[mythtv-users] tv guide line-up free

[Robert Current]

>
> People assume because it's not handed to them, it's not available.
> Does anyone know how TitanTV feels about MythTV users scraping their
> listings and using them for free?

Ok, I'm taking this out of order here, because this was the important
point here...

The data in the links I provided was not scraping data...  that was
Direct Data, in XML.  Huge difference.

And, IMHO, how TitanTV feels (judging by conversations on other
forums), I believe they were slightly bothered but didn't stop it...
UNTIL the GB-PVR wrote the backwards side of it, which changes
EVERYTHING.

TitanTV lives and dies on income from adverts.  And when GB-PVR wrote
the bit where users go to the TitanTV website to schedule recordings,
that increases TitanTV's income, so how could they be upset?  When
users go to the website, and schedule the recordings there, they are
viewing ads that are making TitanTV money.  If MythTV did that, I'd
use TitanTV's website for scheduling recordings, why not?

I have nothing against them making an honest buck in adverts, and I
could do it from a friends house, on the road, a hotel room while I
was on vacation, anywhere... not just my local LAN to get at MythWeb.

> I'm not upset. I even said please. I looked at the TitanTV forum link
> you sent. It gave a bunch of instructions on how to use it with
> Windows and I got scared. Then I just went to TitanTV directly and
> had a flash-back of all the previous problems screen-scraping with
> TMS data. I got even more scared and then remembered I pay $5/month
> to not deal with it.

Just shows that it's been done.  Some people don't believe it can be
done until they are shown someone else did it.

Now, for my personal opinion on Schedules Direct...  (don't read the
following if your easily offended):

I don't pay $5/month because I didn't think the SchedulesDirect guys
were giving honest answers, so I went out looking myself.

First, I found free data was available, but they refused to
acknowledge it.  Strike one.

Next, I found that the other FUD statement on the website about EIT
data was a total lie.  Where they said "In the USA, EIT data is
supposed to contain at least 12 hours of accurate data for the digital
stations. Only a few broadcasters provide anything more than that, and
some broadcasters don't even provide the legally required EIT data."
I found lots of people get at least 7 days data from SatTV stuff, and
I was getting at least 3-4 days on my OTA HDTV card.  I guess going
1-2 years back maybe that statement was true, but at least locally I
get decent OTA EIT data, so the statement was pure FUD on the part of
SchedulesDirect.

So, with those to things made clear to me, and the attitude on this
list, I just avoided Schedules Direct completely.  I am more than
happy with OTA EIT, and I don't need a 2 weeks of listing data.  As
long as it get's the show in time to record it, what do I care?  If I
want listing data, I can go to tvguide.com and see what shows are
coming up, and enter a keyword search in MythTV.  So, why pay $5/month
for something I don't need, from people who seem to be less than
honest about why it's so desperately needed.