reliable tv guide (1 Viewer)

[jjaroska]

can anyone tell me how to get a reliable tv guide for media portal for the united states?
i have tried webepg but yahoo keeps changing
i have tried zap2it but it keeps crashing mp
i have looked at xmltv but it looks too complicated to keep running

i want to switch to media portal from mce 2005 but the waf will go way down if i cant get a reliable tv guide

could someone please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dubyahjay]

www.schedulesdirect.org
$15 dollars for the year, channel setup is painless and the listings are solid. Easy cheesy using automated xmltv to pull down EPG data.

If you are looking for a free alternative, it is quite a bit harder and you will have to deal with issues/blackouts etc. I finally ponied up and paid for a membership, my only qualm is I didnt do it earlier!

 

[mzemina]

Dubyahjay - I'm curious about one thing, after a NFL game (maybe all sports events that are broadcast OFA) does the time change in the schedule to reflect the actual time of the episodes that follow a game? This has always ticked me off due on my VCR. Just wondering if there maybe some method (other than recording an hour before the expected start of the episode immediately after a NFL game and then an hour later then go back to cut out the extra video.

 

[Dubyahjay]

I will check for you, I am almost positive that time block is static and is not updated. Give me until tomorrow and I will let you know for sure.

 

[mzemina]

Dubyahjay - That is what I think also, the reason I ask is I tried to "tape" the final episode of Survivor (CBS) and I think the game that played before it ended early, so she missed the first xx minutes. Not a happy wife!

 

[Marcusb]

Dubyahjay - That is what I think also, the reason I ask is I tried to "tape" the final episode of Survivor (CBS) and I think the game that played before it ended early, so she missed the first xx minutes. Not a happy wife!

Heheh, I feel for you. I had the same thing happen to me. Thank god for torrents or I would have been in huge trouble.

In Australia we have a similar issue where gameshows always run hugely over time (done on purpose by the networks to keep you watching). As a result, we have to set our after show padding to something like 20 minutes for every show, just to make sure we don't miss anything. Thankfully we don't often have programs finish early.

 

[jjaroska]

www.schedulesdirect.org
$15 dollars for the year, channel setup is painless and the listings are solid. Easy cheesy using automated xmltv to pull down EPG data.

If you are looking for a free alternative, it is quite a bit harder and you will have to deal with issues/blackouts etc. I finally ponied up and paid for a membership, my only qualm is I didnt do it earlier!

i got signed up. could you give me a little insight as how to get started integrating into medial portal?

 

[milhouse]

I believe the Schedules Direct plugin is part of the MP install. (At work, so can't verify at the moment.)

I am making some assumptions about your setup, since it depends on whether or not your channels are already set up for your tuner card, whether or not you use a settop box, etc. I assume that:
-your TV tuner card is set up in MP
-your channels are NOT set up in MP
-you want to be selective about what channels you want in the guide (i.e. not put all the garbage channels in the epg).

So...
1) At schedulesdirect.org, set up a new lineup. Add just the channels you want.
2) In MP config, plugins, Schedules Direct. Right click, enable. Right click, configure.
-enter login information
-set the number of days worth of schedule information (I do 13)
-check the box for "automatically add channels"
-Note that if your TV card controls a settop box (e.g. Dish) that you set the option for the input. For example, I have a Dish network stb connected via S-video, so the plugin adds new channels that automatically for the right connection
3) Start MP. It'll take several minutes for the guide information to download (close to 20 for the full schedule).



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Edit:
I was wrong - the Schedules Direct plugin is NOT part of the install. You can download separately in the forums. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showthread.php?t=26951 is the link to the Schedules Direct plugin download. Also some setup information.

This plugin is WAY easier than trying to get the XMLTV stuff working.

 

[Dubyahjay]

Milhouse beat me to it and I was over here trying to rewrite the whole thing Just use the plugin, it is a much easier alternative. I can however, give you instructions for using xmltv since I learned the hard way!

The biggest thing if you are a satellite subscriber is trim the fat! All of the channels that you NEVER watch. They just take up space in your guide, get rid of them!

I found it easier to switch to numeric sort and have http://tv.yahoo.com open to double check which channels I was removing (for Directv).
BTW you can batch select/deselect channels in the schedules direct lineup by holding down shift and clicking the first and last number in the range.

If you have Directv on the off chance. I have renamed logos that are ready to go. I do not have the entire lineup, but most, including most XM stations (that I listen to)