Cliff Watson EPG add-on for MyHD, FusionHDTV, and HD Homerun

[TPeterson]

CW_EPG Version 3.0.2 (updated 4/6/09, note: $20/year subscription to Schedules Direct TV listings required for use--but you can try it free for 7 days)

See Post #3 below for some screen shots.
======================

INTRODUCTION
============

The Cliff Watson Electronic Program Guide (CW_EPG) is a tool that works cooperatively with the MyHD and FusionHDTV applications and the HD Homerun tuner units to improve your television-scheduling and schedule-viewing experience.

The typical scheduling approach in both FusionHDTV and MyHD uses TitanTV as a source of programming information, which works very well for one-off captures. But it's hard to set up captures for a desired show series because (1) program schedules often vary from week to week, (2) TitanTV only shows two week's worth of programming, and (3) MyHD and FusionHDTV both have only simple-periodic recurring capture modes in daily or weekly repetitive patterns. Their built-in alternative to TitanTV is to use the PSIP programming information that is supposed to be sent along with the DTV data stream. However, that data source is often unsatisfactory, because the station either doesn't send it at all or only sends it a few hours ahead of the scheduled programs. Also, the PSIP information is only available for a given channel after you have tuned to it for a minute or so.

In contrast to TitanTV and the PSIP data, the CW_EPG scheduling approach downloads a complete schedule of television shows for all your channels for the next twelve days and displays as much of it as you specify in the MyHD EPG tables where the PSIP data used to appear. (Currently, the PSIP data are still used in FusionHDTV's tables) The schedule information comes from a Schedules Direct account (that you will need to set-up). You can use the OSD EPG table to schedule one-time captures just as you could before with the PSIP data--but now all the channel listings are there as soon as you press the GUIDE button and you can schedule up to 12 days ahead.

CW_EPG can handle recurring captures much better than does the hardware manufacturers' software alone. By setting up a scheduled Windows Task, you can automatically and periodically have CW_EPG update the EPG listings and use the current day's data to schedule recordings based on a list of shows that you provide via the CW_EPG control panel. Voilà--you now have "season passes" to all your favorite shows!

You can even set up these "season passes" from within MyHD. To do so, use the OSD EPG menu for entering a capture event, but choose "Pass" as the recording type. CW_EPG flags these entries as requests for it to enter new programs that it is to seek in the Schedules Direct listings and schedule automatically.

CW_EPG, with its ability to manage scheduled events for MyHD, Fusion, and HD Homerun hardware (with no 3rd-party app), gives you a convenient single interface to manage your scheduled recordings. Rather than dealing with several interfaces and manually splitting events between tuners, you just tell CW_EPG how you want to use your tuners (primary, secondary, etc.). Events will be scheduled based on the priorities you have defined.

Using CW_EPG, the end result is still standard MyHD, Fusion, and (CW_EPG driven) HD Homerun capture events, but they are mapped out using CW_EPG's 'brains'. CW_EPG just hands the appropriate tuner software one-time captures that make sure you record all of the shows that you have specified by name, no matter when or on what channel they appear.

DOWNLOAD THE CURRENT VERSION
==============================

To get the new package, go here and follow the (attached) ReadMe instructions to set it up. (Note: There is a section with instructions for those updating from earlier versions. For upgrading, make sure to point the installation wizard to the folder containing your existing CW_EPG files. Edit: Turns out that should read "updating from earlier 2.x versions." If you're using a 1.x version, you'll need to either start over with this one or first upgrade to version 2.0 and run it at least once before you upgrade to the current one.)

Please post any issues that you discover to this thread.

CHANGES IN LATEST VERSION (See ReadMe for complete history)
===============

4/6/09 Version 3.0.2 released

- Fix for occasionally duplicated scheduling
- Options page hints corrected
- No Longer need 120dpi switch
- Fix for selecting "EPG Only" MyHD mappings would remove from listings, even if station defined on other tuner
- Rework Scheduling logic for more optimized scheduling with padding
- Fix "Block Scheduling" did not delete the actual scheduled capture for HDHomerun tuners
- Fix bug for Manual scheduled captures in multi Fusion tuners
- Cosmetic fix for HDHomerun filename display
- Fix for History entries not being removed correctly in HDHomerun only configuration
- Option to "Sort By Tuner" on scheduled captures page
- Added HDHomerun tuner info to log capture entries
- Fixed cosmetic problem that start time for HDHR manually scheduled in-progress recordings was incorrectly shown in various places.

