[HOW TO] Custom EPG Data for channels that have none

[racameron]

Yes, I did read the OP, but perhaps I misunderstood. Here's my takeaway, and why I responded as I did:

Some channels do not have guide info, and the OP wanted to have "something" in the guide. The example shown created a 365-day long program-entry simply to show "something" in the guide. The link I posted—and information I excerpted—shows how to essentially achieve the same thing. However, using the custom tvc- tags as a fallback is a two-fold enhancement:

1. Fallback data – Since the supplied title and description are treated as a fallback by Channels, they will always be present when there is no guide data. This is an improvement over the auxiliary XMLTV, since there is no need for a start/stop time, it is just omnipresent. Also, depending upon how long you created your programme element for, you won't have to keep creating new XMLTV files when your programme ends.
2. Can be superseded – If you use the fallback data, but then decide to add some guide data via XMLTV, it will be added to the guide when appropriate, but still show fallback data when there guide data is not present.

(A note about 1 above: The XMLTV DTD only states that a programme element must have a start attribute; the stop attribute is optional. The comments in the DTD indicate that the stop time should be as accurate as possible, and that it is one end of a half–closed interval. This means that the programme runs from start until just before stop. But, the specification seems to imply that the stop attribute is optional, and the guide program—in this case, Channels—should make the programme run until a subsequent programme with a later start is encountered. If one were to read the DTD in this manner, you could use any before–now time in start, and simply omit the stop, and have a similar situation to Channels' fallback data.)

The point I was trying to make in pointing out those tags for the playlist was that what the OP was trying to achieve could already be done, and without the need to create (and maintain) an additional file.

Of course, all of this could be moot if the OP is not using a M3U playlist as a source; but that was an assumption I made based upon the use of the accompanying XMLTV file. And since the OP never states what the source with the missing data is, I feel that was a safe conclusion. If @jdroberto wants to state what the source is and how this won't work, then I apologize for the noise.

@jdroberto

ChannelsDVR offers custom dummy guide data to be used on every channel for which there is no EPG data.

I want CHANNEL SPECIFIC guide data for when there's no guide data.

The tvc- tags for the playlists are specific to each channel. They literally are channel specific. They are specified along with (among others) which logo to use for the channel, its name/callsign, and which channel number to assign when it is imported.

[speedingcheetah]

I have one OTA channel that is a 24/7 weather channel, that the Channels guide, just says the name of the Channel and won't let me record.

The HDHR tuner already has it guide data source set...so, how would i then add something like this to fix it so that i can record that channel?

2.5 TPTNOW - KTCADT5 tpt Local Weather and Radar

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

The HDHR tuner already has it guide data source set...so, how would i then add something like this to fix it so that i can record that channel?

Have you tried this:

Channel guide editing

Hold down the SHIFT key and click the circle icon under your hdhomerun on the DVR web UI Settings tab

Or are you saying that there is no guide data, neither in the HDHomeRun app nor on zap2it.com?

[speedingcheetah]

what cirlce icon is that referring to? ALl holding sift does is highlight text on the webpage for me.

there is no listing for that channel on zap

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

2.5 TPTNOW - KTCADT5 tpt Local Weather and Radar

Zap2it shows 8 hour chunks of programming; what does the HDHR app show? Are you saying that Channels has no data for this channel?

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

what cirlce icon is that referring to

On the Source list in the web UI. (Read all of the linked thread to get context.)

@speedingcheetah

there is no listing for that channel on zap

[speedingcheetah]

correct. never has. I posted about it some time ago....it is just like those 24/7 TVE show channels, like Rick and Morty, except, its Weather and the occasional random things.

It is a sub channel to 2. TPT.

All the guide says is one long bar of "Local Weather and Radar"

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

All the guide says is one long bar of "Local Weather and Radar"

And that is the supplied guide data. If there was no data, it would just have the station's call sign in the guide rather than text.

So, you are getting the guide data for that station, it is just not very useful.

[speedingcheetah]

@racameron

So, you are getting the guide data for that station, it is just not very useful.

Am I? Does that mean the other TVE 24/7 channels have guide data too?
I was told here, maybe even by you, that those channels have no guide data and thus that is why they can't be recorded.

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

Am I? Does that mean the other TVE 24/7 channels have guide data too?

Details are necessary. Most 24/7 channels have no guide data, such as all of the news feeds starting at channel 6970; those don't support recording from within Channels because there is no guide data. However, the example you gave with KTCADT5 does have guide info. Are you saying that you cannot record from 2.5?

[speedingcheetah]

No. That is why i mention it....however....weird

never have been able to before. But now I do see a record button.
something must have changed in an update down the road since i last checked when i first setup channels.

But, it only lets me do the full 480 min time slot, as that is the guide data it has, so i don't want that, i want it to do normal show times for the programs that are on that channel. but i don't know what what that is cause the guide data is just nothing but 8hr segments.

