Is XMLTV needed with Freeview ?

brewston · #1 10-16-2006, 03:27 AM

Hi

I currently have an analogue tuner connected to an aerial to record the terrestrial channels. I was thinking of getting my aerial sorted to pick up freeview (I've tried it and get interruptions, I think I need to roof mount the aerial) and buying a digital tuner.

Since Freeview has its own EPG, can Sage utilise that ? (I'm currently using xmltv and Alan Birtles radio times grabber)

Thanks

Tim

Mark SS · #2 10-16-2006, 03:42 AM

Grabbing OTA DVB-T guide data is in the latest beta and working well by all accounts. You may find there isn't as much information as can be had from Radio Times so compare the two and see which suits best.

brewston · #3 10-16-2006, 04:40 AM

Cool. Im already running version 6 beta.

Out of interest, what cards are people using for DVB-T ? I've currently got a WinTV PVR 150

Tim

Mahoney · #4 10-16-2006, 05:05 AM

Terratec Cinergy 2400i - has two tuners, which is very nice. No problems with it so far. Haven't made the switch to V6 yet, so using Anders' SBDARecorder.

rickgillyon · #5 10-16-2006, 05:06 AM

The OTA data is very basic but does work. It looks like every airing winds up with a different identifier, so processing of repeats is even worse than with XMLTV. Also minimal descriptions. Worth using XMLTV IMO.

I'm using Terratec Cinergy 2400i DTs (recommended if you have PCIXx1 slots), but anything with a BDA Driver should work.

brewston · #6 10-16-2006, 05:18 AM

Thanks

That card's PCI-E and i'm only PCI (until my wife approves a new PC :-) ) but whats interesting is its not on the approved card list. Is that because :

version 6 introduced DVB-T support and they've not updated the supported cards (due to 6 not being released yet)

or

lots of non-supported cards work ?

Tim

rickgillyon · #7 10-16-2006, 05:29 AM

Only Sage could answer that, but I don't believe the list has been updated to include any DVBT cards. And anything with BDA driver should work, there's also a dual-tuner Hauppauge PCI card, don't know if anyone's using it yet though...

brewston · #8 10-16-2006, 06:35 AM

Interesting..

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauppauge_Computer_Works - suggests that the Nova and HVR range of cards support BDA

Although given the amount of grief I had getting PVR 150 working through XMLTV its probably best not to risk it

rickgillyon · #9 10-16-2006, 07:46 AM

Not sure I understand your comments about the 150 - XMLTV is completely independent of tuner type, surely? I added a 150 a few weeks ago, no problems at all.

I think the Hauppauges are so popular that if you got one and it didn't work, Sage would help you to make it work.

brewston · #10 10-16-2006, 08:41 AM

Since 150 is analogue, I had to use xmltv for EPG. As the cards we discussed are DVB-T, they come with EPG right ?

I wasn't sure I would get UK-centric support on my card from Sage, so didn't bother trying. I worked through it eventually and have since had to configure again from scratch, but the first time took me many hours to get it working. I couldn't understand why the Hauppage software could find channels on a scan but Sage could not...

Tim

rickgillyon · #11 10-16-2006, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewston

Since 150 is analogue, I had to use xmltv for EPG. As the cards we discussed are DVB-T, they come with EPG right ?

I see what you mean, but that's the case with all analogue cards in the UK, not specific to the 150. XMLTV can be a bit tricky!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewston

I wasn't sure I would get UK-centric support on my card from Sage, so didn't bother trying.

You should have tried, they're very helpful...

And even if you get DVBT, I'd still use XMLTV, it's far better.

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