Why is EPG dowloading times from 2012?

[mediamad]

Basically the command line in the other posts simply drops the -d switch is why it works. Still doesn't explain why it uses a month old start date. Something wrong in mc2xml or with MS site.

[johnsonx42]

yes, the -d switch is a documented and commonly used switch. if it is now causing a problem this is the first I have heard of it. the user who first reported a problem like this actually had his .bat file named "UpgradeEPG.bat" which of course did not work.

Zeb, your criticism is unreasonable. The wiki page about mc2xml is not incorrect in any way. At most it needs a note added to say not to use the -d switch until MC2XML is fixed (or whatever problem at MS/Zap2It that is causing this is fixed).

[Zeb]

@mvallevand: I was thinking about taking up your challenge (I've edited some Wikipedia articles before), but the mc2xml "page history" shows that BTJustice has recently been on the job.

@mediamad: You might want to take a look at the revised mc2xml wiki page. An "offset" has been added to the suggested code. I might try it myself in hopes of getting a smaller XML file, but right now I'm too tired to fix what ain't broke.

[OTAjunkie]

BTJustices edit of the wiki regarding the "-s 6" offset command does not fix the current issue with mc2xml. (Can channels listed in US locations)

if a smaller xmltv file is what you want then use "-C location.CHL" in your MC2XML script.

My UpdateEPG script below combines listing from three locations culling 13 channels out of listings that when combined is over 200 channel listings.

Code:

C:
cd "C:\Users\Public\NPVR\EPG"

mc2xml -D rogott.dat -C rogott.chl -a -A -d 360 -o Ott.xml

mc2xml -D RM.dat -C RM.chl -I Ott.xml -a -A -d 360 -o RM_Ott.xml

mc2xml -D Platt.dat -C Platt.chl -I RM_Ott.xml -a -A -d 360 -o xmltv.xml

All of this is explained on the MC2XML webpage. http://mc2xml.hosterbox.net/

All NPVR needs is the path to the mc2xml executable

[Zeb]

I just went through a time-consuming experiment, replacing a perfectly good UpdateEPG.bat file based on a forum post by whurlston with one based on the wiki page as revised by BTJustice. Of course I made suitable changes re: drive and path, and admittedly tried -s -1 instead of -s -6 in order to minimize outdated listings. Bottom line: IT DIDN'T WORK!

@johnsonx42: I'm no authority on batch file code, but my criticism is reasonable on pragmatic grounds. To quote William James, "the whole meaning of a conception expresses itself in practical consequences."

@OTAjunkie: None of the threads concerning "the current issue" were started by Canadians. The other grabber you have mentioned might work just as good, and might be essential for Canadian NPVR users; but my point is that mc2xml works just fine with a suitable UpdateEPG file, assuming that suitable listings are available at Microsoft.com - as they are in my case.

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...tail-quot&

[OTAjunkie]

@OTAjunkie: None of the threads concerning "the current issue" were started by Canadians. The other grabber you have mentioned might work just as good, and might be essential for Canadian NPVR users; but my point is that mc2xml works just fine with a suitable UpdateEPG file, assuming that suitable listings are available at Microsoft.com - as they are in my case.

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...tail-quot&

It's true "the current issue" was started by an American who was not getting EPG data using mc2xml and his problem has been resolved.

But in your case:
Make a make a folder in your "\Users\Public\NPVR" folder called "EPG"
Put mc2xml in it
double click mc2xml and follow prompts
Open notepad and paste this into it:

Code:

C:
cd "C:\Users\Public\NPVR\EPG"

mc2xml -D mc2xml.dat -a -A -d 336 -f

Save that file as "UpdateEPG.bat" and put it in your scripts folder

Open NPVR/settings/channels
empty EPG
update EPG
close and reopen NPVR
return to NPVR/settings/channels and map channels to "xmltv.xml"(in the EPG folder)

[whurlston]

I'll try to run some tests with the latest version of mc2xml to find out where the problem is exactly. I'm using an old donater version. I don't see anything wrong with the wiki instructions so I'm npot sure why it doesn't work. The command I posted in the other thread is different really only in that:

1. I use a .ren file to rename a couple of channels. Used to make EPG mapping in NPVR easier but I just never stopped using it.
   
2. I use the -D switch to specify the config file. This is simply a holdover from when I had both an analog and digital lineup and needed two separate EPG files.
   
3. I don't use the -d parameter so that it downloads the full 12-14 days.
   
4. I use a .chl file to limit the channel list to only the ones I get. Makes it easier for me if I need to look at the raw xml file for my own purposes.
   
5. I added the -f to force a download. mc2xml will only download if the data is "stale" otherwise.

The -f is really the only thing I can see that might make a difference between my command line and the one on the wiki. I also notice that OTAJunkie uses it as well for his working setup.

RE MCE data feed issues: Although Canadian/UK MCE users were more widely impacted recently, there were some US users that were impacted with EPG data problems.

[johnsonx42]

it looks to me like the problem is that MC2XML suddenly thinks the "start date" for the data is 12-11-12. If you don't specify the -d parameter, it downloads everything from 12-11-12 to the current date plus 2 weeks. If you do specify the -d parameter, it measures the number of hours of data starting from 12-11-12. This means -d 336 isn't exactly the same as no -d at all, though it should be. Theoretically then, if you specify -d 1080, you'd get data from 12-11-12 to 1-25-13 (except that MC2XML might consider -d 1080 to be crazy talk).

what isn't clear is where this 12-11-12 start date is coming from? Something in the MC2XML code, akin to the expiration dates that have been hard-coded in the past? Something wrong at MS/Zap2It!? Some change at MS/Zap2It! that MC2XML is misinterpreting?

[Zeb]

@OTAjunkie: Thank you for the time you put into your response. My path and folder have been identical to what you give since before Xmas, and I've also had a functioning command line since then, although it is different than yours. There is clearly more than one way to skin this cat. My post was not a request for help, but thanks anyway.

@whurlston: I just realized that I probably didn't empty EPG during my test of revised code given on wiki's mc2xml page. With no -f and 12 days of listings already loaded, perhaps that is why no update occurred. Still, I recommend that you go ahead and run some tests rather than rely on a newbie like myself who might overlook something simple like that. The wiki needs to be as foolproof as possible!

@johnsonx42: Your questions are good ones that I could only speculate about. It sounds like my TVGuide.xml file should grow larger and larger with the passage of time (currently 79 MB). I'm going to check my version of mc2xml (which was downloaded less than a month ago), then check to see if there's a newer version available.

@OTAjunkie: That other grabber that works directly with Zap2It is beginning to sound better and better!

[Zeb]

Web page says mc2xml version 1.2 was updated 01/2012. (I'm using the Windows version 1.2.0.0 with Vista.) Since this issue apparently didn't arise until a month ago (about the time I installed NPVR), it seems to me that OTAjunkie might be justified in pointing his finger at the Microsoft website. By the way, I can't open my TVGUIDE.xml file. I'm sure I did in December, but perhaps the file is now too large for Explorer. I will probably change grabbers soon unless a breakthrough is reported here.