Guide Data for IPTV?

[bruor 31]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the best approach to use Emby guide data with an IPTV service.

Is there any information out there on what channels are included in which options that you can select?  I'm hoping to just pick the most robust cable/satellite option for Canada and USA to hit the bulk of the non OTA channels, but the provider has east/west also and I'm unsure if I would need to provide a postal code from each region for the feed. 

There are about 100 local local channel cities also included, am I going to have to create a guide data instance for each city or is there a way to just pull all NA data in one feed? 

Also, how does channel name matching work?  Will it try to auto match the channel name if no existing guide data is configured for the channel?  If I remove a mapping from a bad match and then add a new provider for the same tuner will the bad mapping will it search first against the newly added guide data instance to try to fill in the blanks? 

Also, Is the guide config/mappings included in the backups and would it be restorable from the backup to another server? 

If Emby guide data isn't the way to go I'm open to other options. Ideally I'd like to get as close to the emby data experience. Are there any third party tools or plugins that are good for this?

Edited January 8 by bruor

[BillOatman 501]

Not a plugin, but generates m3u and xmltv files from your providers links, and xmltv data from their own extensive datasets as well as an other sources you want to use. Not free, but very reasonably priced and works great.

It is called IPTVBoss

[RanmaCanada 345]

You will want to use IPTVBOSS as suggested.  Just a heads up, using your IPTV provider in Emby can be considered restreaming by your reseller and is a very quick way to have your account terminated and have you blacklisted.

[BillOatman 501]

On 1/8/2024 at 9:48 AM, RanmaCanada said:

You will want to use IPTVBOSS as suggested.  Just a heads up, using your IPTV provider in Emby can be considered restreaming by your reseller and is a very quick way to have your account terminated and have you blacklisted.

Particularly if you are operating Emby as a money making business.

[bruor 31]

Just trying to maximize my experience integrating my IPTV provider with my emby instance.

Hoping someone can speak to using emby guide data without having to set up a ton of sources. 

Edited January 10 by bruor

[BillOatman 501]

On 1/9/2024 at 7:19 PM, bruor said:

Just trying to maximize my experience integrating my IPTV provider with my emby instance.

Hoping someone can speak to using emby guide data without having to set up a ton of sources. 

That's exactly what IPTVBoss does.

[Options 5]

On 1/8/2024 at 6:48 AM, RanmaCanada said:

You will want to use IPTVBOSS as suggested.  Just a heads up, using your IPTV provider in Emby can be considered restreaming by your reseller and is a very quick way to have your account terminated and have you blacklisted.

That's not the main reason they blacklist emby because as you say they consider it restreaming. The reason iptv providers blacklist emby is due to emby taking forever to download the epg guide data causing the iptv providers bandwith to be sucked up so they blacklist it. If you take the time to map your channels using what emby offers it's very easy and free included with emby. I can get blacklisted iptv servers running just fine on emby without any issues using emby's guide and also User agent http header for emby does nothing as they can still see emby. However, iptvboss is good for those who have thousands of channels that think it's needed to have 30k channels loaded in emby lol.

If I had people downloading epg data for 30 or 40k channels I would block it to. Just use the channels you watch and map them.

Edited January 16 by Options

[bruor 31]

What approach do you take when it comes to mapping data to the channels?  

If I pick something like a cable/satellite provider do they tend to have data for US local channels like ABC/CBS etc?   

What US provider would be the best to choose in order to get data for most of the channels?   

As far as I can tell there's no way to compare the EPG feeds that Emby provides to try to figure this out before I get started. 

[Options 5]

1 minute ago, bruor said:

What approach do you take when it comes to mapping data to the channels?  

If I pick something like a cable/satellite provider do they tend to have data for US local channels like ABC/CBS etc?   

What US provider would be the best to choose in order to get data for most of the channels?   

As far as I can tell there's no way to compare the EPG feeds that Emby provides to try to figure this out before I get started. 

It's easy man, first thing you do is download your m3u file onto your desktop and open it with text editor deleting all the garbage you will never watch. After that is done you will be left with 300 channels or less compared to thousands then just add the zip code and use directv or dishnet or whatever you want and google channel numbers and map them. It will take a bit to do so just work at it at your own pace until your done. I have 9 different guides on emby to get the info for my channels it just takes time but works great.

[bruor 31]

Ok thanks, I already use some tools and custom scripts to cut down the provider M3U.   Will have a look at the US providers to get a feel for their channel lineups and compare them to what's left to try to get the best coverage from the least amount of feeds. 

 

[Options 5]

17 minutes ago, bruor said:

Ok thanks, I already use some tools and custom scripts to cut down the provider M3U.   Will have a look at the US providers to get a feel for their channel lineups and compare them to what's left to try to get the best coverage from the least amount of feeds. 

 

You don't need any custom scripts that stuff is all garbage, if you paid for emby you don't need to use anything else because emby has everything you need. What I suggest is make a new .txt file on your desktop and add 30 channels to it making sure at the top of your new text you have #EXTM3U as your first line. After you get 30 channels mapped then do 30 more the next day and so on until your happy, I wouldn't load 500 channels at once just 30 at a time. Also you can drag and drop inside of the channels editor now in emby which is fantastic for people like me who like to sort channels the way I want before I number them. If you need any help just ask, for a zipcode for the USA you might want to start with 90210 for directv, dishnet and verizon is good also for mapping.

Also if you run into any problems with your logos not showing after you updated and mapped your channels go into your emby server click on live tv then click channels inside client side and find the channels with no or messed up logos. Delete all 3 and they will be replaced with 3 new working ones from emby.

