[mythtv-users] MS media center

[Christopher Meredith]

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 4:35 PM, Greg Oliver <oliver.greg at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 4:30 PM, Greg Oliver <oliver.greg at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 4:19 PM, Christopher Meredith
>> <chmeredith at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 4:01 PM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 3:58 PM, Christopher Meredith <chmeredith at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 3:25 PM, Nick Rout <nick.rout at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> > On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 10:24 AM, Raymond Wagner <raymond at wagnerrp.com>
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>> >> On 2/26/2010 16:09, Dean Collins wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Does anyone know how Microsoft get their media center tv guide
>>>>> >> information?
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Microsoft licenses it, and provides it for free to users who have
>>>>> >> purchased
>>>>> >> Windows MCE, for use specifically and only with Windows MCE.  It's
>>>>> >> basically
>>>>> >> the same thing as SchedulesDirect has set up with TMS, but it is paid
>>>>> >> for in
>>>>> >> the cost of the program, rather than yearly dues.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >
>>>>> > There is a program out there to convert the ms epg format to xmltv
>>>>> > format. Can't recall the name...
>>>>>
>>>>> It's called mc2xml and I've written up a MythTV howto guide here:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://monopedilos.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=mc2xml
>>>>>
>>>>> I've been using this script and method, unmodified, since summer 2008.
>>>>> It's wonderful. And since this has come up in the past, there is
>>>>> nothing illegal about this AT ALL. At worst, it's a violation of the
>>>>> EULA of Windows MCE, but that's only even relevant if you have
>>>>> accepted an MCE EULA. Otherwise, there is nothing WHATSOEVER illegal
>>>>> about this.
>>>>
>>>> IANAL so I can't speak to that but that also hasn't stopped many a company
>>>> from dictating what you can and cannot do with the data they provide you for
>>>> specific uses.
>>>
>>> I'm not a lawyer either, but I will be in August. ;-) And companies
>>> can restrict the use of data they provide, but they do so in the form
>>> of licences. The MCE EULA (which is a form of a contract which you
>>> must ACCEPT to be bound to) says that you can only access their
>>> servers with MCE. But the data is not copyrighted (at least not by
>>> Microsoft or Zap2It) and as long as you have not accepted the MCE
>>> EULA, there's nothing to violate.
>>>
>>> Bill mentioned morality. At best, the only negative argument about
>>> morality I can think of is that Microsoft doesn't want people using
>>> its data without paying for a MS product and someone might condier it
>>> immoral to use data contrary to the wishes of its provider. If you
>>> fall into this camp, you should seriously consider whether it's even
>>> morally right to use a homebrew DVR software at all, something the
>>> content providers clearly do not want you doing.
>>>
>>> At the end of the day, the MCE servers are open, unencrypted, and
>>> freely accessible to anyone. Using mc2xml does not violate copyright
>>> and does not implicate the DMCA. At worst, it's a violation of a
>>> contract of adhesion (the MCE EULA), but ONLY if you have accepted it.
>>> Even then, it is practically unenforceable.
>>
>> I just setup my vista virtual machine (laptop supplied) MCE for NZ and
>> postal code 2022 in Aukland.  It all looked well, packet captures
>> showed it was going to data.tvdownload.microsoft.com, and them came
>> back and said guide data is not available for my location, so I guess
>> MCE does not provide the EPG for NZ..  Unless there is a better postal
>> code to try??  I'm not from there...
>
> The EULA also stated they can start charging or change pricing for EPG
> data at any time with 30 days written prior notice..

Right. But just like every other provision of the EULA, it's
meaningless unless you agree to be bound by it.