How To: Convert BTV Recorded Shows to SageTV Recorded Shows

[Brent]

Below is a quick how-to on importing BeyondTV recorded shows into SageTV. For a longer explanation with screen-shots feel free to visit this post on my blog.



To make SageTV recognize your recorded Beyond TV (BTV) shows as recorded shows in Sage follow these steps:

1. Create an xml file with all of your recorded shows names and metadata:
   1. Close SageTV completely
   2. If running SageTV service, stop SageTV Service
   3. With SageTV closed, I usually back up SageTV by copying the sagetv folder to a backup location (just in case)
   4. With SageTV closed, run BeyondTV
      Download BTV Negociator 4.1a or newer. The latest version can be found HERE (Note this feature was added to Fonceur's excellent add-on for BeyondTV. Fonceur is one of the most talented non-Snapstream affiliated, BeyondTV developers.
   5. Run BTV Negociator (BTVN)
   6. Click on the "Browser" tab in BTVN
   7. Click on the "Library" sub-tab in BTVN
   8. In BTVN, you should now see all of your recorded shows in your library. Now select all of the shows you want to import by clicking with your mouse and holding either the shift or ctrl key
   9. Right-Click with your mouse to see the execute menu and select "Extract the infos to a file"
   10. Close BTV Negociator
   11. You will now have a file named ExtractedInfo.xml in BTV-Negociator's folder (same folder BTVN is located) - this single xml file includes all of the metadata for each recorded show from beyondtv that you selected.
   12. Next completely close Beyond TV. Close BTV Viewscape and BTV Agent - be sure you no longer have the BTV icon in your toolbar.

Now Download and run the "Translate BTV XML" created by Nielm.
Next use Nielm's SageTV web user interface (2.21 20 or newer) HERE to import the newly translated XML file into SageTV and you'll have all of your BTV shows with metadata in recorded shows just as if SageTV had recorded them!

Thanks to Neilm and Fonceur for making this happen!!!

If you would like a longer explanation with screen-shots feel free to visit this post on my blog.

[mickp]

Well done.

[superporky]

Thanks to all that made this possible. LOVE IT!!!

[superporky]

After hitting submit I get this output. I'm using the most recent version of SageTV and webserver. Is the current version of Sage to new for this?

Processing imported file: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\download\ExtractedInfo_sage.xml
Failed to read XML file:

SageXML version 1.3 is not supported (requires one of [1.2, 1.1])

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Brent]

Originally Posted by superporky

After hitting submit I get this output. I'm using the most recent version of SageTV and webserver. Is the current version of Sage to new for this?

Processing imported file: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\download\ExtractedInfo_sage.xml
Failed to read XML file:

SageXML version 1.3 is not supported (requires one of [1.2, 1.1])

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm assuming you are seeing this error when doing the "import tv file" in the web server? Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Have you already converted the btv xml file into the sagetv xml file using the "Translate BTV XML" created by Nielm?

Be sure you are importing the newly converted xml file resulting from the "translate btv xml" program. It should be named "ExtractedInfo_sage.xml"

[superporky]

Sorry for the lack of details. Yes, I followed the instructions on your blog to the letter (3 times), have browsed to ExtractedInfo_sage.xml and the error occurs after hitting 'submit query'.

[gplasky]

Make sure you're using neilm's latest webserver and java 1.6.0_03 (latest) and not the defaut java that is installed with Sage. (1.4.0)


Gerry

[superporky]

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I assumed I had the latest version of the web server because I only downloaded it a couple of weeks ago. That's what I get for assuming. The import worked fantastically. That my be the last time I load BTV. SO LONG!!!

On a side note I have also imported that same episode of The War from BTV.

[Brent]

Glad to hear you got it working!

[gveres]

I get a lot of failed imports. The webserver comes back with:

Airing already exists: "Pinky Dinky Doo" at Sat, Sep 22 9:30 AM on
=>failed to assign imported airing to MediaFile

Hmm, I see the problem. the importer thinks that these are the same shows but they are not. The show ID is the same in the exported XML, but they are not the same show. I don't see an option on the import page to force an import of multiple shows it thinks are the same....


