I-xmltv: TV Guide customization & Zap2It EPG utility.

[rscheller]

I've looked at and come close to installing TVGuideSupercharger several times and each time I go to load it, I chicken out as I read about the issues people are having getting it to work and how it can affect a working GBPVR.

I really do want the features of this plugin but I have a stable install of GBPVR 98.08b and I don't want to mess it up.

Any suggestions on making TVGuideSupercharger easy to install for the novice or to have a less cryptic configurator that doesn't require editing files?

Thanks

[Jim_]

I've looked at and come close to installing TVGuideSupercharger several times and each time I go to load it, I chicken out as I read about the issues people are having getting it to work and how it can affect a working GBPVR.

Yes, this is an unfortunate drawback of helping people find workarounds for Zap2It (lineup), xmltv (download) & gbpvr (configuration) problems. None of these were caused by my utility (I-xmltv.exe) or under my control, but I do my best to find solutions when I can. If you look in the support forum on any given day, you’ll notice that this thread doesn’t hold a monopoly on epg download and configuration problems.

Also when a Zap2It, xmltv, gbpvr, problem is reported, and we find a workaround, I document it in “ReadMe-NOW.txt” and update the wiki version.
It does make for a very long readme file, but I absolutely HATE searching forum posts trying to find solutions when it should be in the manual.

I really do want the features of this plugin but I have a stable install of GBPVR 98.08b and I don't want to mess it up.

It won’t. I’ve been using it for over 6-months on two computers.
The worst that can happen is you have to empty your epg and switch back to the native Zap2It plugin.
But I always recommend that people 1. Stop the recording service. 2. Backup your GBPVR database and config.xml

Any suggestions on making TVGuideSupercharger easy to install for the novice or to have a less cryptic configurator that doesn't require editing files?

Thanks

You don’t have to edit anything if you don’t want to.
The only thing that “should” be changed (if you don’t live in, or east of, the central time zone) is “/TP/-6” and it only sets the premiere indicator cutoff time. You don’t need to edit anything to use the default features.

Honestly, I spent several days searching obscure websites when I setup xmltv for the first time. I narrowed all that work & time down to following a few simple instructions at the very top of ReadMe-now.txt.
xmltv is a command line utility, and GBPVR calls it using a batch file, so editing a batch file will always be a requirement for a package like this. But if someone wants to write a configuration GUI, or more concise directions (I’m a bit wordy aren’t I :eek: ), I’d be more than happy to include them in the next release!

Jim

PS. the next (potential) release will have more feature and more options, not less.
Cast & Crew in the description, Genre & custom search ability for "TV Listings" users....

[Jim_]

I've looked at and come close to installing TVGuideSupercharger several times and each time I go to load it, I chicken out
<snip>

I almost forgot this part!
If you decide to try it and have any questions or problems following the setup procedure, feel free to post them and I'll help you through the install!
Jim

[reets]

I seem to be having a problem with duplicate channels not showing up. I have time-shifting channels with my digital cable and they seem to get combined. Say channel 15 and 159 are the same channel but just time-shifted (like 159 is 2 hours earlier than 15). Only channel 159 will show up in the web interface.

Any ideas would be awesome

[Jim_]

I seem to be having a problem with duplicate channels not showing up. I have time-shifting channels with my digital cable and they seem to get combined. Say channel 15 and 159 are the same channel but just time-shifted (like 159 is 2 hours earlier than 15). Only channel 159 will show up in the web interface.

Any ideas would be awesome

IIRC, most of these lineup problems are eventually resolved by Zap2It.
The subject is discussed in the link below, and sub’s first reply is the one to read.
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=19825

[reets]

Update on my problem of channels not showing in web interface. I did some investigating and have more info that might help.

1. the "tv_grab_na_dd.conf" file has all the correct channels listed (doesn't have the ones I have deselected in Zap2It interface)

2. the TVGuide.xml (and xmltv.xml) has some wierd information in it.

ex from TVGuide.xml:
<channel id="I11325.labs.zap2it.com">
<display-name>15 WBZ</display-name>
<display-name>15 WBZ 0003100:X</display-name>
<display-name>15</display-name>
<display-name>4 WBZ fcc</display-name>
<display-name>WBZ</display-name>
<display-name>WBZ</display-name>
<display-name>CBS Affiliate</display-name>
</channel>

Now this should be channel 15 where I live (it's CBS) and it all looks correct except for the "<display-name>4 WBZ fcc</display-name>" part. Channel 4 is one that is not even selected in Zap2It (and isn't the same channel either, it's a french channel) and isn't in the "tv_grab_na_dd.conf" file.

Any idea where this extra line is coming from and a possible fix? Or am I reading this completely wrong? Hope all this information helps a bit.

[Jim_]

Update on my problem of channels not showing in web interface. I did some investigating and have more info that might help.

1. the "tv_grab_na_dd.conf" file has all the correct channels listed (doesn't have the ones I have deselected in Zap2It interface)

2. the TVGuide.xml (and xmltv.xml) has some wierd information in it.

ex from TVGuide.xml:
[SIZE="4"]<channel id="I11325.labs.zap2it.com">
<display-name>15 WBZ</display-name>[/SIZE]
<display-name>15 WBZ 0003100:X</display-name>
<display-name>15</display-name>
<display-name>4 WBZ fcc</display-name>
<display-name>WBZ</display-name>
<display-name>WBZ</display-name>
<display-name>CBS Affiliate</display-name>
</channel>

Now this should be channel 15 where I live (it's CBS) and it all looks correct except for the "<display-name>4 WBZ fcc</display-name>" part. Channel 4 is one that is not even selected in Zap2It (and isn't the same channel either, it's a french channel) and isn't in the "tv_grab_na_dd.conf" file.

