XMLTV Imprt Tool

[enterpryse]

OK Guys this is driving me crazy. I have spent hours trying to match up my frq file to digiguide and the Sage and still cannot get get it straight.

I have 3 tuners a dual DVBt and a single DVBs and have two line ups one for each system.

When using Stephan's importer (latest version) I go to line up and then try to link as follows.
ID to My Sage channel number to XMLTV Data

I have assumed the following;
ID = ID from the frq file
Number=the channel number I want Sage to display it as.
XMLTV Data= Digiguide reference number

I then start/stop Sage (service mode) but the programme guide is still jumbled up with duplicate channel numbers and the EPG not relating to the actual programme.

Can someone please confirm that is correct before I go further

Thanks in advance

[brewston]

I am about to try to get Digiguide working, so will probably run into similar issues. I bookmarked these 2 posts in preparation :

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...8&postcount=13

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...8&postcount=53


Maybe something there will help ?

Tim

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by enterpryse

When using Stephan's importer (latest version) I go to line up and then try to link as follows.
ID to My Sage channel number to XMLTV Data

I have assumed the following;
ID = ID from the frq file
Number=the channel number I want Sage to display it as.
XMLTV Data= Digiguide reference number

No, this is not entirely correct:

ID = You choice, usually this is something like CHANNELNAME.COUNTRY (or the same as the XMLTV ID)
Number = ID from the frq file
XMLTV Data = choose the XMLTV ID in the list that carries the guide data for your channel.

In version 3.x of the Importer, this should be very easy to do. In the XMLTV Importer when you are editing the channel list, click on the "Add Channels" button and choose "From SageTV (DVB-T/S/C only)".

If all is right, you'll see a new dialog with a drop down list for each ".frq" file the Importer can find in the SageTV directory. The ID and Number should already be Ok, so if you want you can edit the Name and Call Sign, then click "Ok".

All the channels from you frq file are now added into the lineups and you just have to choose the right XMLTV data (the Importer will try to match each channel with an XMLTV channel by looking at the channel name).

I also recommend you to clean up your Sage.properties file from all the lineups already in there (it can get pretty ugly very quickly with overrides everywhere)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[brewston]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

In version 3.x of the Importer, this should be very easy to do. In the XMLTV Importer when you are editing the channel list, click on the "Add Channels" button and choose "From SageTV (DVB-T/S/C only)".

If all is right, you'll see a new dialog with a drop down list for each ".frq" file the Importer can find in the SageTV directory. The ID and Number should already be Ok, so if you want you can edit the Name and Call Sign, then click "Ok".

All the channels from you frq file are now added into the lineups and you just have to choose the right XMLTV data (the Importer will try to match each channel with an XMLTV channel by looking at the channel name).

Thats useful to know that it can read the .frq files. If I hand edit a file to add a channel, will it find that too ? When you say clear out the properties file, is that the procedure in the link I sent ?

Thanks

Tim

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by brewston

Thats useful to know that it can read the .frq files. If I hand edit a file to add a channel, will it find that too ?

Yes, the Importer just read the files. So if you edit it by hand, it will see your modifications.

When you say clear out the properties file, is that the procedure in the link I sent ?

Yes, usually I just delete the epg/lineup_overrides epg/lineup_physical_overrides, because that's the two ones the XMLTV import doesn't rewrite.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[jamesdisco]

Originally Posted by enterpryse

I then start/stop Sage (service mode) but the programme guide is still jumbled up with duplicate channel numbers and the EPG not relating to the actual programme.

Can someone please confirm that is correct before I go further

Thanks in advance

I had the same problem, the 2 posts brewston suggests helped alot.
I also updated to the latest beta i think that may help with the duplicate channels. It was driving me crazy as i couldnt get sage to use the altered .frq files untill clearing out the properties file.

[brewston]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

In version 3.x of the Importer, this should be very easy to do. In the XMLTV Importer when you are editing the channel list, click on the "Add Channels" button and choose "From SageTV (DVB-T/S/C only)".

Awesome ! This "just works". I created the lineup in the importer and when I switched to that lineup within Sage it *only* presented the channels from the lineup (Previously I'd see old channels in there which would need disabling)

Tim

[enterpryse]

Stephan this is still driving me crazy.