KNOWN ISSUES
===============

- Cosmetic problem: Installer warns of disrupting HDHR recordings in progress even if no HDHR tuners were defined in prior installation.

Enjoy!

--The CW_EPG team:
AllenDB
HdtvinCR
KAXKID
Mntneer
Sengsational
Sterno3
TPeterson

[Pagali]

Didn't take long to set up cause I had just done the same steps for MyHD_Auto. The CW_EPG program worked fine, I scheduled a couple of recordings and populated the EPG for MyHD. However, when I try to open MyHD, I get this message window:

[TPeterson]

(Thanks, Nani)

This is the main Tab of CW_EPG:

The "Listings" panel shows the Program Listings downloaded from Schedules Direct.
The "Programs to Match" list shows two program names that were typed in using the "Add Match Item" box.
The "Matches" panel shows the results of CW_EPG finding matches for the two program names for both of the configured HDHR tuners.
The first, third and fifth entries in the "Matches" panel are BOLDed indicating that captures for these episodes will be scheduled.
The second, fourth and sixth entries are Grayed out indicating that they are already scheduled on another tuner.
Clicking on the "Schedule Matches" Button produces the Information box showing that three programs were scheduled:


The "Scheduled Captures" Tab shows the programs currently scheduled:


Finally, the Options window is where you set up tuner-channel and other user preferences:

It's all even easier than it looks.

[Pagali]

Originally Posted by TPeterson

Did you copy the MyHD.exe file into the folder where you had installed MyHD version 1.66? Or perhaps you forgot to first install version 1.66? I guess we need to update the ReadMe to be more explicit about the fact that this will only work with version 1.66 of MyHD.

Yep, backed up myHD.exe, copied new MyHD.exe into the folder. Anything else I can check? I'm quite sure I was using 1.66. I remember updating shortly after I installed the board a couple of weeks ago.

I'm on an Intel P4 with XP Pro, all updates.

UPDATE: oops, just restored the myhd.exe file.... I had 1.65u. I'll update now and try it again.

[Pagali]

OK, that did it. Had to fiddle around with some settings, uncheck the Use Web Guide box, but now it's working, including the EPG. Looks good!

[Pagali]

I just searched through the CW_EPG readme.txt file, and the first post in this thread, and didn't find anything about version 1.66 until you mentioned it in your reply to me. I feel a bit less stupid now. LOL

Yes, you definitely need to let people know that.

[TPeterson]

Version 1.66 has now been out for over 6 months. I'd actually forgotten that there might still be folks out there using an earlier one. Thanks for surfacing the issue.

[adriangrado]

I just started using this program today and it's great. The only thing I have a question about is setting up the batch file to run the program and download the updated data. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Pagali]

Originally Posted by TPeterson

Version 1.66 has now been out for over 6 months. I'd actually forgotten that there might still be folks out there using an earlier one. Thanks for surfacing the issue.

Yep, they're still selling them, so there's bound to be some of us johnny-come-latelies who just installed it and haven't had any problems that made us install updates. I had actually downloaded 1.66 before the card arrived, and then forgot to apply it. I'm a HiPix veteran, so the MyHD is a vast improvement. I've been enjoying it a lot. All the addon tools are fun and useful too. Thanks to all of you!

[TPeterson]

Adrian--

Just try it for a while manually and see if you can find any bugs. Then you can experiment with setting up a Windows Task Scheduler event to launch it. (Hint: You don't actually even need a batch file)

Within a week I'll post a tutorial on this for those who haven't figured it out for themselves.

[the_gunner]

Just tried out the CW_EPG. Very nice. Great work guys!

[jimwhite]

Well now, I guess I'm gonna have to get off my duff and actually install one or more of all these HDTV watching/recording add-ons.... but I'm a bit confused (seems to happen more and more as I get older ?) There's WatchHDTV and MyHDAuto, MyHDPlayListManager, now CW_EPG and maybe more? Where/how do they all fit together?

I sure do miss him....

[hdtvincr]

Originally Posted by jimwhite

There's WatchHDTV and MyHDAuto, MyHDPlayListManager, now CW_EPG and maybe more? Where/how do they all fit together?

