Unfortunately, this only provides 4 hours of guide data. We also don’t have a license to use any of their data in a competing DVR system.
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I currently use IceTV with my MCE boxes. I’m also a Channels subscriber. What does the 4x3 mean? Don’t you just need reliable guide data? Channel logo’s could be obtained easily enough.
Hi. I’m currently using EyeTV on a Mac with IceTV subscription down here in Australia, and I’m longing for a Channels DVR experience to replace it. Our two Apple TVs use Channels for live TV but scheduling and watching recordings is just a pain – have to jump onto the Mac to schedule anything, then wait for transcodes to iTunes afterwards, then play on Apple TV via Home Sharing…
If your hopes for the current guide provider’s expansion to Australia & NZ doesn’t pan out, I would very happily take a text-only DVR scheduler based on IceTV data. It would be such an improvement over the current state of affairs.
4 by 3 or 4:3 is an aspect ratio used by TV's and monitor's.
Can one manually set the DVR to record instead of needing to use an EPG? (i.e. set a time and channel)? Can one do this today?
No, that is not possible
Thanks.
You could try an advanced pass:
Channel = xxxx
Time contains 16:00
May or may not work. See if it returns any airings. Time can also use day of week…experiment
Adding to @DebbieFL response. Last year my wife wanted me to record all of the Hallmark Christmas Movies. @tmm1 helped me set it up. I just created a rule to look for Christmas in the Title and also on a particular Channel (did for both Hallmark Channels) and it recorded all of the Hallmark Christmas Movies with Christmas in the title after that. There were a lot. I am sure I missed some because no Christmas in the Title but the wife was happy. Also, Channels DVR does not duplicate a recording of the same movie.
I get the 4:3, what I don’t get is the requirement of 4:3 by a guide provider. Cant you just get the guide data from them via XML and use that to build a guide in channels? When I look at channels now to watch TV, there is logo’s for the channels, why can’t the Guide data from IceTV via XML be used to populate the guide?
I’m sure the IceTV guys would be very helpful, their business is surely declining as it stands, as less people use MCE.
Hi,
This 4:3 may just be the image demesion preference of channels and their app. There may also be usage rights in these images that prevent users, if users of that copyrighted content are allowed, that prevent image modification, let alone distribution of those images.
I think the issue is that IceTV cannot provide images with their guide, due to some old archaic laws and different copyright lawsuits they have been involved in. To provide them IceTV woudl need permission for each image, see post below which explains it.
There are people campaigning to try and fix these old laws https://www.faircopyright.org.au/
In saying that there are providers that have images, but my assumption is they probably cost more.
Hi, just wondering if there is any update on DVR AU/NZ?
cheers
I asked our guide provider, and they said they expect that they will have AU/NZ data in October.
We are still reaching out to other providers, but not much luck so far.
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This is exciting! @tmm1 how does one get on the DVR beta to test it when it’s available for NZ? I would be more than happy to test it out 
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Thanks for the update.
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I will check with our provider to see if they are still on track for October.
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Bad news- our guide provider says their deadline for AU/NZ has slipped to Q2 2018 
We are still researching alternatives.
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ah ok, thats a shame!
thanks for following up