Zap2It Labs shutting down, how will this effect sagetv?

[jhendrix]

Zap2It labs will discontinue on September 1.
How will this effect sage EPG and XMLTV tools

From
http://labs.zap2it.com/

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

For several years we have offered a free TV listings service to hobbyists for their own personal, noncommercial use. In October of 2004 we posted here an open letter saying the future of Zap2it Labs was at risk because of certain growing misuses of the Zap2it Labs data. Unfortunately this misuse has continued and grown. These misuses, combined with other business factors have led to the decision to discontinue Zap2it Labs effective September 1, 2007.

We thank those users who have honored the terms of the agreement, and we suggest you consider the many TV listings options offered by the commercial licensees of TMS TV listings data.

If you would like to discuss how to license TV listings for commercial use, please let us know by e-mail (labs@zap2it.com) and include your company name, telephone number and the best time to reach you. We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.

We anticipate this decision will generate discussion and invite you to respond via the Zap2it Labs forum. We will do our best to respond to relevant questions posted on this forum in a timely manner.

[Opus4]

I was wondering how long it would take for this topic to show up...

It doesn't affect SageTV's built in EPG data at all because SageTV pays for the US & Candian data it receives & redistributes to customers.

That announcement is talking about shutting down the free Zap2It Labs Data Direct service, which is not what SageTV uses for the built-in data. There was a plugin that was used when Canadian data wasn't available as built-in data in the product & that would be affected by this, but like I said: Canadian listings are available in SageTV w/o this plugin now.

- Andy

[stanger89]

It won't, SageTV purchases it's guide data from TMS/Zap2It.

[1fastvx]

I am pretty sure that Sage TV gets its program guide data from Zap2it Labs? They are shutting down part of there TV listings. Will this have any effect on Sage TV? I am guessing that they most likely have a commercial agreement with them, but I just wanted to make sure.

http://labs.zap2it.com/ztvws/ztvws_l...MS01-1,00.html

John

* merged 1 *

[Karride]

http://labs.zap2it.com/ztvws/ztvws_l...MS01-1,00.html

"For several years we have offered a free TV listings service to hobbyists for their own personal, noncommercial use. In October of 2004 we posted here an open letter saying the future of Zap2it Labs was at risk because of certain growing misuses of the Zap2it Labs data. Unfortunately this misuse has continued and grown. These misuses, combined with other business factors have led to the decision to discontinue Zap2it Labs effective September 1, 2007. "

I know Sage uses Zap2it. Is it going to be an issue or do the get the data from zap a different way?

* merged 2 *

[rickgillyon]

Top of the page, Search.

[rickgillyon]

Top of the page, Search.
In other words, no.

[Opus4]

This is part of what I knew would be so fun about this discussion... no one else will search for an existing topic & will start a new one, so they all get to be merged.

Oh well, I guess I'll make it visible from the General forum...

- Andy

[Karride]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I was wondering how long it would take for this topic to show up...

It doesn't affect SageTV's built in EPG data at all because SageTV pays for the US & Candian data it receives & redistributes to customers.

That announcement is talking about shutting down the free Zap2It Labs Data Direct service, which is not what SageTV uses for the built-in data. There was a plugin that was used when Canadian data wasn't available as built-in data in the product & that would be affected by this, but like I said: Canadian listings are available in SageTV w/o this plugin now.

- Andy

Thanks I'm glad to hear that, makes me an even happier user of Sage to know its getting the data the correct way and not using someone else's stuff without a commercial licence.

[jhendrix]

Will it be possible to combine sage internal EPG data with XMLTV data?

I have hdtv tunners, analog tuners (one with dish receiver) and network encoders with DVB cards.
I'm currently getting everything from zap2it labs and combining epg data from DVB epg.

When zap2it labs shut down, I will need to switch back to the internal EPG and use XMLTV from DVB source, and right now I can't do that.

[CB_2005]

http://labs.zap2it.com/ztvws/ztvws_l...01-1-x,00.html

Will this affect us? If so, is there a work around.

* merged 3 *

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by CB_2005

Will this affect us? If so, is there a work around.

Very very VERY good question

[chuck]

See http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25920

Short answer: no, it doesn't affect SageTV.

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by chuck

See http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25920

Short answer: no, it doesn't affect SageTV.

And the reason is...?????

