EPG123 Bandwagon Boarding Nub

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

November 14, 2019 seems the right time to conquer EPG123; so I'm getting onboard now because it might take me a while to figure it out.

-Started today by making a Full Backup Image of my HTPC's entire Boot drive.

-Next, went to https://www.schedulesdirect.org got a 12 month membership.

-Read some EPG123 thread posts;
watched Garyan2's vid (http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/);
read parts of the EPG123 manual (http://epg123.garyan2.net/downloads/epg123_Guide.pdf).

-And now I'm jumping in.

I'll update if I swim.

I'll update if I sink.

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

WMC EPG123 is running PERFECT!!!

(i followed GaRyan2's vid step by step. http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/)

-Just made an Incremental Backup Image.

-Next, I'm going to individually test each of my four XBox360 Extenders.

Edit 1: All four of my XBox360 Extenders are working!

Edit 2:
-So, after noticing that channel #1603 (TCMHD) was missing; I added it manually using the green "+" next to (in the drop down next to) "All Scanned Sources" in the EPG123 Client. (And ran "Save & Execute" in EPG123 Configuration GUI.) That made it possible to tune-in, #1603 (TCMHD); but there's actual program info in the EPG ("No data available"). Help plz? ty

[adam1991]

November 14, 2019 seems the right time to conquer EPG123; so I'm getting onboard now because it might take me a while to figure it out.

-Started today by making a Full Backup Image of my HTPC's entire Boot drive.

-Next, went to https://www.schedulesdirect.org got a 12 month membership.

-Read some EPG123 thread posts;
watched Garyan2's vid (http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/);
read parts of the EPG123 manual (http://epg123.garyan2.net/downloads/epg123_Guide.pdf).

-And now I'm jumping in.

I'll update if I swim.

I'll update if I sink.

You're overthinking it. Don't overthink it. It's WAY simpler than you think it is.

To all who see this: If you overthink it, you risk failure.

Oh, and btw--your XBox 360 extenders have nothing to do with EPG123.

[garyan2]

Edit 2:
-So, after noticing that channel #1603 (TCMHD) was missing; I added it manually using the green "+" next to (in the drop down next to) "All Scanned Sources" in the EPG123 Client. (And ran "Save & Execute" in EPG123 Configuration GUI.) That made it possible to tune-in, #1603 (TCMHD); but there's actual program info in the EPG ("No data available"). Help plz? ty

How were you missing channel 1603? You should have 9,999 tuner channels ranging from 1 to 9,999... or is this something I haven't known about with Tuning Adapters?

Could you take a snapshot of the client GUI showing channel 1603 on the left side and 1603/TCMHD on the right, and post it? I'm curious.

If you have 1603 on the left and TCMHD on the right, then select them (left-click) and then right-click one of them and select 'Subscribe'.

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

Edit 2:
-So, after noticing that channel #1603 (TCMHD) was missing; I added it manually using the green "+" next to (in the drop down next to) "All Scanned Sources" in the EPG123 Client. (And ran "Save & Execute" in EPG123 Configuration GUI.) That made it possible to tune-in, #1603 (TCMHD); but there's actual program info in the EPG ("No data available"). Help plz? ty

How were you missing channel 1603? You should have 9,999 tuner channels from 1 to 9,999... or is this something I haven't known about with Tuning Adapters?

Could you take a snapshot of the client GUI showing channel 1603 on the left side and 1603/TCMHD on the right, an post it? I'm curious.

If you have 1603 on the left and TCMHD on the right, then select them (left-click) and then right-click one of them as select 'Subscribe'.

That worked. ty garyan2!

Made another Incremental Backup.

And finally, after 4 years, of no Star Ratings for Movies, i can finally record 4 Star TCM movies. For (4) sure!

ty again!

[garyan2]

And thank you! This pointed out a change I need to make for the next release.

When initially setting up, I preset some settings in the configuration GUI to include 'Automatically match ...' so that when the new user first does a [Save & Execute], the guide listings will be imported and mapped to the tuner channels automatically. What I forgot was I should set the default in the client to enable 'Automatch' as well. When you created your task, automatch was not enabled so when you ran the [Save & Execute] the second time, 1603 did not get the listings attached automatically.

There are a few ways to do the mapping:
1. The scheduled task has the automatch option so a [Save & Execute] would do it.
2. Manually match (Subscribe) which is what you just did.
3. The Match by: [# Number] button in the client above the left side list.
4. Running 'epg123Client.exe -match' from a command prompt will do it as well.