So, ok, my question still kinda stands and relates to this thread.
Can I use this hack or mod posted in some what, to edit the guide data for this channel to make it sane and more formatted for recording. If so, would it get overriden by the sever auto update refresh?

But, again, I do not understand what you mean by other channels have no guide data, when they infact do. As i mentioned, the other 24/7 channels, Adult Swim 6700 for example, says in the guide, 'Rick and Morty" and is one long block, just like this ota station does in the guide "Local Weather and Radar". The ota station does not have a logo even, while the tve one does.

Why can I record the OTA 24/7 channel, and not one that is TVE with the same situation of guide data visible, a single long time slot. You clearly state it is simply a Gudie data issue, that prevents Channels from recording, so, there should be no reason why one could not also record the 6700 channels etc.

[racameron]

@speedingcheetah

But, it only lets me do the full 480 min time slot, as that is the guide data it has, so i don't want that, i want it to do normal show times for the programs that are on that channel. but i don't know what what that is cause the guide data is just nothing but 8hr segments.

That is how Gracenote is supplying the guide. You can try asking for corrections/enhancements either through SiliconDust's forums, or via the email at Zap2it. It's not a situation that Channels really has control over.

@speedingcheetah

Can I use this hack or mod posted in some what, to edit the guide data for this channel to make it sane and more formatted for recording. If so, would it get overriden by the sever auto update refresh?

I believe you can add an XMLTV source as a secondary guide source for HDHR channels, but it will require you personally maintaining and regularly updating the XMLTV file to include chunks/programs of smaller durations to meet your needs.

And if you cannot add an XMLTV to augment the HDHR tuner's guide, then you can create an M3U snippet as a separate source, something like:

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1 channel-id="ktcadt5" channel-number="2.5",KTCADT5
http://127.0.0.1:8089/devices/ANY/channels/2.5/stream.mpg

And then assign your custom XMLTV source with more granular programming to this single channel, and give it a higher priority than your other sources, so it will supersede the data from other sources.

[speedingcheetah]

yea...i was afraid that would be that complicated.
Wish they could just make an option in the sever gui to manually edit the guide/guide override for certain channels. Make it simple.

And...i still don't get why, since the guide has data, whether from gracenote or not, why the Adult Swim channels do not have the record option, when it is the same situation. Both have "guide data" that is shown, stored in its database, in large block of time, of a single program, pretty much acting as a placeholder, but one is recordable, the other is not. (now, yes, the AD channel is different in that it airs many 22min eps of a single show, and that specific individual program info is not there, but to the sever, it should make no difference, as it does with the ota channel, it still has data there, and is not the "no data" place holder that happens where there is no actual data and it just shows the channel name and callsign etc.)

Was just looking for a easy way to make useable guide data for these 2 channels i mentioned...not a big issue, but one that has bugged me a bit since day 1.

[kanipek]

Actually what I think you are seeing there is the default when there is no guide data - The name of the channel(s).
I say this because when I added an M3U source(just playing around - testing) I didn't get around to finding the guide data for a couple of weeks and that is exactly what I was seeing.
This method @jdroberto worked out with an assist from me will work for this situation you describe, but will require some maintenance by you to keep it working, and if you want to populate it with actual correct guide data you will have locate a source - TV Passport or TitanTV perhaps - for those channels.
Not clear on if you need/want more than generic data - If you only want to be able to record those channels at a time you know there is a program that is on - a couple of options are around to provide that generic EPG data - epg123 and xTeve are two I know about, there may be others.
As @racameron mentions it might be simpler to do a separate M3U containing only those channels
Just my 2 cents...

[speedingcheetah]

I would think it could be simplified a bit.
Just change/modify the default guide data.
As it stands, it is one continues time block, or in the case of the ota station sets of 8hrs.

Why not make it default to 1hr segments, instead of 8hr.

And for the TVE AD channel, it is known that each show is 30 min, well 22 cause i don't think there are comercials, and so that channel thus be set for that interval of time blocks, instead of one long one.

The comcast cable box i had years ago, for that and other 24/7 single program channles, broke up thing into 1hr segments in their guide.

I don't really care about correct or accurate guide data, stating what specific episode or info is airing, i just need useable time block data so that it can record that time block(in the case of the TVE station) and for the ota, record sane periods of time, without having to manually start, then remember to stop it, or messing around with setting a advanced pass.

A way to manually tweak such channels that need them, so that the user can set their desired guide program interval length...would be nice.

[Channels2021]

Are there any sources for the Adult Swim marathons that provide guide data?

Technically speaking, considering that Stremium does split the AS channels by episodes, how do the two TVE services gather guide info differently? Thanks.

[Daniel_Reid]

If I change the channel title at all I lose the listing completely

[jdroberto]

Can you elaborate? What method are you using and what changes are you trying to make?

[Daniel_Reid]

@jdroberto I'm guessing this is a case of not as easy as it looks. I'm just changing where it says "CHANNEL TITLE HERE" to the shows title, nothing more.

[Daniel_Reid]

Trial and error, figured it out.