[mythtv-users] Rex: a new tv_grab_au script

[Max Barry]

Andy Foster wrote:
> Just something which was brought up on irc - has anybody actually
> tried asking these guys (ninemsn, yourtv & so forth) whether they
> would be willing to actually provide an xml (or otherwise streamlined)
> feed for pvr owners? 

Heh, if only. TV guide data originates with the stations (Nine, Seven,
etc), and unfortunately all three of the commercial stations think the
best way to protect advertising revenue is to make it as inconvenient as
possible for viewers to skip ads.

To this end, they:

* Put few ads at the beginning of movies, then pack in heaps at the end

* Vary the start and end times of shows from what's in the guide, to
make it difficult to tape them reliably

* Vary the length of ad breaks

* Mix in repeats with new episodes

* Obfuscate, hide, and restrict online TV guide data, to make it harder
for PVRs to read

* Sue organizations like IceTV, who offer guide data for PVR users

* Send letters of dubious legal merit demanding that people stop hosting
tv_grab_au scripts

There's an amazing article about it here:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/legal-battle-over-electronic-guides/2006/06/19/1150569266669.html?page=fullpage

A sample quote from Channel Seven: "Precise start times (in an EPG)
would allow people to burn DVDs of our programs like crazy and push them
out over the internet."

It's insane. The commercial stations are deliberately making it less
enjoyable to watch TV. One day, far in the future, the stations might
figure out that continually screwing their viewers is bad for business.
But today, it's their business model.

Max.