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

And thank you! This pointed out a change I need to make for the next release.

When initially setting up, I preset some settings in the configuration GUI to include 'Automatically match ...' so that when the new user first does a [Save & Execute], the guide listings will be imported and mapped to the tuner channels automatically. What I forgot was I should set the default in the client to enable 'Automatch' as well. When you created your task, automatch was not enabled so when you ran the [Save & Execute] the second time, 1603 did not get the listings attached automatically.

There are a few ways to do the mapping:
1. The scheduled task has the automatch option so a [Save & Execute] would do it.
2. Manually match (Subscribe) which is what you just did.
3. The Match by: [# Number] button in the client above the left side list.
4. Running 'epg123Client.exe -match' from a command prompt will do it as well.

np

and awesome. there's so little left to do before EPG123 has a Masterpiece of a setup. (i have procrastinated so long no wonder... wat, it's four years old alreay?)

i still have two screen shots (1 before, and 1 after, "selecting Subscribe from context menu"); but PhotoBucket dot com was my old and only upload site. And they u-know-wat now-a-days. lol

Also note that "Subscribe" is never greyed-out in the Client? (Could it be set to be Greyed after selecting subscribe or after the initial setup for the channels that are Subscribed? idk)

And lol the -Match switch was a possibility i surmised from reading a ("Missing Channel") search result post u made on this thread; but i would have had to triple check with u 1st. i'm a syntax nub.

EPG123! EPG123! EPG123! GooooOOOOO! EPG! 123!

ty again!

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

10 Day Update:

PERFECT!!!

Everything is running perfect:

-Haven't had a no signal problem yet that requires one to Power-Cycle TA and InfiniTV 6 ETH; then Stop/Start WMC Receiver Service before starting WMC.
-It's great having correct Movie Box Art for previously recorded movies.
-Star Ratings for all new Movies.
-Guide customization(s) show the same on Extenders.
-My dishes shine more after washing them.


-When i added NBA League Pass Channels 1521-1529 today- it... was... a... breeze! (The previous time i added it- three years ago- it was a nightmare. It took hours on the phone. I ended up talking with Tier-Three support and they finally fixed it.)

Today, all it took was placing check-marks next to the channels 1521-1529 in the epg123 (epg123.exe). Then "Save and Execute". Only took 4 minuets.

Next, opened the epg123Client (epg123Client.exe):

-Selected 1521 in the left pane; right clicked 1521 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1522 in the left pane; right clicked 1522 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1523 in the left pane; right clicked 1523 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1524 in the left pane; right clicked 1524 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1525 in the left pane; right clicked 1525 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1526 in the left pane; right clicked 1526 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1527 in the left pane; right clicked 1527 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1528 in the left pane; right clicked 1528 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1529 in the left pane; right clicked 1529 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".

^^ Only took seconds.

Immediately opened WMC. And all NBA League Pass channels 1521-1529 worked perfect.

EPG123 RULES!

Lakers vs. Toronto @9:30 PM tomorrow!

[garyan2]

Today, all it took was placing check-marks next to the channels 1521-1529 in the epg123 (epg123.exe). Then "Save and Execute". Only took 4 minuets.

Next, opened the epg123Client (epg123Client.exe):

-Selected 1521 in the left pane; right clicked 1521 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1522 in the left pane; right clicked 1522 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1523 in the left pane; right clicked 1523 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1524 in the left pane; right clicked 1524 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1525 in the left pane; right clicked 1525 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1526 in the left pane; right clicked 1526 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1527 in the left pane; right clicked 1527 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1528 in the left pane; right clicked 1528 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".
-Selected 1529 in the left pane; right clicked 1529 in the right pane and selected "subscribe".

^^ Only took seconds.

SWEET!

Just for future reference.

• If you had 'Automatically match...' enabled, it would not have been necessary to open the client to map the listings.
• In the client, you could have just clicked the Match by: [# Number] button and it would have mapped all the new stations. (1 click vs. 27 clicks)

But like you said, even the long way doesn't take very long at all.

I'm wondering if freeing yourself from MS/Rovi controlling your tuner configurations got rid of any TA issues? I can't explain that.

[DSperber]

Just for future reference.

• If you had 'Automatically match...' enabled, it would not have been necessary to open the client to map the listings.

Correct.

