Zap2it Closing Down

[cpa]

I found gbpvr today over at byopvr web site. After reading many good things about it. I came over here to download, install and play with it. Only to find this topic put me on hold. Anyway I decided to install it. One of the first things i faced was the guide data setup. Well that stopped me completely because of this topic. I was thinking whats the point.

I've been following this topic most of today. I need to say that I am against the idea of scraping web sites since I consider it unethecal. I also believe it would be very unreliable.

Is there a way for me to get GBPVR to use BeyondTV's tv listings since I already have a valid account with them?

Now I find what ryland wrote to be very interesting. I just happened to purchase a pvr application today for 3 bucks that provides guide data. I've been using it with xlobby for a couple of weeks. Would it be possible to import the guide data from this other pvr to gbpvr? I think since I own it I can do as I please with the data.

[madcat]

madcat: I am looking into couchville. They are using data from SnapStream, and I am somewhat familiar with their guide because of the work I am doing for the new QAM Mapper for the HDHomeRun.

great! it looks to me that there is less parsing (although I didn't look much into the Yahoo one for obvious reasons), because their HTML is, well their JavaScript is running some commands that actually do the "Get" on a URL that contains all the relevant parameters, and the response is not HTML at all, it's just data in some ASCII formatted way (using [ ] { } instead of < ></> of XML).

If I can be of any help. Parsing is no problem, the problem for me, as I never dealt with EPG data at all, I don't recognize the data when I look at it (time stamps, channel ID, etc), so it takes me more time to realize what I'm seeing there.

[sub]

I've been following this topic most of today. I need to say that I am against the idea of scraping web sites since I consider it unethecal. I also believe it would be very unreliable.

I think you'll find most people would agree and would prefer a solution not involving scraping, but if thats the only option they have, then thats what they'll do. I dont think I'd let it keep me up at night

Now I find what ryland wrote to be very interesting. I just happened to purchase a pvr application today for 3 bucks that provides guide data. I've been using it with xlobby for a couple of weeks. Would it be possible to import the guide data from this other pvr to gbpvr? I think since I own it I can do as I please with the data.

If you find away to extract that data into the common xmltv file format, then you'll be able to use it in GB-PVR, if not then you wont. (I dont really see how this is any more ethical than the other solution though - I'm sure you dont own the info to do as you please)

[fender]

Now I find what ryland wrote to be very interesting. I just happened to purchase a pvr application today for 3 bucks that provides guide data. I've been using it with xlobby for a couple of weeks. Would it be possible to import the guide data from this other pvr to gbpvr? I think since I own it I can do as I please with the data.

I would gamble that any PVR app you bought for three dollars is one of the culprits that is violating Zap2It's non-commercial licensing mentioned on their website.

http://docs.tms.tribune.com/tech/tmsdata...etter.html

[madcat]

Now I find what ryland wrote to be very interesting. I just happened to purchase a pvr application today for 3 bucks that provides guide data. I've been using it with xlobby for a couple of weeks. Would it be possible to import the guide data from this other pvr to gbpvr? I think since I own it I can do as I please with the data.

3 bucks I would pay right now (1am...) just to see what I would get (in terms of data). Which one is it?

[whurlston]

where does MCE get it's data? and could we somehow tap into that, either from local machine stores or the source?

looks just like zap2it's info so they may have a contract with them..

The data appears to be from Zap2It but it is downloaded from an MS site. It is also encrypted but the encryption is a joke. I can probably write a parser for anyone who is running Vista or XP MCE for an OS where it would parse the files that have already been downloaded by MCE but this would not be a solution for everyone. I may look into it though if time permits.

If anyone else is interested in tackling it, I can provide info on how to do it. My QAM Mapper already parses the files for the channel listings, just not the schedule information.

[cpa]

(I dont really see how this is any more ethical than the other solution though - I'm sure you dont own the info to do as you please)

You might be right, but I would feel better using data I legitimetly downloaded than scraping. I am in no way passing judgement on anything written here, just expressing my thoughts on what works for me personally.

[cpa]

3 bucks I would pay right now (1am...) just to see what I would get (in terms of data). Which one is it?

Right around 1 am here too. I do not know the forum rules involving posting names of other software. If I find out it would be ok I'll post it.

[sub]

Right around 1 am here too. I do not know the forum rules involving posting names of other software. If I find out it would be ok I'll post it.

Its fine, post the name.

[cpa]

I would gamble that any PVR app you bought for three dollars is one of the culprits that is violating Zap2It's non-commercial licensing mentioned on their website.

http://docs.tms.tribune.com/tech/tmsdata...etter.html

I could not tell you. How would I find out if that is the case?