Schedules Direct Matchup?

[ZaHayNa]

Hey sub (or anyone that can answer this question):
I'm using expressvu (with a dvb card), and using Schedules Direct to get my guide info. It's very time consuming and difficult to do the mapping of digital channels to SD, because the station 'call letters' are often listed differently in SD than on the actual satellite.

So my question: is there a way that GB-PVR could automatically match the DVB-scanned channel to the corresponding SD database? SD provides the channel number (to the left of the call letters), and the P: value in the SOURCE_CHANNEL_MAPPING is the channel number that Expressvu uses. So would there be a way to write a script, and even make an option when you go to set up your EPG source as SD so that it would automatically map the SD databse to the corresponding channel number found in the P field?

I know for myself this would save a lot of time, especially when transponders get shifted around and I have to rescan the whole thing from scratch.

BTW, GB-PVR is working great these days. It by far beats anything else I've used. Good job!

[sub]

So my question: is there a way that GB-PVR could automatically match the DVB-scanned channel to the corresponding SD database? SD provides the channel number (to the left of the call letters), and the P: value in the SOURCE_CHANNEL_MAPPING is the channel number that Expressvu uses.

GB-PVR doesnt do this by default because it is very unusual to have the P: value being the channel number. I've never heard of another broadcaster doing this, so really just something proprietary to Expressvu. It wouldnt be worth the effort of adding to GB-PVR's default logic (ie, given the hassles for me developed/test said logic, and the limited number of people it would help).

You could certainly try to create yourself some utility that does this, and I'm sure if you posted it there would be others that would benefit from it.

[ZaHayNa]

GB-PVR doesnt do this by default because it is very unusual to have the P: value being the channel number. I've never heard of another broadcaster doing this, so really just something proprietary to Expressvu. It wouldnt be worth the effort of adding to GB-PVR's default logic (ie, given the hassles for me developed/test said logic, and the limited number of people it would help).

You could certainly try to create yourself some utility that does this, and I'm sure if you posted it there would be others that would benefit from it.

I would love to, but I don't know anything about programming. lol

Doesn't DN use the same format?

I understand that it's probably a lot of work for little payoff for you.

Is there anyone interested in programming this feature?

[frag999]

I am in the same boat. An xmltv utility would be very nice. The quickest way I have found is to 1. rescan 2. use an SQLite program to export gbpvr.db3 (make a backup copy of the db3 database first) source_channel_mapping to excel 3. use the Scan-X in the gbpvr "BDA" folder and open that with excel - parse this with "text to columns" 4. use excel to match up SD channel numbers to the P: value in the Scan-X 5. Organize this back into the excel file from gbpvr.db3 7. Import the excel file back into the db3 file 6. hope the Bev does not reshuffle their channels much more

This basic method worked for me. SQLMaestro was the program that I used to do this as it has decent import/export functionality. It took a good hour to do it, but not bad for 600+ channels (Charlie and BEV). When I say an hour, I am not talking about the time required for the scanning, I am referring to the time it takes to do the spreadsheet work. I need to go through this excercise again, I am guessing that each time will become quicker. Hopefully I can do it in less than a half hour.

On a side note, what do you use for PPV listings? SD cannot get the listings for Bev ppv. Have you tried the EPG update on GBPVR that comes through the stream? I haven't got that far yet. But I am going to try that next. The other option is to use a program like TSreader or Mytheatre and they can get the EPG data from the stream and then there are utilities to parse that data into xmltv format. Then you can just bypass SD altogether.

[ZaHayNa]

I am in the same boat. An xmltv utility would be very nice. The quickest way I have found is to 1. rescan 2. use an SQLite program to export gbpvr.db3 (make a backup copy of the db3 database first) source_channel_mapping to excel 3. use the Scan-X in the gbpvr "BDA" folder and open that with excel - parse this with "text to columns" 4. use excel to match up SD channel numbers to the P: value in the Scan-X 5. Organize this back into the excel file from gbpvr.db3 7. Import the excel file back into the db3 file 6. hope the Bev does not reshuffle their channels much more

This basic method worked for me. SQLMaestro was the program that I used to do this as it has decent import/export functionality. It took a good hour to do it, but not bad for 600+ channels (Charlie and BEV). When I say an hour, I am not talking about the time required for the scanning, I am referring to the time it takes to do the spreadsheet work. I need to go through this excercise again, I am guessing that each time will become quicker. Hopefully I can do it in less than a half hour.

On a side note, what do you use for PPV listings? SD cannot get the listings for Bev ppv. Have you tried the EPG update on GBPVR that comes through the stream? I haven't got that far yet. But I am going to try that next. The other option is to use a program like TSreader or Mytheatre and they can get the EPG data from the stream and then there are utilities to parse that data into xmltv format. Then you can just bypass SD altogether.

Wow. I should try that sometime. Sounds like it'd be effective.

For PPV, I have a 'separate' capture source, using the same card, and just have the guide info come in through a DVB EPG scan. It only gives 2 days of guide info, but it works.

Another option, if sub would consider it, is under the 'BDA Advanced Settings', would be something like 'Parse PID to Channel Number'... Would that take a lot of work to do?

That would make it easier to make the channel numbers match up between the DVB scan and SD...

[zehd]

I am in the same boat. An xmltv utility would be very nice. The quickest way I have found is to 1. rescan 2. use an SQLite program to export gbpvr.db3 (make a backup copy of the db3 database first) source_channel_mapping to excel 3. use the Scan-X in the gbpvr "BDA" folder and open that with excel - parse this with "text to columns" 4. use excel to match up SD channel numbers to the P: value in the Scan-X 5. Organize this back into the excel file from gbpvr.db3 7. Import the excel file back into the db3 file 6. hope the Bev does not reshuffle their channels much more

This basic method worked for me. SQLMaestro was the program that I used to do this as it has decent import/export functionality. It took a good hour to do it, but not bad for 600+ channels (Charlie and BEV). When I say an hour, I am not talking about the time required for the scanning, I am referring to the time it takes to do the spreadsheet work. I need to go through this excercise again, I am guessing that each time will become quicker. Hopefully I can do it in less than a half hour.

On a side note, what do you use for PPV listings? SD cannot get the listings for Bev ppv. Have you tried the EPG update on GBPVR that comes through the stream? I haven't got that far yet. But I am going to try that next. The other option is to use a program like TSreader or Mytheatre and they can get the EPG data from the stream and then there are utilities to parse that data into xmltv format. Then you can just bypass SD altogether.

In a couple of weeks I will start work on finishing my xml Enhancer utility. I have been thinking of remapping and using alternate channel information.

If I understand your problem correctly, it should be easy to do this.

PM me. I will give you my private email address. You can send me your GB_PVR db that includes your digital channel info, and also your XMLTV file that has your listings. I will work with those files to make sure it goes together correctly.