Frequency Trades?

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

Nice work ELGato.

What we really need are centrally stored .frq files (that match XMLTV channels) so that we can regularly update them, any chance of somehow adding this to the XMLTV program?????

Ta,

David

[stryker]

I'm already a paid user for xmltv but if it did that I'd pay again!

Just having a way of managing the frq file through a gui to make ordering the channels easier etc would be brilliant!

The difficult thing for me is I have freeview and freesat so ordering the channels between then is an act of black magic, especially with the channels that are bonded (on both providers).

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Bacon2002

What we really need are centrally stored .frq files (that match XMLTV channels) so that we can regularly update them, any chance of somehow adding this to the XMLTV program?????

This is already the case, you can upload and download frq files from the XMLTV Importer.

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

Wow that was quick, great news, I've not uploaded my .frq files.

In that case perhaps we should (periodically) agree to a communal FreeSat, full Sly Digital and various DVB-T areas .frq files listings so that (in the UK) others can benefit from an easy set up.

What do people think?

Ta,

[ElGato]

I've often ulpoaded my frq file using Stéphanes importer, but to be honest I'm not to clear on how it works. Sometimes I seem to read that you can not just pick out a channel and have it update your frq ile, but then other times it appears to be suggested this is exactly what it does.

I'm all for any way to make this channel editing easier. I realise it is slightly different for DVB-T due to all the regional variations, but for DVB-S it should be fairly straight forward.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by ElGato

I'm not to clear on how it works. Sometimes I seem to read that you can not just pick out a channel and have it update your frq ile, but then other times it appears to be suggested this is exactly what it does.

It's currently a simple process. You either upload a frq file or download it but always as a whole set.

So if you want to get a new .frq file, click on the download link in the Importer, you'll be able to choose from several .frq files that match your country / region / reception type and provider. Once you downloaded it, it replace your current .frq file (completely) and you are supposed to build a new lineup from it (in fact, when you download a .frq file your lineup is cleared and a new one is built upon the new .frq file)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[ElGato]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

It's currently a simple process. You either upload a frq file or download it but always as a whole set.

So if you want to get a new .frq file, click on the download link in the Importer, you'll be able to choose from several .frq files that match your country / region / reception type and provider. Once you downloaded it, it replace your current .frq file (completely) and you are supposed to build a new lineup from it (in fact, when you download a .frq file your lineup is cleared and a new one is built upon the new .frq file)

Regards,
Stéphane.

Thanks for clearing that up Stéphane, that is what I was beginning to suspect. Whilst very useful for people starting up, it is slightly less useful when you just want to add to an already existing lineup. Something I think we are all aspiring to.

[MCE-Refugee]

There is no way of validating that the uploaded .frq files are actually correct. Ideally what we need is for one obsessive volunteer to maintain a master .frq file with all correct entries:-) Failing that perhaps some form of wiki where we could maintain each individual entry that could then be used to build or add to the user's .frq file.

[stryker]

Also as I said for those of us who for instance have freesat and freeview there is no real way in xml importer to organise the channels across both providers into one easily viable list (as it is shown in sagetv).

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

I really like the wiki idea, how would we do that?

The biggest issue as I see it, is agreeing a standardised channel numbering format, personally I mirror the Sly Digital channel numbers but it looks like other people have their own methods.

With regards Freeview and Freesat, what is the problem?

I use seven tuners with a combination of Full subscription Sly, Freesat and Freeview (2 Nova-T-500 dual tuners for freeview and three FireDTV S2s 1 for freesat and 2 for full subscription Sly Digital), they all use the same channel numbering and SageTV seemlessly gells them all together so I only see one set of channels (and numbers) in the program guide.

When I record or watch TV, SageTV automatically picks the relevant (or free) tuner.

The key in my case is using one set of channel numbers (and one set of channel names) for all the tuners (Sly Digital channel numbers). Therefore my XMLTV and .frq files all have the same numbering and naming criteria.

In order for us all to share XMLTV and .frq files we would have to agree a generic set of channel numbers and names otherwise the whole process would be a disaster.

Attached is a copy of the type of numbering.

I also use the same numbering/naming format on my Dreambox, so the wife and children only have to remember one set of number..

Ta,

David

[ElGato]

Originally Posted by Bacon2002

The biggest issue as I see it, is agreeing a standardised channel numbering format, personally I mirror the Sly Digital channel numbers but it looks like other people have their own methods.

