Some ideas to improve the Graphical EPG screen

[Peterj]

Spot on. The tweak needs to know what the original channel numbers are so unless you have a bouquet with all of the channels with the correct numbers then it wont work. For example. I use ABM to generate Sky SD channels. So I get bouquets such as "All Channels", "Movies", "Sports" etc. The numbering of the channels in the first bouquet (All Channels) is how I like it - in Sky order. But the sectional bouquets have numbers in the 1000s. For example BBC One is 101 in the first bouquet but in the entertainment bouquet it is say 1001 (dont remember exactly). My tweak makes the numbers consistent so that all of the channels in the other sectional bouquets have the original numbers from the All Channels bouquet.

I realise there may be issues because not everyone has their bouquets set up this way. Which is why I decided to leave it out so that things dont get messy.

What is original channel numbers? There isn't. It is just the way the bouquets are made.
(ABM uses the LCN's send in the dvb streams to create the bouquets).
Also when you set bouquets to alternative numbering, all bouquets starts at 1.
example (using ABM):
you have providers sky sat and virgin cable. So there are 2 all channels bouquets (1 for sky, 1 for virgin).
Both have channel numbers, also the numbering looks the same, like BBC on 101 etc.
When you key in 101, what channels brings up? the one of Sky sat or the one of virgin cable?
Outside the G-EPG keying in picks always the channel number of the active bouquet.

Perhaps you didn't noticed yet, ABM makes a lot of 'fake' channels to get the channel numbers correct. When a bouquet starts at channel 101, there are a 100 fake channels before (hidden) to let the visible bouquet starts at 101.

 

[markus625]

That can be added. The only problem would be how to determine what plugin is tv/movie related

I think you could have options for tvdb for tv related stuff and tmdb for movies etc.
I'm quite happy having numbers in the options red button but I'd just scroll down the list with the arrow keys.

 

[rossi2000]

matt

to determine what plugins will show will be a case of coding to check for a systemplugin dir and if exists append to list

for eg:

if path.exists("/usr/lib/enigma2/python/Plugins/Extensions/TVDB"):
self.list.append bla bla bla

im sure you get the idea

 

[matt007]

matt

to determine what plugins will show will be a case of coding to check for a systemplugin dir and if exists append to list

for eg:

if path.exists("/usr/lib/enigma2/python/Plugins/Extensions/TVDB"):
self.list.append bla bla bla

im sure you get the idea

Oh yeah I understand checking against a pre determined list of plugins. I was thinking more along the lines of how would you know what a tv/movie plugin is. As there are 100s of plugins and there would be no way to know. But I am more than happy to add a list of suitable plugins (should the user have them installed) to the option dialog. What other plugins would be suitable?

 

[birdman]

There is some definitive channel number information around somewhere,...

<widget name="number" ....

in the skin file definition?

 

[markus625]

Ive thought of something else that could go into the red Options list, the bouquet list which you would normally press the TV key to access it, you can only access this with the original remote.

 

[birdman]

Ive thought of something else that could go into the red Options list, the bouquet list which you would normally press the TV key to access it, you can only access this with the original remote.

I like the "normally".
I didn't even know that this existed until I was playing around with things as a result of this thread! I'd only ever known about using <prev and next> to go through them one-by-one. Pressed TV by accident and noticed the event text replaced by a small grey menu...

 

[markus625]

That's why it makes sense to use a list to gain access to these hidden features hey.
I guess many users don't realise about the tv button in the epg guide.

 

[bbbuk]

Ok just had a chance to try this.

Thanks Matt for your work on this.

From my point of view, I'm happy with everything as it is especially keeping -24hrs. I've even had second thoughts about order of red button options because as mentioned these options are available via RECORD button anyhow.

I agree, if implemented, it should be across the board of skins and as for type of EPG I think most people probably just use G-EPG.

As for the channel numbers discussion, I think most people would prefer the ABM (and EPG therefore) to keep to official channel numbering when using either sky and virgin. Obviously, for those that use multisat then official numbering is lot harder if not impossible.

