[mythtv-users] mythtv-users Digest, Vol 53, Issue 108

[Robert Current]

> Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:10:37 -0700 (PDT)
> Dave Phillips Wroteplain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Like most people I started ignoring the other thread when it
> degraded to a discussion of banking howtos.
>
>   So is there an alternative?
>   Thanks

The problem isn't data sources, the problem is programmer resources.
There are alternatives, but nothing anyone in the MythTV project is
working on.  This whole thing didn't happen in a vacuum, it affected
other groups too, some have came up with other solutions.

For example, the GB-PVR project used the existing free XML data from
TitanTV.  TitanTV offers free XML listing data to download, IF you
have a partner product (Adaptec, ATi, Hauppauge, etc...).

You can sign up for the free account with a code listed in the product
package.  There was even some debate about if that was necessary,
because it was found you can pull listings even without the accounts
by just tweaking the URL for the XML data:
Line ups for zip:
http://data.titantv.com/dataservice.asmx/RegisterUserZip?UUID=EGU7TZLA1JA94H679Z9WVV5ETEEG17&Zip=20176

Channels listings:
http://data.titantv.com/dataservice.asmx/RequestLineupData?UUID=EGU7TZLA1JA94H679Z9WVV5ETEEG17&Zip=20176&ProviderId=A_61513

Program data
http://data.titantv.com/dataservice.asmx/RequestProgramData?UUID=EGU7TZLA1JA94H679Z9WVV5ETEEG17&ProviderId=A_61513&DaysRequested=1

Anyway, the GB-PVR guys have a working XML to xmltv converter, and not
only can they pull listings, they can set up an account on TitanTV,
and schedule recordings right from the TitanTV website...
http://forums.gbpvr.com/showthread.php?t=27618&highlight=titantv

That's just one example of what one project did.  The options are out
there, the resources to program a solution for MythTV are not.  The
issue isn't the cost of the data, it's still available.  It just seems
no one (including myself) has time, energy, talent, or willingness to
work on a lower cost solution.