HOWTO: ICEguide for MCE now available

[Russell at IceTV]

We now have a help document explaining how to use ICEguide in Windows XP Media Center Edition, as well as a zip file containing all the various files needed to make it work.  Installation is quite easy, and loading the data into MCE works very well thanks to QuickGuide by "BJReplay".
 
The files are available for download on the Support page:
 
   http://server.icetv.info/support/
 
The files currently support Sydney and Melbourne.
 
Thanks,
Russell

[arkay]

Hi,

First Post for me.  

Had to rebuild my MCE machine before I could do any testing.  Installed the guide last night using the instructions from this thread.

No problems with it at all (but I've done several guide installs).

For the non techies out there I think we can do alot more in the user friendly stakes.

i.e:

- A windows installer.
- Correct channel naming to avoid having to manually map channels to guide data.
- Auto enable the guide reg hack via the installer.
- More logic around whether your net connection is active or not (including dialing it if necessary).
- Automatic installation of a scheduled event to update it.

If we can get it to that stage it would be fantastic.

Still testing but all is well so far.  Only minor thing I've noticed is that Doctor Who doesn't show as a series and can't be recorded as one.  Have to manually hit record on each instance in the guide.

Cheers,
               Rick.

[BJReplay]

Hi arkay,

re your comments:

• A windows installer isn't going to help much, because I'm pretty sure that it cannot turn off security on .net, which is one of the steps required.
• This is pretty much impossible (and I've tried it).  It would require that I get the current list of channels as defined in MCE (which I can do), and map them to the list of channels as defined in the XML feed.  That's a job that might be possible if there was one feed of XML data, or all feeds used the same channel names.  Unfortunately, there are many feeds of channel data, all use different channel names, and some feeds have more channels than are defined in MCE.  An alternative is to pick a very high virtual channel number (not currently in use in MCE), and start numbering channels from there.  However, that would then require that the user maps every channel in the feed to the channels in MCE - a big job if the user has a foxtel (or other cable) feed, for example.  Using dumper and editing the names is pretty straight forward, is a once off, and then means that the feed is always usable by MCE.  I've chosen the trade off of supporting users all around the world with pretty much any XMLTV feed - quickguide can usually get it into MCE.
• The reg hack could be done by an installer - if an installer could do the rest.
• dialling - wot - you don't have broadband?
• sheduled event - yes, again possible, but when, how, logged on as who?  I'd have to recreate half a dozen forms around scheduling a job (does it wake the PC, for example), what account, etc - which are all in the add scheduled task wizard.

Now, on the other hand, if someone wants to have a crack at the installer or any of the other suggestions - the source is out there, and there's no copyright.  I guess I'm saying that I'm going to spend the little time I have to spend on this on improving the ability for quickguide to handle any XMLTV feed, and get it into MCE.  Now I'm working on program attributes such as movie, widescreen, repeat, HD, subtitled, ratings, so they show up in the guide.  I sort of figure that if someone finds it on the forums, there's a fair chance they'll get it working.  If I wanted to sell it or package it with hardware, I'd have a bigger job - but also the expectation of income.

I'm pleased, though that you found the program useful.

Re Dr Who - there's a good chance it maps to a category that is defined in your MOVIES categor in EPGXMLWriterParts - if that's the case, remove the MOVIE attribute from the MOVIES category as a workaround - though the next version should address this.

Cheers

BJ

[arkay]

Hi BJ,

All good valid points.  I can see why not much can be done re my last post, sorry if I came off a bit like "it could be better", it wasn't my intent at all

I was thinking though that another installed (doesn't have to be a windows setup.exe) could install everything, set up schedules, do the reg hacks etc.  Even something written in perl and compiled.  Just a one clicker for the technophobes to enable guide data.

I'm fine with setting it up the way it is, it's far far easier than it ever used to be (smatguide etc).  I was more thinking about the non technical people out there.

The guide functionality is awesome and I'm wrapped you're working so hard on the categories and the meat of the guide, rather than worrying about the aesthetics which is what I was talking about.

I was more coming from the point that I want Icetv guide to become the defacto guide standard for MCE that everyone can benefit from.  Lets face it, if we wait for the stations, MS or the "online guide governing body" (can't remember their name) to get off their backsides, we'll still be using TV Week in 10 years time.

I do have broadband but  my modem doesn't have a built in pppoe client so I have to use a broadband dialup connection to connect.

<edit>Removed a question answered elsewhere in the forums.

Keep up the good work

Cheers,


 Arkay.