Introducing EPG123

An evolving, supported alternative to Rovi
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★ Download the latest EPG123 here: https://garyan2.github.io/ <> Setup guide here: https://garyan2.github.io/install.html
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choliscott

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#101

Post by choliscott » Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:18 am

I can verify this. The only items in my custom folder are the ones I had to manually find & select after I hit the auto select. With the other WMC workaround, I could auto populate the channel logos thru MCL, but when the guide was refreshed, the logos would be done.

I will say I did test putting a few logos in the \logos folder & the did import. Overall I'm thinking if you want to use the logos from MCL, that you will probably need to manually find & each one from the MCL logos folder.
webminster wrote:
garyan2 wrote: When MCL does its autopopulate, it copies the source image into the custom directory and renames it to the unique callsign it belongs to. If you execute another download/update the logos should be directed toward the .\logos folder and should look just like it did with MCL in control.
Hmmm, not the way MCL XL is working for me. Only logos populated into the Custom directory are those that I've manually overridden in the WMC addin or the MCL GUI app. It copies the selected image into there with the callsign name. But after running autopopulate, it does populate the guide, but isn't creating callsign-specific files in the Custom folder.

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garyan2

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#102

Post by garyan2 » Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:34 am

choliscott wrote:I can verify this. The only items in my custom folder are the ones I had to manually find & select after I hit the auto select. With the other WMC workaround, I could auto populate the channel logos thru MCL, but when the guide was refreshed, the logos would be done.

I will say I did test putting a few logos in the \logos folder & the did import. Overall I'm thinking if you want to use the logos from MCL, that you will probably need to manually find & each one from the MCL logos folder.
webminster wrote:
garyan2 wrote: When MCL does its autopopulate, it copies the source image into the custom directory and renames it to the unique callsign it belongs to. If you execute another download/update the logos should be directed toward the .\logos folder and should look just like it did with MCL in control.
Hmmm, not the way MCL XL is working for me. Only logos populated into the Custom directory are those that I've manually overridden in the WMC addin or the MCL GUI app. It copies the selected image into there with the callsign name. But after running autopopulate, it does populate the guide, but isn't creating callsign-specific files in the Custom folder.
I stand corrected ... I guess I've always manually added my logos (I only need 56). I never had any real luck with the autopopulate so I did it all manually. I'll give the option to not populate channel logos in the next build ... tonight?
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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garyan2

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#103

Post by garyan2 » Thu Feb 18, 2016 4:16 am

choliscott wrote:I can verify this. The only items in my custom folder are the ones I had to manually find & select after I hit the auto select. With the other WMC workaround, I could auto populate the channel logos thru MCL, but when the guide was refreshed, the logos would be done.

I will say I did test putting a few logos in the \logos folder & the did import. Overall I'm thinking if you want to use the logos from MCL, that you will probably need to manually find & each one from the MCL logos folder.
webminster wrote:
garyan2 wrote: When MCL does its autopopulate, it copies the source image into the custom directory and renames it to the unique callsign it belongs to. If you execute another download/update the logos should be directed toward the .\logos folder and should look just like it did with MCL in control.
Hmmm, not the way MCL XL is working for me. Only logos populated into the Custom directory are those that I've manually overridden in the WMC addin or the MCL GUI app. It copies the selected image into there with the callsign name. But after running autopopulate, it does populate the guide, but isn't creating callsign-specific files in the Custom folder.
Here is the new file. Now includes the option to disable local and sd station logos. Also happens to support all available country lineups.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

webminster

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#104

Post by webminster » Thu Feb 18, 2016 5:07 am

Nice. Quick test and appears that the MCL populated logos are still there. Gonna buy you a beer.
-Alan

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garyan2

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#105

Post by garyan2 » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:12 am

This is just going to be a quick note of the current goals and a peek into what the finish line might look like. My current goal is to get the software to a level that it is ready for a larger population. Before I do that, I need to do the following:

1) Do a lot of fault insertion to detect problems in my error handling.

2) Cache the daily station schedules as well as the individual programs I am already caching...less stress on SD servers if we all cache locally and only download what is new/changed.
I already know how I am going to do this, but it will require some changes to my architecture so I have been procrastinating.

3) Store image links locally as well for the same reason.
Already have the code in another project, just need to port it over.

4) Establish a website to be the central point for distribution.
Don't have a clue where I should go for this. Could host it on my own server, but would rather not.

4) Request that EPG123 be added to SD's approved app list.
Don't think this will be too much of a problem, especially if I handle #2 and #3 properly.

In the long run, considering what I now understand about cablecard setup on WMC, I'm definitely going to need to add an automated method to match the downloaded guide to the media center's tuners and channels ... basically what Lineup Selector is doing for some of us. That's going to be a learning curve for me, but it's necessary.

What I am asking from those that are testing this out (and thank you, by the way) is to let me know of anything you would like to see different or any problems/issues. A big answer I need is if any generic description programs are persistent. I believe I solved this hurdle shortly before I started this thread, but need a larger sample size. If you see a program, say 2 weeks out, that has a basic generic description and no episode title, keep an eye on it as the day approaches. If it gets populated with correct information within a week of its scheduled broadcast then we just won the lottery. The problem has been vexing me for quite some time and apparently is still vexing Rovi if they even care.

