xbmc pvr epg W7 problem

I'm getting ready to head down this road also. I'm still using WMC on my Win 7 box, due to the fact I havent' had time to tinker w/ the xbmc pvr builds much lately and it was a quick set-up. I did find a program, EPG Collector, that will use your tuner to find the broadcast ATSC guide. I believe that it's format is xmltv...which mediaportal uses. I haven't done it myself yet, but maybe this will lead you in a direction...

I've got Medial Portal setup using 2 HDHR3's OTA grabbing the EPG with a program called MC2XML http://mc2xml.hosterbox.net/ which goes out and grabs the same info that MCE uses. If you need more info on setting up the xmltv for MP follow the steps below

How would I use mc2xml with MediaPortal? *


Create a folder for the EPG data (example: c:\mc2xml) and put the mc2xml.exe binary and a copy of xmltv.dtd ( http://xmltv.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/.../xmltv.dtd ) in that folder (use a GUI file manager or command line)
Optionally create an "mc2xml.chl" file listing the channels you want included in your EPG (see above for file format) (make sure that notepad doesn't append a ".txt" extension to this filename)
MediaPortal wants the produced .xml file to be called "tvguide.xml", so you must open a DOS box, change to the EPG data directory and specify the output filename on the mc2xml command line.

On the first run of mc2xml on Windows it will ask you to input your Postal/Zip code (ie: "10000"), Country Code (ie: "us"). If not using windows, you must specify this info on the command line.

mc2xml will then ask you to select a lineup number. mc2xml will save this selection to mc2xml.dat and create a tvguide.xml file in this folder. (Delete mc2xml.dat if you selected the wrong lineup, and try again)


md "C:\mc2xml"
cd "C:\mc2xml"
copy "C:\downloads\mc2xml.exe" "C:\mc2xml"
copy "C:\downloads\xmltv.dtd" "C:\mc2xml"
notepad "C:\mc2xml\mc2xml.chl"
mc2xml -c us -g (zip code) -o tvguide.xml


Start MediaPortal's "TVserver configuration"
Go to plugin "XmlTv" (make sure XmlTv plugin box is checked) and select the folder with the newly generated tvguide.xml (example: c:\mc2xml)
Go to Tab "Mappings"
Select your "Group"
Press "Load/Refresh"
The list box will now show your "channels" with drop down boxes to select the descriptions from the tvguide.xml file
After selecting descriptions, press "Save"
Verify the selections by pressing "Load/Refresh" again (all boxes should now be white)
Go back to the "Settings" tab and press "Import" (you should see your channels/programs after importing (takes a few seconds))
Close "TVserver configuration"
Optionally schedule a daily task to keep the tvguide.xml file up-to-date:


Start->Control Panel->Scheduled Tasks->Add Scheduled Task (Press Next)
Browse and Select C:\mc2xml\mc2xml.exe
Select daily -> Next
Set desired time -> Next
Set computer username/password -> Next
Check "Open Advanced Properties when I click finish", and click Finish, and set these options (modify paths if necessary):


Run: c:\mc2xml\mc2xml.exe -o "c:\mc2xml\tvguide.xml"
Start in: C:\mc2xml


Press OK

I don't have a xmltv.dtd file anywhere on windows 7. I find this kinda humorous, I can set up exchange, sharepoint, etc., but not mediaportal's backend for epg info lol

(2012-04-20 00:56)CakeM1x Wrote:  I don't have a xmltv.dtd file anywhere on windows 7.

The xmltv.dtd is created by mc2xml.exe after you run it the first time.

It created a .xml and .dat file after first run, no dtd file

(2012-04-19 15:15)CakeM1x Wrote:  That's another concern. I'm in the USA but I see a lot of posts regarding mediaportal epg outside of the USA and not so much in it.

Ok - that explains it! The US does not use DVB-T, so there may be no embedded EPG in the data streams. I see from subsequent posts that you are going down the XMLTV route - probably the best option.

I may have mis-read, are you just trying to download the EGP for OTA broadcasts, or are you trying to pull the EPG without an internet connection?

(2012-04-20 01:10)CakeM1x Wrote:  It created a .xml and .dat file after first run, no dtd file

Hey Cake,

Sorry, I confused myself without looking at my own config, you are correct, running the .exe only creates the .xml and .dat the .dtd file can be found here http://xmltv.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/.../xmltv.dtd

You will have to save it into a text editor like notepad and save it as all files(not as a text file) and add the .dtd extension

Finally epg is coming in after adding the dtd file. Now I just need to map the channels to the correct ones in the options in mediaportal. Do I need to do this step so it keeps refreshing the epg data?

Start->Control Panel->Scheduled Tasks->Add Scheduled Task (Press Next)
Browse and Select C:\mc2xml\mc2xml.exe
Select daily -> Next
Set desired time -> Next
Set computer username/password -> Next
Check "Open Advanced Properties when I click finish", and click Finish, and set these options (modify paths if necessary):


Also is there any easy way to match up the channels?
And for some reason the channels are showing up twice in xbmc

Alrighty, fixed the multiple channel issue. Now just wondering if there is a way to map these channels easily to the selections within mediaportal server?