I've been using EPG123 for what seems like MANY MANY years now. Looking at my software-installer folder it looks like it was created back in April 2016. So that means about 3 1/2 years now. From almost day #1 I guess (?), coming through many versions and evolutions and many improvements and occasional bug fixes.

This is my own "setup" for EPG123.exe, through which I virtually never need EPG123Client.exe. I only have to open EPG123, run through the two channel lineup tabs I have SD subscriptions for (cable and OTA, for my Ceton InifiniTV6 PCIe/ETH tuners and Hauppauge QuadHD tuners, in my two HTPC's) to see if there's something I want to check or un-check occasionally, and then "Save and execute":



I almost never use Epg123Client.exe, other than a while back for "Tweak WMC" in order to customize the WMC Guide presentation to my liking, along with My Channel Logos ("large"). To each his own, of course, but here is my own "setup" for "Tweak WMC":



which produces the following Guide Layout. Note that the font sizes and number of Guide rows determines whether or not the name of the current "Favorites" channel subset can be displayed in prominent large font in the upper-right corner of the Guide presentation. For my EPG123Client WMC tweaks I had to go to no more than NINE Guide rows in order to leave room for the "Favorite" name, which I must have displayed:



Still probably tops on my list of feature suggestions which actually got implemented over EPG123 history is the "pink stripe" on the right-side channel list from EPG123.exe which identifies NEW CHANNELS in the channel list (i.e. newly added channels which are not present in the last performed "save and execute" channel list), which for me get auto-checked "on" automatically and which I can then easily spot (because of the "pink stripe") as I scroll down, and almost always un-check because I have no interest in them. As a result I've been running with about the same range of 85 or so channels even as TWC/Spectrum adds channels regularly. And the "pink stripe" makes it instantly and trivially visible which are the only newly added channels I probably want to un-check (or not), even without ever having to check the Spectrum "programming alerts" web page.

Also, I rely 100% on "My Channel Logos" and its "auto-populate" to fill out my own "custom" association . I love these logos even when the Spectrum/SD/EPG123 channel names for my Pacific west coast channel list doesn't match exactly, and I've had to "manually associate logos to channels" picking from either the "large" or sometimes "color" additional logos folders provided by MCL. So now just 5 of my 85 channels do not have a channel logo in the WMC Guide as I've configured things, and 4 of these are purely local Spectrum channels which I almost never watch anyway but which I've got shown in my Guide. The only remaining un-logo'd channel is the new "Olympics Channel (OLY)" from NBC, and perhaps some day MCL will come out with an updated product release that might include it. Until then I'm logo-less, but won't really be "visually affected" until next year's summer Olympics.

NOTE: the EPG123Client capability to adjust the number of seconds corresponding to the "skip ahead" and "instant replay" functions using the WMC remote is only applicable to the main WMC interface, i.e. while watching WMC playback on your PC monitor. It DOES NOT AFFECT EXTENDERS. So if you no doubt also have one or more extenders around your home and want to similarly adjust the number of seconds in the skip ahead and instant replay functions for them as well, you must manually use REGEDIT, Load Hive, etc., in order to manually customize these two Registry values for each extender's MCX* user name (which appear in C:\Users). I can provide a simple instruction "recipe" for how to perform this manual adjustment for extenders if wanted, Just PM me.

[garyan2]

Nice overview there. For the missing logos, you can click the [Collect SD Logos] button in the configuration GUI and see if one is available from SD. If so, it can be a "custom" logo for MCL XL.

[DSperber]

For the missing logos, you can click the [Collect SD Logos] button in the configuration GUI and see if one is available from SD. If so, it can be a "custom" logo for MCL XL.

Indeed. Good idea. Hadn't occurred to me before but I just did it. And sure enough I found logos to use in MCL for all five of my missing ones.

I don't know how these get resized by MCL when selected from the source folder to end up in "\Custom" and then make their way into WMC Guide, to present in the WMC Guide area. But three of the five appear smaller than I would have hoped, and two of them look larger and good. This really isn't a big deal but there's no question the logos from MCL itself appear "large", whereas some of the ones from SDLOGOS are small. I believe the "large" logos from MCL XL are already 75 pixels high so they don't need any resizing in the length direction, whereas the ones from SDLOGOS are not. Strangely, the resized SDLOGOS PNGs don't end up being 75 pixels high, but are much smaller... hence why they look smaller in the Guide.

