Tvguide import stand-alone app (1 Viewer)

[Basz]

I noticed some occasional stuttering in MP while watching live tv. After digging into the logs i found that mediaportal was busy importing the tvguide.xml at the times the stutterings occur.

I use MP as a real HTPC, so the pc is used for nothing else. The worst possible time for importing the guide is DURING normal use of mediaportal, which it appears to be doing. For me it would be MUCH better if I could decide when to import the tvguide data (for example, right after downloading the guide at 01:00AM). Moving the import-function out of mediaportal.exe into an external app (tvguidescheduler.exe would be best) would solve all of my problems.

 

[ASiDiE]

That makes sense.... I am all for this. Anything to make the CORE app run fast and smooth.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

The Guide is automatically imported on opening TVGuide, if the file has changed. for the couple of minutes on average, once a week, it should cause no real inconvenience to anyone (just turn MP on a couple of minutes before starting to enjoy your favourite program).
Plus the TVGuide is part of the core of MP and should stay that way.

 

[Glith]

Maybe some things shouldnt be a part of the "core".
For example tv recorder and EPG.

 

[wewe]

Paranoid Delusion: it is true that it is should not cause an inconvenience but it does because it is EVERY TIME I am using MediaPortal!

Why?

Because I start MP, I go to the EPG checking which shows and films are on, then I leave the EPG. In that time EPG could not import the full xmltv, only a part. So next time I enter it starts again ...

That is at least my experience.

So what do I have to do? I download the new EPG, I start MP and enter EPG. Then I go cooking a coffee or I go to the toilet. And then I can use MP and the EPG.

That is unconvenient!

I would second Basz's idea. So I could once per week download the new EPG by hand AND in one step import it in a forced way to the database.

thanks+regards
WeWe

 

[Basz]

Maybe some things shouldnt be a part of the "core".
For example tv recorder and EPG.

I like your idea about the recorder. Good suggestion. For that matter, i always liked the idea of MCE having the 'recorderservice'. No matter what the GUI does (ussualy strange, unexplainable things ), recordings stay uninterrupted (I still prefer MP over MCE though, MCE is too much of a no-brainer for me... ).

Additionally, I never switch off or reboot my HTPC (or: never want to). My system goes to S3 standby when i press the powerbutton on my remote and stays that way until I need to use it. But with the current approach of importing on entering TVguide, it's never ready when I really need it to be.

I would even be more than happy with an option to decide on which intervals (days/hours since last import / fixed date&time) the guide would be imported. That way, I could wake my system, download the guide and leave it on for a while after that to allow the ever-running mediaportal-process to do it's importing magic.

 

[hwahrmann]

Because I start MP, I go to the EPG checking which shows and films are on, then I leave the EPG. In that time EPG could not import the full xmltv, only a part. So next time I enter it starts again ...

that shouldn't be the case. The import runs as a background task.
Even, when you exit MP, you will still find mediaportal.exe in the tasklist until the epg import has finished.

 

[wewe]

well, this is what I would expect but believe it or not: it imports the EPG again and again.

- I started MP, went to EPG a short time, left MP (MP was still active in the task list as you say)
-> in the log it said: importing new EPG

- then I repeated the procedure
-> in the log it said: importing new EPG again

again, again ....


- then I entered EPG, went to toilet, discussed with my wife, did this and that, after leaving MP MP did NOT remain in the task list

- next time starting MP: no more 'reading EPG' in the log

Okay I did not yet do a 100% professional analysis - but something is wrong with that mechanism ...

Who knows more??? (And who is the responsible developer?)

thanks+regards
WeWe

 

[hwahrmann]

wewe: never recognized it. Will check it when at home.

Btw, there seems to be already a program allowing to import the xmltv via batch.
It should be the TVGuideScheduler, which you can call using the oprion "/FILE xmlfilename" and it'll import the xml file.

Never tried it myself, just saw it at the source. Will also check, when at home.

 

[FlipGer]

Hi,

I noticed some occasional stuttering in MP while watching live tv. After digging into the logs i found that mediaportal was busy importing the tvguide.xml at the times the stutterings occur.

I can confirm this behaviour. I think it also depends on the size of the XML-file. Mine is quite big (8 - 9 MB) because it contains 2 weeks of data for 30 programs. So the import takes usually at least 5 minutes. I am doing the same as wewe:
- start MP
- start TV Guide
- exit TV Guide to MP main
..... and wait. MP is unusuable for me while importing.

But this "only" happens, if you do not use / run MP 24/7.

I cannot confirm this:

For me it would be MUCH better if I could decide when to import the tvguide data (for example, right after downloading the guide at 01:00AM).

I do my XML update every night at 04:00 AM and if MP runs it detects automatically the new file and does the import at that time. So I have no problems to look at the TV Guide in this case (running MP 24/7).

Flip.