Windows Media Center 2005 - EPG for Irish TV

Graham

I'm starting to get a few PMs asking how to get the MCE EPG (electronic program guide) working for Ireland, so I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread rather than answering the same questions individually.

I know Microsoft announced they will be launching an official EPG for Ireland this year but there's no sign of it yet. In the mean time it is possible to put together your own fairly reliable EPG.

It does take a bit of setting up, but once it's done it works very well.

Updating your EPG is a 2 stage process:

1) download the program data (TV listings) for all your channels
2) import the data into MCE

I use XMLTV to download the program data and QuickGuide to import it into MCE.

You can download XMLTV here:

XMLTV

You can download quickguide (and read the instructions) here:

QuickGuide

I've attached a short "how to setup xmltv" document to this post which should be enough for most people to configure XMLTV to retrieve all of their channel data.

If you're using NTL Digital (Dublin), let me know as I've got this configuration already setup so I can just post the config file. If you've got quickguide working for another TV Provider perhaps you'd add to this post, no point everyone reinventing the wheel.

TIP - when you've got MCE working nicely (without an EPG) take a backup before you start any of the EPG stuff. It's quite ease to make a mistake and realise you have to reinstall MCE from scratch. Use microsofts built in backup even if it's only backing up to your hard disk.

If you've any questions, feel free to add them here. I'll try and help.

G

40coats

I don't use this method at all anymore, editing the tuningoverride.xml is much more reliable and easier to do (as long as you can live without listings for TV3, Setanta and TG4). Full insructions are somewhere in the media centre thread. As for the official Irish release, it's still coming but not quite ready yet.

Graham

Great to hear you got it working 40coats. I wouldn't want people to think for a minute the way I do it is the only way.

I'm not sure I'd agree with the "much more reliable" though as I've had no problems at all since I got everything setup correctly. In fact the MCE EPG I have at the moment is usually more accurate than the NTL Digital box.

BTW are you subscribed to NTL or NTL Digital?

Perhaps we could use this thread to support people trying either methods.

OhPinchy

Thanks Graham - I'll be setting up an MCE machine with NTL Digital in a few weeks when I get back from the US (where I'm getting me some Extenders for $180 a pop ) so it sounds like your file will be a major help to me. I'll PM you my email address and that would be sweet if you could send it on, thx

40coats

Graham wrote:

Great to hear you got it working 40coats. I wouldn't want people to think for a minute the way I do it is the only way.

I'm not sure I'd agree with the "much more reliable" though as I've had no problems at all since I got everything setup correctly. In fact the MCE EPG I have at the moment is usually more accurate than the NTL Digital box.

BTW are you subscribed to NTL or NTL Digital?

Perhaps we could use this thread to support people trying either methods.

Hi Graham, I'm still just on analog NTL. I definitely find the hacked override better, I had to set up the smart guide a fair few times when I was using it, kept losing my settings. Using the override uses media centers own guide data, so searching and filtering work better (in fact I don't think they worked for me at all the old way) and you don't get truncations in the program info. Just seems to me to be a much more solid experience.

PowerHouseDan

How do you go about doing it your way Coats.

40coats

powerhousedan wrote:

How do you go about doing it your way Coats.

Grabbed this from SoSolid's instructions in the other thread:

There is a file in the C:\Windows\ehome folder called MCETuningOverrides.xml which does what is says, and overrides any frequencies for known cable/satellite systems with manual frequencies. I messed around with it and it worked fairly well. You need to set up your guide as being in the U.K. and change one of the <TuningSpaces> entries to look like
<AnalogTVTuningSpace Id="44" UniqueName="Irish Cable" ... and pop in your channel frequencies.
The "44" overrides the known frequencies for the UK and only scans for the specific frequencies in the file. This file only applies to analogue cable/off-air and not digital STBs.
For analogue, rerun the TV setup, tell it you're in the U.K., on "Cable or Digital Cable", and give it a Belfast post code BT61 7QZ (don't just give it any code), and when it asks what type of service, select Cable line-up for the UK. This will download all EPG data for about 245 channels (everything from Adult Channel to Zee TV, except for TV3 and TNaG). Then you need to assign Guide listings to each channel, i.e. tell it that BBC1 is to be associated with the EPG data for "BBC1 Northern Ireland", and so on for the rest of your channels. If you have a dual-tuner card (or two single-tuner cards), you can watch-one-record-another (or record two at the same time).