Anyway, at least now I have logos for all channels. Many thanks for the suggestion.

[Space]

The pink strip for new channels in the EPG123 GUI is nice. Would it be possible to be made aware of new channels in the WMC GUI so that you wouldn't have to use the EPG123 GUI?

I don't have a mouse or keyboard for my HTPC, so using EPG123 would be a set it and forget it type of thing (hopefully, when I eventually move to using it).

I'm thinking maybe EPG123 could make a "NEW CHANNEL" favorites lineup in WMC that is updated dynamically by EPG123 that has the new channels added (and deleted channels removed). This way you could periodically check the "NEW CHANNELS" favorites lineup for anything new, and then clear it/delete it after you've checked it for any new channels.

I'm not sure if you are able to (or how easy it is to) modify the WMC "Favorites" through the MFX file, or if you would want to add this functionality (since it is a bit out of scope of the main functionality), but I just thought I'd suggest it for those who don't use the HTPC as a real PC and instead only use it with an IR remote and don't have easy access to the EPG123 GUI.

I believe that new channels will show up in the WMC guide if you have the automatch, etc. on in EPG123, but it it is not easy to see the new channels if you have hundreds of them, having them show up in a separate Favorites list would make it much easier.

It's not THAT big a deal for me, obviously everyone needs to hook up a mouse and keyboard to the HTPC at some point to deal with certain things, but this would be one less "thing".

[adam1991]

For the odd times I need a keyboard to mess with anything, this is more than sufficient:

https://www.adesso.com/product/slimtouc ... -touchpad/

Usually it's just to look at the log file and make corrections should EPG123 flag me with yellow, or the date shows it didn't update.

[garyan2]

The pink strip for new channels in the EPG123 GUI is nice. Would it be possible to be made aware of new channels in the WMC GUI so that you wouldn't have to use the EPG123 GUI?

I don't have a mouse or keyboard for my HTPC, so using EPG123 would be a set it and forget it type of thing (hopefully, when I eventually move to using it).

I'm thinking maybe EPG123 could make a "NEW CHANNEL" favorites lineup in WMC that is updated dynamically by EPG123 that has the new channels added (and deleted channels removed). This way you could periodically check the "NEW CHANNELS" favorites lineup for anything new, and then clear it/delete it after you've checked it for any new channels.

I'm not sure if you are able to (or how easy it is to) modify the WMC "Favorites" through the MFX file, or if you would want to add this functionality (since it is a bit out of scope of the main functionality), but I just thought I'd suggest it for those who don't use the HTPC as a real PC and instead only use it with an IR remote and don't have easy access to the EPG123 GUI.

I believe that new channels will show up in the WMC guide if you have the automatch, etc. on in EPG123, but it it is not easy to see the new channels if you have hundreds of them, having them show up in a separate Favorites list would make it much easier.

It's not THAT big a deal for me, obviously everyone needs to hook up a mouse and keyboard to the HTPC at some point to deal with certain things, but this would be one less "thing".

Interesting idea, but I don't believe it is possible. There are a couple roadblocks in achieving this.... The channels assigned to the favorite lineup are based on the channel ID which is unique to each WMC it could be imported into. Basically, what could work for 1 HTPC would probably get you very different results on another. The biggest hurdle though is epg123.exe, which creates the MXF file (the server side), is not aware of the contents of the WMC database to get the channel ID, or even if WMC is installed or not.

You are correct that if autoadd and automatch are enabled, the new stations will just show up in your guide without you knowing. In that case, the only thing you have is either the EPG123 configuration GUI with the highlighted rows, or the trace.log file which will identify those "new" stations on each update.

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

For the odd times I need a keyboard to mess with anything, this is more than sufficient:

https://www.adesso.com/product/slimtouc ... -touchpad/

Usually it's just to look at the log file and make corrections should EPG123 flag me with yellow, or the date shows it didn't update.

Yes. Good idea.

My HTPC setup includes a remote like Space uses; and a corded keyboard that is off-to-the-side and rests on top of a Network Switch and never used except for accessing BIOS; but in addition, i have a corded mouse with a PS2 extension cord, so it can sit next to/ on the right side of my Gaming PC's mouse and keyboard. But i also use my Gaming PC's mouse and keyboard on my HTPC by implementing:

Microsoft Garage Mouse without Borders
YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWG2Po0Ss40
DL:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=35460

For more than 10 years i used a Linux Mouse and KB sharing software that was ported to Windows. It was great for Win7. But this year when i finally jumped on the Win10 bandwagon (Edit: for my Gaming PC), the Linux software was too problematic; and i discovered that after several years of lacking features, Microsoft's Mouse without Borders software was finally a much better product anyways.

