[linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Chris Capon]

Hi:
I've installed an HVR-1600 card in a Debian system to receive ATSC 
digital broadcasts here in Canada.  Everything works great.

scan /usr/share/dvb/atsc/us-ATSC-center-frequencies-8VSB > channels.conf

	finds a complete list of broadcasters.

azap -c channels.conf -r "channel-name"

	tunes in the stations and displays signal strength info.

cp /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 xx.mpg

	captures the output stream which can be played by mplayer.



What I'm missing is information about the Electronic Program Guide 
(EPG).  There doesn't seem to be much info on linuxtv.org on how to read it.

Where does the EPG come from?

Is it incorporated into the output stream through PID's some how or is 
it read from one of the other devices under adapter0?

Are there simple command line tools to read it or do you have to write a 
custom program to interpret it somehow?

Could someone please point me in the right direction to get started?  If 
no tools exist, perhaps links to either api or lib docs/samples?


Much appreciated.
Chris.

_______________________________________________
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For V4L/DVB development, please use instead linux-media@vger.kernel.org
linux-dvb@linuxtv.org
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Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Devin Heitmueller]

On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 1:51 PM, Chris Capon <ttabyss@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi:
> I've installed an HVR-1600 card in a Debian system to receive ATSC
> digital broadcasts here in Canada.  Everything works great.
>
> scan /usr/share/dvb/atsc/us-ATSC-center-frequencies-8VSB > channels.conf
>
>        finds a complete list of broadcasters.
>
> azap -c channels.conf -r "channel-name"
>
>        tunes in the stations and displays signal strength info.
>
> cp /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 xx.mpg
>
>        captures the output stream which can be played by mplayer.
>
>
>
> What I'm missing is information about the Electronic Program Guide
> (EPG).  There doesn't seem to be much info on linuxtv.org on how to read it.
>
> Where does the EPG come from?
>
> Is it incorporated into the output stream through PID's some how or is
> it read from one of the other devices under adapter0?
>
> Are there simple command line tools to read it or do you have to write a
> custom program to interpret it somehow?
>
> Could someone please point me in the right direction to get started?  If
> no tools exist, perhaps links to either api or lib docs/samples?
>
>
> Much appreciated.
> Chris.

Hello Chris,

The ATSC EPG is sent via the ATSC PSIP protocol.  I do not know of any
tools currently available to extract the information.  MeTV has a
working implementation (with some bugs I have seen), and I was looking
at getting it to work in Kaffeine at some point.

The spec is freely available here:

http://www.atsc.org/standards/a_65cr1_with_amend_1.pdf

If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line.

Cheers,

Devin

-- 
Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
http://www.kernellabs.com

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Jonathan Isom]

On Tuesday, May 26, 2009, Devin Heitmueller <dheitmueller@kernellabs.com> wrote:
> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 1:51 PM, Chris Capon <ttabyss@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi:
>> I've installed an HVR-1600 card in a Debian system to receive ATSC
>> digital broadcasts here in Canada.  Everything works great.
>>
>> scan /usr/share/dvb/atsc/us-ATSC-center-frequencies-8VSB > channels.conf
>>
>>        finds a complete list of broadcasters.
>>
>> azap -c channels.conf -r "channel-name"
>>
>>        tunes in the stations and displays signal strength info.
>>
>> cp /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 xx.mpg
>>
>>        captures the output stream which can be played by mplayer.
>>
>>
>>
>> What I'm missing is information about the Electronic Program Guide
>> (EPG).  There doesn't seem to be much info on linuxtv.org on how to read it.
>>
>> Where does the EPG come from?
>>
>> Is it incorporated into the output stream through PID's some how or is
>> it read from one of the other devices under adapter0?
>>
>> Are there simple command line tools to read it or do you have to write a
>> custom program to interpret it somehow?
>>
>> Could someone please point me in the right direction to get started?  If
>> no tools exist, perhaps links to either api or lib docs/samples?
>>
>>
>> Much appreciated.
>> Chris.
>
> Hello Chris,
>
> The ATSC EPG is sent via the ATSC PSIP protocol.  I do not know of any
> tools currently available to extract the information.  MeTV has a
> working implementation (with some bugs I have seen), and I was looking
> at getting it to work in Kaffeine at some point.
>
Dvbstreamer supports atsc epg. That is what i use
> The spec is freely available here:
>
> http://www.atsc.org/standards/a_65cr1_with_amend_1.pdf
>
> If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Devin
>
> --
> Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
> http://www.kernellabs.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> linux-dvb users mailing list
> For V4L/DVB development, please use instead linux-media@vger.kernel.org
> linux-dvb@linuxtv.org
> http://www.linuxtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linux-dvb
>

-- 

ASUS m3a78 mothorboard
AMD Athlon64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ 3.1Ghz
4 Gigabytes of memory
Gigabyte NVidia 9400gt  Graphics adapter
Kworld ATSC 110 TV Capture Card
Kworld ATSC 115 TV Capture Card

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Devin Heitmueller]

On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 3:18 PM, Jonathan Isom <jeisom@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dvbstreamer supports atsc epg. That is what i use

Well, learn something new every day.  I didn't realize dvbstreamer had
ATSC support.

Devin

-- 
Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
http://www.kernellabs.com

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Jonathan Isom]

On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Devin Heitmueller
<dheitmueller@kernellabs.com> wrote:
> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 3:18 PM, Jonathan Isom <jeisom@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Dvbstreamer supports atsc epg. That is what i use
>
> Well, learn something new every day.  I didn't realize dvbstreamer had
> ATSC support.