Seems to me like there is definately a chance that we will be affected, it depends on whether or not Sage is using the 'commercial' license (which I think they are).

-PGPfan

[Fastrack]

What about users who use XMLTV ?

I know there's Data Direct and XMLTV what is the difference?

[stanger89]

So Andy, how about a running count of the number of threads you've merged

Originally Posted by PGPFan

And the reason is...?????

Seems to me like there is definately a chance that we will be affected, it depends on whether or not Sage is using the 'commercial' license (which I think they are).

-PGPfan

Because the data is downloaded from the SageTV servers. Those servers get the data directly from TMS/Zap2It via their commercial licensing structure. Part of your license fee goes to pay for the guide data SageTV uses. This was all addressed before when Z2I Labs originally posted the warning about commercial entities using the data in violation of the Z2I Labs agreement.

In summary, SageTV has a license from Zap2It/TMS to obtain guide data through official, commercial channels. It has nothing to do with Zap2It Labs and the closing of which will have no effect on SageTV users who use the built-in SageTV-provided EPG.

Originally Posted by Fastrack

I know there's Data Direct and XMLTV what is the difference?

XMLTV is an application (or set of tools) that provides "alternative" guide data in an XML format. XMLTV is often used to describe parsers that understand the same XML format as XMLTV. XMLTV initially consisted of "web scrapers" which would retrieve guide data from websites like Zap2It.

Data Direct was a service from Zap2It Labs to provide guide data directly in XML(TV) format, but was only for 'personal use' in open source/free type applications like MythTV.

Basically it was a service that provided the same data SageTV gets in it's commercial license, to open source programs for free. The catch was each user had to sign up individually. The quality of the Data Direct guide data was much better (more complete) than that from the web scrapers.

In essence, this is (or could be depending on what Z2I does) a significant blow to the open source programs (such as MythTV), DD basically put them on equal footing with the commercial programs in terms of guide data, this will set them at a handicap.

As for those who use SageTV and it's XMLTV import functions, probably 99% of them live in areas not covered by SageTVs native guide data, and thus not covered by Zap2It Labs' Data Direct (they cover the same areas I believe), and thus they too, will be unaffected by this.

[popechild]

Count me as one user who will be negatively affected. I live in LA and only have OTA HD tuners. I've tried the built-in EPG (originally and a couple of times since) over the last year and it's unfortunately very lacking compared to the Data Direct feed from Zap2It - particularly when it comes to digital sub-channels.

I don't know why this is, though I assume it has something to do with the amount of data that Sage chooses to purchase from Zap2it. Hopefully - if this is indeed the case - it'll increase pressure on Sage to "up" the license, or do whatever they need to do to fill in all the gaps in their data. If not, it will certainly be a bad day for me.

[Ozymandias]

OH MY FRIGGIN GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry, I just had to say that. Seriously, why can't people use the simple search function? It took me all of 3 seconds to type out "zap2it closing" and behold, the answer was right before me! It's magic, I tell ya! How ever do you guys perform such feats of mysticism against? I must knowz soz eyez can steelz ur skillz, kthxbai.

You'd think people that were savvy enough to setup an htpc would be savvy enough to use a search feature on a forum.

If you must delete this post, I understand. But geez, I deal with Tech support all day at work myself and sometimes it just..... makes me wanna dig my small intestines out with a salad spoon.

[zz5]

I'm afraid I have some breaking news. And it's bad news. It looks like zap2it will discontinue DataDirect. That means we won't be able to get any more tv listings. My initial assessment is that this will be disaster for SageTV. SageTV won't be able to give us listings anymore. This is cutting me, deep. This is a real kick in the butt. I'll bet those weasels at TIVO are somehow mixed up in this. But before anyone goes too crazy, let's just all wait and see how the dust settles. Narflex might just have a few tricks up his sleeve. Maybe we'll somehow be able to keep getting listings.

This just came over the wire. I just ran over here is soon as I could. I wanted to be the first to break the news. You heard it here first. In my mad rush to get this out to you, my fellow SageTVer's, I didn't take the time to find out details, like when it will officially close down, etc. I was just in such a hurry. I'll try to see if I can sniff out some more details and post them when I can. Stay tuned to this thread.

zz5 out.

* merged 4 *

[ke6guj]

Thats so like 12 hours ago
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25920