Playing with EPG (internal/external)

[jirim100]

Hello.

 

I have these channels:

- ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (all are on the same frequency) - source is DVB-T

- ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (all are on the same frequency) - source is DVB-C

- ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (all are on the same frequency) - source is DVB-T2

 

And do the following:

- I export EPG of channels ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (all are DVB-T2) from DMS to .xml file (I do it by the utility XgrabDMS.exe).

- Then I adjust EPG in exported .xml file.

- Then I import EPG in adjusted .xml file back to DMS to channels ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (DVB-T a DVB-C) (I do it by the utility Xepg.exe).

-----------------------------------

 

But now I would like to import adjusted EPG in .xml file to channels ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 - source DVB-T2 too. But still I want to be able to obtain EPG broadcasted from DVB-T2 on these channels.

My idea is every Sunday morning:

- start only tunning ČT1 DVB-T2 for 20minutes to obtain broadcated EPG

- export this EPG to .xml file

- adjust EPG in .xml file

- import adjusted EPG to all three sources (ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 in DVB-T, DVB-C, DVB-T2), not only to DVB-T and DVB-C.

 

Is this possible??     I tried, in channel editor, create copy of DVB-T2 channels, but these duplicates have the same channel id.

 

[Griga]

5 hours ago, jirim100 said:

I tried, in channel editor, create copy of DVB-T2 channels, but these duplicates have the same channel id.

 

Usually the EPG data displayed for channels is specified by the EPG flags that can be set in the channel editor (see EPG button), of course differently for different channel list entries. However, if channels are referenced by their channel ID or EPG channel ID, DVBViewer and DMS will always use the first matching entry from the top. So it won't really help in this case.

 

I would try to change the (Transport) Stream IDs of the copied DVB-T2 channels to some other (dummy) value (except 0, which serves as wildcard). This also changes the associated channel IDs. Changing the service ID would do as well, but there are too many side effects on recordings. Changing the Network ID would only take effect on EPG channel IDs, not on "normal" channel IDs.

 

Additionaly you have to check "Don't update automatically" in the channel editor, otherwise DVBViewer and DMS will change the transport stream ID back to its original value as soon as the channel gets tuned. This measure disables the automatic channel update, which doesn't matter as long as the broadcaster doesn't change PIDs.

 

With a changed transport stream ID the copied channels are different to the original channels for DVBViewer/DMS. Side effects: No native DVB EPG can be assigned to the channels anymore (because the EPG channel ID of the received data doesn't match). So only imported EPG will show up, provided it contains the new EPG channel ID (which can be copied to the Windows clipboard by selecting the channel in the channel editor and pressing Ctrl+G). There may be other side effects that I don't realize ATM - sometimes it's hard to tell in complex environments like DVBViewer/DMS. You need to try...

 

[jirim100]

Great tip!

I tried it and it working. I used for (Transport) Stream ID value "1". 

But when I recording from this channel in .log file is missing lines about EPG actual/following (bottom is only example of it):

...
19:21:15 / 00:00:00 (~ 0,00 MB) Babylon running | EventID: 47827 PDC: 0x834B7
19:21:16 / 00:00:01 (~ 0,00 MB) Kus dřeva ze stromu not running | EventID: 47847 PDC: 0x834D9
...

Edited June 16, 2021 by jirim100

[Griga]

1 minute ago, jirim100 said:

But when I recording from this channel in .log file is missing lines about EPG actual/following:

 

4 hours ago, Griga said:

Side effects: No native DVB EPG can be assigned to the channels anymore (because the EPG channel ID of the received data doesn't match).

 

You can't have it all... if you want the present/following EPG you have to use the original channels with the correct EPG channel ID.

 

[jirim100]

Is it possible to change the calculation of Channel ID taking into account copy of the same channels ?

But, I don't know how deep impact into all source code is.

[jirim100]

I will try different approach based on /api/epgclear.html?source=[Sources]:

- I will try delete all EPG data, then tune to channel for about 20 minutes, then adjust data, then upload data back to channel which was used to receive broadcasted EPG. No more copy of channels.

 

[Griga]

12 hours ago, jirim100 said:

Is it possible to change the calculation of Channel ID taking into account copy of the same channels ?

 

No way.

 

11 hours ago, jirim100 said:

I will try delete all EPG data, then tune to channel for about 20 minutes

 

Way too much. Usually 30 or 60 seconds are enough for getting all EPG data from a transponder. The EIT Schedule for the  CESKA TELEVIZE transponder 12344 H on Astra 23.5° East has a cycle time of 30,5 seconds, measured with the TransEdit Analyzer -> right-click the EIT Actual Schedule node on the left side -> Table Stats -> wait until the cycle time appears. It indicates how long it takes to broadcast the complete information, until it is repeated.

 

Please note that DVBViewer/DMS always store and keep all received EPG data, no matter whether originating from a DVB source or an import. If there is imported data for a channel, tuning it will let DVBViewer/DMS still receive and store the DVB EPG in the background, though it is not displayed. DVB and external EPG coexist in memory without getting mixed up.

 

The EPG flags in the channel editor decide which of the available EPG types is displayed for a channel. If both "DVB EPG" and "External EPG" are allowed and available, DVBViewer/DMS prefers external EPG over DVB EPG. However, by unticking "External EPG" you can switch over to the DVB EPG at any time. The DMS automatically adopts a changed channel list as soon as it is saved in the channel editor on the same PC.

 

[jirim100]

5 hours ago, Griga said:

The EPG flags in the channel editor decide which of the available EPG types is displayed for a channel. If both "DVB EPG" and "External EPG" are allowed and available, DVBViewer/DMS prefers external EPG over DVB EPG. However, by unticking "External EPG" you can switch over to the DVB EPG at any time. The DMS automatically adopts a changed channel list as soon as it is saved in the channel editor on the same PC.

Is it possible to control this throught DMS api? For export EPG I use XgrabDMS.exe, but I don't know which type of EPG it export - probably the EPG type as you explained above.

 

With automatic control type of EPG I would be able the following:

- tune ČT1 (source DVB-T2) for about 2 minutes.

- with some DMS http api untick "External EPG" for ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (all source DVB-T2)

- export DVB EPG by the XgrabDMS.exe

- adjust .xml file with EPG

- import .xml file with EPG back to DMS for ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (sources DVB-T, DVB-C and DVB-T2 too) by the utility Xepg.exe

- with some DMS http api tick "External EPG" for ČT1, ČT2, ČT3 (source DVB-T2)

 

I need to export DVB EPG, but for recording to use External EPG.

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Edit: I found in scripting api this:

• The new source=x parameter, where x is an integer value, specifies to be excluded EPG data sources with the following flag values: DVB EPG = 1 (Bit 0), MHW EPG = 2 (Bit 1), External EPG = 4 ((Bit 2). The default is 0, which means, all sources are allowed. If more than one source is allowed, external EPG takes priority over MHW over DVB EPG. The source parameter also applies if no channels are specified (neither by a xgrab nor by a channel or ch parameter).

Maybe with this parametr I will do what I want.

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by jirim100