[Roman_V_M]

It's always good to have an alternative so I have made a TV show scraper for https://www.tvmaze.com site. They have a nice API that currently does not require credentials.
The scraper can be installed from Kodi Addon Manager - Information providers - TV information section.
Source code on GitHub: https://github.com/romanvm/kodi.tvmaze

Known limitations:

• English only.
  
• Additional artwork (fanart, banners) may be missing for some shows, although TVmaze maintainers are working to fill this gap.
  
• Possible problems with special episodes (see below).
  

Handling Specials:
TVmaze does not follow TheTVDB's convention of naming special episodes using zero season number. Instead, it uses its own definition of "insignificant" and "significant" specials depending on their significance of the storyline of a show. Insignificant specials are listed separately while significant specials are listed within their respective seasons. Starting from v.1.0.6 the scraper follows this convention. To list significant special and regular episodes in their correct order you need to select "by date" ordering in Kodi view settings.

How to name special episode files to be listed correctly in Kodi when using TVmaze scraper:
Insignificant specials must have zero season number and episode number must correspond to the place of the episode in TVmaze "insignificant" listing. For example: Eureka.S00E01. See: https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/542/eureka/episodes
Significant specials must include episode airdate in their file names, for example: Doctor.Who.2021-01-01. See: https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/210/doctor-who/episodes
Possible issue with date-based naming may arise when several episodes have the same airdate. Currently there is no solution for this issue.

The scraper is written in Python and available starting from Kodi 18 (Leia) version. Note that minimum required Kodi version is Kodi 18.9 since it introduced an important fix for local path settings. The scraper is fully Python 3 compatible so it should work with Kodi 19 "Matrix" and above.

If you want to report an issue with the scraper please always post a link to a debug log: https://kodi.wiki/view/Log_file/Easy

[Butta97]

I don't know how this supposed to work but I have this installed and none of the TV posters and etc are updated

[Karellen]

To receive meaningful assistance you will need to provide a full debug log.

The instructions are here... debug log (wiki)

If you are using the Basic Method, then ensure the following is applied...
1.Enable debugging in Settings>System Settings>Logging,
2.Restart Kodi
3.Replicate the problem.
4.Upload the log to Kodi Paste Site manually or use the Kodi Logfile Uploader. (wiki) With either method post the link to the log back here.

If you are using the Advanced Method ensure you have correctly created and applied the advancedsettings.xml file (wiki)

In both instances, you should see the word DEBUG throughout the log.

Note: Full logs only. No partial or redacted logs
Do NOT post your logs directly into the forum. Use the Kodi Paste Site. Post the link to your pasted log in the forum

[gggirlgeek]

Is it worth opening a github issue to ask if we can downgrade python to make this work in kodi v17.6? Version 18 has issues with networking (both SFTP and UPnP). Many can't use it. A TVmaze scraper for v17 might be popular. I, personally, really need it.

I am connecting to a seebox via SFTP as my source, then scraping the files locally. TVdb and TMdb detects very few of my TV shows correctly (even though most are mainstream shows.) I want to try TVmaze. In your opinion would TVmaze detect them any better?

If so, could I simply swap out my version of python in either the TVmaze addon or Kodi? (I imagine not in Kodi v17.6 because all my other addons would go nuts. Right?) If so can you guide me a little on how to do this? I am not a programmer but an extreme power user (repair computers) so I can handle it. :-p

[Karellen]

TVdb and TMdb detects very few of my TV shows correctly (even though most are mainstream shows.) I want to try TVmaze.

Not trying to turn you away from this scraper, but it sounds like you are doing something wrong. Either you have an old version scraper installed, your naming is wrong, your folder structure is wrong or something else. If this is the case, then switching to a third scraper will not fix whatever problem you have.

So provide a Debug Log which captures an Update Library and we might be able to spot where the problem is.

This might be worth a read also... https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=336969

[donbrew]

The very good reason to use this add-on is for American Pickers and Pawn Stars that now use season numbers but TVDB refuses to change them from year.  And TMDB has some combination of the 2 that does not agree with the History channel.

However, the TVMaze add-on seems to be broken for about a week now.  The API seems to work on the website.

It might be a Python problem.  It does work with Milhouse 9.8 LE on my RPi 3B, but not on nightly 20200226 kodi 19 LE 9.8 on my RPi 4B.

[Karellen]

However, the TVMaze add-on seems to be broken for about a week now.  The API seems to work on the website.

Well, we don't know until someone reports it. What is wrong with it? You certainly haven't been generous with details.

[donbrew]

Sorry, There is something going on in my system.  Some parts of Python 3 are not installed by LE 9.80 nightlies.

[donbrew]

Now TVMaze addon is no longer in the repo??  Good luck to anyone that watches Pawn Stars or America Pickers.  TVMaze is the only one that actually lists them the same as the network does.

Oddly, XEM is still in the repo and it has been broken since theTVDB changed their api.

[Karellen]

Now TVMaze addon is no longer in the repo?? 

what do you mean it is not in the repo? i can see it in my repo

[Karellen]

@donbrew

https://github.com/romanvm/kodi.tvmaze/issues/15

[donbrew]

I made it work in LE 9.2.1 by editing the /storage/.kodi/addons/metadata.tvmaze/addon.xml to change <import addon="xbmc.python" version="2.26.0"/>

Something was going on with the repo things were coming and going there for a while.

[pletopia]

Just used your scrapper for the first time today. Nice job for offering an alternative.

I was just curious, how does your scrapper work with "specials" ?

Trying to figure out how to get this into my library .. https://www.tvmaze.com/episodes/59491/an...ods-beyond

[Karellen]

@pletopia

It is a shame TV Maze don't number their specials. The listing is in ascending order, so your episode will be S00E01

[pletopia]

@Karellen

Okay .. so basically count up to figure it out. Works for a show like that with a few but gonna be quite annoying with shows like Doctor Who and Top Gear where I got something (per TVDB numbering) labeled S00E156 and S00E69 respectively.

Thx for the help.