Let me help you out..

WatchHDTV - I know nothing about it but the web page I looked at mentions nothing about supporting the MyHD card.

MyHDAuto - Was the base app that has turned into CW_EPG. Look at CW_EPG as an upgrade to MyHDAuto.

PlayListManager - Is a seperate tool created by AllenDB for working with playlists. It does not schedule or feed the EPG. Eventually CW_EPG will likely contain these features, but not yet.

So... All's you need right now is CW_EPG and PlaylistManager for working with the MyHD card.

[madpoet]

Excellent work guys! And a very fitting tribute.

[Karyk]

Originally Posted by madpoet

Excellent work guys! And a very fitting tribute.

Ditto.

Does this change anything about the actual process of recording, as opposed to the scheduling? In other words, is this just an alternative way to get the MyHD program to do the same thing, or is it doing something different?

The reason I ask is I'm having issues where MyHD ends a recording while I'm using another program to watch something else. Powerstrip is apparently noting the termination of MyHD and changing the screen resolution.

[hdtvincr]

The recording process is the same. This is just a different avenue to schedule it to do the recording.

[br0wser]

Any plans to make similar app for the Fusion software? It desperately needs good epg guide...

[TPeterson]

Plans? Yes (note the CW_EPG developer list and compare it with certain other programs) but don't hold your breath just yet.

[hdinlexky2]

Good job on the update, this certainly makes the program guide more useful.

I did find a couple bugs in the program

#1 I watch channels in QAM cable (ant 2) and over the air digital (ant1). When I switch inputs from antenna 1 to 2 or visa versa the picture and sound go away, it still shows I am getting a good signal, but thing that tells you the resolution will read 0x0i(auto), instead of 1280x720p or 1920x1080i. If I switch to file, then back to ant 1 or 2, it will correct itself but when I switch between ant 1 and 2 the picture / sound ago away. I went back to the old version and this problem went away, so I know this problem is related to the new program version.

#2 My windows is setup up for 120 dpi resolution for the fonts, when I opened up the CW_EPG.exe I was unable to get some of the buttons because they didn't fit inside the window. (For example I couldn't see the "Post EPG" button. Further the window had no scroll bar so I couldn't get to them. I head to set my font resolution back to the windows default of 96 dpi to correct the problem.

So far those are the only errors I have encountered, I will let you know if I find more

[hdtvincr]

#1 I watch channels in QAM cable (ant 2) and over the air digital (ant1). When I switch inputs from antenna 1 to 2 or visa versa the picture and sound go away, it still shows I am getting a good signal, but thing that tells you the resolution will read 0x0i(auto), instead of 1280x720p or 1920x1080i. If I switch to file, then back to ant 1 or 2, it will correct itself but when I switch between ant 1 and 2 the picture / sound ago away. I went back to the old version and this problem went away, so I know this problem is related to the new program version.

I also run QAM on Inp2 and OTA on Inp1. I can not reproduce the problem you are describing. Any guesses Terry?

#2 My windows is setup up for 120 dpi resolution for the fonts, when I opened up the CW_EPG.exe I was unable to get some of the buttons because they didn't fit inside the window. (For example I couldn't see the "Post EPG" button. Further the window had no scroll bar so I couldn't get to them. I head to set my font resolution back to the windows default of 96 dpi to correct the problem.

You people and your dang big fonts! I accounted for the extra large font size in the desktop settings, but not the 120 DPI. Gotta wait for the next post.

[TPeterson]

Originally Posted by hdtvincr

I also run QAM on Inp2 and OTA on Inp1. I can not reproduce the problem you are describing. Any guesses Terry?

Same here...I can switch from Ant1 to Ant2 and back using either the remote or the keyboard and I see no anomalies. Lexington, you'll have to provide more details of your recipe for this observation.

[hdinlexky2]

Originally Posted by TPeterson

Same here...I can switch from Ant1 to Ant2 and back using either the remote or the keyboard and I see no anomalies. Lexington, you'll have to provide more details of your recipe for this observation.

I did some experimenting to figure this out. I reinstalled MyHD. This didn't fix the problem, when using the new version of MyHD. Again the old version (1.66u unmodified) didn't have this problem.

