TVGuide for PocketPC 0.6 released

Alexander Turcic · 01-23-2005, 07:46 AM

Yesterday I stumbled over TVGuide for PocketPC, a free, tiny (~250Kb) application to put TV schedules on your PPC device. If you enjoy watching TV, this is a must-have!

To use TVGuide, you need to download the following three tools (all free):
1. vguide-ppc (0.6.0.127 is most current as of today)
2. xmltv (0.5.37 is most current as of today)
3. XML2TVGuide data converter (to convert XMLTV files to TVGuide format)

The documentation of each tool is self-explanatory. First start with xmltv, to scrape the latest TV information from an online source of your choice. Then you must use the XML2TVGuide converter to reformat the xmltv files. The resulting converted files you simply copy somewhere on your PPC (I use a new directory on my SD Card). The first time you start TVGuide, it will ask you to point to this location.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

There are at least two other similar products, Pocket TV Listings and Pocket TV Browser. Feel free to check them out as well.

Bob Russell · 02-22-2005, 08:39 PM

Thanks much for this post Alex. I looked at all three, but I've been using Pocket TV Listings for a while now, and it's almost too good to be true!

I highly recommend this program. It's a real winner!

Alexander Turcic · 02-23-2005, 03:47 AM

Bob, thank you for the follow-up. I remember trying out PTVL, but I think I couldn't get it to work with the includedl WebLink desktop application. It doesn't seem to support xmltv, does it? TVGuide uses the open-source script xmltv, which supports various countries. Does it Zap2It support German TV stations?

Bob Russell · 02-23-2005, 06:46 AM

I'm not sure about XMLTV because the only trick to install was to get the right login for Zap2It, so I didn't bother about details. But I thought it did use XMLTV. Don't have any idea about whether German stations are included. Sorry... I'm not any help on his one.

Alexander Turcic · 02-23-2005, 07:34 AM

I'll try it again, thanks Bob.

Alexander Turcic · 02-23-2005, 01:30 PM

Ok I installed PTVL and gave it another try. WebLink accepts the file that I manually created with XMLTV (latest version), however it doesn't parse it correctly: for instance, some channel names are wrong (they simply show up as numbers). It also doesn't use the extended program information of XMLTV.

I also tried Zap2it, that is I registered on their page and then tried to run WebLink. It doesn't work for me though, comes up with the message "WARNING - Error (500) returned from Zap2it Data Direct".

What's worse, PTVL isn't VGA-aware. When I run my PDA in 640x480 mode, only a part of PTVL only shows on the screen, and I cannot navigate properly.

Sniff, I know that PTVL has a nicer TV layout than TVGuide, but TVGuide works much better on VGA devices plus it fully supports open-source XMLTV.

Bob Russell · 02-23-2005, 04:14 PM

It's depressing how many obstacles there are to doing anything with technology and software. Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? I guess it's like "Why did you climb that mountain?... Because it was there." It drives us crazy if we don't do it!

Skibum · 02-23-2005, 06:27 PM

Quote:

The documentation of each tool is self-explanatory.

HAHAHHAHA!

XMLTV docs give me no clue whatsoever....how about a step by step?

Alexander Turcic · 02-23-2005, 06:29 PM

HEH

Have you checked doc\QuickStart ?

Skibum · 02-23-2005, 07:16 PM

OK I got it now.... tried both... but I like Pocket TV Listings...

Thanks for the tip.

Zire · 02-23-2005, 11:00 PM

Any chance anything like this for palm??? Used to have one but it doesn't work anymore...

Harpgliss · 02-23-2005, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zire71man

Any chance anything like this for palm??? Used to have one but it doesn't work anymore...

Hi,

Here is this one.

Pocket TV Browser http://www.doublebit.com/ptvb/

I use it and it is free.the program does encourage you to buy it.

Uses XMLTV or you can purchase a listings subscription from Evolve which does Second Screen Tv.

I use the XMLTV system and very much enjoy it.

Peace,

David

01-23-2005, 07:46 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	TVGuide for PocketPC 0.6 released Yesterday I stumbled over TVGuide for PocketPC, a free, tiny (~250Kb) application to put TV schedules on your PPC device. If you enjoy watching TV, this is a must-have! To use TVGuide, you need to download the following three tools (all free): 1. vguide-ppc (0.6.0.127 is most current as of today) 2. xmltv (0.5.37 is most current as of today) 3. XML2TVGuide data converter (to convert XMLTV files to TVGuide format) The documentation of each tool is self-explanatory. First start with xmltv, to scrape the latest TV information from an online source of your choice. Then you must use the XML2TVGuide converter to reformat the xmltv files. The resulting converted files you simply copy somewhere on your PPC (I use a new directory on my SD Card). The first time you start TVGuide, it will ask you to point to this location. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. There are at least two other similar products, Pocket TV Listings and Pocket TV Browser. Feel free to check them out as well.

02-23-2005, 07:16 PM	#10
Skibum Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: X50V	OK I got it now.... tried both... but I like Pocket TV Listings... Thanks for the tip. Last edited by Skibum; 02-24-2005 at 06:57 AM.

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02-22-2005, 08:39 PM	#2
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Thanks much for this post Alex. I looked at all three, but I've been using Pocket TV Listings for a while now, and it's almost too good to be true! I highly recommend this program. It's a real winner!

02-23-2005, 03:47 AM	#3
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Bob, thank you for the follow-up. I remember trying out PTVL, but I think I couldn't get it to work with the includedl WebLink desktop application. It doesn't seem to support xmltv, does it? TVGuide uses the open-source script xmltv, which supports various countries. Does it Zap2It support German TV stations?

02-23-2005, 06:46 AM	#4
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I'm not sure about XMLTV because the only trick to install was to get the right login for Zap2It, so I didn't bother about details. But I thought it did use XMLTV. Don't have any idea about whether German stations are included. Sorry... I'm not any help on his one.

02-23-2005, 07:34 AM	#5
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	I'll try it again, thanks Bob.

02-23-2005, 01:30 PM	#6
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Ok I installed PTVL and gave it another try. WebLink accepts the file that I manually created with XMLTV (latest version), however it doesn't parse it correctly: for instance, some channel names are wrong (they simply show up as numbers). It also doesn't use the extended program information of XMLTV. I also tried Zap2it, that is I registered on their page and then tried to run WebLink. It doesn't work for me though, comes up with the message "WARNING - Error (500) returned from Zap2it Data Direct". What's worse, PTVL isn't VGA-aware. When I run my PDA in 640x480 mode, only a part of PTVL only shows on the screen, and I cannot navigate properly. Sniff, I know that PTVL has a nicer TV layout than TVGuide, but TVGuide works much better on VGA devices plus it fully supports open-source XMLTV.

02-23-2005, 04:14 PM	#7
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	It's depressing how many obstacles there are to doing anything with technology and software. Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? I guess it's like "Why did you climb that mountain?... Because it was there." It drives us crazy if we don't do it!

02-23-2005, 06:29 PM	#9
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	HEH Have you checked doc\QuickStart ?

02-23-2005, 11:00 PM	#11
Zire Fanatic Posts: 522 Karma: 14050 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Astoria, NY Device: Zire 71	Any chance anything like this for palm??? Used to have one but it doesn't work anymore...

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