XMLTV-importer from ViX 4.1.013 onwards

[Rob van der Does]

In ViX 4.1.013 the XMLTV-importer has been renamed to 'EPG-importer', to match the name it shows on the GUI.
Because of that you should de-install XMLTV-importer and install EPG-importer. If you don't you'll have an outdated, no longer maintained version of the plugin.
This doesn't require you to flash the box.

[daz450]

which is best EPG importer or cross EPG?

[abu baniaz]

There are two ways you can obtain the EPG, from the signal wire and downloading from the internet.

The signal wire method
This uses the data that the broadcaster uses. Not all systems support this. Sky UK can uses OpenTV EPG reader (within Cross EPG downloader plugin). Virgin and Terrestrial, among a few others will download without any extra reader files.

Internet Download method
Someone has to make a script to download EPG data from various websites, they then host it on their download site. They also need to have service references for the channels, these must be updated as and when they change. Any errors/omissions, must be reported to Doglover at PLI forum who will adapt/amend if possible. You must provide him with service references.

EPG Importer
This can only do the internet download method. You can use the receiver and it downloads in the background. receiver can become a bit sluggish while happening. So best to schedule when receiver is not in use.
It has a feature to delete before acquiring.

Cross EPG Downloader
This does internet download method. It also does signal wire method for three providers: Sky UK, Sky IT and Ausat. When its' doing its thing, you can't control the receiver.

You can mix and match. But don't do two things for the same provider. So, don't use Internet download as well as signal download for Sky UK.

Some people use CrossEPG downloader (signal method) for 28.2, and zap to channel for Terrestrial/cable. You can use EPG refresh plugin to help zap automatically.
Others use CrossEPG downloader (signal method), internet download via Cross EPG for other providers.
Others use CrossEPG downloader (signal method), internet download via EPG Importer for other providers.
Others use internet download via CrossEPG downloader all providers.
Others use internet download via EPG Importer all providers.

Golden Rules:
Don't mix and match for same provider. If you have a problem, spill the beans and mention full details of your setup. People should not have to prod for information.

[Rob van der Does]

A few remarks on Abu's post:
1- Using the EPG-importer the box will not be 'sluggish' (at least I never noticed it on any of my boxes). One even can exit the plugin while download is in progress, and not even notice things are happening in the background.
2- Cross is the plugin to use for reading Open-TV data (i.e. from sky UK/IT/ Ausat); EPG-importer is better for using XMLTV-import. You can use both, but not at the same time.
3- In practical use it is impossible to prevent (some) double entries: not all services are covered by Open-TV & XMLTV, hence many people will also use EIT (or one of the other embedded EPG-readers). And as these can only be switched on/off globally (not per service), those services also covered by XMLTV-import can (sometimes) get double entries.
4- As ABU said 'EPG-refresh' is good for automated reading EIT (and others) from services.

All in all: many will (or should) have 3 plugins to get all available EPG-data in their STB. Make sure these plugins don't run together, but after each other. This can also be done at night time; if you usually get your box to deep sleep powertimers can be useful.
Set a wake up timer; run cross 5 minutes after that time, then EPG-importer (maybe during 10 minutes, depending on the number of sources), then EPG-reflash (duration will depend on number of and time on services) and the again a power timer to go deep.

One more thing: the data for the XMLTV-importer is only grabbed once a day and will normally be ready around 08.00 GMT. Please set the plugin to a 'strange' time (like 08.07) to spread host server load as much as possible (the plugin is massively used, world wide).

[daz450]

Will this issue not be fixed automatically in the next VIX image?:confused:

[twol]

A few remarks on Abu's post:
1- Using the EPG-importer the box will not be 'sluggish' (at least I never noticed it on any of my boxes). One even can exit the plugin while download is in progress, and not even notice things are happening in the background.
2- Cross is the plugin to use for reading Open-TV data (i.e. from sky UK/IT/ Ausat); EPG-importer is better for using XMLTV-import. You can use both, but not at the same time.
3- In practical use it is impossible to prevent (some) double entries: not all services are covered by Open-TV & XMLTV, hence many people will also use EIT (or one of the other embedded EPG-readers). And as these can only be switched on/off globally (not per service), those services also covered by XMLTV-import can (sometimes) get double entries.
4- As ABU said 'EPG-refresh' is good for automated reading EIT (and others) from services.

