EPG/XMLTV import

The EPG database is populated from three kinds of sources:

  • EIT from received streams — the stream setting “Extract EIT to EPG database” (SPTS and MPTS, Stream modification);

  • EIT from DVB adapters — the adapter setting “Export EPG” (DVB receiver);

  • external XMLTV sources — by a link to a web resource or from a local file.

EIT extracted from streams and from DVB adapters accumulates in a single built-in source, “stream-import”; every external XMLTV source maintains its own database. A channel identifier is unique within its own source; channel names and event texts are stored in several languages.

Source configuration

Sources are configured on the “EPG Settings” screen (EPG Settings). The “Import” tab holds the general parameters: “Enable import”, “Keep history, days” (retention depth for past events) and “Auto-clean orphan channels” (removal of channels that have no events left).

External XMLTV sources are added on the “Sources” tab: name, “Source URL / path”, “Enabled”, “Update interval, s” (once an hour by default), “Content encoding” (auto-detect or force GZip), credentials and Cookies for restricted web sources, “Save downloaded copy” for diagnostics.

EPG Database

The accumulated programme schedule is browsed on the “EPG Database” screen (EPG Database). The “Database” tab selects the source and provides channel search and a channel-set filter; the channel schedule is paged by day, and the current programme is highlighted. For each channel the following can be changed:

  • “Channel name” — the name used for XMLTV export;

  • “Time zone” — if event times were not bound to UTC on import;

  • “Icon URL” — the channel icon;

  • “Channel sets” — membership in the sets served to external consumers (EPG for OTT middleware).

Manual overrides may be overwritten on the next source refresh — the web interface warns about this.

The “Sources state” tab shows import progress: the last and next update time, the number of channels and events, errors; the “Update now” button starts a source refresh immediately, without waiting for the schedule.