Need help using XMLTV & Bladerunner Pro for MCE EPG?

[nigelbb]

Now that my FloppyDTV gizmos have arrived I am looking at getting an DVB-S dual tuner MCE system as stable as possible. To that end I thought that I would take the tip of several posters here & use XMLTV & Bladerunner Pro to load the MCE EPG rather than using the Microsoft data so that I can quickly re-map channels etc if MCE decides to add or remove channels. I have installed all the software configure it all (I think) but now am stuck.

Installed & configured Alan Birtle's XMLTVGUI (http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/) to grab the listings for the channels that I am interested in from the Radio Times web site. Installed & configured BladeRunner Pro (http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/brp/) to fire up XMLTVGUI to deliver the channel listings into C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\GuideData\xmltv.xm l Everything seems to work OK & there are no error messages. A listing of the channels was apparently automatically created in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\QuickGuide\Channel List.xml The problem is that there is no EPG data when I go into MCE->Settings->TV->Guide->Add listings to channel. I must be missing out some essential step but just can't figure it out. The documentation for BladeRunner seems non-existent or what there is has errors & is in any case directed at the specific problems of Australian users who have no Microsoft supplied EPG.

I know that there are several here who have figured this out so if you could let me know what the trick is I would be very grateful.

[Anthony-Howard]

Nigel,

The automatically created channelinfo.xml does not work. You need to replace it with something like the ones posted in the how to sticky.

Cheers,

Tony.

[nigelbb]

Here is a snippet of my ChannelInfo.xml. Any idea what is wrong with it? I don't understand why it doesn't work as surely the whole point of the Add Listings to Channel function is that you are mapping EPG entries to channel names. I can map the listings for ITV to BBC1 or any arbitrary channel.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<monster>
<channel>
<name>BBC1</name>
<channelID>BBC1</channelID>
<virtualchannel>1</virtualchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<name>BBC2</name>
<channelID>BBC2</channelID>
<virtualchannel>2</virtualchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<name>ITV1 London</name>
<channelID>ITV1 London</channelID>
<virtualchannel>3</virtualchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<name>Channel 4</name>
<channelID>Channel 4</channelID>
<virtualchannel>4</virtualchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<name>Five</name>
<channelID>Five</channelID>
<virtualchannel>5</virtualchannel>
</channel>
</monster>

[Whitey1977]

Nigel,

The channelID has to match the channel ID number in the grabber. Then you have to go into MCE and re-setup the guide. Put your postcode in and then it will come up with one selection called "epg". MCE should import it.

This is as far as I got, I keep getting an error "code 23" and can not find a solution.

Whitey

[boez]

Nigel

The correct contents of the ChannelInfo.xml depends upon the grabber you use in XMLTV GUI and what name you asked it to use while doing the grabbing. This is the name that goes into the ChannelID. The other entry in the name field needs to be the name included in the service info from the DVB-S signal, i.e. the name reported by MCE. The virtual channel number seems to have no effect but should not be unique for each channel.

In short, what this file does is allow Bladerunner to map channels between the info in the XMLTV data file to the required name in the guide.bin file which MCE 'downloads',

i.e. RadioTimes -> 'XMLTV GUI channel' -> 'guide.bin channel' -> MCE

I dont have access to my xml file at the moment but I will post a copy here when I get home later. This is set up for the radiotimes grabber for most of the non-premium Sky channels and should be a good starting point.

HTH
Andy

[boez]

Ok, so I'm using the standard RadioTimes grabber in XMLTV GUI with no postprocessing of the channel names. My ChannelInfo file is a bit too big to post all of it here so below is a snippet. I can PM you the full file if you wish.

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes"?>
<NewDataSet>
<Channel>
<name>Animal Planet</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_39</channelID>
<virtualchannel>1</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>BBC THREE</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_45</channelID>
<virtualchannel>2</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>BBC FOUR</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_47</channelID>
<virtualchannel>3</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>BBC NEWS 24</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_48</channelID>
<virtualchannel>4</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>BBC 1 Scotland</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_101</channelID>
<virtualchannel>5</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>BBC 2 England</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_105</channelID>
<virtualchannel>6</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<Channel>
<name>Bravo</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_122</channelID>
<virtualchannel>7</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
<name>ParaComedy+1</name>
<channelID>UK_RT_1061+1</channelID>
<virtualchannel>64</virtualchannel>
</Channel>
</NewDataSet>




Some debug hints if you still have problems:

You can find out the name to be placed in the channelID field by opening the XMLTV data file produced by XMLTV GUI in a XML browser (or IE). You should se a list of UK_RT_* channels along with their 'display name'. Its the UK_RT_* names which are important.
The other name is what is displayed in MCE when you change channels.