Edited January 16 by Options

[Spaceboy 2494]

3 hours ago, Options said:

It's easy man, first thing you do is download your m3u file onto your desktop and open it with text editor deleting all the garbage you will never watch. After that is done you will be left with 300 channels or less compared to thousands then just add the zip code and use directv or dishnet or whatever you want and google channel numbers and map them. It will take a bit to do so just work at it at your own pace until your done. I have 9 different guides on emby to get the info for my channels it just takes time but works great.

and you repeat that process everytime the iptv provider updates the channel list (daily)? this is absolutely not the way to do it.

@bruoruse iptvboss. its far quicker and easier than this convoluted manual process AND allows for updates to the provider m3u. you can still use the emby epg data if you want to tediously match the channels in emby, but i personally have a subscription for epg elsewhere and have it all handled in iptvboss.

[Options 5]

You do not repeat the process everytime the iptv provider updates the channel list, once it's done that's it, not sure what your on about. I did mine 2 years ago and it still updates no issues. Why run your iptv subscription through iptvboss and give them your login credentials  as soon as you run your m3u in an online editor your password is theres  online m3u editors are dog shit, use emby's epg   Safe and no worries, cheers!

Edited January 16 by Options

[bruor 31]

If the provider adds a new channel you won't get the update because you've loaded a static m3u file from disk. 

[Options 5]

1 minute ago, bruor said:

If the provider adds a new channel you won't get the update because you've loaded a static m3u file from disk. 

I set channels I watch years ago and never seen any issues, I'm not worried about new channels I'm good. Only issue is the live tv don't work so great in emby for me with recording and needing to restart the channels is annoying but the guide never fails 

Movies and tv series work flawless is why I pay for emby live tv will work some day hopefully soon. Once in a while live tv will play for more than 3 hours without restarting it but usually not but I use tivimate for live tv mostly unless I'm on the pc and then I use vlc.

[Spaceboy 2494]

20 hours ago, Options said:

You do not repeat the process everytime the iptv provider updates the channel list, once it's done that's it, not sure what your on about. I did mine 2 years ago and it still updates no issues. Why run your iptv subscription through iptvboss and give them your login credentials  as soon as you run your m3u in an online editor your password is theres  online m3u editors are dog shit, use emby's epg   Safe and no worries, cheers!

dude - from what you are saying you don't even know how iptv boss works. stop spreading misinformation please

[BillOatman 501]

On 1/16/2024 at 3:57 PM, Options said:

You do not repeat the process everytime the iptv provider updates the channel list, once it's done that's it, not sure what your on about. I did mine 2 years ago and it still updates no issues. Why run your iptv subscription through iptvboss and give them your login credentials  as soon as you run your m3u in an online editor your password is theres  online m3u editors are dog shit, use emby's epg   Safe and no worries, cheers!

Boss runs locally, not online.  If you have concerns sniff internet traffic and you'll see none of your data is being sent to them. Also IMO if your provider hasn't changed their content in 2 years I'd call that a deficiency, not something to be happy about.  But you do you ::)

[Spaceboy 2494]

17 hours ago, BillOatman said:

Boss runs locally, not online. 

yep, once we got to this point it was clear there was no point arguing the rest...

[GaSTeam 2]

Hi guys, I'm returning to the topic with a question:

my system is made up like this: Emby Premier installed on DSM7 218+, HDHomeRun with annual EPG and an additional annual IPTVBoss subscription.
To generate the guide from IPTVBoss I extracted the list of current m3u channels from HDHomeRun via the address "http://hdhomerun.local/lineup.m3u" which inserted into IPTVBoss correctly generates the EPG guide.

However, since the IPTVBoss interface runs under Windows, to update the guide it is necessary to start IPTVBoss (or a script) each time to update the xml file which overwrites the one present in Emby.

What solutions are there to ensure that the EPG guide is automatically updated, perhaps using the same EPG guide provided by hdhomerun? Thank you

[BillOatman 501]

11 hours ago, GaSTeam said:

Hi guys, I'm returning to the topic with a question:

my system is made up like this: Emby Premier installed on DSM7 218+, HDHomeRun with annual EPG and an additional annual IPTVBoss subscription.
To generate the guide from IPTVBoss I extracted the list of current m3u channels from HDHomeRun via the address "http://hdhomerun.local/lineup.m3u" which inserted into IPTVBoss correctly generates the EPG guide.

However, since the IPTVBoss interface runs under Windows, to update the guide it is necessary to start IPTVBoss (or a script) each time to update the xml file which overwrites the one present in Emby.

What solutions are there to ensure that the EPG guide is automatically updated, perhaps using the same EPG guide provided by hdhomerun? Thank you

IPTVBoss can be started with a -nogui parameter that creates the m3u and epg files for all of your defined projects like a console app. 

I created a bat file that gets run by the Windows task scheduler as often as I need.

cd c:\iptvboss3
"java" -jar iptvboss.exe -noGui

START "" "C:\EmbyRefresh\EmbyRefresh.exe" "emby key"

EmbyRefresh is something I wrote that causes Emby to refresh its Live TV component, in this case right after IPTVBoss generates its files.
So the net result is fully automated update of Emby Live TV.

If interested I also wrote HdHomerunM3U that will interrogate your HDHomerun(s) and create m3u file(s) for them.  I run it every time I have the homerun rescan (if it changes).

Edited February 18 by BillOatman

[GaSTeam 2]

Hi Bill Oatman,
they are two very important utilities that I will certainly use as soon as I get the mini PC, therefore migrating emby from the current ds218+ to windows.

Thanks for the support.