program guide for wrong channels

[Mark Fordworth]

I'm new to NPVR. Been using it for a couple of weeks now, really like it over the ATI Catalyst junk I was using with my USB ATI TV Wonder 600 tuner. I'm sure I have a lot more to learn about it, as I read the documentation I see hints of lots that I have not found but the learning curve is a bit steep for me. I'm having problems with just the basics.

So my first problem is that I can get an EPG (apparently off the air) but it is very sparsely populated and even worse, what it does get it filled in for the wrong station! I was very pleased when NPVR was able to recognize my tuner and do a channel scan, but I can't figure out how to address this so I have only been able to use the manual record mode. An example of this problem is that UNC-EX is showing a program guide, with some shows apparently correct, but it is showing NBC17 weather at 1 PM (The third channel on a different stations transmission). None of the NBC17 channels are showing any schedule, but a program that will be on the main NBC17 channel at 3 PM is showing up in the guide as being on WRAZ-H (yet another station, and the program in question will not be on that station).

I've emptied and updated the EPG in settings, but the problem persists. Under the channels setting I'm using DVB/ATSC EPG, I get errors if I try to select the other sources (and after getting the errors there are things to fill in that I don't understand). Is there something more that I could do to get a working EPG? Configuration that I may have failed to do? An on-line EPG would be great, but I could live with the over the air EPG if I had to, if only I could get it filled in accurately.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[johnsonx42]

I suggest using an XMLTV or Schedules Direct epg source. When I first tested NPVR 6 months ago, I had the same problem with the ATSC OTA epg data - what little showed up often showed up on the wrong channel. I didn't bother about it because I was already using Schedules Direct with GB-PVR (the old software here), so I had no intention of actually using the OTA epg anyway. I suppose at some point I was supposed to post logs and broadcast transport stream clips to help sub make it work right, but it just wasn't an issue for me and I figured it'd get sorted out eventually. Even if it worked, the OTA epg doesn't give you much data - only 12 hours data is legally required, and some stations don't even meet that requirement. Really not too useful.

Your best bet for USA epg data is to sign up for an account at Schedules Direct (http://www.schedulesdirect.org). Then you just provide your schedules direct login name and password on the NPVR channels screen, let it load your channel list, and map your channels to the epg.

You can also use an XMLTV grabber.

See the thread linked in my signature - there's a section on EPG that should point you in the right direction. I think the wiki also has some info on EPG now.

edit: ah, yes, the wiki guys have been fruitful on the EPG front: http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...ration.EPG and http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...n.XMLTVEPG

[steeb]

I think the wiki also has some info on EPG now.

In progress, not much of any use there about XMLTV, OTA is covered but nothing of any value really on setting up specific XMLTV sources Should be complete in about a week!

[johnsonx42]

actually I think the available info is already pretty good.

[Mark Fordworth]

I suggest using an XMLTV or Schedules Direct epg source. ...

Thanks, You've pointed me in the right direction and confirmed that I'm not a complete idiot and the only one seeing this problem. (I might still be a complete idiot, but at least the over the air guide issue isn't limited to only me.)

[johnsonx42]

@steeb:

in the code example at the end of xmltv page here: http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...TVEPG#toc3
you need a cr/lf in there... it should be:

Code:

cd \path\to\mc2xml
mc2xml

[johnsonx42]

Thanks, You've pointed me in the right direction and confirmed that I'm not a complete idiot and the only one seeing this problem. (I might still be a complete idiot, but at least the over the air guide issue isn't limited to only me.)

lol, never once in my life have I ever confirmed anyone is not a complete idiot, not even me.

[sub]

I dont remember seeing this problem mentioned before. In the situation where it gets the wrong listings, are the listings for another channel on the same frequency?

As johnsonx42 mentions above though - the ATSC OTA EPG is virtually useless, but most channels only transmitting a few hours of listings, and as a result nobody uses it.

[steeb]

actually I think the available info is already pretty good.

In that case it can only get better

Note taken on code, will be dealt with!

cheers

steeb

[johnsonx42]

I dont remember seeing this problem mentioned before. In the situation where it gets the wrong listings, are the listings for another channel on the same frequency?

sorry sub, I confess to not reporting this. as I explained above, I just didn't care at the time, and especially back then you had MUCH bigger fish to fry. I suspect almost no one actually tries to use the ATSC epg, due to its limitations, therefore few have encountered this issue.

no, at least when I tested it with NPVR 1.5.19, the listings didn't just show up on another channel with the same frequency. most channels had no listings, then a few channels would get several overlapping listings for shows on multiple other channels. it was a real mess. I've not tested it since then.