 8:52:34 PM Date of last program entry in database currently 01/01/01 12:00:00 AM
    06/12/06 8:52:34 PM Configured to grab 3 days of EPG data
    06/12/06 8:52:34 PM Scheduling first poll for Zap2it listings at 06/12/06 8:52:49 PM
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM Starting EPG refresh job on thread #10
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM RemoveOldPrograms()
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM sql:DELETE FROM tblPrograms WHERE iEndTime < '20060611000000'
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM sql:DELETE FROM canceledseries where iCancelTime < '20060611000000'
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM RemoveOldPrograms done
    06/12/06 8:52:49 PM vacuum done
    06/12/06 8:52:50 PM Requesting 24 hours of program listings from [06/12/06 8:52:50 PM] to [06/13/06 8:52:50 PM]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Processing lineup Cablevision [id=NY55894:X type=CableDigital postcode=11206]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 43 AMC [id=1 xmlid=10021.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 46 AETV [id=2 xmlid=10035.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 54 BET [id=3 xmlid=10051.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 44 BRAVO [id=4 xmlid=10057.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 49 FAM [id=5 xmlid=10093.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 85 MAX [id=6 xmlid=10120.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 372 MOMAX [id=7 xmlid=10121.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 187 CMTV [id=8 xmlid=10138.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 24 CNBC [id=9 xmlid=10139.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 25 CNN [id=10 xmlid=10142.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 77 CNNH [id=11 xmlid=10145.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 50 COMEDY [id=12 xmlid=10149.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 58 COURT [id=13 xmlid=10153.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 74 NYCTV74 [id=14 xmlid=10160.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 65 CSPAN [id=15 xmlid=10161.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 75 CUNY [id=16 xmlid=10167.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 31 DISN [id=17 xmlid=10171.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 80 ENCORE [id=18 xmlid=10178.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 36 ESPN [id=19 xmlid=10179.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 91 FLIX [id=20 xmlid=10201.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 63 GALA [id=21 xmlid=10222.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 82 HBO [id=22 xmlid=10240.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 96 HBO2 [id=23 xmlid=10241.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 307 HB2P [id=24 xmlid=10242.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 301 HBOSIG [id=25 xmlid=10243.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 306 HBOP [id=26 xmlid=10244.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 18 HSN [id=27 xmlid=10269.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 45 LIFE [id=28 xmlid=10918.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Added channel 87 MSG [id=29 xmlid=10979.labs.zap2it.com]
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
    at ProcessPlugins.EpgGrabber.EpgListingsImporter.FindTVChannel(TVStation station, TVStationMap map)
    at ProcessPlugins.EpgGrabber.EpgListingsImporter.ImportChannels(Int32 delay)
    at ProcessPlugins.EpgGrabber.EpgListingsImporter.ImportChannels()
    at ProcessPlugins.EpgGrabber.Zap2itPlugin.RunEpgImport()
    at ProcessPlugins.EpgGrabber.Zap2itPlugin.RefreshEPG(Object state)
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Rolling back the transaction
    06/12/06 8:53:04 PM Scheduling next poll for 06/12/06 9:52:49 PM
     

    opusnut

    Portal Pro
    February 22, 2006
    109
    0
    Hi jonathan, So i have gotten my guide up and running. thanx for all the help working through it. The last problem that i am having is with having two different tuners pulling in the same channels with the same callsigns. Heres how it is:

    My ATSC card pulls in all my local HD stations ie. "KCBSDT". Now with my DirectTv coming in on the svideo port of my other card, i also have this channel with the same callsign "KCBSDT". So when the import runs and tries to match the cards for my first lineup which is the DirecTv lineup, it matches with the ATSC channel ID and NOT the DirecTV channelID . Then when it gets to the second lineup from zap2it (local ATSC) it matches the other ATSC channels not in the directv lienup by number ie "5-1" and finds the ones that do appear in directv as already in the epg database.

    here is my log http://pastebin.com/705662.

    The IDs i want it to match with the first lineup are 1,2,3,4... and not 38,39,40...

    any thoughts?? :D

    thanx
    opusnut

    btw... wonderfull plugin! :D
     

    nettech_gt

    Portal Pro
    January 19, 2006
    169
    0
    I had my listings working fine last week and when I manually ran the grabber this week the time is one hour behind. So I decided to give this plugin a try. I first removed all current listings, then followed the instructions.... well it does in fact dowload the listings (didn't see the pop-up and it is enabled). However the time is still an hour behind! Can someone help? THANX!
     

    nettech_gt

    Portal Pro
    January 19, 2006
    169
    0
    Like I said it was working fine last week with out the plugin. I have not touched the time settings. And the time is off. My settings are -700 (pst) I'm in San Diego, CA.
     

    broadband412

    Portal Pro
    April 20, 2005
    84
    0
    New Yrok
    nettech_gt, I beleve Jonathan had said that with zap2it plugin, we wouldn't have to worry about timezone offset setting and what not. I have my set time zone compensation to 0 0 and my listings are correct. trying changing timezone compensation to 0 0 and see what happenes.
     

    bradsjm

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • October 28, 2005
    77
    0
    New York City, USA
    Home Country
    United States of America United States of America
    broadband412 said:
    Jonathan, I can no longer downoad listings for some reason. I am using latest vesion of the plugin and SVN build from 06-13-2006. My system infor is Intel Pentum IV @ 2.53Ghz 512 MB RAM Soundmax Intergrated Digital Audio, Nvidia Geforce MX 440 with 128 MB of VRAM, and Windows XP Home with SP2.

    Everyone should redownload the zip file, the plugin assembly in the zip file was out of date and might give the error you were seeing in certain conditions. I've recompiled it and reuploaded it.
     
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