If you're an NTL digital person, do the same as above except tell it you have a set top box. Also the MCPC doesn't scan for channels. You have to match the three-digit ntl channel number to the Guide data in a similar fashion to the above.

Graham

Any idea how you would tell MCE that you have an STB tuned to a specific frequency, but still need the IR blaster to change channels 40coats, powerhousedan is a bit stuck at the mo. He has a STB connected on a single analog channel.

40coats

I'm getting digital put in this weekend so will hopefully be able to answer you then. Might be worth pinging SoSolid if he's still about.

PowerHouseDan

Setup Guideguide problem i have my channelinfo.xml and my tvlist.xml
my when i try to run quickguide i am getting a Encrypted epg file at: F:\windows\ehome\output\1606ae05-bc98-49ff-88a9-7ae7eee407b7.xml.enc.xml

ANyone have any ideas? Or anyone have the sky digital files make things alot easyer

Graham

That's what your supposed to get Dan, that XML file is the EPG data that's been encrypted into the Media Centre format, quickguide should then try and import that xml file into MCE.

Are you getting any error messages? Have you changed the quickguide conf file to point to the encrypted EPG xml data?

PowerHouseDan

I am only getting that what i just said What part of the quickguide config do i change to point to F:\windows\ehome\output\1606ae05-bc98-49ff-88a9-7ae7eee407b7.xml.enc.xml?
This is my curremt setup
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<!-- Defines the location of the XMLTV File-->
<add key="XMLTVFile" value="tvlist.xml" />
<!-- Defines the location of the ChannelInfo File -->
<add key="ChannelInfo" value="ChannelInfo.xml" />
<!-- Defines the location of the TVXML Schema -->
<add key="XMLTVSchema" value="XMLTV.xsd" />
<!-- Defines the location of the xml parts to be included -->
<add key="EPGXMLWriterPartsPath" value="EPGXMLWriterParts\" />
<!-- Defines the output directory where to store (intermediate) xml files) -->
<add key="EPGOutputPath" value="{APPDIR}\output\" />
<!-- The numeric id that is used for 'no data' programs (i.e. the program that fills a timegap) -->
<!-- DO NOT CHANGE, UNLESS YOU GET CONFLICTING KEYS -->
<add key="NoDataProgramID" value="2000000000" />
<!-- The texts that are used for 'no data' programs (e.g. "No Broadcast"). -->
<add key="NoDataTitle" value=" " />
<add key="NoDataDescription" value=" " />
</appSettings>
</configuration>

Graham

Hi Dan,

that all looks ok to me, I'll compare it to mine when I get home this evening.

You shouldn't need to run quickguide again. Running quickguide does two things:

1) Takes XMLTV source and encrypts it.
2) Imports encrypted xml and imports it into MCE.

The 2nd step starts automatically upon completion of the first. Are you returned to a dos prompt after running quickguide, or are you running it from Windows so the Dos window closes automatically?

If you're running it from windows rather than from a DOS prompt, you're likely to miss any error messages.

If neither of the above reply, run quickguide again and leave it for a few minutes, if you dont see "Completed Successfuly" or an error message, quickguide is still doing stuff.

PowerHouseDan

I got a dos error from dos rather than a quickguide error, i dont get succesful.......... just a pop up error i will post in a min

PowerHouseDan

I get a popup error after encrypeted epg file.



Heading: QuickGuide.exe - Common Lanuage Runtime debugging services
Message:Application has generated an exception that could not be handled

Process Id=0xb60(2912), Thread id=0x38c(908)
Ok To terminate
cancell to debug...

