Numbering channels to align with Freesat (UK)

[PeteT]

Hi all, first post here!

I was a long-term user of Windows MCE until I started having multiple problems with it and bought a Freesat box a couple of years ago because it "just works".

To cut a long story short, and without boring people with my reasons, I would like to return to a PC-based Live TV solution.

I've managed to scan in all the channels at 28.2°, but this results in multiple regional channels for BBC, ITV etc. It is not immediately obvious which of these is the correct one for my region. In order to clean things up, I can cross-reference the SID on KingOfSat (http://en.kingofsat.net/pack-freesat.php) and delete the unrequired channels from the "Digital Device Setup" screen (as this seems to be the only place where the SID is listed).

However, this is quite a laborious and time-consuming process, and I'm wondering whether anybody can advise on a less laborious way of making my NextPVR installation more "Freesat-like". I know my way around programming languages and scripting languages, so am not too afraid to roll my sleeves up, but I wouldn't want to re-invent the wheel. I see that there is an XML file in the top-level NPVR directory as well as a SQLite file (which I've not attempted to open). Are these the key to somehow automating the process?

What would be ideal, would be to have a "Freesat mode" where you can select a region and only the relevant channels are set up - essentially for it to operate just like a Freesat STB! Of course, that is easy to say, but would represent a great deal of work to implement!

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Pete

[sub]

What would be ideal, would be to have a "Freesat mode" where you can select a region and only the relevant channels are set up - essentially for it to operate just like a Freesat STB! Of course, that is easy to say, but would represent a great deal of work to implement!

Unfortunately I'm not in that part of the world, without access to those signals, which makes it hard to develop/test features which are specific that part of the world.

Some other users from that part of the world may have advice for how to help configure it though.

[Graham]

I know my way around programming languages and scripting languages, so am not too afraid to roll my sleeves up, but I wouldn't want to re-invent the wheel.

NextPVR stores everything about its configuration in config.xml and npvr.db3 in the C:\Users\Public\NPVR folder. The channels data is in npvr.db3 and this is a SQLite database. SQLite can be run from the command line so, in theory, you could ... <insert imaginative solution here> ...

[jcjefferies]

Its doubtful if its worth the effort to try and duplicate the Freesat install algorithm! The first time install of a S2 card on 28.2E is a is a major project because of the numerous regional variation plus all unwanted minor channels. Once you have identified the wanted variation its a simple job to bulk select a block of unwanted channels and delete them. This job can be made a little easier by using Ian's Freesat.ini file which contains a subset of normal 28.2E.ini transponder list. You can go through the file and delete even more transponders that don't carry your regional variation or any channels of interest.

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...reesat.ini

Chris

[imilne]

I've thought about trying to do something to help with this, but it's just not worth the effort. One of the major hurdles in my setup is that it's a dual Freesat and Freeview lineup, with the obvious sharing of channels but not channel numbers. And one of the huge advantages to NextPVR not being an official Freesat device is you don't have to follow their channel order. If you want BBC1 at position 1, or 50 or 101, it's totally up to you. A little pain is worth the effort, and you'll find that although you'll need the occasional tweak to the 'lesser' channels, the vast majority of the big ones almost never change their transponder settings.

Iain

[PeteT]

Thanks all for the input, and apologies for the delay in replying (I don't want you to think that you wasted your time in trying to help). I decided that Ian was right and that it probably isn't worth the effort on a personal level, as once everything has been set up, the settings are easily exported/imported.

It's a bit of an "I'm alright Jack" attitude, because some kind of "auto-setup" for other new users would save them the couple of hours that I've spent sorting through the channels, but still...