XMLTV Generator For US That Doesn't Use Schedule Direct

[Haselsmasher]

I have a feeling this is a simple question - but I can't seem to find an answer with the searching I've been doing.

I live in the US. I need to get EPG data into NextPVR, and I think I've concluded XMLTV is the best way to do that. I guess that's my first question: Is that the right approach?

Assuming it is - is there a way to generate an XMLTV file that doesn't require a Schedules Direct subscription? I know it's a reasonable cost - but I prefer to not do that if I could.

Thanks.

Jim

[Haselsmasher]

How classic: About 15 min after I posted this I found mc2xml. I did a very quick test and it sure looks like it will generate an XMLTV file with a Subscriptions Direct subscription. I have yet to confirm that NextPVR can suck in the data in the xml file - but I'm assuming that will be positive.

Any recommendations or anti-recommendations for mc2xml?

Thanks again.

Jim

[johnsonx42]

Using MC2XML to grab the microsoft epg data is a violation of the license agreement; microsoft's epg data is licensed for use with Windows Media Center only. That may not matter much to most people, I realize. Someone once pointed out the following scenario though:

Not enough people pay Schedules Direct, they go under. Microsoft decides to block unauthorized access to their EPG data. Suddenly we have no source of EPG data at all, other than the minimal OTA epg data which is nearly useless. Not a good outcome.

[Haselsmasher]

Thanks for the info.

[sub]

How classic: About 15 min after I posted this I found mc2xml. I did a very quick test and it sure looks like it will generate an XMLTV file with a Subscriptions Direct subscription. I have yet to confirm that NextPVR can suck in the data in the xml file - but I'm assuming that will be positive.

Yes, NextPVR can use the xmltv files generated by mc2xml.

[scJohn]

I use WebGrab+Plus. The downside is that your are going to get your hands dirty setting it up. For US EPG data you could use either TVguide.com or Zap2it.com. Once I got past the setup phase, I have had no problems. Schedule Direct is the way to go if you want a simple, no mess, no fuss experience.

One has to wonder how much longer the Microsoft EPG data is going to be available. Is WMC going to be available in Windows 9. Rumors say Windows 9 is coming in 2015.

[Handy.Man]

There is also http://zap2xml.awardspace.info/
Sometimes the data becomes stale, so I delete zap2xml cache folder and the data is ok at the next update.

[jrockow]

scJohn

How does the data from WebGrab compare to SD or MS?
I'm always looking for more.......

[johnsonx42]

Schedules Direct and the ms legacy epg both get their data from Zap2It (or Tribune Media Services, which uses the Zap2It name), so you get exactly the same thing there (so using MC2XML not only violates the MS license, it's stealing from Schedules Direct as they are the licensed provider of that data). WebGrab+ would get the same data from Zap2It I imagine. I haven't looked at the TVGuide.com data. If you donate for MC2XML you can get the newer version which accesses the newer MS EPG data used for Windows 7 and 8 which is supposed to be better.

[johnsonx42]

One has to wonder how much longer the Microsoft EPG data is going to be available.

It's also worth noting that the microsoft EPG data that MC2XML accesses by default is the old legacy service for XP Media Center and I think the early Vista version. The Windows 7/8/8.1 media centers use a different EPG source, and I think there was an upgrade for Vista (TV Pack or something like that?) to upgrade it to the latter data source as well. So Microsoft has little reason even now to continue with the old source.