[mythtv-users] Grabbing TV listings

Gary Buhrmaster gary.buhrmaster at gmail.com
Sun Dec 11 19:23:57 UTC 2011


On Sun, Dec 11, 2011 at 09:38, R KANNAN <rk111810 at gmail.com> wrote:
...
> Does anyone use any other source for TV listings. I understand Windows Media
> Cente uses some other source. Is that free of subscription charges?

IANAL.  It is my understanding that the terms of use of the
listing data for the Windows Media Center limits it usage to
that specific platform since Microsoft is paying the fees
for their licensed software (you pay for Media Center, and
some of the money then goes to the listing service).

Not surprisingly, good listing data costs money to maintain,
and the companies that do so want to be compensated
for their work.  One can argue that the business model
is broken (TV stations provide their listing data to the
listing companies, which (sometimes) validate it/correct it,
and aggregate it with other station data, and then provide
that to their customers), but it is what it is.  There is
no (known to me) source of the types of complete(*) listing
data in the US for which one is in both in compliance with
the terms of service of that data and is free of charges.
At (less than) 50 cents a week, I personally consider
Schedules Direct a bargain for the data that they
make available.

Gary

(*) Complete = (Mostly) correct data at least a week in
    advance, with all the channels I receive.


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