Greg

[Brent]

Originally Posted by gveres

I get a lot of failed imports. The webserver comes back with:

Airing already exists: "Pinky Dinky Doo" at Sat, Sep 22 9:30 AM on
=>failed to assign imported airing to MediaFile

Hmm, I see the problem. the importer thinks that these are the same shows but they are not. The show ID is the same in the exported XML, but they are not the same show. I don't see an option on the import page to force an import of multiple shows it thinks are the same....


Greg

Good catch Greg. You might want to PM Neilm and see if he can include a fix for that in the next update of the importer.

[QueOnda]

I did this a week ago and I can see all the show in recorded shows in the webadmin but I don't see the shows in my recorded shows in sage.
Am I doing something wrong? Anyone else seeing this?

I have a WHOLE bunch of shows I would like to show up. Please help me and my wifey.

[Brent]

Queonda,
When you say you see them in webadmin, are you seeing them under the "Sage Recordings" tab? If you are, they should show under recorded shows in SageTV also.

Be sure you used the latest version of web server when you imported them as well.

[Opus4]

Check the filters for the recordings list to see if they are just getting filtered out. (Are they marked as Archived when converted like this?)

- Andy

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by Brent

Queonda,
When you say you see them in webadmin, are you seeing them under the "Sage Recordings" tab? If you are, they should show under recorded shows in SageTV also.

Be sure you used the latest version of web server when you imported them as well.

Yes they are in sage recordings. I have V2.22 21 Dec 2007.

Originally Posted by Opus4

Check the filters for the recordings list to see if they are just getting filtered out. (Are they marked as Archived when converted like this?)

- Andy

I believe they are archived. here is one 60 minutes file info under admin:

60 Minutes

Archived File

Aired: Jun 18, 2006 7:00 PM - 8:03 PM - Archived

Duration: 1h 3m

Channel: -

Description: Violent tactics of extremist environmental and animal rights groups; Kinky Friedman runs for governor of Texas; shark tour operators may be endangering surfers and swimmers.

Category: Newsmagazine

Run Time: 1 hour 3 minutes

Show ID: EP0000350760

File Format: AVI[MPEG4-Video 3:2 480p@30fps, MP2/224Kbps@48kHz Stereo]

Files:
\\chupacabra\btv_shows\60 Minutes-2006-06-18-0.avi

File Playlists: [wvx] [m3u] [pls]

Size: 0.69GB

Internal details: MediaFileID=539263 , AiringID=539267

When I go to sage client I don't see the shows under archived. This show is under a NAS drive which is not a recording drive under sage. Would that matter?


Looked in sage client under archived and did a search in sage client and not foundbut looks like the ones I looked in admin are archived (as 60 minutes above).

EDIT: That was it!! I tried to clear archive flag in admin but got an error (too many files) but bit by bit I did few files and few files and now all in recorded shows. Thanks Brent and Andy for you help. Just wonder why they went to archive in the 1st place and not shown in the archive in SageTV gui.

[Brent]

Glad you got it worked out. It does seem strange that they went to archive though.

[BobPhoenix]

They go to archived because Sage will sometimes think it is a partial and deletes the file - but it never deletes an archived file. Once it is in the database you can then change it from archived to regular and it doesn't get deleted.

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by Brent

Glad you got it worked out. It does seem strange that they went to archive though.

Me too for the WAF factor. Hey, maybe you can add it to your WI. I'm sure this may or maynot happen to another person.

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

They go to archived because Sage will sometimes think it is a partial and deletes the file - but it never deletes an archived file. Once it is in the database you can then change it from archived to regular and it doesn't get deleted.

When I first did it, I swear it was there for a day but then disappeared. So, I re,imported the xml file but nada.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by QueOnda

Me too for the WAF factor. Hey, maybe you can add it to your WI. I'm sure this may or maynot happen to another person.

Will do. I'll try to update that tonight. More good sage stuff coming soon on the blog too. I'm having too much fun with SageTV these days

[civerson4]

I am having trouble getting the webserver to install/function properly. When I install the webserver, I get 2 error messages:

Failed to enable server port in firewall.
Failed to enable client port in firewall

I also tried turning off Windows Firewall, but I still can't get the webserver to open. Any ideas?

Longtime BTV user, converting to Sage. Thanks for any help.