# Bye Bye Zap2it TV Listings for EyeTV



## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

Well, we knew it was coming, and man, what a bummer! Zap2it Labs no longer provides their TV listing data for use in EyeTV or any other app. tptptptp 

Many of us were accessing that data via EyeTV EPG Proxy, and here's a short discussion on the EyeTV EPG Proxy forum. In short, no alternative TV listing data source has been found.  

So, any thoughts? 
I think I'm just going to get a cheap Shaw cable box and use it as the tuner, and run it "A/V line in" to my Plextor (EyeTV clone). Not a perfect solution, but it would give me full onscreen Shaw channel listings, but without the convenient program recording options we've been enjoying until now.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

Upon searching around...

A free application called MacProgramGuide is available as a conduit to a subscription TV listings service called SchedulesDirect. The cost of the SchedulesDirect service is currently US$15/3 months with a 7 day trial. And, yes, they offer Canadian listings as well.

Apparently MacProgramGuide has actions that support setting a recording event for EyeTV.

Personally, I'm not going to bother paying for TV listings, but I thought I'd mention it anyway, as a possible alternative to the lost Zap2it service.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

The widget, CouchPotato has been rewritten has been amended to use the new *paid* service. I really liked CouchPotato when it worked with zap2it listings, which had the only listings for our local Persona service

I can't see paying the $60US/year.


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## bishopandarlo (Mar 22, 2006)

rgray said:


> The widget, CouchPotato has been rewritten has been amended to use the new *paid* service. I really liked CouchPotato when it worked with zap2it listings, which had the only listings for our local Persona service
> 
> I can't see paying the $60US/year.



I was asked to renew my (free) CouchPotato Widget at the end of August. Did that, and have been wondering why it hasn't been working since then. I tried the link they provided me when I was asked to renew - but it no longer works. They never sent me an email saying that it's now a paid subscription. 

If there's anything comparable 'for free' let me know. Thanks.


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## Betty Woo (Feb 5, 2005)

That was the very real downside of getting the elgato eyeTV 250 a few months ago - I'm really a 'hit-n-miss' tv viewer. I don't watch anything religiously and just scan through stuff. So I was really hoping the elgato would eventually get a Canadian subscription (for free, of course) so I could program the thing for certain shows that I wouldn't minde getting (i.e. a bunch of Law & Order shows that aren't heavily dependent on a lot of background plot and that I can watch... whenever).

I'm not paying for TV listings. I'm just... not.

So the only thing I've been doing with the elgato so far has been moving things of video and *that* was a good thing) and... um... watching the Mariners explode when the game's on the local stations.

That's all. That's it.

The only thing not bumming me totally out is that I got it at a great price. Otherwise the lack of the scheduling feature was a *major* turn off right from the get-go.

I still miss tvgrid.com :::sigh:::


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

I still use zap2it for my web-based daily listings, for my exact TV source (cable) and postal code. Am I missing something? It certainly hasn't been shut down for that use.


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## TheDirtyOne (Sep 5, 2007)

HowEver said:


> I still use zap2it for my web-based daily listings, for my exact TV source (cable) and postal code. Am I missing something? It certainly hasn't been shut down for that use.


I think they're refering to pulling the listings from Zap2It Labs for use with an On-Screen Guide such as in a PVR or Digital Box of some sorts.

I used MythTV prior to my current MCE setup. Couldn't stand renewing the labs licenses every few months.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

HowEver said:


> I still use zap2it for my web-based daily listings, for my exact TV source (cable) and postal code. Am I missing something? It certainly hasn't been shut down for that use.


What we've enjoyed until now, was complete TV guide integration with EyeTV. Just click a show in the listing and it would record at it's scheduled time, with show info inserted. Also, the TV list was viewable by just clicking on the EyeTV remote. No web browser required. We'd enjoyed EyeTV as Elgato intended it to be enjoyed, as a stand alone PVR.


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## wcg (Oct 13, 2007)

I just got an Eye TV EZ for really cheap and have been enjoying it but would love to get the program guide.

I noticed that Schedules Direct has decreased their price to $20/year which might make it palatable. Has anyone hooked up Schedules Direct with Eye TV? Would the proxy solution work?


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

wcg said:


> I just got an Eye TV EZ for really cheap and have been enjoying it but would love to get the program guide.
> 
> I noticed that Schedules Direct has decreased their price to $20/year which might make it palatable. Has anyone hooked up Schedules Direct with Eye TV? Would the proxy solution work?


hi,

did you get Schedules Direct working with Eye TV??

b.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

psxp said:


> hi,
> 
> did you get Schedules Direct working with Eye TV??
> 
> b.


Legally, Schedules Direct can not be used with EyeTV. Download the free Mac Program Guide which can use Schedules Direct. MPG can be used to schedule recordings in eyeTV.


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## markw (Feb 27, 2008)

*I really miss GemStar!*

My ancient ATI TV Wonder Pro used GemStar, it was clunky, inaccurate sometimes and easily messed up if another program used similar language... But it got the job done. (About the only thing I miss from my PC days 
I've been enjoying my Elgato for a week now, but I miss not seeing what's possibly on when I change the channel.
The funny thing is, Gemstar always installed some form of TitanTV software and it worked in Canada. I wonder why we can't get anything else to work! 
I could hook up my Sony VCR, that will tell me what's on when I tune to a channel, but I won't get any listings!XX)


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## csonni (Feb 8, 2001)

I paid for a year's subscription to Schedules Direct and use it along with MacProgramGuide. It works great.


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## johnb1 (Aug 6, 2006)

*bummer !*

Yeah, it's one
that's my only beef with this sort of thing, be a it 2nd party pvr or the Elgato or whatever solution you want for Mac tv viewing. The info that the box depends on, be it going to your mac or to the pvr (I have a Panasonic diga) just isn't there
so you can't do multi day recordings. The cable company doesn't send it, and their service doesn't play really nicely with your pvr. With their pvr, sure, but with yours, no.

rats

John B


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