Trying to get EPG for over-the-air ATSC channels (1 Viewer)

[bradvido]

MediaPortal Version: 1.1.0 RC1 (TV Server Only)
MediaPortal Skin:
Windows Version: XP32 bit
CPU Type:
HDD:
Memory:
Motherboard:
Video Card:
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card:
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hi this is my first post. I'm new to media portal and have just installed it. I have the TV server installed only, and it is working great, except for the program guide. I've read all the documentation and tutorials, but still cannot find a way to get program guide data for my Over-the-Air ATSC channels.
WebEPG seems to not have ATSC channels in it's USA providers. The closest i got was following these instructions using a program called mc2xml to create xml data and then import it with the xmltv plugin. However, the import only imports channels, no programs were imported.

Does anyone know of a solution for getting local over-the-air ASTC guide data for the US?

It should be noted that I have a Snapstream.net (Beyond TV) guide subscription, and that provides the ATSC guide data I need, however I know of no way to use that in MediaPortal.

EDIT -- I now see that there is an EPG sub-forum. If an admin could move my post there it would be much appreciated!
Thanks

 

[winterescape]

MediaPortal Version: 1.1.0 RC1 (TV Server Only)
MediaPortal Skin:
Windows Version: XP32 bit
CPU Type:
HDD:
Memory:
Motherboard:
Video Card:
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card:
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hi this is my first post. I'm new to media portal and have just installed it. I have the TV server installed only, and it is working great, except for the program guide. I've read all the documentation and tutorials, but still cannot find a way to get program guide data for my Over-the-Air ATSC channels.
WebEPG seems to not have ATSC channels in it's USA providers. The closest i got was following these instructions using a program called mc2xml to create xml data and then import it with the xmltv plugin. However, the import only imports channels, no programs were imported.

Does anyone know of a solution for getting local over-the-air ASTC guide data for the US?

It should be noted that I have a Snapstream.net (Beyond TV) guide subscription, and that provides the ATSC guide data I need, however I know of no way to use that in MediaPortal.

EDIT -- I now see that there is an EPG sub-forum. If an admin could move my post there it would be much appreciated!
Thanks

So I think that webepg changed for 1.1 but I use 1.0.2 and wrote this for webepg in the us for it. Web EPG may work in 1.1 I have not tried it..
It sounds like you are on the correct path. check the system time and take a look at thees two threads...
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...king-free-us-epg-56712/index2.html#post408748

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/newcomers-forum-240/web-epg-zap2it-zap2xml-70394/#post508886

This could also work...
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-53/setup-webepg-ota-hd-usa-50377/#post393174

 

[bradvido]

OK, so i've been able to successfully create a tvguide.xml using both mc2xml and zap2xml, however, neither one of them will import successfully with XMLTV. It says that the channels imported successfully, but no programs.

Here is my tvguide.xml and dtd I'm using. Can someone try importing it with XMLTV on their machine and see if it imports? As far as i can tell it is well-formed, but I cannot figure out why it's not importing. There is no useful info in the debug log either.

Thanks!

 

[dobyken]

OK, so i've been able to successfully create a tvguide.xml using both mc2xml and zap2xml, however, neither one of them will import successfully with XMLTV. It says that the channels imported successfully, but no programs.

Here is my tvguide.xml and dtd I'm using. Can someone try importing it with XMLTV on their machine and see if it imports? As far as i can tell it is well-formed, but I cannot figure out why it's not importing. There is no useful info in the debug log either.

Thanks!

The only thing I was able to get working was SchedulesDirect with MC2XML but that costs $20 a year or $5 for 2 months. They do have a free trial if you want to test it. I did have the SchedulesDirect Plugin working at one time but it stopped for some reason.

 

[bradvido]

I already have a fully functional TV guide working on my beyond TV server, so i'm not going to pay for one.

I was just testing the water with media portal, and so far it has been mediocre.
However, if I could actually get a TV guide working in media portal, that would really improve my desire to use MediaPortal...

Can anyone test out the files i posted to determine if it works on their setup?

 

[winterescape]

It says that the channels imported successfully, but no programs.

make sure the date and time and year are correct on the HTPC.

In the XML plugin you selected the channels and hit the refresh? No red boxes?

Start MediaPortal's "TVserver configuration"
Go to plugin "XmlTv" (make sure XmlTv plugin box is checked) and select the folder with the newly generated tvguide.xml (example: c:\mc2xml)
Go to Tab "Mappings"
Select your "Group"
Press "Load/Refresh"
The list box will now show your "channels" with drop down boxes to select the descriptions from the tvguide.xml file
After selecting descriptions, press "Save"
Verify the selections by pressing "Load/Refresh" again (all boxes should now be white)
Go back to the "Settings" tab and press "Import" (you should see your channels/programs after importing (takes a few seconds))
Close "TVserver configuration"


Do not change tracks, you are very close, I have successfully used both zap2xml and mc2xml for over a year now with MediaPortal...

 

[Andrew H]

I think I've got this working using the mc2xml via Legacy Microsoft. Now I realize the folks maintaining the SD plugin were manipulating the description just a tad to add the Episode name to the beginning (followed by a colon ":") and appending "(New: mm/dd/yyyy) and others... see a typical string that MP uses when you are playing back a show:

- <SimpleTag>
<name>COMMENT</name>
<value>Doctor Who: A former colleague accuses Langston of being part of the Dr. Jekyll murders. (New: 5/13/2010) (HDTV) (Dolby)</value>
</SimpleTag>
- <SimpleTag>​

Here's the post I have a couple of them listed. I suppose I've gotten spoiled seeing the first aired, or new field in the description - it makes it easy to identify when a show is not new and when it was first shown - I delete the ones that are not new after reading the description and confirming I've already seen it!

How does the .xml file get written? Apparently MP does this from the data it imports, is it through the xmltv.dtd, or should I alter the tvguide.xml before the xmltv plug-in processes it?

This has been a great find! Thanks for working these details and pointing me here I do have one other comment: ATSC has been around quite some time now and it's 'reasonable' to try the 'terrestrial' option since even microsoft has (at least in my case) all of the OTA sub-channels included in their guide - same as what I observed in 7MCE.