[CanadianLizard]

Hi,

I am using Windows 7 + Kodi with a Hauppage twin tuner card (2250) with OTA channels. I am able to see the Live TV in Kodi, but nothing in the Guide. I tried to install the TV Guide add-on (as described here here) but that did not change anything.

I would think that this is a recurring question that many users (everybody in Canada...) have, but my multiple searches did not yield any obvious answer. I only got a link to MediaPortal that states they support Canadian TV (here ). Can I use THAT XML feed with Kodi?

I'm sure many other users have been through this already.... any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

PS: I'm looking at free options since I only watch Live TV on extremely rare occasion, but would still like to have a working setup for guests.

[sub3]

The broadcast ATSC EPG in north america typically only gives you 6 hours or so, so is next to useless for a PVR.

The majority of people in that part of the world use Schedules Direct.

A lot of people used to use the free mc2xml (to generate xmltv files), but that stopped working back in July when Microsoft changed guide data providers. mc2xml now only works if you pay to use one of their donator versions.

Some people are using the zap2xml to generate xmltv files, which can then be feed into NextPVR or Mediaportal or other TV software.

For the amount of time you'll spend pissing around with this, it's probably just easier and cheaper to get the Schedules Direct subscription. (setup in NextPVR is easy see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqJ7QiYS3Rk)

[CanadianLizard]

The broadcast ATSC EPG in north america typically only gives you 6 hours or so, so is next to useless for a PVR.

In my case, that's fine enough, I do not need PVR (I have the whole internet that servers as my PVR I just need it to watch Live TV. So, 6 hours is acceptable.

For the amount of time you'll spend pissing around with this, it's probably just easier and cheaper to get the Schedules Direct subscription. (setup in NextPVR is easy see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqJ7QiYS3Rk)

I'll look into it but really, probably don't want to get a paid subscription. I've had this tuner card (and ATSC antennas) for 4 years and this is the first time I'm taking the time to make it work... I really rarely use Live TV. But I need it working for occasional guests who insist on getting Live TV. I'll spend the time needed to tweak... but hopefully I'm not the only one looking for this (!).

Some people are using the zap2xml to generate xmltv files, which can then be feed into NextPVR or Mediaportal or other TV software.

I'll look into that, thanks. Any tutorial for where to start?

[sub3]

In my case, that's fine enough, I do not need PVR (I have the whole internet that servers as my PVR Smile I just need it to watch Live TV. So, 6 hours is acceptable.

If you do decide to use the ATSC EPG, then it's set up by default that way with digital tuners in NextPVR. Keep in mind, it'll only list six hours from the time it does the EPG update each night, so that'll mean the rest of the day will say 'no listings available' unless you manually tell it update the EPG to force it to load the EPG again.

I've never used zap2xml myself, but I saw someone posted instructions on setting it up in NextPVR:
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...mp-Zap2xml

[CanadianLizard]

If you do decide to use the ATSC EPG, then it's set up by default that way with digital tuners in NextPVR. Keep in mind, it'll only list six hours from the time it does the EPG update each night, so that'll mean the rest of the day will say 'no listings available' unless you manually tell it update the EPG to force it to load the EPG again.

Ok, so that probably explains why I wasn't seeing any guide with the EPG by default? I hadn't wait for one night, and I did not manually tell it to update...

But do I understand correctly the they only automatically update at, say, midnight, and downloads 6 hours of guide... so for midnight to 6am....? That sounds amazingly useless. Doing a manual update before each time I wish to use the guide isn't an option.

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it.

[pkscout]

For the amount of time you'll spend pissing around with this, it's probably just easier and cheaper to get the Schedules Direct subscription. (setup in NextPVR is easy see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqJ7QiYS3Rk)

Seriously, just do this. I think the subscription is like $25US a year. For six cents a day you can have something that just works. I've used other solutions and at least once a week I had to tweak something (never mind getting it working in the first place). If you want to tinker, that's fine. For me I'd rather tinker on something besides the guide data.

[sub3]

If you do decide to use the ATSC EPG, then it's set up by default that way with digital tuners in NextPVR. Keep in mind, it'll only list six hours from the time it does the EPG update each night, so that'll mean the rest of the day will say 'no listings available' unless you manually tell it update the EPG to force it to load the EPG again.

Ok, so that probably explains why I wasn't seeing any guide with the EPG by default? I hadn't wait for one night, and I did not manually tell it to update...

Correct - you can manually hit the 'update EPG' button at any time to pull in the current listings.

But do I understand correctly the they only automatically update at, say, midnight, and downloads 6 hours of guide... so for midnight to 6am....? That sounds amazingly useless.

They're continuously broadcasting 6 hours of listings, but since NextPVR does it's EPG update once a day for, you only get the 6 hours past that point.

Sure, I could have modified NextPVR to do the EPG update every few hours, but it's not worth it - you'll still only have six hours of listings (which is next to useless for a PVR).

Doing a manual update before each time I wish to use the guide isn't an option.

Yeah, I'd recommend going for something that'll provide you with a proper guide of a couple of weeks of listings.

[CanadianLizard]

I've never used zap2xml myself, but I saw someone posted instructions on setting it up in NextPVR:
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...mp-Zap2xml

Thanks a lot sub3. I follow the instructions in the above link and to be honest, it was quite easy to setup and only took a few minutes.

I can't comment on the quality of the result at the moment since I'm having problems with the image freezing and the remote not being responsive anymore (and getting error messages about NextPVR losing the tuners)... I'm not sure if the problem is with my card (using Hauppage 2250) or with the quality of my antenna (using Channel Master CM4228 and a distribution amp CM3414) or with my PC's video performance (it's 5 years old) or just with the stability of Kodi...

I'll try with Media Portal to see if things are better/more stable and report on the quality of the EPG.

Thanks

[thib5]

Litle up to ask if it could be simpler to have an "iframe" plugin that point to an TVGuide Website ?

[sub3]

Litle up to ask if it could be simpler to have an "iframe" plugin that point to an TVGuide Website ?

Nope - that'd just be crappy. You'd have no control over how it looked, and how it integrated, and your wouldn't have the ability to hook in the nice features your PVR software adds (like setting season recordings etc).

Setting up a guide is pretty straight forward, and gives you so much more having access to proper TV listings etc. Everyone else has managed it without significant issue, and there is plenty of people to help you if you have problems. I can't see any reason you wouldn't want to do it the right way.