Little note: The ability to sort the lineups by channel number and not just callsign is still on the list of things to do as well.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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garyan2

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#106

Post by garyan2 » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:59 am

webminster wrote:Nice. Quick test and appears that the MCL populated logos are still there. Gonna buy you a beer.
Thank you, sir. Cheers!
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

DaveInPa

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#107

Post by DaveInPa » Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:45 pm

Garyan,

Thanks for the great work on this. I've been using Schedules Direct data through several apps (mc2xml, Big Screen EPG, and Lineup Selector). It will be really nice to have a "one app" solution. Also the switch to JSON is going to be a lot better.

From your list of goals for the software, it looks like you will be dealing with all of the issues that I need. Thanks for adding the sort by channel number to your lineups to the list. :D

When I tried EPG123 for the first time yesterday, I didn't have much time so I didn't reset WMC. I already was using Schedules Direct and NO Rovi guide, so I decided to give it a try. It updated the Tonight Show info for the current week from the generic description. Also, some of the shows on Antenna TV were generic and they also updated so specific show info.

Looking great so far. I will hopefully have time this weekend to do a fresh start with TV Setup.

Thanks again!

tonywagner

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#108

Post by tonywagner » Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:29 pm

Any plans to add support for importing generic XMLTV guide info?

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garyan2

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#109

Post by garyan2 » Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:37 pm

tonywagner wrote:Any plans to add support for importing generic XMLTV guide info?
Yes and No. I was actually waiting to get everything good on the sd json side and then ask if anyone wanted that capability. The predecessor to EPG123 has full xmltv support. I may incorporate a switch option to handle outside xmltv files to generate the mxf and import to WMC. Quite frankly though, I haven't seen any xmltv file that contained as much rich metadata as you can get from sd json. Also, due to the structure of the xmltv, there may be errors in the resulting file due to ambiguity of the fields imported.

Short answer is probably will include xmltv support, but the end result will be inferior to using schedules direct.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

kmp14

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#110

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:08 pm

I am about ready to take the plunge. Before doing so I would like to just get a list of all of my series recordings, nothing fancy, just a list. Does anyone know of a tool that will export the list of series recordings? I feel like there is something out there, but havent found it yet.

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Scallica

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#111

Post by Scallica » Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:59 pm

kmp14 wrote:I am about ready to take the plunge. Before doing so I would like to just get a list of all of my series recordings, nothing fancy, just a list. Does anyone know of a tool that will export the list of series recordings? I feel like there is something out there, but havent found it yet.
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... f=5&t=1260
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kmp14

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#112

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:39 pm


kmp14

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#113

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:43 pm

So, I did it. Brilliant! Everything worked perfectly, accept the MC hung during step 1 after selecting my tuners...but no prob. I killed MC and continued on the registry step, then on to step 2. Everything worked as described. I used Lineup Selector and Guide Tool as recommended as well.

Time to DONATE!

kmp14

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#114

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:46 pm

Dang, I thought I saw a Donate link somewhere for Epg123. Can I donate somewhere?

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STC

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#115

Post by STC » Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:55 pm

kmp14 wrote:...MC hung during step 1 after selecting my tuners...
If you're cableCARD most probably due to it having to build 10k channels in the DB. It wasn't really hung but still going flat out and became unresponsive. My advice would be to leave it for a while and come back during this process, it should complete.
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Scallica

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#116

Post by Scallica » Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:56 pm

kmp14 wrote:Dang, I thought I saw a Donate link somewhere for Epg123. Can I donate somewhere?
There is a donate link on the bottom of the EPG123 config GUI.
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kmp14

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#117

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:14 pm

Donated. Again, awesome work Gary!

Space

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#118

Post by Space » Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:23 pm

kmp14 wrote:I am about ready to take the plunge. Before doing so I would like to just get a list of all of my series recordings, nothing fancy, just a list. Does anyone know of a tool that will export the list of series recordings? I feel like there is something out there, but havent found it yet.
Below are the steps I used to backup/restore my Series. You can use the tool mentioned as well, but you may also want to make a copy of you eHome folder just in case. Note that the mcepg2-# represents a folder name where "#" is a number. Use the folder that contains files with the most current dates (if you have more than one folder there). <filename> should be replaced with the file in that folder that has the most recent date (file names should be in a format like "20160229_112258" representing the date and time the backup was created). Note that this procedure does not backup/restore the episode history for each Series.

Backup and restore your scheduled recordings:
1. Backup the following folders from the existing installation: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome\mcepg2-#\backup\recordings
2. Install the new Windows 7 media center
3. Copy the files/folders from step 1 onto the new system
4. run the following command: C:\Windows\eHome\loadmxf.exe -i C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome\mcepg2-#\backup\recordings\<filename>

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STC

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#119

Post by STC » Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:26 pm

^ garyan2 has stated your restored recording lineup will no longer function as the new db will be working with different showIDs. You have to create a new list.
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kmp14

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#120

Post by kmp14 » Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:32 pm

So I started at step 1, which means that after I was done, all of my series were still there BUT (BIG BUT), none of them were going to record because, as I understand it, all the IDs for the shows are different between the different guide sources (rovi vs. SD/Gracenote). I would guess/assume that even if I did a full clean install starting at step 0 (uninstalling and re-installing MC), that even if I backed up and restored the series, they still would not be valid since they are series based on the ROVI IDs. Am I wrong on this?

Anyway, I deleted all the series now since they were not going to record anyway. This is why I was looking to export a LIST of them, not a DB type file that I could restore.

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