Zap2it going bye-bye

[rembetis]

Well it looks like Zap2it Labs won't be providing new tv listings info after September 1. Their database is also on the fritz currently, and I can't get a viable Xml file, which screws up my Xlobby load.

Anybody got a line on an alternative?

[Jay]

I use titantv(.com). Not sure they have xml but they do offer RSS which I haven't looked at. I simply use a browser screen to see the sched, record and watch.

[Marbles_00]

That really SUCKS. Wonder what us Canadian boys can use? I don't think titan works across the border.

[jpoveda]

Try with TVxb. Free, easy and nice.

[Marbles_00]

Looks promising...if they expand to Canada and US, otherwise currently it won't work for North America. Thanks for the info, I'm going to keep my eye on it should they get a country.ini file made up for Canada.

[homepc]

Marbles, you use xlobby for your tv also? Do you use XLTV plugin? or something else?

[Marbles_00]

I tried the XLTV plugin, and I liked the configuration, except I couldn't figure out how to get it to display the data correctly. I ended up use the xscheduler plugin developed long ago by Lasse (I think). He doesn't support it anymore, but for me, it was working pretty good. For EPG updating I was running a bat file that ran the xmltv.exe in the background, and associated that to a refresh event. Most likely I didn't need that bat file, and run everything in xlobby, but I just couldn't be bothered at the time...now it almost seems pointless.

[homepc]

Thanks Marbles,

Does the xscheduler plugin actually display the TV? Or do you use something like wintv2000 ao K!TV to view. If so, how do you display those in an xlobby format? I'm just getting alternate ideas on how to display TV using xlobby. I did have XLTV configured correctly and all running well, until I upgraded to a new tuner card. That forced me to use a newer version of wintv2000 that tha XLTV plugin does not support. Although, Badabu is helping me out on this. There are some functions of the winTV2000 that I like though such as stopping and starting live tv that I lose if I go with XLTV. Is there an easy way to use the full blow wintv2000 software from within xlobby?

Thanks
Ray

[Marbles_00]

Yeah, I view TV via wintv2k. One screen has it setup using the XMoveWindow plugin. I haven't done it yet but you should be able to set an event to a button to expand it full screen...actually its another xlobby screen with wintv2k sized with the xmovewindow again to take up the whole screen, then you set an invisible .png at some location on the screen that when you click there it "reduces" the image to the previous screen.

Download the XSchedule plugin from my plugin list and try it out with my Mirage skin (it should already be setup for using Wintv2k and xschedule). Channel changing is not functioning from within the skin (I have to change a Sat box, but currently my test machine is not close enough), but when you goto TV, it should open wintv2k (providing it is in the same location as mine). You will also require gbrecord (sp?) to actually record tv from within xlobby using the xlobby epg, though after Sept, I guess that really doesn't matter. There is also a record now button too. The only problem with that button, is that the machine I'm testing on, would get too bogged down if trying to watch and record at the same time, so currently the way the event is setup, is to close wintv2k while recording and then open it back up once stopped. If your machine is top notch (like most HTPC would be), then you could modify that feature to watch and record at the same time.

Hope this helps.

[jpoveda]

Hello marbles,

You should make your ini, only you need is a web site where catch the info. It's very easy. If you have a trouble I'll help you.

[Marbles_00]

Thanks for the offer jpoveda. I may have to do that (take you up on your offer ). Give me a bit to figure out how those ini files work, and find a site to catch the info from, as I haven't looked at any of them yet.

[art]

Some good news from http://easytvdata.org/ :
EDIT: They changed name and site to http://schedulesdirect.org/ /EDIT

Greetings from the newly-formed team at Easy TV Data,
This organization was formed by members of various software projects in response to the announcement from Zap2it Labs that they will be discontinuing the free TV listings service that they have been providing to the non-commercial free and open source communities for the last 3+ years.

We know that many of you are waiting on the edge of your seats to find out what's going on behind the scenes here, and we're just as excited to tell you, but we can't give you many details while we are still involved in negotiations. We can, however, let you know that we are actively working on a solution that will provide what we hope will be a smooth transition away from Zap2it Labs by the September 1 deadline. We will release more details as soon as we are able to do so, so please keep an eye on http://easytvdata.org/ for updates.

In the mean time, we are in need of a good lawyer who is familiar with business contracts and federal nonprofit law (preferably someone willing to work pro bono, at least initially). We are also looking for a good CPA (we are registered in Washington State) to help with any eventual financial/tax paperwork. If you are qualified and willing to help, please contact us.

Thanks for sticking with us,

The Easy TV Data Board:

Isaac Richards, Chairman (MythTV)
Robert Eden (XMLTV)
Daniel Kristjansson (MythTV)
Kevin Odorczyk (MacProgGuide)
Chris Petersen (Mythtv)

[ahamilto]

Try with TVxb. Free, easy and nice.

If you have a TVxb ini file that works for getting data from Zap2it, please post the ini file, or PM it, or e-mail it, to me.

Zap2it is the only North American listings provider that has AFN listings.

Thanks.

A

[jpoveda]

Hello,

I don't have a ini for USA, I live in Spain ..... You can write it yourself. The only thing you need is the url for a tv web site.

This is an example from http://www.inout.tv/SincroGuia. As you will see it's very easy (Usually......)

! TVxb Version 1.0099

!Main parameters
minversion=1.0099
xmltvoutput="F:\Got All Media\Guide\EPG.xml"
mcechanneloutput="F:\Got All Media\Guide\ChannelInfo.xml"
xmlencoding=UTF-8
lang=es
auto=yes
days=5,+1
schedulefiller=No hay datos disponibles,60
downloadmethod=force
special=fulldescriptions,fewertimechecks

!-----------------------------------
! Place channel definitions below here

[TVE1]
name=TVE 1
url=http://www.inout.tv/SincroGuia/templates/prog.php?idChannel=18&startDate=[day=yyyy-mm-dd]
start=1
title=2

[ahamilto]

Hello,

I don't have a ini for USA, I live in Spain ..... You can write it yourself. The only thing you need is the url for a tv web site.

This is an example from http://www.inout.tv/SincroGuia. As you will see it's very easy (Usually......)

! TVxb Version 1.0099

!Main parameters
minversion=1.0099
xmltvoutput="F:\Got All Media\Guide\EPG.xml"
mcechanneloutput="F:\Got All Media\Guide\ChannelInfo.xml"
xmlencoding=UTF-8
lang=es
auto=yes
days=5,+1
schedulefiller=No hay datos disponibles,60
downloadmethod=force
special=fulldescriptions,fewertimechecks

!-----------------------------------
! Place channel definitions below here

[TVE1]
name=TVE 1
url=http://www.inout.tv/SincroGuia/templates/prog.php?idChannel=18&startDate=[day=yyyy-mm-dd]
start=1
title=2

I should have been more specific. I have used TVxb successfully, and it is a very good program. But I have not been able to get it to work with the Zap2it site, maybe because the html is a format that TVxb can't digest. But I was hoping that was not the case and someone more adept at using TVxb had a way to grab data from Zap2it.