Repeat episodes not recognised in UK using OTA EPG

[silverblade]

In UK Freeview & Freesat broadcast "Unique Programme ID" and "Series ID" which PVRs use to Avoid duplicate Recordings and record a programme series. NextPVR dosnt use the Series ID to detect programmes in a series but relies on the title in the EPG. NextPVR can use the "Unique Programme ID" transmitted but is not able to extract the data from the broadcast data. I use EPG Collector to extract the EPG data into an XML file which NextPVR can read. Included in the file for each programme is a field called "episode-num" which contains the "Series_ID and "Programme_ID" used by PVRs. As NextPVR does not understand the "Series_ID" I process the XML file to remove it from the file before importing it.

I have used this for about three years and it works well. The only other method I know of is to use XMLTV GUIthe Radio Times EPG data.

Chris

thanks, some more stuff to try. What a great forum this is, so many helpful replies in such a short time!

I have messed around with the xmltv.radiotimes.com feed, mainly just as a personal viewing guide rather than for EPG. That definitely does have the Repeat field in it but it returns tilda seperated value dat files rather than XML so guess I could have to write some code to convert it and then import into NextPVR? Also I did read that it may be discontinued (there were a few days last week when it never got updated) just leaving the http://atlas.metabroadcast.com offering that is the replacement (I did look at that as well but don't think it's what I want).

cheers

[Graham]

... it returns tilda seperated value dat files rather than XML so guess I could have to write some code to convert it ...

The .dat files are read and converted by ... http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/

I don't know about now but when Atlas first appeared it was using data from Radio Times and produced the same results as Birtles.

[silverblade]

The .dat files are read and converted by ... http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/

I don't know about now but when Atlas first appeared it was using data from Radio Times and produced the same results as Birtles.

cheers. Looks like it's not been updated since 2011 so the problem could be if they pull the plug on the radiotimes feed - the site redirects to Atlas already as the "official" replacement. I looked at Atlas and it seemed to be aimed at app developers more than personal users I thought.

[Graham]

Did you find this ... http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post434477

~It works for me!

[bilbopvr]

In UK Freeview & Freesat broadcast "Unique Programme ID" and "Series ID" which PVRs use to Avoid duplicate Recordings and record a programme series. NextPVR dosnt use the Series ID to detect programmes in a series but relies on the title in the EPG. NextPVR can use the "Unique Programme ID" transmitted but is not able to extract the data from the broadcast data. I use EPG Collector to extract the EPG data into an XML file which NextPVR can read. Included in the file for each programme is a field called "episode-num" which contains the "Series_ID and "Programme_ID" used by PVRs. As NextPVR does not understand the "Series_ID" I process the XML file to remove it from the file before importing it.

I have used this for about three years and it works well. The only other method I know of is to use XMLTV GUIthe Radio Times EPG data.

Chris

Hi Chris, is this still the case? I have been experimenting with big brother trying both new and all options but the lunch time next day repeats are getting scheduled with the try to avoid duplicates ticked under recordings.

I actually use epg collector aswell, do you remove episode_num within epg collector, or just series id and how ?

[jcjefferies]

The relevant data is stored in the database in the EPG_EVENT table under unique_id. The data is used by Freeview and Freesat PVRs to avoid duplicate recordings. Also broadcast is the Series_ID to identify programmes in the same series which NextPVR cannot use so has to be removed.

At EPG update time if a matching Recurring Recording is found in the EPG NexPVR searches the "RECENTLY_DELETED" and the "SCHDULED_RECORDING" tables for the unique_id and if not found will schedule the recording.

This is a typical entry from EPG Collector from a Sky channel on a Freeview signal:-

<episode-num system="crid">G_SKYB1475581 . G_S32915255 . </episode-num>

Its a while since I looked at it and have done it different ways over the years but it is slowly coming back! The Series_id has to be removed so this is what it needs to be changed to so NextPVR can import the value into the database.

<episode-num system="dd_progid">G_S32915255</episode-num>

The exact format you use is unimportant as long as it is consistent. At one time I reduced the Series ID to "0" and kept the leading and trailing " " and ".".

At one time I used FAR (Find And Replace) to convert "crid" to "dd_progid" and also to tidy up the episode number entry.

Something like "Find" <episode-num system="crid">* .
"Replace" <episode-num system="dd_progid>

Which as well as changing "crid" to "dd_progid" should remove the series id but not certain of the exact syntax!

I will have to look at my current pre processing to remember exactly what I now do.

Chris

[sub]

<episode-num system="crid">G_SKYB1475581 . G_S32915255 . </episode-num>

Its a while since I looked at it and have done it different ways over the years but it is slowly coming back! The Series_id has to be removed so this is what it needs to be changed to so NextPVR can import the value into the database.

Why would this have to be removed? As long as the broadcaster always uses "G_SKYB1475581 . G_S32915255 ." to identify that show, that is all NextPVR needs to be able to tell that one airing of a show is the same as another airing. You'd only need to remove this "SKYB1475581" if they're changing continuously, in effect making one airing look like it's not the same as another airing.

[bilbopvr]

Thanks Chris, I am using a sat card for the info, do you only use the freeview dvb-t signal to get the epg or use your dvb-s card aswell?

What do you have for the episode format on the output tab?

Also, when you record all new for celeb big brother (wife!) on 5HD does it skip the repeats?

Bregards
Bill

[bilbopvr]

Thanks sub, I will have a look at the xml later to see what is produced for the episodes of that particular show.

[bilbopvr]

I think in this particular instance the ota listings are borked some episodes ahave similar to this:

<episode-num system="xmltv_ns">0 . 3 . 0/1</episode-num> freesat not all have episode num

and some have no episode-num entry.

For those that dont even the descriptions aren't consistent, eg some have s1 ep3 and the repeat just ep3 or sometimes s1 ep2[s] so I dont think any pvr could cope with this!