As the sectional bouquets don't keep to official channel numbering ie Sky UK "Movies" sectional bouquet don't start at 301, instead 1000+ then is it possible to implement a work-around within ABM for "sky uk (sd)", sky uk" and "virgin" to keep to official channel numbering?

This would then make it easier within EPG to display official channel numbering next to channel name. As Matt mentioned, if one looks at official sky box and goes to movies section, the channel numbers start at 301 rather than 1000 odd.

I agree you can't compare functionality of E2 boxes and official sky box but for those E2 users that only use their box for single-sat/cable (like me) then odds are we would like to keep to official channel numbering (where possible).

 

[abu baniaz]

You do not need the main bouquet to keep official numbering. ABM will add blanks

 

[matt007]

Have you guys tried searching for a channel using numbers? Would be keen to get your opinions on that

 

[birdman]

Have you guys tried searching for a channel using numbers? Would be keen to get your opinions on that

As I've noted - if you key in a number when watching a channel you will get that channel, so something knows about a definitive list (and you can only key in 4 digits - but that's all I've found in python code so far).
There also appears to be a "number" widget in the skin definitions that shows the same number in the list of channels in a bouquet.
No idea how you access this list, though....

 

[matt007]

I meant the new feature in the graphical EPG where you can enter a channel number to bring up that channel in the view

 

[abu baniaz]

Have you guys tried searching for a channel using numbers? Would be keen to get your opinions on that

It works when you have the all chanenls bouquets created. It would be good if this search feature was not dependent on the presence of the all chanenls bouquet.

Good work

 

[bbbuk]

You do not need the main bouquet to keep official numbering. ABM will add blanks

It works when you have the all chanenls bouquets created. It would be good if this search feature was not dependent on the presence of the all chanenls bouquet.

Good work

Matt mentioned to keep to official channel numbering then all bouquets needs to be created. Sectional bouquets generally don't keep to official channel numbering. As I said previously, if i go into "movies" section, channel numbering is nowhere near the official channel numbering of 301+. It is, however, if you view movies from main section(bouquet).

 

[matt007]

It works when you have the all chanenls bouquets created. It would be good if this search feature was not dependent on the presence of the all chanenls bouquet.

Good work

Ok I see what you mean. If you dont have an all channels bouquet then the channel you are searching will need to be in the selected bouquet. I will see if I can make it non dependant on selected bouquet

 

[Peterj]

Ok I see what you mean. If you dont have an all channels bouquet then the channel you are searching will need to be in the selected bouquet. I will see if I can make it non dependant on selected bouquet

IMO it always should be a channel in the selected bouquet.

 

[matt007]

The files:
EpgSelection.pyo - This contains coding for the new functionality. Place this inside /usr/lib/enigma2/python/Screens

skin_Blue-HD.xml - This contains new elements that will allow you to see the added features. Place this inside /usr/share/enigma2/Blue-HD

epg.png - I modified the look of the epg screen to incorporate the list of bouquets next to the current bouquet. Place this inside /usr/share/enigma2/Blue-HD/infobar


Update:

Fixes:

- Red button is no longer labelled as "Options" in any other EPG screen besides the G-EPG screen.
- Skin xml file and epg.png file have been modified so that the bouquet list does not overlap the current bouquet name
- Can now search for any channel number regardless of the selected bouquet - no longer has a dependency on the "All Channels" bouquet.

Mods can you please remove the other file in post #91. Thanks

 

[bbbuk]

Update:

Fixes:

- Red button is no longer labelled as "Options" in any other EPG screen besides the G-EPG screen.
- Skin xml file and epg.png file have been modified so that the bouquet list does not overlap the current bouquet name
- Can now search for any channel number regardless of the selected bouquet - no longer has a dependency on the "All Channels" bouquet.

Mods can you please remove the other file in post #91. Thanks

Thanks again for that.

Is it now possible to display official channel numbers before the channel name in the EPG if it no longer has a dependency on "all channels"?

 

[matt007]

The only problem with that is, what are the official channel numbers? Your preferred channel numbers are in the "All Channels" bouquet but not everyone has this bouquet. So without this, where are the official numbers?