ATTN Devs: Schedules Direct - Changes Coming

[Lee Thompson]

On September 9th 2014, Schedules Direct made an announcement on their forums that TMS is dropping DataDirect service on November 1st 2014 - however plans are in place but developers may want to take note of the upcoming changes.

"Thankfully there is no need to panic, as Schedules Direct was already hard at work implementing a more modern JSON-based service using newer/better data feeds from TMS. This service offers the following improvements:

• More efficient "differential" transfer method. You only download the data that changes. Mid-day updates are fast and efficient.
  
• The ability to combine multiple source feeds into one output product.
  
• Additional data fields, including:
  • "season/episode" numbering!
    
  • Images for cast, episodes
    
  • NFL Sunday Ticket Details!!!!
    
• Completely custom lineups, including "Free to Air” Satellite
  
• ability to share QAM tuning info
  
• Additional International Lineups
  

This service is up and running now, and grabbers are available for MythTV and SageTV. We also encourage others to develop grabbers for their own applications.

In addition to the JSON service, a separate service is being developed to mimic the DataDirect feed. It's not ready yet but should be able to provide basic functionality for those legacy applications that can't move to JSON. It is expected to have most, but not all of the data currently in the Data Direct feed and will be updated daily. More details will be available about this later."

http://forums.schedulesdirect.org/viewto...f=7&t=2577

[pkscout]

After some digging around, I have no idea what the means for my guide data. Am I going to lose my guide data updates after November 1 (I use Schedules Direct with NextPVR)? Seems like a really poorly timed transition on the part of TMS. That's right in the middle of the main TV season in the US. Certainly they could have made the announcement in June for a September 1 date instead of waiting until 2 weeks before the beginning of the US prime time season and giving a 3 week notice.

[mvallevand]

Although this message was misplaced in the TV Listings plugin forum, if you follow the OP's link you will notice that sub is actively involved.

This quick unannounced turnoff does suck though but the api was announced a long time ago http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...Direct-API

Martin

[pkscout]

Although this message was misplaced in the TV Listings plugin forum, if you follow the OP's link you will notice that sub is actively involved.

Yes, I see that now. I read the thread and didn't even look at the usernames. So here's hoping sub can get something new in place in time. I'm sure he can. Right?

[sub]

So here's hoping sub can get something new in place in time. I'm sure he can. Right?

It's pretty much done.

The current version of their new API is only available on a small test system. I'm pushing them to productionize it, giving it a proper url and server with more resources. After that's done we should be all sorted for the next release.

[cncb]

I see that the season and episode numbers will now be available. Any chance you will be able to add these numbers to the recording file names?

[sub]

I'm storing them if they're available, but not doing much with them yet.

The season/episode info is only available on about 20% of listings.