My understanding is that Schedules Direct, Zap2it and TVGuide all source their guide data from Gracenote.
As I've mentioned before, I don't know what the resolution to this might be but, just as a reminder, be aware there are regularly some sports broadcasts which are NOT repeats but which Zap2xml includes the previously-shown tag without a date. As I speculated previously in this topic, this probably happens because these particular events don't include the LIVE tag (like most sports broadcasts) because it's on tape-delay and therefore not technically live. In any case, such sports airings would end...
I agree that using the Zap2it IDs would be the preferred method... for the reasons which have already been pointed out. And it sounds like how you're working to implement them makes perfect sense. As far the original air date not being relevant, I'll simply reiterate what I posted previously: "But if you setup a series record for the first time and set it to only record new shows (because, for example, you watched the prior seasons in some other way outside of WMC) then there will be no record of...
I believe TVGuide gets their data from Gracenote, just like Zap2it, so there may be zero difference. Nevertheless, have you tried creating the xml file from TVGuide to see if, by chance, it works any better?
At least as far as the sports broadcasts, all of the ones I've noticed thus far (such as the examples) have definitely not been previously shown. Again, like I mentioned with the examples above, even on the Zap2it website if you click on the program to go into its details and then click on the Episode Guide tab, they indicate "LIVE" or "NEW" there for the airings. So, this confirms that Zap2it knows there hasn't been a previous showing. It's just that for whatever reason with some sports broadcasts...
Yours also show the same weirdness I've seen regarding various sports broadcasts. In the Zap2it guide date most, but not all, sports events include a "Live" indicator. I'm guessing the ones which don't are perhaps on a tape delay? Regardless of the reason, they are NOT repeats. And, indeed, Zap2it doesn't indicate they are repeats - in fact, within the details/episode guide data the do show the Live/New tags (see below for examples). However, the problem is that apparently if there is no "Live" or...
Carl, If you still have them, could you post the 2 different xmltv files you created back-to-back with and without the -D option? I'd like to do some comparisons. Thanks.
But if you setup a series record for the first time and set it to only record new shows (because, for example, you watched the prior seasons in some other way outside of WMC) then there will be no record of prior recordings and it would apparently therefore create recordings you don't need/want. Of course deleting them afterwards is possible but not ideal for various reasons... needlessly wasting electricity to wakeup the PC to record something you don't want, shows such as Carl's example which have...
Based on the above, it sounds like the issue will be that if a show was previously shown further back than the current window of Zap2it data then it will NOT be recognized as a repeat and therefore be recorded even if the series settings are for new episodes only. The question remains if the -D option is used if that will provide the previously shown date even if it's further back? And, if so, is that the only way to avoid recording older repeats? It definitely would be preferable to avoid having...
"Do you get the original air date in the Zap2it file without the -d option?" That's also what I wanted to see... although it's actually the -D (upper case) option. P.S. - 100% agree about TVDB not being a viable method. I think there may be a lot of different volunteers helping to maintain various shows on there, which means sometimes on vacation, sick, etc. I say this because at various times over the years I've seen outdated info for shows last for weeks or even months! And in any case, for the...
"Do you get the original air date in the Zap2it file without the -d option?" That's also what I wanted to see... although it's actually the -D (upper case) option.
Carl, I'm looking into this as well and also have some recent experience with xmltv-to-mxf. If you could post the related zap2xml lines from which the mxf above was generated, I'll see if I can offer any additional insight.
Carl, I'm looking into this as well and also have some recent experience with xmltv-to-mxf. If you could also post the related zap2xml lines from which the mxf above was generated, I'll see if I can offer any additional insight.