Is the XMLTV number the same number as the digiguide?

I'm so confused with this now that I don't know what the question is that I need to ask next

[doc]

Right then,

I use radio times but I guess it would be just about the same.

When you use the importer, you add channels, and get a screen like the one below.

http://docwalker.dyndns.biz/zenphoto...mage=xmltv.JPG

The only number you need to worry about is the column named 'number'.

This number is the number that you have against the channel in your frq file.

If you dont like the number that the frq file gives you, you can edit them to give you the numbers you want. I changed mine so that they use the same numbers as Sky, as shown below

CH:101 onid:2 tsid:2046 sid:10305 frq:10788000 rate:22000 pol:2 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:BBC-1-E-Mids
CH:102 onid:2 tsid:2045 sid:6302 frq:10773000 rate:22000 pol:1 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:BBC-2-England
CH:103 onid:2 tsid:2049 sid:10011 frq:10832250 rate:22000 mod:20 pol:1 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:ITV1-Central-E
CH:118 onid:2 tsid:2044 sid:10070 frq:10758500 rate:22000 mod:20 pol:2 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:ITV2
CH:119 onid:2 tsid:2054 sid:10260 frq:10906000 rate:22000 mod:20 pol:2 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:ITV3
CH:120 onid:2 tsid:2044 sid:10072 frq:10758500 rate:22000 mod:20 pol:2 fec_rate_in:6 sat:0 ctrl:1 #:ITV4


Once you're happy with your frq files, and you've set up the lineups in Stephane's importer, go into sage and delete your sources.

Then, close down sage completely (including the service if you use it) and delete the lines for from the sage.properties file named...

epg/channel_lineups

In my case it was the 2 lines below

epg/channel_lineups/1=32289,101;32397,315;33583,131;35352,316;35404,103;35452,366;35551,137;35718,102;35947,120;36047,621;36082,185;36147,118;36782,139;36829,184;38193,136;38464,143;40970,325;42163,119;42220,138;
epg/channel_lineups/2=32289,101;32397,315;33583,131;33696,104;34101,613;34117,115;34728,111;34834,614;35149,105;35404,103;35453,348;35518,116;35551,137;35718,102;35947,120;36047,621;36147,118;36222,503;36327,182;36774,501;37518,108;37990,350;38193,136;40127,135;40686,180;41701,121;42163,119;42220,138;

Then start sage, add go to source setup, add your source, and when it gets to the EPG bit, select

Use US/Canada or XMLTV Guide Data with this Source

Select the lineup that you created with Stephane's software, and if it asks you to do a channel scan, select NO

The NO is important, you've already done a scan in the past to create a frq file.

I think thats all you need to do. I don't know if thats helped at all or not.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by enterpryse

Is the XMLTV number the same number as the digiguide?

Yes the XMLTV Data is the same number as digiguide (you have no choice though, as you have to select it from the drop down list).

Otherwise the channel number is the number SageTV must use to tune the channel (so it is NOT the same number as Digiguide), for digital channels this is the number in the .frq file.

Regards,
Stéphane

[enterpryse]

I'm still having no luck with this whatsoever

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by enterpryse

I'm still having no luck with this whatsoever

Maybe it's time to uninstall everything and start over: uninstall XMLTV Importer, then SageTV.

Then install SageTV. Set up your video sources. When setting up the sources (for your three tuners), choose "Do Not Use Program Guide Data with this Source" and after select "Yes - Scan for all channels now".

Note: if all three tuners are receiving the exact same channels, you can make a scan for the three tuners and after that edit the .frq files so they are all the same one (this will simplify things greatly). Remember that you have to edit .frq files and .properties file while SageTV is completely shut down.

Shut down SageTV after your .frq files are ok to you and install XMLTV Importer. When XMLTV Importer is installed follow these guidelines:

1) Go to "XMLTV Files and Grabber". Add a XMLTV source for your diguide data. Point the Importer to an already produced XMLTV file and eventually set up the grabber.

2) Go to "Channel Lineups" and create a DVB-T lineup. Fill in the form (Name = DVB-T Lineup, you country region etc..)