I found that by making the XMLTV data file (in my case for BladeRunner 3.0 its called listing2.xml) *readonly* it cases BR to fail but after it has created the guide.bin file and more importantly it leaves the guide.xml file in the GuideDatafolder. Again, you can open this file to see if it contains any data destined for MCE!

HTH
Andy

ps I still cannot get rid of the Code 23 error, I just live with it!

Edit: Remember to remove readonly attribute from listing2.xml!

[Whitey1977]

ps I still cannot get rid of the Code 23 error, I just live with it!

So the guide data is still imported correctly even though this error appears? I didn't think to check to be honest!

Whitey

[nigelbb]

Thanks a lot guys that explains it. I was wondering where the entries of the form UK_RT_39 in Tony's sample file had come from. For a piece of software that is as good as Bladerunner appears to be it is very poorly documented. I guess that is because the main target is the Australian market & for them it just magically works.

Andy, to save me a lot of cutting & pasting I would be grateful for a copy of your ChannelInfo.xml file. I will drop you an email.

[boez]

Originally Posted by Whitey1977

So the guide data is still imported correctly even though this error appears? I didn't think to check to be honest!

Whitey

Yeah it all works, its just annoying when the error message pops up but I've set the guide download time in MCE to 8pm so I know exactly when its going to show!

BTW, with XMLTV GUI (console exe) and BR set to run via a scheduled task in XP just before the guide download, the whole process is fully automated and quite reliable. Certainly as reliable as the MCE offering!

[Whitey1977]

Originally Posted by boez

Yeah it all works, its just annoying when the error message pops up but I've set the guide download time in MCE to 8pm so I know exactly when its going to show!

BTW, with XMLTV GUI (console exe) and BR set to run via a scheduled task in XP just before the guide download, the whole process is fully automated and quite reliable. Certainly as reliable as the MCE offering!

I've tried this set-up again and I still get the code:23 error and there are no listings in MCE. I have even reduced the amount of channels to a few but it still comes up with the error.

Whitey

[boez]

Originally Posted by Whitey1977

I've tried this set-up again and I still get the code:23 error and there are no listings in MCE. I have even reduced the amount of channels to a few but it still comes up with the error.

Whitey

Check out the debug hints I gave in my reply to Nigel above as I can vouch that it definately works if all is configured correctly.

When you open the XMLTV GUI XML file here is a snippet :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?>
- <tv date="20061101" generator-name="XMLTV GUI V. 3.06.00W" generator-url="http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv">
- <channel id="UK_RT_92">
<display-name lang="en">BBC1</display-name>
</channel>
- <channel id="UK_RT_93">
<display-name lang="en">BBC1 East</display-name>
</channel>
- <channel id="UK_RT_94">
<display-name lang="en">BBC1 London & South East</display-name>
</channel>
- <channel id="UK_RT_95">
<display-name lang="en">BBC1 Midlands</display-name>
</channel>

plus a lot of program descriptions i.e.

- <programme start="20061105100000 +0000" stop="20061105110000 +0000" channel="UK_RT_96">
<title lang="en">Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford</title>
<desc lang="en">Spiritually-inclined magazine. Two of the UK's top singers join Gloria to talk about success and struggles. Katherine Jenkins performs live and chats to Gloria about how her late father helped her. Elaine Paige talks about her struggles with breast cancer and the strength she has drawn on to get through it. Plus, debate on the big moral and ethical stories of the week.</desc>
<category lang="en">Religion</category>
<length units="minutes">60</length>
- <video>
<aspect>16:9</aspect>
</video>



You then need to copy the file produced by XMLTV GUI into GuideData folder under the Bladerunner install folder. It must be called listing2.xml for BR 3(*important - I've not tried it with 3.5). To TEST, make it readonly then run Bladerunner - it should throw an error. You should have the original listing2.xml, guide.cab, guide.xml and guide.bin. Open guide.xml to see what has been copied for MCE:

