@michellesullivan I’ve created two simple Perl scripts the create the xmltv file. One gets data from HDHomeRun and the other from Freeview Au. They are both on GitHub at https://github.com/markcs/HDHR_epg and https://github.com/markcs/freeview_xmltv
Please try and let me know! I’ve also got places I can put these.
PM me if you want an example posted somewhere publicly accessible.
Yup, already got to your Github version of HDHR_epg … already mostly changed/updated it to get rid of the curl calls, and all those horrible print and printf statements. Replacing them with LWP and XML::Writer so it all works in pure perl (including ActivePerl / Windows). Will send a patch when done if I can ever work out how to use Github again 
HI, could you explain this process little for me? I have not been able to create a new DVR since I lost it due to these Plex changes! have a subscription to IceTV and even brought the HDHomerun one too, but cannot seem to get it installed in Plex on my Synology server?? thank you
Thanks Daniel, this worked great. The only change to the above is the update took several hours to come through, no biggie though.
This is awesome.
I have got the HDHomerun running on my Mac (I am in the UK) and it gives about a days worth of info.
Can you give some hints whether it’s possible to / how I can modify the Freeview script for freeview.co.uk? …the new Plex EPG is totally screwed up here…
cheers,
J.
The free epg within HDHomeRun gives 24 hours of data, which may be enough to see what’s on TV and record shows.
freeview.co.uk … it could be done by looking at these pages and creating a script to create the xmltv file: https://awsbrain.freeview.co.uk/region and https://awsbrain.freeview.co.uk/programmes/london?date=2019-07-09
But what about this? http://www.xmltv.co.uk/feeds for UK ?
Thanks!
I will try to use logic to modify your script appripriatly. If I get it to work, I will post a link back here.
How did you work out those links so quickly?
Why use Pearl? is it simply a great language or is it because its easy or?
cheers!
J.
Perl was originally designed as a text processing language… so it is ideal for this sort of work.
(Perl is short for " Practical Extraction and Report Language,")
By the looks of the data there it’s all in json and just needs parsing into XML… that should be trivial to do. Probably add as more regions to the freeview script should be able to do it… Mark, want me to take shot at plugging it into the AU script?
Sure! Go for it.
yes please!
You write trivial; I’ve just started downloading “how to learn Perl” documents. I tried inserting the Freeview UK link into your script, but the format appears completely different and I kept getting “unable to connect” error (from line 81).
Just to check the connection, I used:
my $url = "https://awsbrain.freeview.co.uk/programmes/meridian";’
knowing full well it was not the complete path (but works in my browser) but that didn’t work either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! 
Hi,
I tried them before discovering this thread. They only show limited channels for anything longer than 48 hours and it is not clear what their source is.
The same UK channels can have different scheduling not only depending on your region, but also which provider you use (Freeview, FreeSat, BT, Virgin, Sky…).
I have just tried them again and Plex will not pull in the “limited 5 day” feed for me to check its accuracy. The “All 48 hours” works, but looks like this (so not great).
I personally am Freeview OTA (Meridian), so the “always correct” master source for me is:
https://awsbrain.freeview.co.uk/meridian...
Depends on your tuner as well… if you have a HDHomeRun Connect, Mark’s script will pull in 24hours of OTA (or longer if the API provides it).
Mark, I think we should set up a new project (repo) together as this is likely something that we’lol want to expand… have some ideas on layout. I don’t know if you have my email, but if not use the link on my Github profile and the landing page will give you the email, feel free to email so we can discuss how to architect this so if someone else wants to add feeds we can make this very easy to extend.
Hi Michelle,
yes, I have a HDHomeRun Connect and Mark’s HDHR_epg script works perfectly for 24 hours. (awesome, by the way, @markcs !).
I was hoping to get a longer forecast from his freeview_xmltv script though.
Well he and I are collaborating on getting other stuff up as well… maybe expanding this…
However the problem I immediately see (here in Aus) for the EPG is that the freeview one only has ABC/SBS/9 … no 7 or win… (not the freeview_xmltv script that is the problem - it’s the source data.)
I’ve been trawling code to see if I can find out how hdhomerun are getting the guide info because I know the OTA has at least 7 days available… if I can work out how to get the HDHR box to give me the info we can all benefit - either that or someone get me a DVB-T2 tuner module compatible with a Dreambox DM800PVR or DM500HD and I’ll get the full OTA as XML and post it where everyone can get it. (I’d be willing to pay for the module)
Hmm, I get 7 in Melbourne. No WIN TV here though… we may have to look at TVGuide.com.au data
You can get full 7 day EPG from HDHR if you pay for the subscription (I think. I don’t pay). I didn’t work out where the EPG was sourced from though, but I assume it is directly from hdhomerun.com and they would only supply the longer EPG data if you’d paid.
But they’re getting it from my device… they can’t charge me for my collected information… well they can try, but it’s not right… If they collect from everyone and join it all together, thats different, but my device, my info.
I think your device is getting it from HDHomeRun and not using OTA EPG.
Refer to https://www.silicondust.com/dvr-service/ you can actually get 14 days EPG (not sure if that is really available in Au though??)
Hi Mark
Just letting you know your Perl script works great, collects thumbnails & all. I have to say, I am pretty good on the computer but not a line code programmer much these days and certainly had no idea about Perl until a week ago. Maybe the average person not going to see how good this script is because it needed some geeking that you may not realise we don’t all have 
For anyone who wants to give Mark’s script a go on Windows or anything else I guess (I am using Win10) I downloaded Strawberry Perl from their site. Mark said add modules, this initially bamboozled me but eventually figured out, after putting in Strawberry Perl, I ran an elevated command prompt from my Plex data folder (where I extracted his script) then typed:
perl -MCPAN -e shell
install XML::Writer
install JSON
exit
then now back at DOS prompt type:
free_epg.pl --region=region_wa_perth >Freeview_EPG.xmltv
assuming in WA.
Type free_epg.pl to see the other region options.
You then add your Plex DVR and point it to this XML file.
This all done to test from a command prompt.
Once happy it all works, make a task scheduler entry to daily run a batch file like this UpdateEPG.rar (201 Bytes)
Note: Had to use a batch file because task scheduler doesn’t like running .pl extensions. Suggest it is run an hour before Plex does it’s normal scheduled maintenance.
Nice job Mark, even the channel logos are coming up and seasons instead of having month-day format are having the proper SxxExx format and things that should be series are now series, and New recording only also works.
Top stuff. Did you develop all that yourself? It is next level stuff.
Thank you very much Mark, I’m sticking with your script now, it’s in fact producing better results than the old Plex one did, so lemon into a lemonade. 
…and for Mac users, you only need to install the JSON.pm module for Perl (Perl is already installed)…
Open terminal and install Brew:
/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
In Terminal, use Brew to install cpanm:
brew install cpanm
In terminal, use cpanm to install JSON.pm module for Perl:
sudo cpanm install JSON
The sudo command raises the level to admin, so it will ask for your password.
Running it is the same as per @BigAlzy
