Arctic Surf Designs
To automatically get and add free television listings to eyetv do the following.
- Create a directory called eyetv (you can call it whatever your want). I put it in my website document folder. My directory in this example has the following path:
/Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv
- Make sure that directory also has the mc2xml exec, available here. Ensure that the script has executable permissions (755). The mc2xml download site is down occasionally so a google search might be necessary to find it.
- Manually run the mc2xml exec at least once. In my case I used the following shell commands:
cd /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv
/Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/mc2xml -c us -g 13669
Use your own postal/zip code for your own location of course. I found that the US Zip code just over the border was best for me. All mc2xml options are explained in this pdf.
Once mc2xml is run, files called mc2xml & xmltv.xml are created. You may need to answer one prompt for reception type. In my case it was for over the air channels. Your case may be different. You will need to keep the resulting mc2xml.dat & xmltv.xml files in this directory. The .dat file contains your exec preferences/data and the .xml file, the downloaded tv listings xml file. They are needed so mc2xml will not prompt you again for this information and only run if there has been an update.
- Create a shell script looking something like this, (use your own directory paths and filenames of course). Ensure that the script has executable permissions (755).
-------------------shell script eyetv.sh----------------------
#!/bin/sh
cd /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv
/Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/mc2xml
# open EyeTV with file
open -a EyeTV /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/xmltv.xml
---------------------------------------------------------
- Open EyeTV. In EyeTV clear the EPG database (goto program guide - under top tab on left). Close EyeTV.
- Run your just created shell script once to make sure it runs mc2xml and opens EyeTV.
/Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/eyetv.sh
In EyeTV, under channels set the individual channels to use xml as your EPG and your newly created television listings should be there!
- Make a crontab to run this shell script when you want. I run it once a day at 4:18am
The crontab looks something like this
18 04 * * * /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/eyetv.sh
- You can also manually open EyeTV with the xml file by simply dragging and releasing the xmltv.xml over theEyeTV application icon - either in a finder window or in the dock. Ya gotta love macs....
ADDENDUM
as per comment from Pobregizmo, sometimes eyetv at first will act like it does not have any EPG data. Just ensure that the database file has been in fact updated ( see /Library/Application\ Support/EyeTV/Shared/EyeTVEPG.db ). If it has been updated the trick is to simply do a clean eyetv autoscan of channels and the epg data should then be magically available when you change the channel epg to xmltv.
/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=Motophotolist/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=MotophotoArctic Surf DesignsCustomTagSidebarCustomTagSidebar?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=Motophoto0/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/sidebar/CustomTagSidebarmodifiedDate5CustomTagSidebarreverseMotophotoArctic Surf Designscustom/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/index.rss?tag=hotlist/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/?tag=hotWhat’s HotHotListHot!?tag=hot3/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/sidebar/HotListjeffjeff2011-03-05 23:21:39+00:002011-03-05 23:21:39updated15jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:46:54+00:002011-03-05 15:46:54updated14jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:10:04+00:002011-03-05 15:10:04updated13Added tag - serverjeffjeff2011-01-10 22:59:36+00:002011-01-10 22:59:36addTag12jeffjeff2011-01-07 21:43:50+00:002011-01-07 21:43:50updated11jeffjeff2011-01-06 22:09:25+00:002011-01-06 22:09:25updated10jeffjeff2011-01-06 22:08:50+00:002011-01-06 22:08:50updated9jeffjeff2011-01-06 22:01:36+00:002011-01-06 22:01:36updated8jeffjeff2011-01-06 21:58:08+00:002011-01-06 21:58:08updated7jeffjeff2011-01-06 21:56:35+00:002011-01-06 21:56:35updated6jeffjeff2011-01-06 21:51:50+00:002011-01-06 21:51:50updated5Added tag - hardwarejeffjeff2011-01-06 21:50:19+00:002011-01-06 21:50:19addTag4jeffjeff2011-01-06 21:50:04+00:002011-01-06 21:50:04updated3Added tag - hotjeffjeff2011-01-06 21:50:03+00:002011-01-06 21:50:03addTag2First createdjeffjeff2011-01-06 21:49:34+00:002011-01-06 21:49:34created1weblog2011-03-05T23:21:39+00:00groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/d1060FalseMac Mini Server 2010 Hard Drive Replacement/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/d1060/Mac_Mini_Server_2010_Hard_Drive_Replacement.htmljeff15 updatesMac Mini Server 2010 Hard Drive Replacement