2-a) Click on "Add Channels" and select "From SageTV". In the dialog select the .frq file from one of your DVB-T tuners (any of them because if you edited the frq files they should be the same for the DVB-T tuners)

2-b) In the "Add Channels From External Source" dialog, you may want to change only the Name and Call-Sign. (Channel ID and Number are Ok)

2-c) Back to the channel lineups screen in the XMLTV Data column select the xmltv channel that carry the data for the channel you are editing (it seems that for Digiguide the XMLTV channel ID is a number so I guess this is what is confusing you => this number is only the XMLTV ID, it may be a channel number, but its definitely not the SageTV channel number as SageTV is giving channel number in sequential order when scanning)

3) Do the same for the DVB-S lineup.

4) Eventually setup categories and ratings / Advanced Options and finally go to "Update Guide Data" and click on "Start Import"

5) When the Import is done, launch SageTV, go to "Setup Video Sources", select one DVB-T source, and change the guide data source, Select "Use XMLTV source", Select Aerial, Select the DVB-T lineup, when channels are loaded select "No - I Will scan for channels later".

6) Do the same for the other DVB-T source and for the DVB-S source.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[IanV]

Hi,
I've been having the same problems as Entypryse so I've been grateful for this thread. Having followed the instructions, when I added back the source, I still got the original scanned list of Strations as well as the DVB-T Lineup. I then noticed that there were several lines in the properties file called:
epg/lineup_overrides/ & epg/lineup_physical_overrides/. I removed the source, backed up the file and removed all these lines. After that it worked as expected. I am not sure exactly what they do and whether I might have damaged something else by deleting them, any information on this would be welcome.

While I'm here, I have some more questions on the subject which someone might be able to help me with.

I notice this line in the properties file:- epg/download_frequency=0
Is it possible to force more frequent downloads than once every 24 hours by modifying this line? I am testing various EPG sources and would like to change the Program guide pretty much on demand.

The EPG data here in Austral;ia is generally incomplete, particularly on the HD channels. When I switch to one of these channels, the Info says "No Data" Is this simply telling me what is in the guide or is there no information being transmitted about the current program? For that matter, is it possible to see the program information that is supposed to be transmitted with each program?

Regards,
Ian

[brewston]

Originally Posted by IanV

Hi,
I notice this line in the properties file:- epg/download_frequency=0
Is it possible to force more frequent downloads than once every 24 hours by modifying this line? I am testing various EPG sources and would like to change the Program guide pretty much on demand.

I've never used that setting but you can run Stephane's importer as frequently as you like (I tend to run the scheduled task in control panel if i need a refresh, as im sure that way the grabber (digiguide in my case) gets run too)

When the program guide show 'no data' it can either mean you are missing EPG data or it could be that the channel isn't transmitting (I see it on the children's channels in the evening when they are not transmitting)

Hope that helps

[StephaneM]

Hello Ian,

Originally Posted by IanV

I am testing various EPG sources and would like to change the Program guide pretty much on demand.

To do this, run the Importer and force the guide update in SageTV by either:

* disabling / enabling a channel in the SageTV lineup (Video Sources Configuration)
* installing the Web Server Plugin (the Importer will then use the Web Server plugin to update the SageTV guide after each import).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[IanV]

Thank you both.
Stéphane, It is possible to set up several XMLTV sources but how do you control which one the Updater runs?

Regards,
Ian

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by IanV

It is possible to set up several XMLTV sources but how do you control which one the Updater runs?

You can't, all XMLTV sources are imported.

The main reason for multiple sources in the Importer is to avoid having to merge XMLTV files yourself. So it is useful if you must use two grabbers to have a complete lineup.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Baxtor]

I am trying to do this now, however when I get to this bit

"Then start sage, add go to source setup, add your source, and when it gets to the EPG bit, select
Use US/Canada or XMLTV Guide Data with this Source"

I just get an error message about failing to connect to the SageTV server please check your internet connection, my internet connection is working perfectly?

Sorry to drag this thread back up but it seemed the closest to what I am trying to achieve.

[brewston]

Did you enter 00000 as your postcode ? if you did and Stephane's importer is installed correctly, you should then see the XMLTV lineups you created in that tool

[Baxtor]

Well first I tried the local option which did not require a post code to be added, that threw up the same could not connect to server error.
Then I tried the post code option and just entered nothing an got the same error, but I did not try 00000, will give that a go as well now.