New XMLTV Import Tool

[cortechs]

All right so if I catch your drift, this means eventhough I created a new color/category in SageTV, it won't show up as is.

I'm still gonna have to categorized by hand all my series in the guide UI color menu!

Thanks anyway for everything.

Cortechs.

[motobarsteward]

I have now got full channel listings for UK Sky. You can download the XML files used by Stephan's tool from the UK EPG forum at http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23030

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by cortechs

All right so if I catch your drift, this means eventhough I created a new color/category in SageTV, it won't show up as is.

I never tried it myself but if you assign a color to the exact name of one of your category in SageTV it should works (but you have to add all "Series" categories).

I'm still gonna have to categorized by hand all my series in the guide UI color menu!

In the future, you'll do the "category" job in the Importer :

* Create top level categories : "News" / "Series" / "Movies" etc.. to your liking (and in French)
* Create sub categories (SageTV supports one main and one sub category) : like "Drama" / "Comedy" / "Tennis" / "Soccer" etc...
* Then in SageTV you'll choose the colors for your top level categories only.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[xred]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

the "(2007)" part is what should be displayed for movies, and this is SageTV that is adding it after the movie name (but without a dash, so more like this "Heroes (2007)").

It looks like its displaying it for series because Zap2it is adding multiple categories to series as well as movies. Smallville for example is categorized as "Action/Adventure/Drama/Fantasy/Series,Stereo." The Sage importer adds the latest episode as:

Smallville - "Labyrinth"

and the LMGestion XMLTV importer adds it as

Smallville (2007) stereo - "Labyrith"

The ShowID is completely different for each entry.

Originally Posted by StephaneM

are you sure this is not the other XMLTV plugin that is formatting the title with extraneous informations?)

Just to clarify, I am using the internal SageTV EPG grabber and only one XMLTV importer. I use the internal Sage EPG data for my cable tv source. I use the LMGestion XMLTV importer for my satellite lineup. Both of them are sourcing the data from Zap2it for the duplicate episodes I am seeing.

Originally Posted by StephaneM

You can send me your XMLTV file zipped to lmgestion@hotmail.com and let me know what detection method you use in the Importer (ep.title / ep.title + description / ep.title + air date) and I'll see if you should have the same EPGID for "Heroes" or not.

I have sent you my zap2it sourced xmltv file. I have tried importing using all three types of detection (title / title & desc / title & air date) but it makes no difference to the above issue.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by xred

The Sage importer adds the latest episode as:

Smallville - "Labyrinth"

and the LMGestion XMLTV importer adds it as

Smallville (2007) stereo - "Labyrith"

The ShowID is completely different for each entry.

This is expected behavior: 2007 and Stereo are not added to the show title but correctly added to the SageTV database in their own fields. These properties are not used at all to compute the EPGID.

However you shouldn't use both SageTV guide data source and XMLTV guide data source unless you set the hidden property "use_zap2it_epgid" to "True" of the advanced_settings.xml file of the Importer (in the install directory). Setting this property to true will force the Importer to use the Zap2it EPGID and as such it will match those downloaded by SageTV.

Also the import duration will be very much longer (be sure to delete the lookup.xml file in the Importer install directory and all xml files in the SageTV\SageTV\3rdPartyGuideData folder, this will reduce import duration the first time as the Importer will not have to correct all the entries in those files).

You can also only use XMLTV data source for both cable and satellite.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[sjgore]

Hi Stephane,

I've just tried this excellent tool. It imports the XMLTV EPG data into SageTV without any problems, but I'm getting a bit confused about channel mappings.

After originally setting up my source, I mapped all the channels to logical channel numbers, to give them their correct channel number and put them in the right order.

When using your tool, If I put the logical channel numbers next to the correct XMLTV ID, Name, and Call Sign, then the EPG channels are not mapped correctly. If I put the physical channel numbers next to the correct XMLTV ID, Name, and Call Sign, then the EPG channels line up with the correct channels, except that my channels have all been restored to their physical channel numbers and are all out of order again.

