[mythtv-users] Telly's Free Program Guide

[Dwight Hubbard (dhubbard)]

I would think it would be better to modify mythtv to get guide data from
sources that were intended for the person using the mythtv box.  I.E.
getting the guide data directly from the program guide on the digital
cable box, the cable networks tv guide channel or from vbi information in
areas where television listings are sent in the vbi.

I'm thinking something along the lines of mythtv releasing the video
device and running an external script when it is not recording.  The
external script could tune to the channel with the listings, grab a video
capture of the guide screen, ocr, parse the information, insert into
database, have the cable box move to the next page, repeat.  Of course
mythtv would have to have some means of stopping the script from running
and different scripts would be needed for different sat/cable boxes, but
the listing format isn't likely to change and it would have the listings
for the user of the mythtv box.  I've thought about doing this, but I want
to get the installer into a usable state before I look at tackling this.

> This is interesting... a couple of thoughts:
>
> http://interact-tv.com/epg.php
>
> (1) good source for feature/layout ideas for the Myth EPG
>
> (2) ...the website says it's 'subscription free'... I wonder if we could
> get our listing data from their guide source... sounds like their data
> is more complete than Zap2It's, too...