USING MC2XML TO MAKE YOUR OWN EPG - tuturial with open discussion

[Acf150]

I wish I understood this like you guys do. I'm totally lost and the zip file won't even open for me. I just don't get it. I have to dig in deeper and read everything you've posted and how to create my own guide. Or be able to use yours with the places you said to start your own epg for stalker. Thing is I'm really tight for time. But I have to learn this stuff. Nowadays it's a necessity for iptv. I don't know anything about how to use the mc2xml.exe program. I feel left way behind. I hope you can bring this out with all the stalker channels someday like ******** did so we not to tech savvy people can have a guide. Or atleast learn how to do it myself.

[Malos]

Hi everyone i just tried the file it works Thank you very much expatter for the tutorial, I'm going to tinker with it over the weekend and see if i can make it work, I'm not very good at technical stuff like this but i will follow your instructions and see if i can manage it without banging my head on the wall lol. Thanks again for taking the time to help us out

[Tizer]

Yes thanks expatter for the guide tutorial.

Can get the Uk part done ok via Microsoft servers but Pulling US Data from UK for me for various zip codes I have tried give me following results. Note the guide date year 2015. Don't have a US vpn to try pulling with US ip address but I presume its a location error.

<programme start="20150717150000 +0000" stop="20150717160000 +0000" channel="I46.193753106.microsoft.com

SchedD musnt mind to much about location since its Paid for.

Going to try pulling US .xml with Webgrab+ It has more "free" options than mc2xml but a lot slower.

If I'm barking up wrong tree advise me.

[Waylotul]

I wish I understood this like you guys do. I'm totally lost and the zip file won't even open for me. I just don't get it.

I opened the URL listed and its a hosting site, I clicked right on the file name and first couple times I could not get it. I would get a pop up window. I closed all browsers came back, copy and pasted the URL again using IE11. Bam, saved the EPG zip. Extracted the contents to a folder on my drive and then pointed my stalker client EPG section to local path and used the path the XML from the zip.

I cant believe it. The data is mostly complete and accurate! Mine is off by like one channel. I will tinker with it based on information in this thread.

[Waylotul]

Thanks so much pass it on! I have it just now took seconds on laptop running Kodi Jarvis with native stalker middleware. Mine is off by one channel or something odd like that at first glance however the data looks sooooo accurate. That's owesome. Someone said that webgrab+ has more free providers. I read your write up thanks boost over the learning curve.

[ilan]

This is an evolving thread, as we learn techniques for crafting a guide. I note that Expatter didn't run into one of the issues that created a headache for me. His pulled names are simpler and easier to rename, at least the ones that he posted

If you are pulling from the Microsoft source (Rovi, technically, now), the display name ends up being something like 202 CNN. Our service uses the display name CNN US. The only way I could accomplish the transformation in the REN file was to do this

202:
CNN:CNN US

It necessitated a two-step process. You would think you could accomplish the transformation in one step, i.e.,

202 CNN:CNN US

But m2xml does not like the space between 202 and CNN, so (at least for me) I had to eliminate the 202 first via

202:

And then I could handle renaming CNN to CNN US via

CNN:CNN US

I'm not sure if this is the only way or the easiest way, but it does work.

This will make sense to you when you begin creating your REN text file and you are using the Rovi source for your data. If you find a simpler method for doing this, please post your strategy for all to learn.

Necessity IS the Motherhood of Invention!

[anon2599]

How you merging the Data with the usa -uk -ota .xml files mate.I see you using Notepad++
Whats the best and quickest application to merge the .xml files up. ? Notepad ++ or have you found or know of a possible Auto Gui application that works or might work with some input work.

Thanks for your test file...............It works Great............but I need to duplicate this and add Sports .

[ilan]

The I option in the software merges the files, although Notepad++ can be used as well. Read the original posts closely.

[expatter]

This is an evolving thread, as we learn techniques for crafting a guide. I note that Expatter didn't run into one of the issues that created a headache for me. His pulled names are simpler and easier to rename, at least the ones that he posted

If you are pulling from the Microsoft source (Rovi, technically, now), the display name ends up being something like 202 CNN. Our service uses the display name CNN US. The only way I could accomplish the transformation in the REN file was to do this

202:
CNN:CNN US

It necessitated a two-step process. You would think you could accomplish the transformation in one step, i.e.,

202 CNN:CNN US

But m2xml does not like the space between 202 and CNN, so (at least for me) I had to eliminate the 202 first via

202:

And then I could handle renaming CNN to CNN US via

CNN:CNN US

I'm not sure if this is the only way or the easiest way, but it does work.

This will make sense to you when you begin creating your REN text file and you are using the Rovi source for your data. If you find a simpler method for doing this, please post your strategy for all to learn.

Necessity IS the Motherhood of Invention!

I guess you caught me in a weak moment or something, but I will see if I can help you all out with Microsoft. However, I still think it is better to pay $15 for a year's worth of Schedule's Direct. Their info is much better than Rovi. I don't think you actually need to use the channel numbers. I use the -F option for my pull which does away with the channel number and uses only the channel ID. It makes it a lot easier on the head... And my almost 60 year old head needs all the help it can get!

Stay tuned. I'm going out to do errands and will see what's up when I return.

Cheers.

[expatter]

Thanks so much pass it on! I have it just now took seconds on laptop running Kodi Jarvis with native stalker middleware. Mine is off by one channel or something odd like that at first glance however the data looks sooooo accurate. That's owesome. Someone said that webgrab+ has more free providers. I read your write up thanks boost over the learning curve.

Webgrab is a bit more complex to get set up initially. And it is much slower in downloading the info. But, there's more than one way to skin a cat, eh? Mc2xml has about 10 providers when I use Schedules Direct. All I really care about is that it works, isn't that hard to figure out and has good and accurate information. I like getting actual episode info as opposed to just a generic series blurb that is the same every time a show is on.