[mythtv-users] Getting local-access stations into Schedules Direct

[f-myth-users at media.mit.edu]

    > Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:04:26 -0500
    > From: Robert Eden <rmeden at yahoo.com>

    > How about:  http://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/HowtoWriteAGrabber 

Ah, I missed that the first time though.  Thanks.  But I was more
thinking about how the station -exports- its data to XML, not how
I inhale it; obviously it depends on where there data comes from,
but I presume there are also some tools to take common formats and
produce something reasonable.  I can go ask on the xmltv-devel list
if we want to keep it off mythtv (and this depends on the station
being willing to participate at all).

(Though the horrifying thought just occurred to me that if I ask if
they're willing to do this, they're likely to turn around and volunteer
me to do the work.  I've done enough theatrical productions to know
how this game gets played... :)

    > Feel free to post on the XMLTV-DEVEL list for advice and help.  The 
    > first step is to contact the station and see if they can provide the 
    > data with redistribution rights or host the data everyone could pick up. 
    > (and XMLTV grabber could reformat it)

Right.  I'll talk to them.

    > BTW, if you contact the station and they are willing to provide data for 
    > redistribution data but not host it, SD or XMLTV.org could do it.

Ah, that's good to know.

    > If the station won't provide a raw-data feed, and there is nothing on 
    > the site's terms of service to exclude a scraper, write one and it can 
    > be added to XMLTV.

Ok.  I didn't see any TOS, but I could well have missed it; obviously
I'll be asking them directly about such things while talking to them
about having them export XML anyway.

    > SD can't merge it with the Tribune data, but applications may be able 
    > to, or you can always use XMLTV's TV_CAT.

Ah!  Didn't know about that utility.  That seems like it'll make it
easy to tell people how to pick up their data if they make it available.

Thanks!

P.S.  So does it cost money to get data into Tribune's feed?  My guess
is "yes" simply because I've yet to see a local-access station do so.
(I have several, plus "Educational Access" and "Government Access",
few of which I've ever bothered to watch 'cause, well, do they make
their schedules easy to find? :)