XML Guide for M3U tuner?

[jdroberto]

Hi all, I'm sure this is covered elsewhere but how do I add guide info for my m3u. Trying to add PlutoTV via the M3u and EPG in XML format.

[kanipek]

You can start here:

BETA: Custom Channels via M3U Playlists

OK, as promised, here's a cool little project you can prop up with Docker and get a Channels optimized M3U playlist and EPG for Pluto. This differs from other Pluto M3Us as it utilizes the extended tags we created to let you add richer data and art into the UI allowing for what you see in the screenshots I posted above. https://hub.docker.com/r/jonmaddox/pluto-for-channels All ya gotta do is launch this docker container and it will sit on a port and serve out the M3U and EPG. It updates every …

You will have a link to both an M3U and EPG when it is up and running
Use the EPG link for the guide data for PlutoTV

[maddox]

Delete the existing lineup from your new Pluto source, then add a new one with the url to the epg file.

[jdroberto]

Very interesting. Thanks!

[beyo77]

I only reply to @maddox since original thread was closed before I managed to reply. What you saying is essentially true but I wouldn’t consider EPG as “random thing from internet” because it is not MY EPG because I am not who creates the data. It is always provider’s EPG, because it is providers who send guide to organisations who collect and organise the data and sell them for a monthly fee.

If content creator does not use tagging, I cannot do anything same as you. Thanks for pointing out to Pluto project

[maddox]

Yes, but it is just a text file. With a little bit of scripting, you can re-write the text to include the attributes that Channels needs. I understand that not everyone has these skills. But some do.

It is important to understand that if you feed Channels EPG data that is missing information that makes Channels work the way it does, then you should expect it to not work well.

[Robsmith41nj]

Not working for me. When I use the EPG url, it takes it but gives me no channels. When I use the M3U url it gets the channels, but when I add the guide as a custom XMLTV url no guide channels are implemented. I'm trying with a provider directly as well as customized lists with xeev.net.

Thanks

[AeroR1]

isnt it because xeev uses a zipped xml file with the file extension .xml.gz? i dont believe channels can take it and unpack it.

[Robsmith41nj]

You got it. Well that's frustrating. Guess I'll need to create a local copy of the EPG.

Thanks!

[tmm1]

Please email support with diagnostics and the sample xmltv url.

[Robsmith41nj]

Done, thanks

[masonrory]

THIS was the comment I was missing. I'm using m3u4u and they zip as well, even their served file. I downloaded, unzipped, changed the extension and threw it on my web server and it worked perfectly... EDIT - now I see their link for an uncompressed version. Problem solved! Other than getting a RAI Sport feed that's f-t-a!

[AeroR1]

It would be a no brainer for @tmm1 to implement xml zip in the server.

[Mik3]

@maddox

Yes, but it is just a text file. With a little bit of scripting, you can re-write the text to include the attributes that Channels needs. I understand that not everyone has these skills. But some do.

Do you have an example script? How does one predict what’s a movie vs a tv show?

[tmm1]

It's up to your xmltv provider to properly mark movies. There's no way for you or for the dvr to magically figure out which airings are movies if they weren't marked originally.

[Mik3]

So sources such as philo, YouTube tv, fubo, have all this marked before coming down to channels?

Is that correct?

[tmm1]

We don't use XMLTV for those sources, but yes our guide provider has everything properly tagged including categories, genres, cast, and artwork.