Feature request: apply EPG source to all channels

[ak1i]

Hi Sub,


I'm aware that the EPG source can be different for different channels for some folks.

I am trying to add EPG source to each channel. In my case, I just have one XML file to use for all the channels for a particular device.

So it would be a very nice additional option to 'apply EPG source to all scanned channels' after a scan.


That way, for those who only use one EPG XML file for all channels for a particular device, they don't need to go thru' every individual channel (100+ in my case)... .


Thx... .

[sub]

Thats what the 'bulk map' screen is for. Its a place where you can set the EPG for a large number of channels without having to visit the details screen for each channel.

After mapping the first channel to xmltv, it'll also ask if you want it to have a go at automapping the rest of the channels. It'll obviously only be able to do this if the channel names match though.

[ak1i]

Ahh...I see--thx.

I've just checked and I realize that the channel names don't completely match in many cases (e.g. 'KGO-HD' shows up after the device channel scan, but the EPG source's channel name is KGODT1).

I am using MC2XML. Not sure if anyone knows there's a different service in the US that provides matching channel names... .


Also I wonder if the channel #'s initially assigned right after the channel scan are the LCN #'s from the QAM data from the broadcaster.

It seems many of these initial channel #'s don't match the listed channel numbers listed by Comcast (US) in my area, which is a bit odd... . I deleted all channels and redid a scan, and got the same channel #'s.

Does this mean Comcast is not providing the correct channel LCN #'s?

[nobody]

From mc2xml website:

If you want to rename some channel numbers or names you can create a "mc2xml.ren" text file (in the same directory as mc2xml.dat) listing the colon separated from:to channel numbers or names on separate lines

That's what I did for a few channels.

[sub]

Also I wonder if the channel #'s initially assigned right after the channel scan are the LCN #'s from the QAM data from the broadcaster.

It seems many of these initial channel #'s don't match the listed channel numbers listed by Comcast (US) in my area, which is a bit odd... . I deleted all channels and redid a scan, and got the same channel #'s.

Does this mean Comcast is not providing the correct channel LCN #'s?

Its actually very rare to have the correct channel numbers with QAM. They're not required to broadcast this info so they typically dont.

If you're wondering how set top boxes know the channel numbers, its because they can see some special information not visible to tuner cards. Channel numbers and EPG info are carried in OOB data (out-of-band), which is at a special frequency outside of the broadcast range that is used for box provisioning and for access control. Somes you get lucky because and the cable company uses the channel number as the service identifier, and you end up with the correct channel numbers, but that isnt common.

[ak1i]

Thx Sub for the info--very educational.

I wonder about the channel names that appear after the scan--are these 'guesses' made by npvr, or also info in the QAM data (is that part of the psip for the channel)?

[sub]

I wonder about the channel names that appear after the scan--are these 'guesses' made by npvr, or also info in the QAM data (is that part of the psip for the channel)?

Often with QAM you'll get generated names like "Unknown 59.23". If you're lucky and broadcaster transmits the CVCT (cable virtual channel table) and you'll get real channel names.

[ak1i]

Ah so it's the CVCT table... . It looks like for the public broadcasting channels the QAM data does have the CVCT info for the channel, so I'm picking up some channel names.


Though, these channel names from the CVCT table don't match the channel names I am getting from MC2XML-- should they match?


I double-checked and the channel names from MC2XML are identical to the channel names showing on the listings in titantv.com (e.g., KGODT2).

If they don't have to match, I guess for example like WMC 7 it must have its own internal Cable-specific mapping table (perhaps fetched during schedule listing update) so it knows which channel maps to which I suppose, since WMC 7 goes with tuner cards which won't have the channel info from the OOB data.

[sub]

Though, these channel names from the CVCT table don't match the channel names I am getting from MC2XML-- should they match?

It's nice when they do, but they often dont. These text strings originate in different systems, probably manually typed by some users, and there is some inconsistencies.

If they don't have to match, I guess for example like WMC 7 it must have its own internal Cable-specific mapping table (perhaps fetched during schedule listing update) so it knows which channel maps to which I suppose, since WMC 7 goes with tuner cards which won't have the channel info from the OOB data.

Yes, WMC has some extra knowledge of many North American cable systems, other than just the data that is broadcast.

CableCard tuners, like the Hauppauge DCR-2650 etc, do have access to channel names and numbers at scan time.