XMLTV Episode number?

[Caseyjones]

I currently use the sourceforge xmltv grabber on radiotimes for freeview channels, but I don't seem to get what I need.

Are there any XML sites/software that will list the episode number (and may be even series) for the likes of Primeval (ITV) and The Might Boosh (Currently on Dave).

PS. Sorry if this is in the wrong section

[bgowland]

I'm afraid you get what you're given with XMLTV.

Like many UK users I use Alan Birtles XMLTV GUI Grabber http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/ which also grabs from the RT site. Whether or not it's more comprehensive than the Sourceforge XMLTV grabber or not, I don't know.

What I do know is that what you get comes down to how much information is available. It seems sometimes the RT data includes episode numbers and sometimes not. Sometimes it will tell tell you if it's a repeat and sometimes not etc. The series information is never there (as far as I can tell). I think XMLTV allows for something like 2/1/8 (being Season 2, episode 1 of 8) or similar.

The problem with XMLTV is that there are certain things which are compulsory (channel, programme title, start time etc.) and lots of optional information. It's down to the data provider to decide how much of the optional data they provide.

Cheers,
Brian

[Caseyjones]

Thanks for that.

Do you know if there is another source of XML info for UK TV that would include this information like series all the time. I don't mind if it needs to be subscribed too.

[bgowland]

Do you know if there is another source of XML info for UK TV that would include this information like series all the time.

I only know of the Radio Times site. Maybe if it ever becomes a 'paid for' service, the information will be more comprehensive and more consistent. It does come down to how much information they're given by the broadcasters though so it's likely there'll always be omissions in any provider's data.

Cheers,
Brian

[ReddogOne]

New to this forum so please be gentle with me

Do you know if there is another source of XML info for UK TV that would include this information like series all the time. I don't mind if it needs to be subscribed too.

AFAIK this information is on the stream itself.

Is it possible to record all episodes with the same series ID (and different episode ID to one we have already recorded) rather than time slot?

If you can get all the info sent about a program then I guess a plug-in would be easy to develop (but then again I'm new to gb-pvr so haven't a clue).

[zehd]

To the brits... I purposely built support for TVdb.com into UltraXMLTV Enhancer because there seemed to be more British shows in the database as opposed to the more North American-centric EpGuides.com.

I also made it work with the birtles output. Let me know if it works for you

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utility/UltraXMLTV

[bgowland]

Do you know if there is another source of XML info for UK TV that would include this information like series all the time. I don't mind if it needs to be subscribed too.New to this forum so please be gentle with me

AFAIK this information is on the stream itself.

The information in the DVB EPG is as variable as the Radio Times XMLTV (or any other) info as far as I can tell. I've never seen an indicator for Series (Season) number and whether there's an indicator of episode number or not seems to be variable. When it is there, it's embedded in the description field of the event descriptor and can be anywhere in the field, so parsing this information isn't necessarily straight-forward.

Cheers,
Brian

[ReddogOne]

With a big noobie exclaimer...

The information in the DVB EPG is as variable as the Radio Times XMLTV (or any other) info as far as I can tell. I've never seen an indicator for Series (Season) number and whether there's an indicator of episode number or not seems to be variable. When it is there, it's embedded in the description field of the event descriptor and can be anywhere in the field, so parsing this information isn't necessarily straight-forward.

AFAIK I'm getting the EPG information from the stream. Following the wiki that should be how it is set up and when I as it to update the EPG it seems to be scanning the frequencies rather then going off onto the internet.

The season and episode information should now be on the stream, though I don't think it is so reliable at the yet but I'm sure that will get better, because commercial boxes are now offering (proper) series links.

Shouldn't be too hard to grab this information off the stream and possible to set recordings based on series and episode rather then time slot. Done this for a STB implementation. Of course I say that not knowing the internal workings of this application.

