Free*EPG: Internet has died - how do I update my guide?

[ajdisse]

My home phone (and associated ADSL) link seems to have died. The very nice phone company has set me an appointment for 7pm next Thursday before they'll come and look at the problem. (strangely - as late as they can be in their 5 day SLA window).

All well and good - however it does means that I won't get the much awaited, question mark removing Free*EPG guide update tonight.

Is there some way you can download the guide update (an XML file????) at a remote site and feed it into your HTPC to update the guide - or does it need to be all done online (presumably for security and data theft issues?).

[greedo]

When I had no Internet at home I took my laptop elsewhere and downloaded the guide (I had to trick my laptop into thinking it had a tuner - there's a hack on here for that somewhere).

Then I downloaded the guide as usual on the laptop. For free.EPG there is a registry entry that you will need to copy from the laptop as well as a file. The reg entry says something like "guide filename" and will match a certain file in the epg directory (something random if I remember correctly, like a long string of letters and numbers).

This worked for free.EPG, but I can't really remember what I did, and I doubt it will be the same for other guide services.

So it is possible for free.EPG at least.

If you're using something other than FreeEPG, try looking in the registry for a mention of a guide file, then get someone with the same service to email you the .xml file.

[ajdisse]

Thanks (and yes - I'm using Free*EPG)

Based on the above, I've done a bit of hunting around, and I think it is possible to transfer guides between PC's.

Is anyone willing to volunteer to send me the Melbourne Free*EPg file .xml file following tonights update (Friday 4/1) please. (So Saturday morning would be great!)

For reference - here are some instructions I found on the net. (not sure if they apply to VMC or XPMCE)

Registry key - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Media Center\Services\EPG

1. Close Media Center
2. Click on the Start menu, choose Run and type cmd
3. Type net stop ehsched
4. Type net stop ehrecvr
5. Look at the registry value named currentEPG in the above listed registry location to determine the full path to the guide database file
6. Copy the file from the location listed in the currentEPG registry value from the source computer to the same folder location on the destination computer and make sure the EPG key is the same on the new PC.
7. Restart Media Center

(My notes - I'm guessing you'll need to start ehsched and ehrecvr, or the restart in 7 is meant to be a reboot. I'm also not sure how this deals with the differences in channel naming/hiding/remapping everyone has).

[ozsmac]

I know it's a little late, but if you are still without your internet connection & need the Melbourne file, let me know, happy to share.

[epgStream]

Originally Posted by http://forum.epgstream.net/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=16

Re: XMLTV Service Testers Wanted!
by oz@epgStream on January 10th, 2008, 6:23 am

Hello!

Our test XMLTV service is now ready! Everyone who wants to test this new service can do so using the following URL:

• http://free-epg.epgstream.net/xmltv/xmltvService.aspx?clientId={YourClientID}&guideType=free&clientType={YourClient}&countryCode=au&geographicId={YourPostcode}&medium={YourMedium}

  Where the parameters are:
  
  • {YourClientID} is your epgStream.net Client Identifier which can be found here.
    
    {YourClient} is your client type. Valid client types are "MediaPortal", "BladeRunner", "ShowShifter", "Freevo", "MythTV" and "DVBWS".
    
    {YourPostcode} is your postal code for your region. For example, "2000" (Sydney, NSW), "4000" (Brisbane, NSW), "6837" (Perth, WA), "2009" (Pyrmont, NSW), "3352" (Addington, VIC), etc.
    
    {YourMedium} is your tuner type. For analogue tuners use "analogue.tv", and for digital tuners use "digital.tv".

Examples of a completed URL:

• Media Portal Client, Digital TV, New South Wales (2050 - Camperdown)
  http://free-epg.epgstream.net/xmltv/xmltvService.aspx?clientId=D7C64E6D-25ED-4020-B142-8FF480682586&guideType=free&clientType=MediaPortal &countryCode=au&geographicId=2050&medium=digital.t v
  
  ShowShifter Client, Digital TV, Queensland (4000 - Brisbane)
  http://free-epg.epgstream.net/xmltv/xmltvService.aspx?clientId=C2C34E6D-44EB-4021-B142-8FF480682253&guideType=free&clientType=ShowShifter &countryCode=au&geographicId=4000&medium=digital.t v
  
  Web Scheduler Client, Analogue TV, Victoria (3352 - Addington)
  http://free-epg.epgstream.net/xmltv/xmltvService.aspx?clientId=A3D34E6D-25CA-2321-AC32-8FF480682889&guideType=free&clientType=DVBWS&count ryCode=au&geographicId=3352&medium=analogue.tv
  
  BladeRunner Pro Client, Digital TV, Queensland (4000 - Brisbane)
  http://free-epg.epgstream.net/xmltv/xmltvService.aspx?clientId=C2C34E6D-44EB-4021-B142-8FF480682253&guideType=free&clientType=BladeRunner &countryCode=au&geographicId=4000&medium=digital.t v

What you should see downloaded using the above URL format will be a compressed ZIP file containing an XMLTV file named "free-epg.xml". Any feedback you have on configuration for various XMLTV clients to use this XMLTV service will be appreciated!

Give this XMLTV service a go ... You can use BladeRunner to rebuild your guide with the Free-To-Air Digital (epgstream.net Free*EPG) XMLTV data.


Thanks,