During the crazy Santa period at the store, I was using and testing the server on a shelf beneath my main store counter. At one point my foot sna...Falsejeff2011-03-05T23:21:39+00:00jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:45:54+00:002011-03-05 15:45:54updated58jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:36:34+00:002011-03-05 15:36:34updated57jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:30:21+00:002011-03-05 15:30:21updated56jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:29:45+00:002011-03-05 15:29:45updated55jeffjeff2011-03-05 15:25:11+00:002011-03-05 15:25:11updated54jeffjeff2011-03-05 14:59:02+00:002011-03-05 14:59:02updated53jeffjeff2011-03-05 14:57:04+00:002011-03-05 14:57:04updated52jeffjeff2011-03-05 14:54:37+00:002011-03-05 14:54:37updated51jeffjeff2011-03-05 14:52:03+00:002011-03-05 14:52:03updated50jeffjeff2011-03-05 14:50:41+00:002011-03-05 14:50:41updated49jeffjeff2011-01-25 16:08:38+00:002011-01-25 16:08:38updated48jeffjeff2011-01-25 15:57:47+00:002011-01-25 15:57:47updated47jeffjeff2011-01-25 15:57:07+00:002011-01-25 15:57:07updated46jeffjeff2011-01-20 15:27:50+00:002011-01-20 15:27:50updated45jeffjeff2011-01-20 15:26:51+00:002011-01-20 15:26:51updated44jeffjeff2011-01-20 15:26:18+00:002011-01-20 15:26:18updated43jeffjeff2011-01-20 15:21:54+00:002011-01-20 15:21:54updated42jeffjeff2011-01-20 15:18:20+00:002011-01-20 15:18:20updated41jeffjeff2011-01-18 21:31:59+00:002011-01-18 21:31:59updated40jeffjeff2011-01-18 21:31:34+00:002011-01-18 21:31:34updated39Added tag - programjeffjeff2011-01-18 20:36:28+00:002011-01-18 20:36:28addTag38Added tag - listingsjeffjeff2011-01-18 20:36:22+00:002011-01-18 20:36:22addTag37Added tag - freejeffjeff2011-01-18 20:36:18+00:002011-01-18 20:36:18addTag36jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:35:36+00:002011-01-18 20:35:36updated35jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:35:23+00:002011-01-18 20:35:23updated34jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:33:45+00:002011-01-18 20:33:45updated33jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:31:19+00:002011-01-18 20:31:19updated32jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:24:49+00:002011-01-18 20:24:49updated31jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:24:03+00:002011-01-18 20:24:03updated30jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:20:45+00:002011-01-18 20:20:45updated29Added tag - epgjeffjeff2011-01-18 20:15:36+00:002011-01-18 20:15:36addTag28jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:15:22+00:002011-01-18 20:15:22updated27jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:13:57+00:002011-01-18 20:13:57updated26jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:13:25+00:002011-01-18 20:13:25updated25jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:12:39+00:002011-01-18 20:12:39updated24jeffjeff2011-01-18 20:11:16+00:002011-01-18 20:11:16updated23jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:27:18+00:002011-01-18 18:27:18updated22jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:24:53+00:002011-01-18 18:24:53updated21Added tag - televisionjeffjeff2011-01-18 18:19:51+00:002011-01-18 18:19:51addTag20jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:14:56+00:002011-01-18 18:14:56updated19jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:13:45+00:002011-01-18 18:13:45updated18jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:13:17+00:002011-01-18 18:13:17updated17jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:12:19+00:002011-01-18 18:12:19updated16jeffjeff2011-01-18 18:06:15+00:002011-01-18 18:06:15updated15Added tag - hotjeffjeff2011-01-18 18:06:04+00:002011-01-18 18:06:04addTag14jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:35:22+00:002011-01-18 17:35:22updated13jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:34:23+00:002011-01-18 17:34:23updated12jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:32:46+00:002011-01-18 17:32:46updated11jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:32:31+00:002011-01-18 17:32:31updated10jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:32:19+00:002011-01-18 17:32:19updated9jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:30:47+00:002011-01-18 17:30:47updated8jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:13:49+00:002011-01-18 17:13:49updated7jeffjeff2011-01-18 17:12:37+00:002011-01-18 17:12:37updated6jeffjeff2011-01-18 16:56:03+00:002011-01-18 16:56:03updated5Added tag - eyetvjeffjeff2011-01-18 16:55:52+00:002011-01-18 16:55:52addTag4Added tag - mc2xmljeffjeff2011-01-18 16:55:32+00:002011-01-18 16:55:32addTag3jeffjeff2011-01-18 16:54:02+00:002011-01-18 16:54:02updated2First createdjeffjeff2011-01-18 16:35:17+00:002011-01-18 16:35:17created1weblog2011-03-05T15:45:54+00:00groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/58410FalseAdding free TV program listings to EyeTV/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/58410/Adding_free_TV_program_listings_to_EyeTV.htmljeff58 updatesAdding free TV program listings to EyeTV
To automatically get and add free television listings to eyetv do the following.