[Space]

...
Interesting idea, but I don't believe it is possible. There are a couple roadblocks in achieving this.... The channels assigned to the favorite lineup are based on the channel ID which is unique to each WMC it could be imported into. Basically, what could work for 1 HTPC would probably get you very different results on another. The biggest hurdle though is epg123.exe, which creates the MXF file (the server side), is not aware of the contents of the WMC database to get the channel ID, or even if WMC is installed or not.

You are correct that if autoadd and automatch are enabled, the new stations will just show up in your guide without you knowing. In that case, the only thing you have is either the EPG123 configuration GUI with the highlighted rows, or the trace.log file which will identify those "new" stations on each update.

I see, oh well, just a thought I had.

It would be great if someone could create a WMC addon to deal with some of the basic functions of EPG123 so that it could be controlled by an IR remote. Just being able to initiate an on-demand update/download of guide data would be a good start.

Anyway, I guess I should actually start using EPG123 before I go too far with all these suggestion. But be prepared for me in the new year!


I hope to be able to take care of my system before the end of the year, I'm still using the failing hard drive, and since I'm unable to get a disk image of it (it fails a Macrium Reflect backup) I'll probably have to use an old Macrium image backup I have that is over a year old and put it on the new drive. I'll then have to copy over the WMC database, DRM license file, task logs, and commercial skip XML files to the year old image and cross my fingers that it all works. My biggest fear is that after I remove the failing drive from the system, it will break DRM. Hopefully not. I may just leave the failing drive in there if it is a problem, but I'm not sure if I have room in the case for that.

I also plan to let windows update take over and update Win7 to the latest, not sure if I will have any problem with that, as I have not allowed Windows to patch itself for a very long time. I just feel that having it fully patched before Win7 is no longer supported might be a good idea, but if it proves troublesome, I guess I will just revert to the old image and forget about any patches.

If anyone has any suggestions or tips, I'm all ears. I think copying over the WMC database is just a simple matter of copying over the mcepg2-#.db as well as the mcepg2-# folder, but I'm not sure if that will work if the instance of WMC that is on the year old backup is pointing to a different database instance for some reason (like a rebuild in the past year). I suppose copying over this DB is not all that important if I plan on installing EPG123 from scratch (deleting the database) but I will at least need the files in the backup folder to retain my Series add/deletes over the past year, I don't want to have to manually add/delete those.

Anyway, hopefully this will be a non-event and I will be up and running by the new year with a shiny new hard drive loaded with EPG123 chugging along for a long time to come...

[stuartm]

It would be great if someone could create a WMC addon to deal with some of the basic functions of EPG123 so that it could be controlled by an IR remote. Just being able to initiate an on-demand update/download of guide data would be a good start.

As to the running EPG123 on-demand update from the remote, I posted an idea quite a while ago. I think it might not be too hard. The basic idea is to rename mcupdate to some new name e.g. mcupdate.orig for example then put in a new program called mcupdate that just looks at the arguments it was invoked with. The invocation from the menu in WMC to download latest guide info runs mcupdate with a recognizable argument list. if that argument list is recognized then invoke EPG123 from the small program to run a guide update. Otherwise run the original mcupdate with the given argument list to perform whatever update was being attempted. I may take a shot at doing this over the holidays if I have some spare time.

[garyan2]

I had forgotten about that suggestion. I don't think that is something I would want to include in the installation package, but as a separate add-on if anyone wants is fine. I just prefer not to do anything with anyone's files like that.

My real question is, why do we think adding the ability to demand an update would be needed? The only thing I can think of is if your DB crashed and you no longer have guide listings after it builds a new one... you would need to perform an out-of-sequence import of the MXF file.

[stuartm]

I actually run a manual update every so often if I am looking way ahead in the guide to the limit of my downloaded data and there is no info yet. Since I run my update in the middle of the night I will usually get another days worth of data with a manual update e.g. late in the day. Also, on the (rare) occasions where a nightly update failed for some obscure reason (has happened when SD had a problem or some other unusual circumstance) you can run an update without needing to use a mouse/keyboard which many of us don't normally keep connected to our HTPC.