New user - EPG setup and other setup problems

[unseengundam]

I am new user and was hoping for one (or maybe few) click setup for using GB-PVR for mine HD Homerun. However, setup has been very time consuming and I am still running in the to errors and issues.

First issues, I can't get the EPG to work as I want to and the channel mapping is time consuming. I managed to use mc2xml to get me "some" EPG data for my OTA Tuner. However, I think I am missing channels and they are all number weirdly. Then the Channel Mapping is taking quite while since I have tons of over the air channel. Isn't there any way to automate channel mapping?? :confused:

Also, I actually prefer to map OTA Channels to EPG instead of reverse. The EPG Channel number are different and confusing. Renaming all of them would take time, not to mention I am missing few channels in the EPG. I can't seem to change the EPG channel number either. Some editing that doesn't work???

I finally decided to try Schedule Direct and recreated an account there. But, I can't login to it to get the data from GB-PVR. It gave some sort of 500 - Internal Server error.

Also, isn't there a good free EPG? I really want to just watch the TV from GB-PVR like you would in real TV with the option of recording. You know, kind like a VCR used to work? However, it taking too long to setup. Maybe, I will try some other software and see how they go...

[sub]

First issues, I can't get the EPG to work as I want to and the channel mapping is time consuming. I managed to use mc2xml to get me "some" EPG data for my OTA Tuner. However, I think I am missing channels and they are all number weirdly. Then the Channel Mapping is taking quite while since I have tons of over the air channel. Isn't there any way to automate channel mapping?? :confused:

It does try to do the mapping automatically, but it can only do this if the names in the EPG map the names of the channels being broadcast. The reality is that these names rarely match, so there is no other info in the stream and xmltv files that can be used to map the two together. At the end of the day, this isnt a problem of GB-PVR's making, and there isnt much I can do about it.

The quality of xmltv files, and the amount that can be done automatically varies from country to country.

I finally decided to try Schedule Direct and recreated an account there. But, I can't login to it to get the data from GB-PVR. It gave some sort of 500 - Internal Server error.

From memory, this is usually a case of the user not having logged into the Schedules Direct website to setup their channel lineups.

Also, isn't there a good free EPG?

It depends where you are in the world. In a large chunk of the world you can just choose the DVB EPG option, and it'll automatically suck the listings out of the broadcasts. You dont have the DVB EPG in North America though. A lot of users in that part of the world use mc2xml. A lot of other North American users also use Schedules Direct, but this is a pay option.

I really want to just watch the TV from GB-PVR like you would in real TV with the option of recording. You know, kind like a VCR used to work? However, it taking too long to setup. Maybe, I will try some other software and see how they go...

The reality is that GB-PVR is all about season recordings etc, and it does a great job at it, but you need to supply a EPG for this to be possible. I try to make it as easy as I can, but some stuff just cant be done automatically if there isnt enough info to do it automagically.

[unseengundam]

Thanks for the reply! I do need answers to following specific questions:

1.) Is there any way to renumber channels the EPG (mc2xml in this case) in GB-PVR? Like I mentioned, I would like to follow that actually broadcast number. I usually think of channel 8 as 8 not 44 listed in EPG from mc2xml for some reason.

2.) Is there any way to manually add / Map channels not listed in EPG? I am missing a few channels from there. Do I need to some reconfigure mc2xml instead? Maybe I need to go mc2xml site and ask for their help?

3.) I had one more question, I heard you could use Zapit EPG for free Over The Air - TV Antenna lineup. Is this true? If so could please, give info on exactly what to search for/lookup details on setup?

Yes, I am in USA and don't have/need DVB. And, yep I haven't setup lineup in schedules direct, didn't even realized I did have to.

Looking around actually looks like the GB-PVR is only Free good PVR around. I went around and tried few other free with failed results so far. For example, media portal doesn't work on Windows XP Pro 64-bits, this one of first I had compatibility issue with 64-bit XP. Other of the other software seem to be for DVB. Guess, I will just to make GB-PVR work for me.

Thanks in advance!

[Graham]

Channel numbers can be changed on the Channels tab of Config (it's on the far right).

MC2XML describes two versions of the Windows Media Centre EPG .. the "legacy" version for analog OTA channels and the "new" version for digital OTA ... see the Service Information about halfway down this page ...

http://mc2xml.110mb.com/

The same page describes the mc2xml.ren file that allows you to chnage channel numbers.

[unseengundam]

Channel numbers can be changed on the Channels tab of Config (it's on the far right).

MC2XML describes two versions of the Windows Media Centre EPG .. the "legacy" version for analog OTA channels and the "new" version for digital OTA ... see the Service Information about halfway down this page ...

http://mc2xml.110mb.com/

The same page describes the mc2xml.ren file that allows you to chnage channel numbers.

I discovered the mc2xml.ren rename possibly earlier and just saw the channel tab. I didn't even think to look at channel tab :o

Anyhow, do you guys think its better to use mc2xml.ren to rename stuff or just use GB-PVR to rename things? One thing I did discover is if I use, mc2xml.ren I need to redo the channel mapping all over again.


BTW, I am hitting an usual problem with GB-PVR config. When I am mapping channels to EPG and doing a scan, it can't find any channels! When launching PVRX2 I initially see the channel, but if I try to change the channel it just get stuck! The auto-scan and PVRX2 was just working last night, wonder if I messed up with my EPG updates?

I have used HD Homerun's tuner quickview app and I can see the TV channels just fine! Any idea with this lastest issue?

[sub]

1.) Is there any way to renumber channels the EPG (mc2xml in this case) in GB-PVR? Like I mentioned, I would like to follow that actually broadcast number. I usually think of channel 8 as 8 not 44 listed in EPG from mc2xml for some reason.

You can edit the channel numbers in the 'Channels' tab of the config app. You can set the numbers to anything you want.

2.) Is there any way to manually add / Map channels not listed in EPG? I am missing a few channels from there. Do I need to some reconfigure mc2xml instead? Maybe I need to go mc2xml site and ask for their help?

The best solution is to try to get your EPG source to add that channel, since thats the only way you'll get listings for the channel.

If thats not practical though, you can hit the 'add' button to manually create a channel, then go into the 'map digital channels to epg channels' button and map to that channel. It'll have no listings though, so will only be usuable for manual recordings.

3.) I had one more question, I heard you could use Zapit EPG for free Over The Air - TV Antenna lineup. Is this true? If so could please, give info on exactly what to search for/lookup details on setup?

I'm not really sure what you mean.

Zap2it is another name for the company (TMS) that provides listings to Schedules Direct. They probably include OTA ATSC listings for your area, but you'd have to check this yourself. I'm in New Zealand, and not that familiar with some of these finer details of North America.

[unseengundam]

I sort of resolved my issue from my 3rd, not finding channels on GB-PVR. Looks like Windows Firewall blocked access to HD HomeRun. I have added the following to firewall exception list:

GBPVRRecordingService.exe
PVRX2.exe
Config.exe

Do I need any other thing to do add to exception list for GB-PVR to access the HD Homerun over the network?

[whurlston]

Nope, those three executables should be all you need by way of firewall exceptions.

[unseengundam]

You can edit the channel numbers in the 'Channels' tab of the config app. You can set the numbers to anything you want.

I just tried this and noticed you can rename things with a ".", so renaming something to "8.1" doesn't work. I guess I might need to just use mc2xml to do the renaming, it seemed to handle the 8.1 issue.

[sub]

Ok, I should have been more specific - you can change the channel number to any number you want. It doesnt support the "." though, which is a North American-ism not used elsewhere in the world, and not something I'm intend to support in GB-PVR.