If I then re-map all the channels back to the required logical channel numbers, then the EPG data is out of line with the channels again.

My brain is tied up in knots over this. I'm sure it's probably something obvious that I'm overlooking, but do you know what it is that I'm doing wrong? All I'm trying to achieve is to map the EPG data to my logical channel numbers.

Thanks!
Steve.

[StephaneM]

Hello Steve,

Originally Posted by sjgore

All I'm trying to achieve is to map the EPG data to my logical channel numbers.

You can't, you have to map your channels in the XMLTV Importer to the physical channel number. Then I guess that in SageTV you can change the logical channel number (but I have not tried it myself)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[sjgore]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Then I guess that in SageTV you can change the logical channel number

But after doing this, the EPG information does not align with the correct channels. If I leave it as it is, then it's fine, but the channels are all out of order.

I'll try changing the order of the physical channels.

Steve.

[pgitta]

Originally Posted by sjgore

Thanks for the quick reply!



But after doing this, the EPG information does not align with the correct channels. If I leave it as it is, then it's fine, but the channels are all out of order.

I'll try changing the order of the physical channels.

Steve.

I don't understand why the channels would go out of order. That's exactly what I'm doing woth no issues.

I'll give you my example. Keep in mind I use only OTA HD.

In the importer channel edit screen, a portion looks similar to the below:

XMLTV Id........................Name..............Call Sign.............Channel
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com.......MeTV..............WCIUDT.................26
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com.......The U!............WCIUDT2................26
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com......NBC Rockford.....WREXDT................13

Notice the channels for WCIU are the same (26) in the importer screen.

when they are initially imported the first time, they show up like that in Sage. Obviously I couldn't tune to a digital station without the minor channel let alone two with the same number!

So in Sage, I remap Logical to WCIUDT 26 to 26-1 and Physical to [27-26-1]

(27 is the frequency) Easiest to find this at TitanTV. They list both.

then WCIUDT2 is mapped to 26-2 and [27-26-2]

So in Sage, it ends up looking like this:

26-1 - [27-26-1]
WCIUDT

26-2 - [27-26-2]
WCIUDT2

13-1 - [54-13-1]
WREXDT

The call sign is the important thing. Keep that the same, and the guide should import perfectly. At least it does for me.

[xred]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

However you shouldn't use both SageTV guide data source and XMLTV guide data source unless you set the hidden property "use_zap2it_epgid" to "True" of the advanced_settings.xml file of the Importer (in the install directory). Setting this property to true will force the Importer to use the Zap2it EPGID and as such it will match those downloaded by SageTV.

Is there supposed to be an "advanced_settings.xml" in the install folder, or must I create the file manually? I don't see one in the importer install folder.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by xred

Is there supposed to be an "advanced_settings.xml" in the install folder, or must I create the file manually?

Sorry for not telling you. The "advanced_settings.xml" is not included by default, you can download it from the FAQ page and modify it to your liking.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[thborchert]

Hi,

what's wrong with the lmgestion website? I cannot load any pages, let alone the importer. Been trying for 24 hours now.

Thanks,

Thomas

[jayrbrown77]

I'm confused as hell. How exactly does the EPG software tune to these HD channels.

In the importer wizard, you need to specify the channels, but It doesn't allow you to say 28-1, etc.

[thborchert]

Hi,

since the download link for the XMLTV importer doesn't work, could someone who has downloaded the current version please e-mail it to me at thomas (at) aeroversand.de? Much appreciated!

Thanks a lot!

Thomas

[pgitta]

Originally Posted by jayrbrown77

I'm confused as hell. How exactly does the EPG software tune to these HD channels.

In the importer wizard, you need to specify the channels, but It doesn't allow you to say 28-1, etc.

Did you read my post above?

First, the importer doesn't tune to anything.

No, you can't use dashes or dots in the importer (although it would be nice)

Leave all the channels with the same number, so you would have two or more listed as 28 in the importer. Then, initially, they will be loaded into Sage that way, then in SAGE, re-map each channel to its apprpriate sub-channel.

so the first instance of 28 you would "remap to different Logical channel" and type in 28-1, and so on for the rest.

