[mythtv-users] Alternatives to DataDirect?

[John Biundo]

With all the uncertainty going on with zap2it and DataDirect, I'm 
probably not the only one with some 'splaining to do about how we're 
going to get along with only 3 days worth of listings.

As a relative newcomer, I'm not very familiar with how things were done 
in the dark old days before the DataDirect webservice.  I gather that 
there are some old screen-scraping routines that were used (and maybe 
still are outside of North America?), but I haven't really familiarized 
myself with them yet.  I'm not sure what state of repair or support 
these facilities enjoy.

I'm hoping some of the "old timers" around here might take a minute or 
two to explain the possibilities.  If zap2it chooses NOT to restore a 
full 2 weeks worth of listings, where can we go for alternative sources? 
  What's involved?  What are the limitations (i.e., do we lose some 
program detail, etc.?)  In short, now nasty is this alternative?

Thanks in advance.  Just trying to get my arms around what the possible 
alternatives might be as I repeat the zap2it mantra "it's only 
temporary" to my user community ;-)

Cheers,
john