Why won't anyone help me? (1 Viewer)

[johnson636]

Yes, I'm new to MP, as a matter of fact, I'm new to this whole capture thing. I thought it would be excellent to be able to watch and record tv to pc. I've tried a number of apps with no success; it seems as if no one wants to help. I've been searching the forums before posting any threads, trying to help myself first, but now I'm at a stand still and need a little help from someone who's more knowledgable of MP and TV capturing.

Specs

3.4GHZ (P4)
1gig of RAM
7800GT
250GB WD
pvr-500 (Hauppauge)
XP Home
Framework 1.1 or something like that

I tried using the sticky on EPG for USA.
I first installed MP. Then I create a Zap2it account; it shows all my channels in the list. I Then unzip XMLTV into the directory that the sticky requires. Now I noticed something after browsing through the xmltv folder; In the xmltv directory there's a folder thats labled "share." In it there are more folders: tv_grab_au, tv_grab_be, tv_grab_ch, tv_grab_uk_rt, etc. Weird thing is there is not a folder labeled tv_grab_na_dd; I'm assuming that this one is for North America.

Now in the MP setup it recognizes my pvr-500 (which is connected via S-Video to my STB) Hauppauge a and b. Now I go to Television > Program Guide and uncheck the time zome thing and set zone to -6. I go to scheduler and select tv_grab_na_dd from the drop down box, but like I said earlier, there isn't a folder thats labeled tv_grab_na_dd. Then I click "Run Grabber"

The --configure command for xmltv starts, but I notice it showing refference to tv_grab_uk_rt; I didn't choose that one The process go something like: CH1 1% =
CH2 2%== and so on after it reaches 100% the prompt just stays open. I close it and open up MP, go to My TV and it has nothing but a little screen that is black; it has nothing showing. But at the bottom it is show the name of a show with descriptions. I go to TV Guide and the channels listed are not even close.

I've tried other apps that did show tv on my pc, so my tuner is working. I can use Windows movie maker to capture along with another app, but they both have limited options. I know the card is installed correctly. If I go to autotune within MP, All I get is static or snow.

I've posted three thread and there has been only one reply. Two of the threads show that they've been veiwed several times, but no reply.

Please, if you have the knowledge and can help me, don't just read my post and then close the page without replying; I am trying to help myself, but I need a little assistance.

 

[onkl]

Hi Johnson,

I don't live in the US, so I can't help you with the Zap2it part of the story.

Let me try to scetch what I think is what happened:
You downloaded the UK program guide and Mediaportal tried to serve you a nice BBC (or so) program. Which isn't on your cable and you haven't assigned a frequency, so a black image is all you'll see.

I think you can best solve this the following way:
1: Tune your channels, so that you can at least watch TV
2: start tinkering on your EPG until you get the correct info
3: map the tuned channels to the channels in your EPG.
This way you can at least watch TV pretty quick and take some time over the EPG part.
Some links to help you out:
In general: the MP wiki
On part 1:
the wikipart on the TV section

Can you tell if you have allready tuned your channels (has nothing to do with the EPG)

If this doesn't help you out, don't hesitate to say so.

 

[ASiDiE]

I just went through the guide myself. I have done this serveral times when I had my old ATi (SW) card. It works just as it says. I now have a PVR 500 (Just like you) and went through the guide myself. I followed it just how the sticky said and created the all the xml files it needs. If your zip2it account is set up right for the channels you have, you should be ok. I also noticed that there is no file like you said... but this didn't seem to matter. Just make sure you have like a 7 meg file of XML code once your done. Copy all this info over to MP tvxml directory and you should be ok. Somewhere I read it can take up to 2 hours for MP to see all your data. Also, I was unable to get Autotune to work so I used the listing to create my channel list. I only have about 80 channels so it was pretty easy. Everything is working pretty good right now... still working on the quality of the recordings... but other than that... its doing ok!

Let me know if this helps or not.... I am here all the time and am willing to help anyone out who needs it.

 

[wishywashy]

First see:
http://nolanparty.com/mediaportal.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2766
Things like "Framework 1.1 or something like that" isn't the most helpful.