Yes standard numbering would be useful, I purposely chose to mimic Freesat as far as I could, (not wanting to use Sky numbering, as I was only using FTA channels), but that is becoming more complicated as I add more channels, and have considered reverting to a Sky numbering set up as they carry most if not all channels and the numbers would be constant.

[Bacon2002]

ElGato,

Sky is definately a good start, but it would mean that someone would have to keep checking back with Sky for the current Sky numbering/naming, they also seem to change their channel numbers from time to time.

Sky is perhaps the easiest option, but, we could consider something unique for SageTV.

I'm not really sure what, but it is an opportunity to consider the options.

I like the way Sky split the channel types:-

Entertainment
Movies
Children
etc....

On the dreambox they call this grouping "bouquets" of channels, if you started with this as a framework we could agree a standardised approach where we could build in some space for new/future channel numbers?

Something like:-

Entertainment - 101 - 299
Movies - 301 - 350

and so on.

This is based on the Sky numbering but does not need to be exactly the same?

Or/also perhaps alphabetical channel name listing in some of the "bouquets" ie movies and children etc?

301 - ACB movies
.....
340 - XZY movies

This would make looking through the movie channels logical in terms of a search (a-z channel naming) and provide a framework for the numbering and any new channels?

Ta,

David

[ElGato]

Originally Posted by Bacon2002

Or/also perhaps alphabetical channel name listing in some of the "bouquets" ie movies and children etc?

301 - ACB movies
.....
340 - XZY movies

This would make looking through the movie channels logical in terms of a search (a-z channel naming) and provide a framework for the numbering and any new channels?

Ta,

David

This is pretty much what I started with, but using the Freesat numbering as a starting point. How ever with the addition of other channels within the "bouquets" has meant that the a-z ordering has broken down somewhat, and that is one of the issues we face. We could/would start with a base channel list, grouped by type and ordered alphabetically, but the addition of new channels would likely break the logical order we started with.

[Bacon2002]

ELGato,

Agreed,

The core channels (BBC1 through to Five) are a no brainer, it's how you handle the rest of the channels that is the initial challange.

It may be that using Sky to provide the format for the channels is the best answer.

They probably spend a lot of time thinking about this sort of thing plus there are web sites that list the current Sky channel numbers.

Anyone else got any ideas?

David

[ElGato]

Originally Posted by Bacon2002

It may be that using Sky to provide the format for the channels is the best answer.

They probably spend a lot of time thinking about this sort of thing plus there are web sites that list the current Sky channel numbers.

Anyone else got any ideas?

David

Much as I resisted using the SKY numbering to get away from the "commercial giant dictatorship", there is something to be said for letting someone else agonise over the EPG lineup.

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

It looks like Sky is probably the best answer then.

Next up, how do we set up a wiki?

I have no idea?

Ta,

[stryker]

bacon, just an aside here, you say you use the same channel numbers and call signs in all your .frq files for all your different tuners? and it works well?

I ask as I've been thinking of doing this but was not sure how it would work.

Also yes I'd agree with using SKY. This project is for NOWT if we cannot cooperate so best use the biggest operators epg for channel numbering as the data is easily available to everyone.

I've been told this site is good for community wikis, and its free. http://www.wikia.com/wiki/Wikia

Cheers.

[ElGato]

Here is a slightly updated .frq file now with SKY EPG numbering;

Taken from here

[stryker]

Nice one elgato.

I took a look at my .frq files yesterday. I use xmltv and I'm still not sure what happens when it combines channels from different .frq files.... IE if BBC1 is down as channel 101 and channel 201 (in different .frq files for two diff tuners).

It should be obvious

[doc]

Originally Posted by stryker

Nice one elgato.

I took a look at my .frq files yesterday. I use xmltv and I'm still not sure what happens when it combines channels from different .frq files.... IE if BBC1 is down as channel 101 and channel 201 (in different .frq files for two diff tuners).

It should be obvious

When you're in the channel lineup screen in Stephanes importer theres an 'ID' field at the left hand side. I THINK that any channels that have the same ID end up being then same channel in the final Sage lineup.

If its not the ID, then it could be the name field, like BBC1 - or maybe the value at the right hand side from the XML file.

Either way - I make sure that all my ID's and Names are the same for each particular channel no matter which lineup they're in.