All in all: many will (or should) have 3 plugins to get all available EPG-data in their STB. Make sure these plugins don't run together, but after each other. This can also be done at night time; if you usually get your box to deep sleep powertimers can be useful.
Set a wake up timer; run cross 5 minutes after that time, then EPG-importer (maybe during 10 minutes, depending on the number of sources), then EPG-reflash (duration will depend on number of and time on services) and the again a power timer to go deep.

One more thing: the data for the XMLTV-importer is only grabbed once a day and will normally be ready around 08.00 GMT. Please set the plugin to a 'strange' time (like 08.07) to spread host server load as much as possible (the plugin is massively used, world wide).

Rob, ran a few build updates after your OE-A fix and noticed that the ET8500 didn't install the HbbTV ipk but did for my ET7x00.

Just checked and there is a typo for the ET8500 in meta-oe/recipes-oe-alliance/enigma2-plugins/enigma2-3rdparty-plugins.bb .... reads enigma2-plugin-extensions-newxtrend-hbbtv_4.0-r0_et8500.ipk.ipk that is double ipk :)

Not sure why my build didn't flag it but it ran OK to completion :confused:

[Rob van der Does]

Oops, sorry, fixed :o

[skippie]

I can't find epgimport anymore. Why the change suddenly? XMLTVimport is suddenly gone and epgimport is nowhere to find.

IGNORE my post, suddenly EPG import appeared in the menu
Sent from my U65GT using Tapatalk

[Ashley69]

Have you looked in the plugins? If you have the latest image you will find it there.

[eeza]

Now I have the same issue as above, I am using a VU duo2 with the very latest software, I unloaded the xmltv plugin and then installed the EPG importer, sadly I can now no longer see epg importer in download plugins or remove plugins and its not on my menu tree...

oops what have I done wrong ?

Help much appreciated

Eric

[abu baniaz]

Saying the version number is a lot better than saying "latest".

You my wish to make a settings backup, flash 4.1 016, restore your settings and plugins.

[eeza]

Ok Sorry yes I should have sad the latest version 4.1.0016...... It worked :)

Many thanks

[aido]

Wow thanks for the heads up - I've been using CrossEPG on my LX3 on 4.1.016 and it was kicking in at 6:30am to process SkyUK via OpenTV and France, Germany, Sweden and the erotic feed and it wasn't completing until after 8am on my LX3 and I've been meaning to investigate as the log showed nothing untoward other than it was slow.

I've left Sky UK on crossepg as that was working fine in no time at all and moved the Rytec sources over to EPG importer and it's processed the same sources in 5 minutes - as a result I've added more sources and even then it completes in 10 mins.

As an aside I can't see anything written to disk so does EPG importer just work in RAM please (assuming enough is available) and then flushes to disk later on? I can see epg.dat grew when the box was rebooted.

[Rob van der Does]

All E2's EPG is always in RAM. The file epg.dat is just a kind of hibernate file: when E2 stops it writes data from RAM to there, and reads it again on start up.
On top of that Cross creates it's own database, but that's for internal Cross use only.

[aido]

Not sure where to post for official support for this plugin but just noticed mine hadn't updated in two weeks and EPGImport was stuck (ie it wasn't completing and you couldn't start after a reboot as it said it was running).

I noticed it was stuck on the Rytec Bulgaria file.

I did init 4 and deleted the /media/hdd/epg.dat file and rebooted.

After clearing epg.dat the box came up without an epg.dat and I could then run EPGImport manually but again it got stuck importing the Bulgaria file.

I deselected the Bulgaria source and cleared EPG data again and it has now processed.

I'm guessing maybe there's a program name or some show metadata in the Bulgaria feed that tripped it up on my LX3.