Guide - how to create a sky channel lineup

[Oddity]

Using DVBE4SAGE and XMLTV Importer

Hopefully, this will save people a lot of time creating and Updating channel lineups. Please see attached Guide and spreadsheet.
I have recently started to use DVBE4SAGE as it is much better than than dvblogic, using TBS cards at least, as they tune significantly quicker and for some reason I can tune into all channels where previously some would always just not work.
I like using EPG collector as it takes the information directly from the Sky EPG and as I found out so does DVBE4SAGE with its channel listings. I little bit of Excel work later I was able to quickly create a full Sky Channel listing.
Additionally, once created it is very easy to update when channels move, all you need to do is update the channel manually in XMLTV or repeat the process.
Note you will need a minimum of Microsoft Excel 2007 for the spreadsheet..
Download and rename XML-Spreadsheet.doc to XML-Spreadsheet.xlsx, I had to do this as you cannot upload .xlsx files.

[jaminben]

Cool, I'll try this out later.... need to find a free xml editor first tho (pretty sure there are some online).

Thanks

Ben

EDIT

I assume it supports Freesat with DVB-S2?

[Oddity]

You do not need an XML Editor, just notepad

Yes it works for DVB-S2 as long as your Tv card supports it. It will even flag the HD channels.

[Oddity]

Freesat: Yes just set the following in your DVBE4SAGE configuration file to the Freesat values. Not tried freesat so I do not know the settings. I'll try later to see what these should be.

InitialFrequency=
InitialSymbolRate=
InitialPolarization=
InitialModulation=
InitialFEC=
BouquetName=

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by Oddity

You do not need an XML Editor, just notepad

I have my file generated by DVBE4Sage but I don't have Microsoft Excel 2007 or any excel program but I can still follow your guide using notepad?

EDIT

Not too worry, I downloaded a 60 day trial.... now time to start reading your guide

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by jaminben

I have my file generated by DVBE4Sage but I don't have Microsoft Excel 2007 or any excel program but I can still follow your guide using notepad?

EDIT

Not too worry, I downloaded a 60 day trial.... now time to start reading your guide

You could just download the Excel viewer here. Not a trial.

[Oddity]

Let me know how you get on, will appreciate any feedback/required changes.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by Oddity

Let me know how you get on, will appreciate any feedback/required changes.

What would be good is if you could increase the resolution of the screenshots.

I'm also a little confused by step 18.....Data worksheet on the spreadsheet.... where is this? I have the XML-Spreadsheet.xlsx but it looks the same as what I created in previous steps.

EDIT

Ah, I see it now... at the bottom.

[Oddity]

Sorry, had to get it below the forum file size limits

[jaminben]

I know this isn't part of your guide but I may as well ask here seeing as you know what your doing its getting late and I'm frustrated.....

Any idea why Sage seems to list multiple "Digital TV Tuners" when I've only setup one as far as I know (see screenshot)? It starts off as one then others seem to appear out of nowhere.

Once I've selected one of those tuners and entered 00000 for the zip/postcode I always get a list of US locations for my guide data and not the one I've setup via the importer. How can I make it see the XMLTV one I've setup?

Doing this brings back so many bad memories and makes me remember why I hate Sage's TV setup so much..... it's the most retarded procedure ever.

[Oddity]

Digital Tuner, I have seen this before when using the pc client, Try this part on your extenders, this should resolve the issue. It appears to be a software client bug.

Did you load the Data using XMLTV before trying to add the virtual tuners?

[jaminben]

I got it to work at about 1am

I had two other problems:

1. The xml wasn't formated correctly when I got to steps 24 / 25 and I couldn't open the channels tab in the importer. It was down to entries like:

<channel id="Men&Movies.GBR" name="Men & Movies" call-sign="Men&Movies" number="185182" user-number="228" time-offset="0" xmltv-id="54110" allow-hd="False" />

<channel id="CinÚmoimovies.GBR" name="CinÚmoi movies" call-sign="CinÚmoimovies" number="183086" user-number="343" time-offset="0" xmltv-id="52014" allow-hd="False" />

2. Once I'd sorted those out and opened the lineup in the importer the XMLTV Data wasn't available like it was in your screenshot (step 27) so I had to go through manually and add each one. Everything looked liked it matched up but for some reason it wouldn't auto populate.

Other than that it was a nice guide.... although I would probably host the .pdf elsewhere and increase the resolution of the screenshots.

Thanks

Ben

[Oddity]

Thanks, I'll update the guide, as well as look to get it hosted somewhere else, for the non xml compliant characters, I did this myself but forgot it when repeating for the guide.

For step 27, linking the guide data, what EPG data sourc are you using? I used EPG Collector.

I appreciate you testing the guide and your feedback.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by Oddity

Thanks, I'll update the guide, as well as look to get it hosted somewhere else, for the non xml compliant characters, I did this myself but forgot it when repeating for the guide.

For step 27, linking the guide data, what EPG data sourc are you using? I used EPG Collector.

I appreciate you testing the guide and your feedback.

Not a problem..... its enjoyable trying new things if not frustrating. I also used EPG Collector and from what I saw when I manually added the XMLTV to the channels it all looked like it should work as the numbers where the same but it didn't for some reason.

[Oddity]

I have managed to set up a web host for these documents.

http://ccgi.mattandden.plus.com/?page_id=8

[Dvid]

I know this was a while ago, but are you guys still using DVBE4Sage?

If so, did you get the correct Freesat details Ben?

I worry that DVBE4Sage isn't really getting supported/developed now, but I have 2 x TBS 6981, so can't use SageTV natively due to the issue with it only seeing one tuner.

Thanks
dave

[Dvid]

Sorry Ben, ignore this, I forgot the message that you're not using DVBE4Sage now....

I think I will ditch the 6981's and go native with a TBS6984.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Oddity

You do not need an XML Editor, just notepad

Off-topic, but check out Notepad++. It is a great, free, text editor, with formatting assistance... great for editing structured files like XML.

[Oddity]

I'm still using Dvbe4sage as it is the only way to get subscription channels, so can't use natively.
Not had any issues at all with it, does the job.
I would as always prefer to use natively.

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

Just for the record DVBE4SAGE is definately not the only way to receive subscription channels.

I use a semi native method using hardware cams, I have previously also used DVBLogic which I found to work well there are at least four or five methods that I know for watching subscription channels with SageTV.

David