Next what version of XMLTV are you useing?
Point MP to that XMLTV directory. Like in my case- "D:\Media Portal stuff\xmltv-0.5.42a-win32\xmltv-0.5.42-win32" is the location under MP setup- Television- Guide.
Open a cmd prompt and browse to that directory. Run the following command: "xmltv.exe tv_grab_na_dd --configure" answer questions.
Close Dos window. Navigate to xmltv/.xmltv directory and copy tv_grab_na_dd.conf file and paste into /xmltv directory.

Create batch file (use notepad) in /xmltv directory that shows the following: xmltv.exe tv_grab_na_dd --days 7 --output tvguide.xml
Save as update.bat
Double click update.bat
Do you get errors? If not proceed to next step.
Use windows task scheduler to run the batch script every 6 days or so.

Then open MP setup.
Uncheck use Timezone information and don't set a time zone offset in Media Portal. Under MP setup- TV- Channels click the import from tvguide button. Your channels should import. You'll have to edit each channel and tell MP that they belong to an external box.

The rest I have no clue, I don't use S-video.

 

[Tech Geek]

I had to run the XMLTV stuff manually to keep it from grabbing the UK guide.
And if I try to run it from the MP setup it crashes after it grabs the UK guide.

run XMLTV manually and it will work.
Lame but it works until they figure out what's up.

 

[johnson636]

First, let me thank you guys for your reply. I'm not at home at the moment so I can't try any of your solutions.

Things like "Framework 1.1 or something like that" isn't the most helpful

wishywashy I appoligize

I used the latest version of xmltv.

When I get home, I'll finnish the rest of my reply

Again thanx for your replies

 

[onkl]

pvr-500 (which is connected via S-Video to my STB) Hauppauge a and b.

Just checking: STB = Set top box, your using digital TV which you feed into your PC via your PVR 500 card?
So, to change the channel in eg. Windows movie maker, you have to use the set-top box remote?

If this is true, ignore my post above.
I do not know how digital TV works, but you cannot use the autotune for the PVR card then. That's meant for analogue TV only.

 

[johnson636]

I had to run the XMLTV stuff manually to keep it from grabbing the UK guide.
And if I try to run it from the MP setup it crashes after it grabs the UK guide.

run XMLTV manually and it will work.
Lame but it works until they figure out what's up.

Do you mean the technique that wishywashy suggested.

Open a cmd prompt and browse to that directory. Run the following command: "xmltv.exe tv_grab_na_dd --configure" answer questions.
Close Dos window. Navigate to xmltv/.xmltv directory and copy tv_grab_na_dd.conf file and paste into /xmltv directory.

Asidie wrote:

Let me know if this helps or not.... I am here all the time and am willing to help anyone out who needs it.

Thats nice to know

Thank you

 

[johnson636]

OK, now I'm home. I'm trying to manually configure the lsiting now.

AS followed:

Open a cmd prompt and browse to that directory. Run the following command: "xmltv.exe tv_grab_na_dd --configure" answer questions.
Close Dos window. Navigate to xmltv/.xmltv directory and copy tv_grab_na_dd.conf file and paste into /xmltv directory.

This is what I got:

WARNING: Storing the password in the config file is not secure
If password is blank, it will be prompted as needed(more secure)
Unsecured password ('x':delete,default:<keep>,):
Fetching from DataDirect: Fetched 0 k/bytes in 9 seconds
##################################################
loading data: #################################################
WARNING: error parsing DD xml: ERROR: FETCH ERROR401 Unauthorized at /PerlApp/gr
ab/na_dd/tv_grab_na_dd line 705.

Partial XML follows:
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>401 Unauthorized</TITLE></HEAD><BODY><H1>401 Unauthorized</H1
></BODY></HTML>

ERROR: Bad XML from DD, cannot continue

Everytime I try, I get the same thing

What am I doing wrong?

 

[scoop]

Hi,

OK, now I'm home. I'm trying to manually configure the lsiting now.
...
This is what I got:

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>401 Unauthorized</TITLE></HEAD><BODY><H1>401 Unauthorized</H1
></BODY></HTML>

Somehow the site you're grabbing the EPG data from needs authentication. Here's the description from the error code you get:

The request requires user authentication. The response MUST include a WWW-Authenticate header field (section 14.47) containing a challenge applicable to the requested resource. The client MAY repeat the request with a suitable Authorization header field (section 14.8). If the request already included Authorization credentials, then the 401 response indicates that authorization has been refused for those credentials.

So, it looks like your account from zap2it is not correctly configured in XMLTV or perhaps your account is expired.

Kind regards,
Michel