Recommend TV Listing For Sky UK

[joecru]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a full listings XMLTV Guide for Sky UK.
As mentioned in another post the BLEB UK is ok but it dosen't list all channels.

Regards
Joe

[joshley]

I am going to set up my XMLTV file for NTL Family Pack today:

http://www.home.ntl.com/page/familypackfulllisting

You can compare to whatever Sky package you have here:

http://www.ordersky.com/channelpackages/...arison.asp

If you have the same as mine, I'll send you the XMLTV file when you're done, then all you'll have to do is get it to refresh itself once a day! If it is slightly different... don't worry! The XMLTV files are editable in notepad. Just make a new one with any extra channels that mine didn't include, open the one I can send you in notepad, paste in the new channels in the right place, and remove any one's you don't have (unlikely!, and refresh your XMLTV listing!

There maybe should be a part of this site with XMLTV listings already compiled available for download for various TV packages (in whatever country). In case they change, just put an 'as of' date next to it so people are warned!
Whaddya think, Sub?

joshley

[joecru]

HI joshley ,

Thanks for the Info. I have the Sky Family Pack so it should be the same as the NTL.It would be very helpful if you could send the XMLTV file.

Regards
Joe

[herbs]

You could use tvxb http://home.so-net.com.hk/~bdickens/TVxb/index.htm with the sky listings
here http://home.so-net.com.hk/~bdickens/TVxb...k-ini.html

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]There maybe should be a part of this site with XMLTV listings already compiled available for download for various TV packages (in whatever country). In case they change, just put an 'as of' date next to it so people are warned!
Whaddya think, Sub?

As much as I'd like to do this, it would be highly illegal and probably compromise the project.

[joshley]

Quote[/b] ]As much as I'd like to do this, it would be highly illegal and probably compromise the project.

Oh. Sod that then!

[joecru]

Thanks Guys,

For all your help .I downloaded the PDF file for TVxb. Had a read through it, and started the install .Its a bit long winded.
I got it to creat the Xmltv file ,but when I took the option to update EPG it only listed two channels. I will need to study the Manual again. I must have left something out.

Regards
Joe

[joshley]

Joe,
Here is a link to a zipped version of my XMLTV directory:

Unzip that with directories into your C: drive. This should make a folder called C:\XMLTV inside which you'll find two batch files:

1) xmltvrun.bat
This gives program listings on pretty much all the Sky channels you're gonna get for 1 day, although there may be a few missing as these are for NTL Family Pack. This also gives program info. It stores it in 'uklist.xml' in the xmltv folder.

2) xmltvnoinfo.bat
This is as above but much quicker as it has no info on the programmes, only titles and times.

Edit these in notepad, it's really easy to change, and look at the following info on using xmltv (the uk version, anyway):

SYNOPSIS
   tv_grab_uk_rt --help

   tv_grab_uk_rt [--config-file FILE] --configure

   tv_grab_uk_rt [--config-file FILE] [--output FILE] [--quiet] [--days N]
   [--offset N] [--slow [--limit-details HH:MM-HH:MM] --get-categories]

DESCRIPTION
   Output TV and radio listings in XMLTV format for many stations available
   in Britain. The data comes from the Radio Times website.

USAGE
   First you must run tv_grab_uk_rt --configure to choose which stations
   you want to receive. Then running tv_grab_uk_rt with no arguments will
   get about a fortnight's listings for the stations you chose.

   --configure Prompt for which stations to download and write the
   configuration file.

   --config-file FILE Set the name of the configuration file, the default
   is ~/.xmltv/tv_grab_uk_rt.conf. This is the file written by --configure
   and read when grabbing.

   --output FILE When grabbing, write output to FILE rather than standard
   output.

   --days N When grabbing, grab N days rather than as many as possible.

   --offset N Start grabbing at today + N. N may be negative.

   --slow Fetch additional details for each programme. This requires one
   extra web page fetch per programme, so use with care.

   --limit-details HH:MM-HH:MM (use with --slow) Limit the additional
   details fetched for programmes by checking that the start time falls
   within the specified time range, which must be specified in 24-hour
   clock, eg: 16:00-02:00. This can significantly reduce the number of web
   page fetches.

   --get-categories (use with --slow) Attempt to find out the category each
   program is in. This requires another web page get per category per day,
   so it can really slow down the grab.

   --quiet suppress the progress messages normally written to standard
   error.

   --help print a help message and exit.

It's pretty easy to customise for more days, amount of info etc.
Once you've either ran one of these batch files (the first on my ntl 750K connection takes a little over an hour, the latter about five minutes!, in GB-PVR, under EPG settings, choose XMLTV and set it to point to the generated uklist.xml file.
All you need to do now (if you use a channel changer) is the painful task of setting the right channel numbers in the EPG settings on GB-PVR for each channel (i.e. what their repsective Sky channel codes are), and you're away!

Hope this helps!
joshley

[joecru]

Hi joshley,

I have followed your instructions ,and created a UKlist.Xml file.
The EPG also has setup ok.How can you config the file ,to download the listings for specific regions for BBC and ITV Channels ie:- Northern Ireland. I have tryed editing the
tv_grab_uk_rt ,but when you try a list download, it just defaults back to the orginal Settings (South.bbc1.bbc.co.uk)

Regards
Joe

[joshley]

Joe,

There are two ways to edit what channels are downloaded:

1) (assuming your xmltv is in 'C:\XMLTV\' goto 'C:\XMLTV\.xmltv\' and edit in notepad the file called 'tv_grab_uk_rf.conf'; add/change the channels as you wish and save it. You can find a list of all the channels in 'C:\XMLTV\share\xmltv\tv_grab_uk_rt\channel_ids' which you can look at in notepad and find the exact id for what you want to add to your 'tv_grab_uk_rt.conf' file. Add them in the correct place in the list respective to where they are in the real channels on Sky.
From the 'channel_ids' file, an example of the bit you want is in bold below (i.e. ignore the colon and numbers at the end!:

northern-ireland.bbc1.bbc.co.uk:99:1
bravo.co.uk:122:

and put it in the 'tv_grab_uk_rt.conf' file as follows:

channel northern-ireland.bbc1.bbc.co.uk
channel bravo.co.uk

OR.......

2) Rename 'C:\XMLTV\.xmltv\tv_grab_uk_rt.conf' to something else. Run command prompt (Start; Run; 'cmd' and go to 'C:\XMLTV'. Type:

xmltv tv_grab_uk_rt --configure

Do a search for the different channels you want, and add them all in. Then finish, and copy and paste the new channels from the newly generated 'tv_grab_uk_rt.conf' file into the old, delete the new one and rename the old back!

Phew!

joshley