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jim_p · 2021-10-10, 18:29

As the title suggests, I would like to ask if the current version of the addon supports epg that is compressed to a .gz file.

I now run kodi 18.9 (libreelec 9.2.6 x64, pvr.iptvsimple 3.10.1.1) with a local m3u file for my channels and a url for the epg guide and it works great. However, the uncompressed xml file is ~10MB in size and takes a while to download. On the other hand, the xml.gz compressed file is less than 2MB in size and it downloads in a snap!
So far, after some testing, I see that xml.gz is not supported. When I try to use it, ALL channels have no epg info below them.

And now I am testing the migration to kodi 19.1 (libreelec 10 x64, pvr.iptvsimple 19.0.0.1), which I decided to set up from scratch. I tested the same m3u, with the same uncompressed xml file and it simply works. But the compressed one still doesn't.
The problem is that I remember it worked when libreelec 10 was in beta or rc, but it was 2+ months ago, so here is the question. Does it work today, with version 19.x.x.x of the addon?

**phunkyfish** · (This post was last modified: 2021-10-10, 23:35 by phunkyfish.)

Yes, it should. But it always should have worked with the Matrix version, at least I think support was added somewhere during Matrix development.

But just trying it is always the easiest approach 😉

jim_p · 2021-10-11, 05:38

I will keep trying then, thank you for the confirmation.
Is there something I can look for in the log? E.g. an error mentioning a failed download for the xml.gz file?

jim_p · 2021-10-11, 10:16

And it works now...
Oddly enough, the only thing in the log that is related to the epg is the change from the non-compressed xml to the comressed one in the addon's settings. Nothing else.

I have one more thing to ask. On some m3u files, the url for the epg is mentioned in the very first line of the file, with a line that looks like this

Code:
#EXTM3U url-tvg="https://example.com/epg.xml.gz"

Can pvr.iptvsimple use this line for the epg guide?
I have seen apps in smart tv's (like ss-iptv on my cousin's webos lg tv) that do use it with no issues.

**phunkyfish** · 2021-10-13, 19:15

(2021-10-11, 10:16)jim_p Wrote: I have one more thing to ask. On some m3u files, the url for the epg is mentioned in the very first line of the file, with a line that looks like this

Code:
#EXTM3U url-tvg="https://example.com/epg.xml.gz"
Can pvr.iptvsimple use this line for the epg guide?
I have seen apps in smart tv's (like ss-iptv on my cousin's webos lg tv) that do use it with no issues.

It already does 😃

jim_p · 2021-10-14, 07:56

:O
I will test it again on that m3u that is giving me trouble.

jim_p · 2021-10-15, 19:50

It does not work. None of the 10 channels have a guide next to them.
What am I doing wrong? I have set the m3u as a local file under general and left the epg settings blank for both remote and local file.
Kodi 19.1 and pvr.iptvsimple 19.0.0.1.

**matthuisman** · (This post was last modified: 2021-10-15, 21:16 by matthuisman.)

Worst case, you can use my IPTV merge.
https://www.matthuisman.nz/2019/02/iptv-...dd-on.html

That sits between your playlist and IPTV simple. And does support url-tvg (even though IPTV simple should)

It also let's you add more playlists in the future if required

**phunkyfish** · 2021-10-15, 21:17

(2021-10-15, 19:50)jim_p Wrote: It does not work. None of the 10 channels have a guide next to them.
What am I doing wrong? I have set the m3u as a local file under general and left the epg settings blank for both remote and local file.
Kodi 19.1 and pvr.iptvsimple 19.0.0.1.

I think you need to make sure that an xmltv file is not set, I.e. it’s empty. Only the M3U file should be set.

jim_p · 2021-10-16, 18:50

I may try iptv merge if everyting else fails.
How can I add 2 screenshots that show that everything is empty under the epg tab? Please don't tell me to use an external host...

**phunkyfish** · 2021-10-16, 22:29

(2021-10-16, 18:50)jim_p Wrote: I may try iptv merge if everyting else fails.
How can I add 2 screenshots that show that everything is empty under the epg tab? Please don't tell me to use an external host...

You mean to post a screenshot? Afraid I don’t know. Can you send me a test file on gitter and I can try it? Same username.

jim_p · 2021-10-17, 06:41

Yea, I meant a screenshot so here goes. Kodi's ui is in greek, but I think you know what to look for.
https://imgur.com/a/yQjLFdu

What is gitter? I can post 3 lines of my m3u (epg url, channel info and playable url) if you want to test.
The channel is free to air here in Greece, but I don't know if geoblocking applies for the internet stream.

**phunkyfish** · (This post was last modified: 2021-10-17, 14:20 by phunkyfish.)

(2021-10-17, 06:41)jim_p Wrote: Yea, I meant a screenshot so here goes. Kodi's ui is in greek, but I think you know what to look for.
https://imgur.com/a/yQjLFdu

What is gitter? I can post 3 lines of my m3u (epg url, channel info and playable url) if you want to test.
The channel is free to air here in Greece, but I don't know if geoblocking applies for the internet stream.

Gitter is a private messaging tool that works if you have a github account. So if you wanted to send a private file so no one else can see it. But in your case as it's free to air so please just post the 3 lines here and I can test it!

From your screen shot it looks to be correct, but it's easy enough for me to test locally to see what is going on.

jim_p · (This post was last modified: 2021-10-18, 10:53 by jim_p.)

I had a "what if" moment earlier. When I was compiling my list, I had noticed that in order for the epg to work for all channels, the channel name defined by their tvg-name parameter had to match the display name in the epg xml. Setting their name based on the channel id made it worked for some channels only. All that happened on kodi 18.x with the respective version for simple iptv.

So I thought "what if it now needs the channel id" and I changed them. And for good measure, I made sure the epg url was correct too, by deleting and readding it. And it now works! In fact, it now works regardless if I set the display name or the channel id. E.g. this

Code:
#EXTM3U url-tvg="https://github.com/GreekTVApp/EPG-GRCY/releases/download/EPG/epg.xml.gz"

#EXTINF:-1 tvg-name="ert.ert1.gr" tvg-logo="https://program.ert.gr/images/ChannelLogo-ERT1.png",ERT1

http://ert-live-bcbs15228.siliconweb.com/media/ert_1/ert_1.m3u8

behaves exactly like this

Code:
#EXTM3U url-tvg="https://github.com/GreekTVApp/EPG-GRCY/releases/download/EPG/epg.xml.gz"

#EXTINF:-1 tvg-name="ERT 1" tvg-logo="https://program.ert.gr/images/ChannelLogo-ERT1.png",ERT1

http://ert-live-bcbs15228.siliconweb.com/media/ert_1/ert_1.m3u8

which is what I had so far. The relevant part for this channel in epg.xml looks like so

Code:
  <channel id="ert.ert1.gr">

    <display-name lang="el">ERT 1</display-name>

  </channel>

Were all these, i.e. the support for xml.gz, the support for the epg inside the m3u and the "alternative" naming via channel id, added for kodi 19? Or some of those features existed in the previous version too?

**phunkyfish** · (This post was last modified: 2021-10-18, 23:30 by phunkyfish.)

Delighted to hear it’s working!

Tvg-name and channel-Id would be in 18. The xml.gz and epg in the M3U on 19 only.