xmltv

Xmltv is a collection of Perl scripts that can be read with which TV information from various sources and spent in the open XML format.

Background

The individual scripts are referred to as a grabber. Communicated during the grabber for North America, according to official agreements on specially for xmltv -scale interface, there is usually only scripts that less efficient download the TV from the websites of various TV magazines. Due to layout changes and aspirations of webmasters to stop the reading by unauthorized scripts, they do not always work reliably. In addition, this approach is illegal, because database works are protected by copyright law and the companies prohibit an automated reading their websites mostly in the General Terms and Conditions. However, there are a small number of legal sources that provide the Licensed Materials on xmltv interfaces.

Usability

The generated XML from xmltv file can be read and processed by many programs. An example of this is the PVR MythTV program, the TV viewing program tvtime or small applets OnTV for the GNOME desktop. Also, My Media System (MMS ) used xmltv.

By charging for the EPG data of most private German TV station by VG Media using xmltv is further limited because many sites can supply from 1 January 2008, no free shipment data of these stations more. The data are now subject to a right of use that must be bought for a not inconsiderable fee.

Alternatives

• Next View - Program information about the analog TV signal
• TV-Browser - platform-independent open-source project with the program information of predominantly German TV, radio and cinema broadcasts.