[mythtv-users] XMLTV is Broken in North America

[Joseph A. Caputo]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at snowman.net
> [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at snowman.net]On Behalf Of Jason James
> Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2003 1:56 PM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] XMLTV is Broken in North America
>
>
> Perhaps now is the time to work with the tv schedule
> sites. Currently, MythTV users simply take the
> listings without supporting the tv schedule sites
> business. Tsites make their money off of partnerships
> with providers, user subscriptions or advertising.
>
> Choice 1: MythTV users could agree to let the site
> advertise on the EPG in exchange for giving us the
> listings. The tv schedule site would agree to let us
> know when the format changes, and better yet, supply
> the information in an XML format in the first place.
>
> Choice 2: MythTV users would pay a subscription fee in
> exchange for an XML feed of the content. I believe
> this should be a pretty modest fee, along the lines of
> $3.95/month.
>
> The MythTV community is a fast growing and savvy
> userbase that are creating exciting new convergence
> technologies. I believe that the tv schedule sites
> would want to support us if we made it worth their
> while. If there were enough MythTV users interested in
> either option, it could be a good business opportunity
> for one of these companies. Is this something that
> folks on this list would be amenable to?
>

Hmmm... I for one wouldn't mind getting a free listing feed in exchange for
some ads in the EPG, as long as no information flows the other way.  The ad
information could be embedded in the XML data, ready to be parsed.
Unfortunately, that's probably a less viable option than #2, since (this
being open source), any of us could simply tweak the code not to display the
ads.  Of course, the 'mass market' for Myth would be installed binary
distributions, not CVS or source tarballs, so they *might* go for it, if we
promised not to distribute 'ad-free' binaries...

Of course, I'm not really keen on the idea of bargaining with providers to
get data that they already provide for free but in a different format.
However, it's still better than paying a fee.  If I wanted to pay a fee I'd
have gotten a Tivo.

-JAC