But I figured something out from tinkering. I am using full time shift and that seems to be related to the problem, because when I took this off, the problem went away when switching inputs. Timeshift on demand didn't have this problem, until I started to recording.

Let me know if you see this problem using full timeshift.

Thanks!

[hdtvincr]

Originally Posted by hdinlexky2

Let me know if you see this problem using full timeshift.

Yes. I CAN reproduce it with timeshift on demand enabled.

I tried the original MyHD and it functioned properly. Thanks for the find.

[TPeterson]

Me too. It seems that TimeShift is hosed in the modified MyHD.exe. Thanks!

[Cris Moore]

Terry,

I this "replacement" MyHD.exe file being built by "The Team" or is it a special build that you get from MIT?

[russwong]

Wohoo, sounds awesome. Great work guys!

Russ

[TPeterson]

Cris, the MyHD.exe supplied in the beta package is a "test version" from MIT, used with their permission.

[Kei Clark]

AllenDB, HdtvinCR, Mntneer, Sengsational, Sterno3, and TPeterson

Congrats to you guys and thank you from the bottom of my heart! I followed your directions, got everything up and running in a few minutes, and saw my first recording kick in, you guys did a great job! I second jimwhite's sentiment, I wish Cliff was around to see this happen, he would have been like a kid in a candy store. I can't thank you guys enough, but I'm trying.

[Sarcoma]

I hate being the only (or at least first) one to report a problem but ....

I have been running MyHDAuto for a few weeks now (cue Max Smart) and loving it. Since MyHDAuto has been working so well I felt a little trepidation in messing with a working system, but decided that having a populated EPG was worth it. So I first downloaded CW_EPG to a computer without the MyHD card and ran the program to see how things looked.

CW_EPG started up fine and looked virtually identical to MyHDAuto so I decided to give it a shot on my HTPC. I decided the easiest way to implement CW_EPG would be to place it in the folder with MyHDAuto. I made the appropriate name change for MyHD.exe and copied the new version of MyHD.exe to the MyHD folder. Now I was ready to rock!

I started CW_EPG and immediately got this error message:

Access violation at address 004F77ED in module 'CW_EPG.exe'. Read of address 000002F4.

When I click OK in the error dialog box, everything runs fine. The program correctly reads my record schedule, correctly sets up records, and correctly populates the EPG which I can then view when I run the new version of MyHD.exe.

I figured I could live with one extra mouse click since everything worked after dismissing the error dialog box. So then I tried modifying my batchfile to use CW_EPG in the auto mode and found that the error dialog box must still be dismissed before it will continue in auto mode.

I tried unzipping CW_EPG into an empty folder and had the same problem there. My computer is running WinXP SP2 on an Athlon processor.

So, until I/we can get this sorted out, I am back to using MyHDAuto which appears to happily coexist with CW_EPG.

Is it possible that

[Sarcoma]

As I was trying to figure out what was causing the problem referred to in the preceding post, I noted a couple of things that I thought I would make as suggestions:

1. An option to clear the program schedule before scheduling the new programs. CW_EPG was reporting a conflict so a show was not scheduled. Looking at the schedule, I couldn't find a conflict. Thus I started thinking that CW_EPG wasn't working properly. Upon further investigation, the conflict was with the show that "was not scheduled." Since I never schedule records from the MyHD application (haven't had a good reason to do so up until the advent of CW_EPG) I would choose to erase all scheduled programs and then repopulate the scheduled records. Others who may set up records using the new EPG listings would choose to not erase. The only reason for this to potentially be an issue would be for a change in schedule on the day of airing, but I would like to be covered in such a case.

2. Zap2It allows you to have multiple lineups. In my case I have one for DISH Satellite Programming and one for the antenna. The program that was used in conjunction with MyHDAuto allowed you to choose which lineup to download (although based on time, I believe it downloaded both lineups but only saved one). CW_EPG uses all lineups by default. This caused VERY slow operation until I figured out that I had an extra couple hundred channels that CW_EPG was trying to manage. It would be helpful if CW_EPG allowed us to choose which lineup to use.

Despite my problem and suggestions, I view this as a VERY positive step for MyHD. With the suggested eventual inclusion of Allen's Playlist Manager, this will only get better! I also appreciated the inclusion of the post by Kei about Cliff. I had missed the post about Cliff's demise.

Sarc