Open-source / free universal EPG / XMLTV data API

Question

I am looking for (an open-source, aka "free") data-source for universal EPG / XMLTV services?

The project needs updated/updateable real-time TV scheduling info, in an easily parsable format. It also MUST be available at no cost or a VERY liberal license. Thanks for any advice or alternatives.

I am open to coding my own solution, if anyone has some suggestions on where to start.

Answer 1

How about MetaBroadcast?

http://metabroadcast.com/products

They support XMLTV and there are free APIs to my knowledge..

Answer 2

Annoyingly, there is apparently NOT a free provider of USA EPG data... (Unless you consider the OTA EPG signal "a provider"...) (see UPDATE solution below)

TitanTV.com has a nice, free, grid service, but I do not think they still provide a feed, although they used to....

One pretty good sounding option is.. ZAP2XML

zap2xml is a small and fast command line script for Windows/Linux/OSX/* that connects to a Zap2it.com TV Listings account, downloads the tv listings grid data and converts the .html to XMLTV formatted .xml or XTVD formatted .xml

Cannot vouch for "zap" personally, but the method/concept is sound, if not their specific implementation...

If you can rock $20 a year, the easy way is.. Schedules Direct, a non-profit organization that provides EPG for Open Source Software.

The cost of membership is currently US$20/year, with a 7 day free trial. A 2 month membership is also available for US$5 for those who do not wish to commit to an entire year.

Also, Here is a good list of scrapers / XMLTV processors.

UPDATE: YAY. I totally hunted down a FREE, and REALLY nice solution..

This is where I found out how to.. download XMLTV and this gunky little binary that end you up here....

    Loading ..... : mc2xml (c) <[e-mail]> (v1.0)
Reminder .... : Unauthorized redistribution prohibited.
Reminder .... : If this software is useful, please donate!
Connecting .. : microsoft.com

Select lineup: 

  0: Digital Terrestrial Lineup (TER)
  1: Fresh Meadows, Verizon Fios Queens (CAB)
  2: Fresh Meadows, Verizon Fios Queens (Digital) (CAB)
  3: New York, DIRECTV New York (SAT)
  4: New York, DISH New York (SAT)
  5: New York, NYU Campus Cable (CAB)
  6: New York, RCN Cable (CAB)
  7: New York, RCN Cable (Digital) (CAB)
  8: New York, Rainbow Satellite The Tate (CAB)
  9: New York, Time Warner Cable St. Vincent Medical (CAB)
 10: New York, Time Warner Southern Manhattan (CAB)
 11: New York, Time Warner Southern Manhattan (Cable-ready TV) (CAB)
 12: New York, Time Warner Southern Manhattan (Digital) (CAB)
 13: New York, Verizon Fios New York Plus (CAB)
 14: New York, Verizon Fios New York Plus (Digital) (CAB)
 15: USA, AFN Satellite (SAT)
 16: USA, DIRECTV (SAT)
 17: USA, DISH Network (SAT)
 18: USA, Globecast World TV (SAT)
 19: USA, Sky Angel (SAT)

[mc2xml] (0-19): 0

Downloading . : microsoft.com
Downloaded .. : 409896 bytes in 1s
Source ...... : Zap2it
Headend ..... : 28521459 (B07010-)
Version ..... : 2784784406
Start time .. : 2011-09-13T

Now THAT is how it SHOULD be. Amen. Just open up the resulting XML file in EyeTV, or what have you.. and keep that sucker updated via CRON or launchd, etc.

He says you need to put it in a web accessible directory, but I don't see why.... and also, I had to run it the first time like this...

../eyetv/mc2xml -c us -g 10011

with -c us representing where I be from, the U.S.A... and -g 10011 further geolocating me to my postal zip code for stalking and raping purposes.... don't forget to vote, goodnight everyone!

Answer 3

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/XMLTV has lot of sources but they are country specific. Not sure of a Universal one.