Then do not forget to "remap to different Physical channel" as well. Type [(whatever the frequency is)-28-1]

You will only need to do this once. Just do not modify the call sign.

Your importer screen would look something like this:

XMLTV Id........................Name..............Call Sign.............Channel
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com......Friendly Name....WXXXDT.................28
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com......Friendly Name....WXXXDT2.............. 28
Ixxxxx.labs.zap2it.com......Friendly Name....WXXXDT3...............28

[jayrbrown77]

OK, I need some serious help. (I'm sure this is posted, but it is extremly painful searching through these forums for you answers). Oh by the way I just upgraded to 6.0 as well.

XML Importer

The information here displays the

XMLTV Id........................Name..............Call Sign.............Channel

My understanding is that we don't change XMLTV Id and Call Sign, but Name is an alias for the channel?

For channel, is this the frequency that you see on antennaweb.org and titantv or the actuall tv channel such as 28-1 (which it doesn't allow so it would be 28). The frequency of this channel is 22. Or is this just a logical channel and has nothing to do with channel tunning? ARGGGHHH

Now when the XMLTV Importer imports this stuff into SageTv. I go into SageTV Configuration Wizard, and change the source for the card to XMLTV and Local Broadcast.

Now what do I do now? Allow it to scan channels. Do I somehow remap all the channels.

From my experience some of the channels map fine, some map to the wrong station, and some I just can't get using the major-minor and need to specify the frequency (although I can't specify the damn frequency here, I think?)

I'm annoyed.

[pgitta]

Originally Posted by jayrbrown77

OK, I need some serious help. (I'm sure this is posted, but it is extremly painful searching through these forums for you answers). Oh by the way I just upgraded to 6.0 as well.

XML Importer

The information here displays the

XMLTV Id........................Name..............Call Sign.............Channel

My understanding is that we don't change XMLTV Id and Call Sign, but Name is an alias for the channel?

For channel, is this the frequency that you see on antennaweb.org and titantv or the actuall tv channel such as 28-1 (which it doesn't allow so it would be 28). The frequency of this channel is 22. Or is this just a logical channel and has nothing to do with channel tunning? ARGGGHHH

Now when the XMLTV Importer imports this stuff into SageTv. I go into SageTV Configuration Wizard, and change the source for the card to XMLTV and Local Broadcast.

Now what do I do now? Allow it to scan channels. Do I somehow remap all the channels.

From my experience some of the channels map fine, some map to the wrong station, and some I just can't get using the major-minor and need to specify the frequency (although I can't specify the damn frequency here, I think?)

I'm annoyed.

Well, I've posted what to do twice now on this same page. I don't know how else to say it. If you go to TitanTV, the "number-dash-number will = "map to different LOGICAL number" in Sage.

The other number will be the first one listed when you "map to different PHYSICAL channel" in Sage.

Say Titan shows a channel like this:

WMADDT (43-1)
................67

WMADDT2 (43-2)
................67

In the importer channel edit screen, leave both of these in the channel field as "43"

When you select the XMLTV EPG in Sage you wil see them listed as:

43
WMADDT
43
WMADDT2

Now "map to different LOGICAL channel and you see:

43-1
WMADDT
43-2
WMADDT2

Now finish off by "map to different PHYSICAL channel", type the freq (67) dash logical (43) dash subchannel (1,2,3...) and you get:

43-1 - [67-43-1]
WMADDT
43-2 - [67-43-2]
WMADDT2

Get it?

[jayrbrown77]

I totally missed your post about the frequency. But this makes sense now that I know where you put the frequency.

Thanks,

[jayrbrown77]

actually there is a good reason why I didn't see your post, I was typing up my question while you were posting your response

[pgitta]

Originally Posted by jayrbrown77

actually there is a good reason why I didn't see your post, I was typing up my question while you were posting your response

No prob. Hope it works