[mythtv-users] EIT vs XMLTV - Formula 1 and adhoc rescheduling

[Nick Rout]

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 9:06 PM, John Veness
<John.Veness.mythtv at pelago.org.uk> wrote:
> On 14/06/2011 23:45, Richard Morton wrote:
>> I have been using EIT since starting with Myth a few years ago now
>> (thanks - and congratulations - for putting up with me for so long).
>>
>> I have been toying with using xmltv for the superior data that is
>> supplied by xmltv radio times feed in the UK, this weekend changed that.
>> Because the Canadian Grand Prix went on for hours longer than expected
>> during the transmission they rescheduled, first extending the broadcast,
>> then moving it from BBC1 to BBC2. MythTV worked flawlessly picking up
>> the extensions and then newly scheduled programme on BBC2.
>>
>> XMLTV just couldnt do that with its current implementation in MythTV.
>
> As a XMLTV Radio Times user, I agree that it is not great for
> last-minute changes like the above. I was watching my recording of F1
> just a few minutes behind live, so I could keep up to date with the
> channel changes, but that was just luck. The BBC in the past have even
> changed some sporting things, such as Wimbledon matches featuring UK
> players, from BBC2 to BBC1, just when they start getting exciting, in
> order to gain a bigger audience!
>
>> It seems to be that simple matching of xmltv id and programme based on
>> start/end date and time using the xmltv guide to update the other
>> attributes such as title, subtitle, description and whether it is a
>> repeat or other pertinent details. I just looked at the radiotimes feed
>> and was surprised to see that the url is xmltv.radiotimes.co.uk..... but
>> the file is actually csv format. Maybe I am looking at the wrong file?
>
> You're looking at the correct file. My understanding is that the files
> from xmltv.radiotimes.co.uk aren't actually directly in XML format, but
> they have been put there for the benefit of the XMLTV project (and XMLTV
> end-users), hence the URL. They need post-processing by the
> tv_grab_uk_rt program before becoming XML.
>
>> I remember seeing mike mention there are challeneges with merging the
>> data but I am happy to work through the logic required if there is
>> appetite from the developers or other contributors as coding it to a
>> reasonable standard would be a serious challenge!
>
> I would be very happy if MythTV could use both XMLTV (for its better
> long-term data and better descriptions) and EIT (for last-minute
> changes). In fact, a few years ago I'm sure it did do that reasonably
> successfully, but maybe that was just a fluke.

Conflict handling will always be an issue. what if mythfilldatabase
does a run right in the middle of F1 and undoes the EIT stuff?
Confusion abounds.