Getting XMLTV to work

[Sanman99]

I am trying to figure out how to set up XMLTV correctly. Sorry if this is a stupid question. ( I am in North America, USA specifically if that helps)

What I am doing is (from memory because I'm at school):

Going into setup
Clicking Setup input sources
Typing in all the info such as the name and the input (HVR-2250)
Using the drop-down menu to select XMLTV
Clicking browse
Making a new *.xml file
Update the EPG
Clicking Ok and ok to finish the setup

I will probably try to edit this and correct any errors if I see any
The file didn't get any larger in file size. EPG isn't working. I did try looking in the help files.
Is there any way to make EPG work?

Thanks in advance

[Graham]

Forgive me if I have misunderstood your post ...

GBPVR reads a .xml file that contains EPG data. You will need software to create the .xml file. GBPVR does not do this.

Most US punters use Schedules Direct for EPG data -- there is a free trial available.

[dennit]

I am trying to figure out how to set up XMLTV correctly. Sorry if this is a stupid question. ( I am in North America, USA specifically if that helps)

What I am doing is (from memory because I'm at school):

Going into setup
Clicking Setup input sources
Typing in all the info such as the name and the input (HVR-2250)
Using the drop-down menu to select XMLTV
Clicking browse
Making a new *.xml file
Update the EPG
Clicking Ok and ok to finish the setup

I will probably try to edit this and correct any errors if I see any
The file didn't get any larger in file size. EPG isn't working. I did try looking in the help files.
Is there any way to make EPG work?

Thanks in advance

It's hard to understand your question, but it sounds like you don't have an EPG source set up. XMLTV is a file format for TV guide data. You need to use third party software to make the XML file with the EPG data you need. A common program used in North America to create the XML file in XMLTV format is mc2xml.

The XMLTV format is also used by Schedules Direct, but GBPVR has built in support for SD, so you never actually see the XML file. There are several other programs that create XMLTV format EPG files. You can even use the XMLTV programs to get the XMLTV format data from Schedules Direct, then use the XMLTV method in GBPVR, instead of the built in support, but there's no reason to do that.

[Sanman99]

Is there a free alternative to schedules direct?
Does Windows Media Center automatically download TV listings? I don't have it but I guess if there aren't any free schedule programs, I could probably upgrade my entire OS to something that has Media Center. Maybe I could get MythBuntu (and get the schedules from it if it has that feature) . I would really prefer to keep with XP though.

[Jaggy]

You need to use third party software to make the XML file with the EPG data you need. A common program used in North America to create the XML file in XMLTV format is mc2xml.

dennit already answered your question in the message above yours, did you have a look at the link?

[markbb1]

Is there a free alternative to schedules direct?

There are a couple. The easiest and most reliable is mc2xml (dennit mentioned mc2xml but didn't mention that it was free). Get it at http://mc2xml.110mb.com/ There are still one or two other free schedule programs out there. yapi2xml is pretty much dead, the msn scraper (mentioned in http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=28422) is getting more difficult to get working. Zap2xml might work, but breaks more often than mc2xml

Does Windows Media Center automatically download TV listings?

Yes, if set up correctly.

I don't have it but I guess if there aren't any free schedule programs, I could probably upgrade my entire OS to something that has Media Center.

If you do end up getting Media Center, either XP or Vista, there is a downloader and converter that will render xmltv data for GBPVR at http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utility/MceEpg2XmlTv . Even though I have Vista Home Premium, I use GBPVR. I have used the downloader and converter to create xml files to verify that it worked, but the xmltv generator that I use for GBPVR is mc2xml. .

Maybe I could get MythBuntu (and get the schedules from it if it has that feature) . I would really prefer to keep with XP though.

About 4 years ago I decided to build a couple of HTPCs. I was going to build one Myth box and one Windows box. The first one I built was on a Windows XP PC. I got it doing everything I wanted it to do and never built a Myth box.

[Sanman99]

It works! Thanks for your help! GBPVR is awesome!

[lonelydragon]

I am sort of having the same issue... maybe a bit different. I am using Schedule Direct. and have an account that expires in november and everything.

my problem is, after my new reinstall of windows and gbpvr. that it has not downloaded the program information... it has downloaded all the channel names... just all the channels says unknown...

and not sure what to do about that yet... just very frustrating.

[Sanman99]

Now XMLTV works great but I can't get any signal to watch or record TV. How can I fix this? Is it because I used mc2xml?

Edit: Other software plays live TV, but GBPVR now won't show anything on the screen and has a static sound. The screen is blue when I click live TV on GBPVR.

I think the problem might be the channel numbers. For example, 78 WBNGDT is channel 78 which is good, but 2 WBE is source channel 99. Is this bad? By the way, this was caused by XMLTV I think.
Edit: I tried adding a channel named 2 (source channel 2) and it gave a very low frame rate without audio, but at least it worked. Does this mean I should change the other channels to their real source? This might cause them to be at a low frame rate though.

[lonelydragon]

Well, I got mine to work... mine was because i was playing with both schedule direct settings and added digital cable also. and was trying at one point to utilize a digital tuner card too... but gbpvr doesn't support it...

so, I noticed it did like sanman is saying, with the channels do not correspond with the cable company now... and don't know how to fix that...

in gbpvr... it looks correct.. 2 is chan 2... abc.. or whatever...
but now... 2 is chan 43... abc... or 43 is chan 2. abc... whatever...

where are the channels stored. so I might be able to zap it out of gbpvr totally so i can start fresh? deleting all the channels from config program thingie. helped get my listings updated... but hasn't fixed. or may have caused the listing sequence to change..

thanks for any help...

(and I did verify I did delete all the digital stuff from schedule direct. so it should ONLY be analog now)...