If I was still working at a company that made STB software I could probably provide useful information (Can even seem to find the Freeview Playback standard on the net). If I get time I might see how easy it is to grab the content of a stream (minus the video and sound) and see where the info is being stored.

Anyone got a lonk on how to do this on a PC.

[bgowland]

The season and episode information should now be on the stream, though I don't think it is so reliable at the yet but I'm sure that will get better, because commercial boxes are now offering (proper) series links.

Well if it is in there, I'd be interested to know where it is. I'm currently working on a DVB-T Radio plugin and have spent the last few days writing code to process the EIT. All show information is carried in short event descriptors which only gives options for Title and Description. My comment was based on what I can see in my dump files.

Admittedly I'm working with ETSI EN 300 468 which is dated 2005 and there is plenty of scope for extensions to the range and types of SI tables and descriptors. The Freeview Playback 'standard' is more recent and obviously UK specific so theres no reason why the relevant bodies concerned haven't agreed on such extensions. If there's a technical spec. (rather than operational spec.) for the standard in the public domain I'd be interested to see it.

Shouldn't be too hard to grab this information off the stream and possible to set recordings based on series and episode rather then time slot.

I've no doubt that sub's stream parsing tools are more than capable of pulling it - assuming he knows where to find it. Of course we now come to the crunch which is whether or not sub would feel it was worth doing this for one country's specific standard.

I agree that it would be quite nice to have a record option which worked on Season information and perhaps only record each episode once (ignoring repeats later in the week etc.). A generic mechanism for this would be useful to anyone that has an EPG source with that information in it.

Cheers,
Brian

[ReddogOne]

Well if it is in there, I'd be interested to know where it is. I'm currently working on a DVB-T Radio plugin and have spent the last few days writing code to process the EIT. All show information is carried in short event descriptors which only gives options for Title and Description. My comment was based on what I can see in my dump files.

Excellent. I was wondering if the EIT information was being used. For reliable recording it is vital. Also DVB-T functionality would be cool... explains why I could see any radio channels after the scan!

The details and 7-day EPG are provided in another table (I really need to have a look at wikipedia or something to remember what all the bits are called as I haven't thought about any of this for two years).

Admittedly I'm working with ETSI EN 300 468 which is dated 2005 and there is plenty of scope for extensions to the range and types of SI tables and descriptors. The Freeview Playback 'standard' is more recent and obviously UK specific so theres no reason why the relevant bodies concerned haven't agreed on such extensions. If there's a technical spec. (rather than operational spec.) for the standard in the public domain I'd be interested to see it.

I don't think this information will be listed. As far as I can remember its only the EIT tables that are defined. All extended guide information are proprietary tables designed by the broadcasters. I suppose the they might end up in the standard one day (if not already) but all broadcasters seem to have a different approach.

I've no doubt that sub's stream parsing tools are more than capable of pulling it - assuming he knows where to find it. Of course we now come to the crunch which is whether or not sub would feel it was worth doing this for one country's specific standard.

Hopefully with fingers crossed. As I am investigating the best way for me to watch TV, GB-PVR (and MythTV but I'm getting a lot further is GB-PVR) having proper series links (something I really need) would mean its the way I go... not having it will mean I eventually buy an off the shelf PVR which I don't really want to do because I want to be able to distribute TV/Recording around my house (something I really want).

I agree that it would be quite nice to have a record option which worked on Season information and perhaps only record each episode once (ignoring repeats later in the week etc.). A generic mechanism for this would be useful to anyone that has an EPG source with that information in it.

Would be nice... I would be singing from my roof top DirectTV in the USA works like this and its quite brilliant... well the series link stuff is, the UI is nasty

A generic approach would be cool or a way of exposing this to plug-ins for a config page where you could explore and tick to say when do a record all make sure all shows with a matching value (ie series id) match but exclude all those I have already already recorded with the value (series id/description).

If if was generic you could say record all Lost but also record any show you find with the say director! Coooool or what!