Yep.  Don't confuse with dvbstream.  Separate apps.  with dvbstreamer
you have to cycle
the channels with a script to fill the data for each channel.

Later

Jonathan

> Devin
>
> --
> Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
> http://www.kernellabs.com
>



-- 

ASUS m3a78 mothorboard
AMD Athlon64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ 3.1Ghz
4 Gigabytes of memory
Gigabyte NVidia 9400gt  Graphics adapter
Kworld ATSC 110 TV Capture Card
Kworld ATSC 115 TV Capture Card

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Chris Capon]

Jonathan Isom wrote:
> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Devin Heitmueller
> <dheitmueller@kernellabs.com> wrote:
>   
>> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 3:18 PM, Jonathan Isom <jeisom@gmail.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> Dvbstreamer supports atsc epg. That is what i use
>>>       
>> Well, learn something new every day.  I didn't realize dvbstreamer had
>> ATSC support.
>>     
>
> Yep.  Don't confuse with dvbstream.  Separate apps.  with dvbstreamer
> you have to cycle
> the channels with a script to fill the data for each channel.
>
> Later
>
> Jonathan
>
>   
>> Devin
>>
>> --
>> Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
>> http://www.kernellabs.com
>>
>>     
>
>   
dvbstreamer works.  The FAQ contains a sample shell script for cycling 
through the services.

Thanks for all your help, guys.

Chris.

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Steven Toth]

>> Where does the EPG come from?
>>
>> Is it incorporated into the output stream through PID's some how or is
>> it read from one of the other devices under adapter0?
>>
>> Are there simple command line tools to read it or do you have to write a
>> custom program to interpret it somehow?
>>
>> Could someone please point me in the right direction to get started?  If
>> no tools exist, perhaps links to either api or lib docs/samples?
>>
>>
>> Much appreciated.
>> Chris.
> 
> Hello Chris,
> 
> The ATSC EPG is sent via the ATSC PSIP protocol.  I do not know of any
> tools currently available to extract the information.  MeTV has a
> working implementation (with some bugs I have seen), and I was looking
> at getting it to work in Kaffeine at some point.
> 
> The spec is freely available here:
> 
> http://www.atsc.org/standards/a_65cr1_with_amend_1.pdf

Chris,

You'd expect to be able to get 3-4 days of advanced data to populate a guide 
with, in reality you can often get as little a six hours and that's it. The 
mandatory side of the spec is weak in this area. six hours is fine for Now / 
Next but of little use for anything else.

Depending on your needs, your mileage may vary.

Regards,

- Steve

-- 
Steven Toth - Kernel Labs
http://www.kernellabs.com

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Devin Heitmueller]

On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 10:56 AM, Steven Toth <stoth@kernellabs.com> wrote:
> Chris,
>
> You'd expect to be able to get 3-4 days of advanced data to populate a guide
> with, in reality you can often get as little a six hours and that's it. The
> mandatory side of the spec is weak in this area. six hours is fine for Now /
> Next but of little use for anything else.
>
> Depending on your needs, your mileage may vary.
>
> Regards,
>
> - Steve

Steve,

The spec requires that at a minimum EIT-0 thorugh EIT-3 be sent
(discussed on page 41 of A/65C).  Of course, I don't know if
broadcasters actually comply with the requirement (although I suspect
they could be liable for FCC fines if they do not).  I will get a
better idea when I start working on EIT support for Kaffeine.

Devin

-- 
Devin J. Heitmueller - Kernel Labs
http://www.kernellabs.com

Re: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools

[Adam Charrett]

> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 13:51:11 -0400
> From: Chris Capon 
> Subject: [linux-dvb] EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Tools
> To: linux-dvb@linuxtv.org
> Message-ID: 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hi:
> I've installed an HVR-1600 card in a Debian system to receive ATSC
> digital broadcasts here in Canada. Everything works great.
>
> scan /usr/share/dvb/atsc/us-ATSC-center-frequencies-8VSB> channels.conf
>
> finds a complete list of broadcasters.
>
> azap -c channels.conf -r "channel-name"
>
> tunes in the stations and displays signal strength info.
>
> cp /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 xx.mpg
>
> captures the output stream which can be played by mplayer.
>
>
>
> What I'm missing is information about the Electronic Program Guide
> (EPG). There doesn't seem to be much info on linuxtv.org on how to read it.
>
> Where does the EPG come from?
>
> Is it incorporated into the output stream through PID's some how or is
> it read from one of the other devices under adapter0?
>
> Are there simple command line tools to read it or do you have to write a
> custom program to interpret it somehow?
>
> Could someone please point me in the right direction to get started? If
> no tools exist, perhaps links to either api or lib docs/samples?
>
>
> Much appreciated.
> Chris.
>

I believe the only 2 tools that can extract ATSC EPG information are MythTV and DVBStreamer (not DVB stream).
I haven't any experience with MythTV but I can say that DVBStreamer does appear to work with some US stations and is being used by several people to extract the EPG for use with Freevo.

Heres a link to a simple script to use with DVBSTreamer to update then extract the EPG information for all known/found services:

http://apps.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/dvbstreamer/index.php?title=FAQ

Finally there was another tool, pchdtv, which the author removed from the web sometime ago but might be worth a google for.

Cheers

Adam

Disclose: I am the author of DVBStreamer.

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_______________________________________________
linux-dvb users mailing list
For V4L/DVB development, please use instead linux-media@vger.kernel.org
linux-dvb@linuxtv.org
http://www.linuxtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linux-dvb