Create a directory called eyetv (you can call it whatev...Falsejeff2011-03-05T15:45:54+00:00jeffjeff2011-01-15 15:58:41+00:002011-01-15 15:58:41updated15jeffjeff2011-01-12 22:20:52+00:002011-01-12 22:20:52updated14jeffjeff2011-01-12 22:20:10+00:002011-01-12 22:20:10updated13jeffjeff2011-01-12 22:19:56+00:002011-01-12 22:19:56updated12jeffjeff2011-01-12 21:25:22+00:002011-01-12 21:25:22updated11jeffjeff2011-01-12 21:23:26+00:002011-01-12 21:23:26updated10jeffjeff2011-01-12 21:22:45+00:002011-01-12 21:22:45updated9jeffjeff2011-01-12 21:22:19+00:002011-01-12 21:22:19updated8Added tag - softwarejeffjeff2011-01-12 20:39:34+00:002011-01-12 20:39:34addTag7Added tag - serverjeffjeff2011-01-12 20:39:31+00:002011-01-12 20:39:31addTag6jeffjeff2011-01-12 20:39:12+00:002011-01-12 20:39:12updated5Added tag - hotjeffjeff2011-01-12 20:39:10+00:002011-01-12 20:39:10addTag4jeffjeff2011-01-12 20:39:05+00:002011-01-12 20:39:05updated3jeffjeff2011-01-12 20:38:55+00:002011-01-12 20:38:55updated2First createdjeffjeff2011-01-12 20:34:18+00:002011-01-12 20:34:18created1weblog2011-01-15T15:58:41+00:00groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/b9f91FalseAdding Embed Capability to Snow Leopard Server/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/weblog/b9f91/Adding_Embed_Capability_to_Snow_Leopard_Server.htmljeff15 updatesAdding Embed Capability to Snow Leopard Server
Create a file called whitelist.plist with a proper editor. I used BBedit. Use the attached text for the file. You can always just use the download. I...Falsejeff2011-01-15T15:58:41+00:00hot/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomelist/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/search/?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomeRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdates?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcome0/groups/arcticsurfdesigns/sidebar/RecentChangesListmodifiedDateallRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdateswiki/welcomeNo recent changes.reverse5search
Comments
Pobregizmo (unauthenticated)
Mar 3, 2011
Thank you for posting this!!! Got everything to work fine, copied the shell script out of the post, but when I get back to eyetv, it doesn't list any channels. I assign epg to xmltv, and it says to pick a channel, where it just says none. Please help me out! I would LOVE to get this working! Thanks again for the help!!
Evoshroom (unauthenticated)
Apr 4, 2011
I had the same problem as Pobregizmo, but if you restart EyeTV the channels appear. You will still probably have to switch the EPG from ATSC/Opencable to XMLTV, but after that it works great.
This is an amazing solution.
James (unauthenticated)
Jun 9, 2011
do you get any of the digital channel listings with this? I'm not seeing CityTV 17.1 or CBC 4.1 in the line-up just the analog channels. I'm using the exact same zip code. I tried my postal code and ca as the country code and I get cbc 4.1 but I do not get city tv 17.1
jeff
Jun 11, 2011
James, sometimes you need to use a second zip for a channel. I think I use city-tv from a Toronto postal code. Some stations I use Toronto, some Ottawa, some Watertown, some Plattsburg. I have a separate entry on how to use multiple xml listings
Rob (unauthenticated)
Aug 1, 2011
When I try to run "mc2xml" (alone or with any parameters) I get the response "Bus error: 10". Any thoughts?
jeff
Aug 4, 2011
Bus error:10 is some kind of system instruction/memory error. Don't think it is related to mc2xml implementation. I would delete and get a fresh version of mc2xml and do a restart of your mac.
dseven (unauthenticated)
Aug 25, 2011
Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I'd been struggling with the OTA ATSC EPG since EyeTV dropped TitanTV support. This is mechanism looks like it's going to work great, and this post helped get it set up quickly and easily.
Cory (unauthenticated)
Sep 27, 2011
When I run mc2xml, the last line I see is "Status: No new data available."
I can't seem to get it working.
admin
Oct 3, 2011
Sounds like the comment mc2xml gives when it thinks you have good current data and you are requesting more. I would remove all the mc2xml created files and run mc2xml again.
Alex (unauthenticated)
Jan 9, 2012
/Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/mc2xml: Permission denied
Can't seem to fix that error Permission denied. I check permissions.
Any ideas
Aly_Oops (unauthenticated)
Feb 3, 2012
Get Permission denied when I launch mc2xml
ThunderBolt:~ alex$ /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/mc2xml
-bash: /Library/WebServer/Documents/eyetv/mc2xml: Permission denied
ThunderBolt:~ alex$
Any ideas, I tried resetting permissions, didn't make any difference. Does this work okay with latest Lion OS and iMac?
Johan (unauthenticated)
Mar 10, 2012
Installation and script worked fine. Tried with EyeTV 200 (EU version) and EyeTV 3.5.3 but XMLTV isn't listed under under the Guides tab in Preferences. Perhaps I need to assign channels first and select XMLTV from the EPG column in the channels list?
mph_88 (unauthenticated)
Aug 19, 2012
Great article! The EPG works perfectly when running on my mac, however when using the EyeTV iOS app on my iPad, the guide doesn't come through at all. Does anyone have a solution?
Noah (unauthenticated)
Jan 13, 2013
Great info, Thanks Jeff!!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but cron jobs don't run if your HTPC is asleep at the time of the job, however alarms set from iCal will run as soon as they can after they are missed (ie when you wake your mac). For that reason, I would prefer to update the schedules using an iCal alarm. Right?
admin
Jan 18, 2013
My HTPC is set to sleep (prefs->energy saver) after 1 hour of inactivity yet my scripts run and the EPG is updated nightly, so I always assumed cron jobs run at all times.