Graham

I was just going to post the link to the green button thread where the author of quickguide offers support when I noticed you'd already found it.

Perhaps try removing all but one channels from your channelinfo.xml file and see if that works. Feel free to zip up your channelinfo.xml and send it over, I'll take a look.

PowerHouseDan

Right the debug error was the caspol.exe -s off which i didnt do right the guide is now working just need to sort it out, i delete a few channels as i thought it was making errors..

Thanks for your Help Graham

Legend

Graham

No problem Dan, glad to see your almost there.

PowerHouseDan

I am now fully there have my full epg guide, and recording the whole lot well worth the hassle

Graham

Fantastic news Dan, glad it all worked out in the end, congratulations.

PowerHouseDan

1 question if i am going from scart to composite to my pvr should there be a delay there is about a 1-2 second delay fro whats on the tv compared to the pc?

Graham

Can't say I've ever noticed a delay Dan but I don't think I've ever compared direct TV to TV via MCE.

pmorddny

Hi, I'm on NTL analogue and I'm using XMLTV and Quickguide to generate the EPG. My problem is that the stations are no longer tuned in correctly when I run Quickguide.

I use MCEReload to clear all my settings. I then set the region to Ireland and tell it to rescan all the channels. I seems to work fine except for a couple of 'Unknown' channels (how can I change those 'Unknown' channel names?). I can see RTE1 and RTE2 fine. However, when I run Quickguide, the channels are still there, but are no longer tuned. Should I be doing something with MCETuningOverrides.xml?

I'd use the Belfast solution but TV3 and TG4 are coming up as 'Unknown' when I try this... ugh!!!!!

If anyone has some files they could send me, I'd be a happy camper. I'm pulling what's left of my hair out, and the heat ain't helping either...

Graham

I know this is resurrecting an old thread but I hear rumblings that an update to Windows MCE 2005 is due in the next couple of weeks.

A few bug fixes, and apparently a load of additional countries to be added to the EPG

40coats

Don't know the dates (or at least I don't know if I'm allowed to say them) but I now have a fully working Irish epg, not long to wait now boys.

FrankGrimes

Thats good to hear. I'm probably going to order my MCE machine in today or tomorrow. Just to be sure - if I buy MCE 2005 now will I be entitled to the upgrade (i.e. is it free), or should I hold out until the next release?

40coats

FrankGrimes wrote:

Thats good to hear. I'm probably going to order my MCE machine in today or tomorrow. Just to be sure - if I buy MCE 2005 now will I be entitled to the upgrade (i.e. is it free), or should I hold out until the next release?

It's free.

Graham

You have the official Irish EPG 40coats?

40coats

Graham wrote:

You have the official Irish EPG 40coats?

I sure do, still a few minor issues to fix from the content side. The pain (it was for me anyway) of smartguide is nearly over.

PowerHouseDan

How if ya dont mind me asking? We're All Friends on Boards

40coats

powerhousedan wrote:

How if ya dont mind me asking? We're All Friends on Boards

I'm on the team that's been doing the Irish release (I've had very little to with it personally unfortunately). I'll say no more, don't want to get myself in trouble. I'll try and find out if I can post a release date yet.

PowerHouseDan

Do Cos i have to redo my smartguide and not in the humour.

40coats wrote:

I'm on the team that's been doing the Irish release (I've had very little to with it personally unfortunately). I'll say no more, don't want to get myself in trouble. I'll try and find out if I can post a release date yet.

dalk

Hi...

It would be cool if you guys could let everyone know when the EPG is released, and how well it is implemented. Gonna pick up a copy of MCE when it is and throw a box together...

dalk

FrankGrimes

Alright lads,

I'm about to install MCE and am wondering what EPG to go for. Still no word on a relase date for the official Irish EPG so itll have to be a work around.

I'm not familiar enough with it to know the difference between Graham's and 40Coat's solutions. 40Coats mentions something about his solution not excluding search and filtering - Graham, does your solution include these features?