- <epg_data supplier="BladeRunner Pro" supplier_info="A Native EPG Solution, Like Know Other " start_time="2006-11-01T06:00:00" end_time="2006-11-14T00:25:00" language="en" schema_version="1.1" file_version="2550083260" supplierId="1" headendNetworkType="TER" headendId="1" headend_name="BladeRunner" ads_required="0">
<copyright>Program Listing Data may by Copyright</copyright>
<tuneRequests ct="0" xmlns:sql="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xml-sql" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" />
- <categories xmlns:sql="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xml-sql" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
- <c id="C1" value="Shows" mscname="UNKNOWN">
<c id="C100" value="All" />
<c id="C101" value="Action" />
<c id="C102" value="Adult" />
<c id="C103" value="Fantasy" />
<c id="C104" value="Classic" />
<c id="C105" value="Crime" />
<c id="C106" value="Horror" />
<c id="C107" value="Musical" />
<c id="C108" value="Romance" />
<c id="C109" value="Thriller" />
<c id="C110" value="War" />
<c id="C111" value="Western" />
<c id="C112" value="Medical" />
<c id="C113" value="Science Fiction" />
<c id="C114" value="Stage Play" />
<c id="C115" value="Western" />
<c id="C116" value="Animation" />
<c id="C117" value="Comedy" />
<c id="C118" value="Game Show" />
<c id="C119" value="Sitcom" />
<c id="C120" value="Soap Opera" />
<c id="C121" value="Talk Show" />
<c id="C122" value="Variety" />
</c>
- <c id="MSEPGC_MOVIES" value="Movie" mscname="MSEPGC_MOVIES" qgtag="MOVIE">
<c id="C000" value="All" />
<c id="C001" value="Film" />
<c id="C002" value="Movies" />

Plus, lots of info about the programs later on in the file.

If the XMLTV GUI file contains data then it must be your channelinfo.xml file thats not mapping it properly for MCE.

HTH
Andy

[Whitey1977]

Thanks Andy for the help but now I'm a bit more confused!


I understand where the guide.xml, channel list.xml and guide.bin come from but not listing2.xml and guide.cab.

I setup XMLTV GUI to create a file called guide.xml in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\GuideData and created a channel list.xml from your example in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\QuickGuide\

I then configured BladeRunner to use XMLTV Console to grab the listings which it does. Bladerunner then creates the guide.bin from the downloaded file which disappears after the conversion. Then AIUI MCE imports the guide.bin file into the epg.

I'm I missing something?

Whitey

[boez]

Originally Posted by Whitey1977

Thanks Andy for the help but now I'm a bit more confused!


I understand where the guide.xml, channel list.xml and guide.bin come from but not listing2.xml and guide.cab.

I setup XMLTV GUI to create a file called guide.xml in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\GuideData and created a channel list.xml from your example in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\QuickGuide\

I then configured BladeRunner to use XMLTV Console to grab the listings which it does. Bladerunner then creates the guide.bin from the downloaded file which disappears after the conversion. Then AIUI MCE imports the guide.bin file into the epg.

I'm I missing something?

Whitey

Almost there - from the top....

(Note this applies to BladerRunner v3, I think v3.5 changed things slightly).

Bladerunner actually reads a file called listing2.xml from XMLTV GUI. So configure XMLTV GUI to grab the channels you need (good idea to limit it to one or two for now) from the RadioTimes grabber. At this stage make sure all postprocessing if off. And configure it to put this file in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\GuideData.

Make sure the ChannelInfo.xml is in C:\WINDOWS\ehome\BladeRunnerPro\QuickGuide.

Run Bladerunner v3 and the listing2.xml file should disappear to be replaced by guide.bin.





I think I may have confused you slightly in trying to help! guide.cab and guide.xml are the temporary files created by Bladerunner - you usually dont see these. However, I accidently discovered that by making listing2.xml readonly, Bladerunner chokes (but correctly creates guide.bin) and leaves these temp files behind so that you can examine thier contents.

Remember : Guide.bin is simply an encoded, compressed (CAB) copy of guide.xml with an extension change, so if the info is correct in guide.xml when you check it, it should be correct when MCE reads guide.bin!

Andy

[nigelbb]

Originally Posted by boez

Run Bladerunner v3 and the listing2.xml file should disappear to be replaced by guide.bin.

BladeRunner Pro 3.5 (the latest version) looks for a file called xmltv.xml instead of listing2.xml

[Whitey1977]

Finally got it working!

I just set it up for the 5 standard channels and got it working with no errors. I think I was going wrong with the name of the xml file that XMLTV GUI creates.

Thanks again Andy and Nigel

Whitey