Any idea where this extra line is coming from and a possible fix? Or am I reading this completely wrong? Hope all this information helps a bit.

The big ones are the only two that count.
Is it possible that Zap2It simply isn’t sending listings for that channel?
<edit> I have a feeling that the "x" in the third line indicates that the station is not available</edit>
If the native plugin doesn’t work, and xmltv doesn’t work, it's very likely.
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=20306
If you want to confirm that zap2it isn’t sending any programs for that station, see how many listings you can find for I11325 in the xml.
I had the same thing happen a few days before they change my lineup.
And remember to run --configure.bat after zap2it fixes your lineup problem.
Jim

Jim

[picomode]

I've been playing around with this trying to duplicate the single-day problem scezic is having,,, sofa + laptop + watching the US nationals.
I managed to replicate the single-day problem by changing my MTU settings (router & computer) from 1500 to 576 (Note: 576 is the default value Zap2It recommends!).
<edit> And the single-day problem happens if just the router was forced to 576 <end edit>
For me, using "optimal settings" in "TCP Optimizer" and a MTU of 1500, has worked fine. But changing the MTU to “576” caused my normally clean downloads to fail.


So try this.
Change your routers MTU to 1500. (if you can)
Download TCPOptimizer.
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
File + Backup current settings,, just incase.
Largest MTU tab + Start
General Settings tab + optimal settings + apply changes
Reboot.
Limit your maximum EPG download to 11-days.

Let me know if it works on your end!
Jim

This worked for me. I was only getting 24hours data from Zap2it. I've noticed other downloads (very big ones) were failing as well. I had to restart the Vista RC1 DL from MS many times because it was stalling out. I had to DL it without any torrents running.

[Anthony]

Jim,

I see that I-XMLTV has an option to replace "Paid Programming" with the Zap2It subscription status.

Is there any way this could be changed to simply leave that time slot blank (for all days)? I don't want to record them, so I'd rather not see anything there.

For that matter, I'd love to be able to blank out other shows I have no interest in. For example, replace "Dancing with the stars" with a blank time slot.

It would be much easier to find the shows I want, if I didn't have to weed through shows I have no interest in.

Maybe a simple external file (blank.txt) with one show name per line (case insensitive preferably).

Dancing with the stars
America's next top model
Fashion House

etc...

If the show title is found in the list, blank the time slot. Maybe set the title to a space, and replace the description with the program title. That way it would appear blank in the GBPVR grid, but I could still see what the show was by looking at the bottom of the screen.

Just an idea...

Otherwise, I-XMLTV is working great! Thanks!

Anthony

[Jim_]

<snip>
Is there any way this could be changed to simply leave that time slot blank (for all days)? I don't want to record them, so I'd rather not see anything there.

For that matter, I'd love to be able to blank out other shows I have no interest in. For example, replace "Dancing with the stars" with a blank time slot.

Removing them wouldn’t be hard to do, but most people would see “holes in the guide” as an EPG problem and report them as such.
But you can easily try it on your end to see if you like the results. All you have to do is open TVGuide.xml in notepad, and “replace” the show names you don’t want to see with a space, or nothing. Then load the modified guide.

Code:

Find what: <title lang="en">Dancing with the stars</title>
Replace with: <title lang="en"></title>

It would be much easier to find the shows I want, if I didn't have to weed through shows I have no interest in.

I’ve added some advanced search features (specifically designed for the TV Listings plugin) in the next I-xmltv version (v1.3). Download TV Listings asap!

v1.3
Cast & Crew in the description.
Genre search.
Add favorite actors to the genre list.
User-defined list of favorite show titles. >> “Find More” quick search using TV Listing.
The changes make it easy to find the shows you’re interested in, and may eliminate the need for your original wish.

V1.3 uses an ini for the new features, and the text / genre search list.

Code:

<config>
  <channel>2</channel>
  <display-name>FIND</display-name>
  <genre-desc>-GENRE-  Find More: By Genre. In Title, Subtitle, Description</genre-desc>
  <text-desc>-TEXT-  Find More: In Title, Subtitle, Description</text-desc>
  <unique-id>SH000001.0000</unique-id>
     <TVGuideSuperchargerCastAndCrew>
        <MovieDescriptions>True</MovieDescriptions>
        <EpisodeDescriptions>False</EpisodeDescriptions>
        <OtherDescriptions>False</OtherDescriptions>
           <CastAndCrewLeader>            </CastAndCrewLeader>
           <director>2</director>
           <actor>99</actor>
           <guest>99</guest>
           <writer>0</writer>
           <producer>0</producer>
           <presenter>0</presenter>
           <commentator>2</commentator>
              <UseActorAsGenre>William Shatner</UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre>Leonard Nimoy</UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre>Darren McGavin</UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
              <UseActorAsGenre></UseActorAsGenre>
      </TVGuideSuperchargerCastAndCrew>
  <MaxTitleLength>120</MaxTitleLength>
  <MaxSubTitleLength>150</MaxSubTitleLength>
  <MaxMovieDescriptionLength>500</MaxMovieDescriptionLength>
  <MaxNon-MovieDescriptionLength>255</MaxNon-MovieDescriptionLength>
</config>

-  "-" disabled, ">" text, Words without a "-" or ">" are genre's.
>Pilot
Premiere
Movie
>MythBusters Pinks! NHRA Prospecting Fever Kolchak: UFO MXC Pimp Fear RC Doctor Dwarf
>SciFi Horror Paranormal Fantasy
Leonard Nimoy, Darren McGavin, William Shatner
>Action Western War
>Comedy Adventure

- complete genre list.
Action
Adults only
Adventure
Agriculture
Animals
Animated
Anime
Anthology
Archery
Art