One question about the real interest - if it requires a Windows based PC (assuming a Msft OS would be more popular than Linux) to be on the same network running a "helper" application (but no extraordinarily complicated configuration files), is a program guide still of interest ?

Is this for display only (surfing channel info)? For integration with whatever TV tuner you have (DirecTV, Cable, etc) such that one could change channels? Search upcoming listings? PVR setting, etc? I assume the answer is "yes". It's one thing to generate a viewable, drill downable program guide. It's another to have it be general enough to be useable for all the features that everyone will want once they have access to the guide.

I'll throw a little into the mix, and maybe get some thoughts stirring...

I am sure that some of you remember back when VCR+ was the hot new thing. If I remember, that format had a multi-digit code that was in your news paper or TV guide that you used on the better VCR+ capable boxes, where you actually programmed the code (from the paper/ TV Guide) into the VCR.

Is there still something like that active is the first question.
Second, would it be more simple to query that data to build the guide list? I doubt it, as that info is dynamic...

What really needs to happen is for all the broadcasters to set up a true discrete static ID number for each channel, no matter what service (DTV, Dish, cable, etc) is used. That would solve the problem of reassigning channel numbers/ icons/ macros/ etc. every couple months, as DTV and the others keep moving channels around.

From there, if a static ID of some kind were assigned to each availabl program, I think that the query of the Channel, Program crap would be a lot quicker and more simple.

I know that there are some markets that have info like this available now, but I don't think it is a standard.

Wouldn't it be great though...

Hi all,
I like to revive this thread again since it's still on my wanted list. I searched a little further on the web to find some help. I found this French website [Link: homecinema-fr.com]
Cattz developped a prontomodule to use the xml data from xmltv file which he updates every day. This is the easy part. The problem with this module is that he made it for the french channels. A lot of people use his module and it seems to work fine.
Is there anybody interested to take it a little further and make it a more versatile module. You can grab xmltv data for almost any country if you use mc2xml. They get the data from microsoft which is open for all MCE users.

I have been taking a few steps towards a complete TV guide for the 9400. The solution need a running windows computer with girder installed. The girder script can be used with Girder pro version 4 or 5. Girder is not free. I’m not sure if the free download trial version is a pro version or not.

XMLTV is free and configs are available for many countries, see link:
[Link: wiki.xmltv.org]

XMLTV grabs the TV-guide data and store it in a XML file on the PC. This takes a couple of seconds and is I use girder to schedule this once a day.

Girder side:
I wrote a server LUA script that rely one the plugin XLMTV for all the searching in the XLM file, se link below for Girder XMLTV plug-in
[Link: promixis.com]


Pronto config:
The number of now and next listings for each channel can be changed with two hard buttons. Up and down arrows browse through the channel list. Right and left arrow adds and subtracts one hour to the listed time, all the tv listings forward in time from the xml file can be browsed in this way. The update on the screen is almost instant because of the setup with a server side; not much has to be processed on the Pronto side.  

I have just started to use the module on the pronto, I have used the simulator for development. A lot more should be added in the future, progress bar, show info pop-up panel, one page with only listing for one channel including channel logo and progress bar. Search can also easily be implemented; the work will be handled by the xmltv plug-in so it shouldn’t be hard to add on.
I’m not sure when and if I will add these features; I do not have so much time to play with this toy during the autumn.
 
Some pictures:
[Link: picasaweb.google.co.uk]