[mythtv-users] Culling my MythTV channels

R. G. Newbury newbury at mandamus.org
Mon Mar 22 17:54:17 UTC 2021


On 2021-03-21 6:35 p.m., Fred Hamilton wrote:
> Here's what I think I know:
> 
> - Schedules Direct now only supports the XMLTV format

NO. SD still supports the DataDirect format, with channel selection 
through the web-site, and downloading data using the mythfilldatabase 
program.

However the tv_grab_zz_sdjson and tv_grab_zz_sdjson-sqlite programs 
provide data from a different base, with more/better data, and reduced 
server load at the SD end, and reduced computer load/bandwidth at the 
user's end. Program data is separated fropm scheduling and downloaded 
once. Schedules for channels are not re-downloaded if unchanged.

> - The only(?) way to download Schedules Direct data to mythtv v31 is by 
> using "Schedules Direct JSON API (xmltv)" (or similar depending on your 
> locale)

I just did some checking. It appears that the entry in mythtv-setup -> 
General -> (scroll to the bottom ) Program Download Options (or 
somesuch) -> and setting mythfilldatabase OR /usr/local/bin/my-grabber 
actually does not control the download.

*THAT* is set in mythtv-setup -> 4. Video Sources -> 
Your-named-source-here -> Select grabber option from the LONG list. In 
this case SD JSON API

> - My source.xmltv file looks like:
>       cache=/home/fred/.xmltv/tv_grab_zz_sdjson.cache
> channel-id-format=mythtv
Another choice is channel-id-format=default

> previously-shown-format=date
Another choice is previously-shown-format=datetime  (possibly more 
granular??)

> username=*********
> password=*********
> mode=lineup
Another choice is mode=channels

> lineup=USA-CA04459-X

My OTA.xmltv file covers the US channels I get through one of my antenna:
mode=channels
channels!CAN-0005580-X
channels!CAN-OTA-L5H3J2
# NOTE the '!' negating the lineup

channels=USA-OTA-14174
channel=31507
channel=24051
and continuing list of channel/xmltvid pairs

> - I'm not actually sure what channel-id-format and mode should be, maybe 
> one is set wrong?

'He who dares, wins'.  If you are not getting what you think you should 
be getting, then give it a try.

> Here are my known unknowns:
> - In this XMLTV-only world, what exactly does the Schedules Direct 
> lineup edit page (https://www.schedulesdirect.org/lineups/edit/xxxxxxxx) 
> do?
> - What does "enabling" or "disabling" a channel do?

Nothing to the xmltv world. It is a completely parallel world which is 
only accessed by using the mythfilldatabase program from your mythtv 
box. (With General -> Program Download... -> mythfilldatabase AND forex 
Video Source -> OTA -> mythfilldatabase.

> - It seems like Schedules Direct can *add* channels to the myth 
> database, but it can't delete them?

Of course you can. If you are using the JSON xmltv setup, that is done 
through the JSON configuration process, OR, as previously set out, using 
mythtv-setup -> Channel Editor.


> I'd really like to understand this better.  If there's a FAQ or 
> documentation that explains this please let me know!  Right now the more 
> I read the more confused I get.

I guess I will have to go look at the wiki and see if the setup process 
can be clarified. Last time I looked it seemed reasonable to me, but 
then I *knew* that it was completely different from using the one and 
only! original mythfilldatabase off the web-site. (I've been using the 
JSON xmltv route since 2015!)

Geoff






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