If anyone else has experience with either of these solutions I'd appreciate hearing on how you got on with it.

Thanks lads,
Grimey

dalk

Rollup 2 for MCE2005 is now available for download... from the MS OEM developers site and some *ahem* other sites. (Its a free update btw). It will be available from MS automatic updates within the month apparently...

Havent installed it yet so dont know if the Irish EPG is available yet... Hopefully it is. Will let you know.

Now all i have to do, is wait to see if the WMP11 beta in November fixes all the bollixy issues with WMP10, and I will be happy with MCE05..

FrankGrimes

Hey Dalk-

I have the update but haven't been able to install yet thanks to my Windows Installer taking ill.

I've read on http://www.thegreenbutton.com that the update does not include the official Irish EPG :eek: This is a joke and one can only hope that the version made public on windows update within the month includes it - otherwise I'll be majorly majorly disappointed.

The update includes digital radio support and not much else by the sounds of it. Talk on the green button was of majorly disappointed people who thought an oppurtunity had been missed - they say HD support, cable card support and QAM are all absent or poorly implemented. Being a novice in the area I don't have a clue what any of this means (though I suspect the lack of HD support will impact us here more when HD arrives next year) but I know pissed off people when I see em . One guy who obviously knows his stuff said 'this spells the death of MCE for the high end market (custom HD installations)'.

40Coats said he has the official Irish EPG up and running so one would assume that it will be included in the forthcoming release but my feedback would be that MS need to communicate something publicly soon to relieve the disappointment spreading on the web.

dalk

oh well... looks like it'll be a month then before the Irish EPG 'resolves'...

40coats

Hi lads,
I've had a few pm's sent to me the last few days asking how I have an epg at the moment. The epg isn't live yet, i'm getting it from a test server at the moment which for obvious reasons (I hope) I can't give you an address to. I'll keep trying to get you an official date but so far I'm not having much luck. So apologies all, but it really shouldn't be much longer.

Inquitus

I have a new HTPC, Windows MCE 2005 and a PVR150. My Cable provider is chorus, and I am currently on an analogue Signal. Which EPG Method would work best for me, and is there anywhere I can find a decent guide to the configuration.

Many thanks,

Inqui

DiamondJQuimby

Hi..

I was wondering if this has been released yet as it has been two weeks now and no word??

Quick question on MCE 2005.

I have a Toshiba Qosmio F10 laptop and I have tried numerous times to get the channels tuned in successfully.
If I slect Ireland as the region in MCE all of the channels are in black and white.
If I go for the UK I get about 25 Channles of which 7 are probably duplicates and they all appear as unknown.

Haven't a clue what I am supposed to be selcteing in the Settings for TV.
Should I just wait for the Release or is there a quick fix for this.

I am not too pushed about the epg for the moment I would just like to be able to tune all of the channels in correctly.

I am using NTL analog. I have NTL Digital also but I have not tried that as the set top box is in a different room.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

D

Krusty_Clown

Pretty much the same question as DiamondJQuimby's, am having problems editing my MCETuningOverrides.xml. When I edit it, and perform a scan, I get 0 services. However, If I leave it as default (un-edited) I pick up about 5 channels in a poor state of tune (I'd imagine from where the existing Frequency in the XML overrides overlaps somewhat with an NTL frequency).

So what I was hoping was that some generous NTL Analog user might post a copy of their MCETuningOverrides.xml file, or at least a snippet, so I can figure out where I'm going wrong... I know I could wait for the update, but where's the fun in that?!

Here's the top of mine at the moment:

<AnalogTVTuningSpace Id="44" UniqueName="Irish Cable" MinChannel="1" MaxChannel="491" DefaultFormat="PAL_B" InputType="Cable">
		<DefaultAnalogLocators>
			<Index Channel="1">
				<AnalogLocator Id="The Discovery Channel" CarrierFrequency="48000000" />
			</Index>
			<Index Channel="2">
				<AnalogLocator Id="Channel 4" CarrierFrequency="56000000" />

40coats

Irish EPG is going Live this month, don't have an exact date but i suspect it will be near the end. Krusty, I've attached my old override table, hope it sorts it out for you.

