Huzzah! I (may have) found the free solution.
I’m using zap2xml and the info there set up to the zip code that previously worked before all this, and my whole guide is back how it was.
I’ll spare you the 3 hour ordeal before finally finding the solution which involved creating a batch file with username and password to run the exe instead of just running the exe. This youtube helped with that. All that’s left is copying/pasting the location of the xmltv.xml file into PLEX, badabing badaboom we’re in business.
The instructions did say to create a daily scheduled task, which is my next step, but it appears it is possible to have PLEX run like it used to…until zap2it shuts down 
