Satch's guide to getting EPG data with TV Pack

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Nety

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#28877 15-Dec-2008 09:29

Can we get Satch's guide put as a sticky?

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=26434

Until the external EPG data importers are updated to support the TV Pack it is the only way to get epg data for non freeview channels working so is a valuable guide.

I have now set it up and am using it to great affect with Telstra Digital. The only addtional thing I have done is setup a batch file to delete the recordings after they are made and scheduled that to run just after the last recording is made to keep the recorded TV side clean.

Edit: only suggestion would be maybe it should be moved to the HTPC section?

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freitasm

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#184195 15-Dec-2008 09:55

Post is sticky now... Thanks!

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Nety

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#184213 15-Dec-2008 11:43

Cheers for that.. was getting hard to find

Asmodeus

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#184215 15-Dec-2008 11:52

Since the original thread is locked, I'll ask here.

I set up the guide as Satch described and it worked fine. I immediately ghosted the drive. Problem is, I had a seperate booboo on my computer and had to restore it from that ghost image. Now the epg doesn't seem to work at all (actually 1 transponder is updating) but all the others are not, even if I leave a channel running for an hour or more. Has anyone had this problem? Do I have to rescan the transponders or something else? I wouldn't have thought so, since the one with CI & fashion tv, etc is updating by itself.

Anyone have an idea about this?

Also, Nety, would it please be possible to post your batch file? I had set the epg recordings to record over the last one but that still leaves 8x 1 minute recordings at any one time which I could do without...

Cheers

Satch

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#184225 15-Dec-2008 12:25

freitasm: Post is sticky now... Thanks!

Hey can you please unlock that thread so I can update my post. A number of small errors in it that I discovered when I had to recently follow it again!

Satch

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#184226 15-Dec-2008 12:26

Nety: The only addtional thing I have done is setup a batch file to delete the recordings after they are made and scheduled that to run just after the last recording is made to keep the recorded TV side clean.

Please do share that batch file! Would increase the WAF at my place...

Nety

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#184235 15-Dec-2008 13:01

Asmodeus: Since the original thread is locked, I'll ask here.

I set up the guide as Satch described and it worked fine. I immediately ghosted the drive. Problem is, I had a seperate booboo on my computer and had to restore it from that ghost image. Now the epg doesn't seem to work at all (actually 1 transponder is updating) but all the others are not, even if I leave a channel running for an hour or more. Has anyone had this problem? Do I have to rescan the transponders or something else? I wouldn't have thought so, since the one with CI & fashion tv, etc is updating by itself.

Anyone have an idea about this?

Have you tired switching to those channels? You should get a message to say that they are encrypted. Also when you look under the EPG do the sky channels have EPG data under them? Just wondering if the linking has dropped off.
If not I would say rescanning the transponders might be worth while.

Also, Nety, would it please be possible to post your batch file? I had set the epg recordings to record over the last one but that still leaves 8x 1 minute recordings at any one time which I could do without...

I will post it up when I get home as I cannot remember the exact naming for the files.

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Nety

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#184344 15-Dec-2008 17:46

OK as promised...

Create a batch file (just a text file but with the extension .bat rather then .txt

Here is the batch file I created

d:
cd\"recorded tv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_Animal Planet*.wtv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_ESPN*.wtv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_Food Television*.wtv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_Trackside*.wtv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_BBC World*.wtv"
Del /q "Manual Recording_Discovery*.wtv"

You will need to modify this to suite your situation. On my media centre all recording is set to save in D:\recorded TV\ change the first two lines to suit your situation.

The following lines are deleting each file. The channel name may be different depending what ones you selected to record. Just change them to suite by checking the file name of your existing recordings. The * is because the name will have the date and time appended to the name.
You only need to have one recording for each transponder.

The second part is to go into administrative tools and create a new task under task scheduler. Set the bat file to run shortly after the last recording completes. I can provide more details if you are not sure how to do this.

The only danger is if you do any manual recordings on those channels however providing the EPG is working I don't see that being a need.

Asmodeus

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#184729 17-Dec-2008 10:32

Nety:
Asmodeus: Since the original thread is locked, I'll ask here.

I set up the guide as Satch described and it worked fine. I immediately ghosted the drive. Problem is, I had a seperate booboo on my computer and had to restore it from that ghost image. Now the epg doesn't seem to work at all (actually 1 transponder is updating) but all the others are not, even if I leave a channel running for an hour or more. Has anyone had this problem? Do I have to rescan the transponders or something else? I wouldn't have thought so, since the one with CI & fashion tv, etc is updating by itself.

Anyone have an idea about this?

Have you tired switching to those channels? You should get a message to say that they are encrypted. Also when you look under the EPG do the sky channels have EPG data under them? Just wondering if the linking has dropped off.
If not I would say rescanning the transponders might be worth while.

Thanks for posting the batch file.

I wanted to ask you how you have set up the manual recordings for the epg channels as mine now seem to not be working. This is what I did:

- Under "schedule a recording" I went to "create a custom recording" using "channel and date".
- I set it to record the epg channels for 1 minute each, starting at 3 am. They do not overlap and have a 1 minute buffer between each one.
- I set it to record "every day", "keep until I delete" and "keep latest only".

Under scheduled recordings, they appear under "series" but when I click on one it says there are "no upcoming episodes" or something similar and it isn't recording them (sorry, reciting this from memory). Normal manual recording from the guide is working though. Anyone know where I have gone wrong?

Satch

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#184747 17-Dec-2008 12:29

I've experienced this issue recently too. And you are not going to like the resolution...

I had to choose Default in the TV set up and start again from scratch. All channel set ups etc.

If someone else knows of a better way then please let us know.

Nety

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#184754 17-Dec-2008 13:17

Have not had any problems with the manual recordings but I was with some of the others. I just deleted the series and reset them up. I do wonder if 1 min is a bit short. I have them recording for 5 mins. Maybe a bit over the top but figure better too long then not long enough.

Satch

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#184755 17-Dec-2008 13:21

Nety: I do wonder if 1 min is a bit short. I have them recording for 5 mins. Maybe a bit over the top but figure better too long then not long enough.

I've been recording my EPG updates for one minute, one after another since I first used the workaround, and 1 minute seems to be sufficient. I record the updates one after another with no gaps, and that works fine.

But you are right Nety. Better to be safe than sorry!

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Asmodeus

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#184776 17-Dec-2008 14:28

Hmmmmm not sure if I'm up to setting up all my channels again just yet!

I think I'll relegate myself to doing a little channel surfing in the ad breaks. There should be at least a minute of something watchable on each transponder....

Nety

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#184778 17-Dec-2008 14:46

Asmodeus: There should be at least a minute of something watchable on each transponder....

Not unless you consider a message saying that the channel is encrypted watchable....

Asmodeus

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#184805 17-Dec-2008 16:34

Nety:
Asmodeus: There should be at least a minute of something watchable on each transponder....

Not unless you consider a message saying that the channel is encrypted watchable....

OK, maybe a good time to get a cuppa then...