Krusty_Clown

Thanks a lot 40coats.. That seems to have done the trick (just scanning now, and has picked up 10 Channels so far).

The problem was that I was trying to include a suitable channel name in the 'AnalogLocator Id'. There's one born every day!

Looking forward to the offical Irish EPG release! Thanks again..

prechaun

Hey fella's,
Did any of ye manage to get more than 10 channels? I cant seam to get more than that. I'm missing Discovery, MTV, Paramount, CNBC, Setanta and TG4. I'm using 40Coats's override file. Those 6 seem to be the last 6 in the xml file, but i'm sure thats just a weird coincidence. Anyone got any ideas? They're definitely the right frequencies because I checked the them on my tv and they're the same. Thanks for the help, cos it would be great to get this working.

Krusty_Clown

Hi Prechaun, no, Just getting the 10. Missing the same channels as you...
I figure that this might have been because of the crappy TV tuner I was using (integrated TV tuner on a Radeon 9800 SE) but I guess seeing as we're getting simillar results, it must be something else..

BTW: For all you MCE afficianados out there, I'm getting very poor performance from my integrated TV tuner card. Is the Hauppage PVR 500 MCE the best option? (selling on Komplett for 135 euro). Anyone know if it generates a lot of heat? I'm using a small factor ePox ex5-300, which doesn't have a lot of space, and can't handle anything with high power requirements...

dalk

Hi,

PVR-500's power requirements are normal and it dosent produce a lot of heat.

It is however in my experience extremely finicky... It simply would not work in about 2 out of 4 boxes i tested it in. Sometimes this could be fixed by moving it to another slot... With you SFF PC that might not be an option. It is a hardware conflict rather than a drivers issue.

So i would see if anyone on the net is using the PVR500 with your configuration. After that i would just cross my fingers...

prechaun

Krusty_Clown wrote:

Hi Prechaun, no, Just getting the 10. Missing the same channels as you...
I figure that this might have been because of the crappy TV tuner I was using (integrated TV tuner on a Radeon 9800 SE) but I guess seeing as we're getting simillar results, it must be something else..

Thanks for the reply Krusty. I have a seperate TV and video card. Although my video card is a:

ATI RADEON 9200 (RV280SE) video card 128 MB DDR +TV-out

My TV card is a :

Leadtek Analog TV tuner CNXT LR6632

I didn't build this PC though. It came like this. So i don't know what the problem is. Any one any ideas?
Thanks

FrankGrimes

Hi,

Does anyone have a config file that is setup for NTL Digital? I PMed Graham but he doesn’t seem to be about. Also, does anyone know how I can get MCE to control my set-top box as I am getting an ‘IR Hardware Not Detected’ error during setup?

I have it setup without the digital box, just on plain old analogue and I get a similar problem with repeated channels, channels missing etc.

I have a PVR500MCE working with my setup which is a self build: AMD Athlon 64 1800, 1GB RAM, ATI X700 Pro, Abit Asus Motherboard (I thnk!).

Roll on the official EPG I say!.....check this out - it might be here this week, I agree that it would not be smar to release the xbox 360 for review without the update allowing it to be used as an MCE Extender.

http://www.thegreenbutton.com/community/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=41&MessageID=135074

Krusty_Clown

Thanks for the feedback dalk. I may just go ahead with the purchase anyway, and change the case if it turns out to be a problem.. The ePox is cool looking, but not very practical, in terms of either power or heat. The box was put together almost entirely from borrowed parts (total cost 114 euro ) so an extra 135 wont break the bank...

prechaun

Does anybody know the best place to buy an xbox media center extender around these parts?

SouperComputer

Does anybody know the best place to buy an xbox media center extender around these parts?

looks like ebay TBH