NZ Freeview XML tvguide

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › NZ Freeview XML tvguide

JoeSmith

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#73747 21-Dec-2010 12:35

Guys,

Not sure if some of you are stuck now trying to get reliable Freeview XML TVguide listings. If so use the following VBS script I have written.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FCWAMIRZ

You can download and check out. As it is if you run the VBS script it will download all freeview channels except c42 and TV3+1, since they're not on the TVNZ freeview guide as yet.

Comments or suggestions welcome. Will update further in the comming weeks. It was rapidly developed since Revens scraper no longer works due to the freeview XML feeds being locked down as of a couple of weeks ago.... so no nasty comments about the coding style.

judadeach

22 posts

Geek

#420104 21-Dec-2010 20:08

Hey

Yeah I am struggling since Reven XMLTVNZ has stopped working. Very interested in getting a new reliable source of info.

Good to see someone with the skills is able to do something about it

judadeach

22 posts

Geek

#420107 21-Dec-2010 20:17

Downloaded this and ran the file, it created a TVguide.xml file but came up with this error (see image)

The xml file is 0kb and has no data in it. Have I done something incorrect here?

Error popup

sbiddle

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#420110 21-Dec-2010 20:21

To be honest I think putting any emphasis onto screen scraping is a wasted effort these days since grabbing the full EPG from the MHEG5 stream is so simple with EPG Collector.

Even mentioning you're using the TVNZ Guide on here is probably enough to ensure that the TVNZ guide will be changed to stop you.

freitasm

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#420117 21-Dec-2010 20:26

People running a PC with access to Freeview (or other EPG sources OTA) should have a go with EPG Collector (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=126&topicid=61903).

It supports the EIT, MHEG5 and even other countries.

JoeSmith

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#420413 22-Dec-2010 13:04

The script expects to have a c:\temp to write tempory files into :) Probably should make a check on that and create if not there. Noted for next version.

JoeSmith

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#420415 22-Dec-2010 13:07

I tried OTA EPG scrapping and when I tried about 2 months ago I only ever got max of 3 days worth of EPG. For me thats not long enough. 5 days would be a minimum that I would be happy with.

sbiddle

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#420461 22-Dec-2010 14:58

JoeSmith: I tried OTA EPG scrapping and when I tried about 2 months ago I only ever got max of 3 days worth of EPG. For me thats not long enough. 5 days would be a minimum that I would be happy with.

MHEG5 contains a full 8 day EPG and has done ever since Freeview launched.

Don't get me wrong thinking I'm knocking your project because I'm not. The reality however is that screen scraping is not the worlds best method of obtaining data and with content owners regularly taking steps to clamp down on this I see no reason to bother with it when their official MHEG5 EPG contains all the data, can be very easily extracted, and won't suddenly stop working when websites deploy updates to stop scraping.

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madmikey

15 posts

Geek

#422068 28-Dec-2010 11:51

Just got my new toy up and running, and am rather disappointed with the EPG that comes with Windows 7 MCE. Have been reading through these forums, and there is good information about downloading a "EPG Collector " etc, but it is all a bit daunting for Noobs such as myself. I read somewhere that the problem is due to Windows & not supporting MHEG 5 ? Is there any chance that this may change in the near future ? eg will MHEG 5 support be included in a future Windows 7 update ?
Cheers !

sbiddle

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#422072 28-Dec-2010 11:59

madmikey: Just got my new toy up and running, and am rather disappointed with the EPG that comes with Windows 7 MCE. Have been reading through these forums, and there is good information about downloading a "EPG Collector " etc, but it is all a bit daunting for Noobs such as myself. I read somewhere that the problem is due to Windows & not supporting MHEG 5 ? Is there any chance that this may change in the near future ? eg will MHEG 5 support be included in a future Windows 7 update ?
Cheers !

Whether WIndows7 will ever include support for NZ's MHEG5 profile is unknown. If anything Microsoft would probably opt for an EPG download service.

Setting it up in Windows isn't particularly difficult, just follow the steps that are clearly written on here.