Notices

Does anyone know if an application is available that I could use with my N810 to download DirecTV listings for Eastern USA?

SchedulesDirect offers TV listings for download. Xmltv from http://xmltv.org/wiki/, I'm told, or also from SourceForge, I think, will download listings from SchedulesDirect. From www.linuxforums.org, I found the following, posted by Clement Lefebvre, which refers to an application that will render xmltv downloads: "Maxemum TV-Guide (MTVG), which you can download as a TGZ archive, an RPM or DEB package from here: http://mtvg.sourceforge.net/
MTVG is developed in C++, based on Qt and it is the perfect solution if you use KDE. Alternatively, if you're using Gnome you can have a look at another XMLTV GUI application called OnTV: http://johan.svedberg.com/projects/coding/ontv/"

I am a complete newbie to linux. Do I need an application designed specifically to run under Maemo Linux or can I use applications for any linux flavor? I also do not know how to install linux applications, except those I've found in Maemo repositories. Files with .tar or .gz extensions. I understand, have to be decompressed in order to use them. I don't know how to decompress and install such files. Most of the information I have found about linux is pretty much over my head. It seems to be mainly for linux geeks.

I realize that I may be too much a newbie to find and install a TV listings program, if one exists, that would work on the N810. I know nothing about using X Terminal on my N810 or how to find my root directory.

I would appreciate any recommendations, and hopefully information on an application that would work for me.

I am giving up my PC running Windows, and now I am using a Mac and my N810. I am adapting to the Mac, but I find linux not to be as easily understood and used.

Thanks for your patience and attention.

I'm not an expert, but you will probably have to compile these programs just for the tablet.

Honestly, I just use the browser to look at listings. Is there something that you want a program to do other than just read listings?

Jeffgrado,

Thanks for your reply. I have no idea how to compile programs for the tablet or for anything else.

I want to be able to scan through about 1 weeks TV listings, reading the descriptions and ratings for all the movies (which I want to set to be highlighted) and then decide which ones I want to record.

I could do this on my Palm Tungsten C, after hotsyncing the downloaded program info to the Palm from my PC where they were downloaded by xmltv into Pocket TV Browser. This program does not exist for the Mac or the N810.

Generally, what I want to do is scan the program listings for my selected channels and decide which ones I would like to set my DVR to record. I don't know if there exists a linux program that will allow me to do this.

Also, as I said in my post, I am very green using linux, so if I found such a program, I might need to learn more about linux to install it.

However, from your answer, I seriously doubt that someone has found such a program and compiled it for the Tablet already. Maybe I will get lucky and someone will do this for the Nokia Internet Tablets. It seems that there aren't many general programs available for the Tablet, at this time. I assume more will become available in time.

I am more than happy using just the applications that came installed on the Tablet. Mainly, I download and listen to podcasts, browse the Web, use email, and use the media player and images. I added a 6 GB expansion card, which gives me plenty of room for my media--even movies.

I think the N810 is a great addition to my computing hardware.

I agree that a TV Guide application would ROCK on the Tablet, even if it didn't offer the ability to setup DVR recordings.

I agree as well. I'd help figure out how to port the apps if I knew a bit more about Maemo programming.

Try using Garnet VM and installing the Palm version. I know it's not exactly the best way, but it'll work until someone comes up with an alternative.

Video Center can read XMLTV feeds and present an EPG feed, I've used it with my own from http://www.bleb.org/tv/data/listings

Thanks, Jellotherat, but I have spent hours working with Garnet VM and never gotten it to work satisfactorily.

Several times, my installed applications have suddenly vanished. Also, I need to way to use my existing HotSync ID for registering my programs. I don't want to buy new programs and establish new ID, just to see if I can get GarnetVM to work.

When I install my apps from the expansion card, they don't have a HotSync ID. If I use HotSync to install apps, there is a conflict because I'm HotSyncing more than one device with the same ID. This has caused me problems.

Your idea would work fine, though, if I found I could use GarnetVM, or if Access releases a relatively bug-free version. I'm hoping that the beta version will lead to a final improved version.

Thanks again.

aflegg,

I just discovered the Video Center last night. I did see a note that it can work with xmltv. I will check out the link you provided. However, what's an EPG feed? Is this a way to render xmltv downloaded listings in a usable format for Video Center?

Thanks

Video Center can take a URL pointing at XMLTV data and render its listings in a columnar format, it calls this an "EPG service" (or something).

The rendering is fairly basic at the moment - or was when I tried it - but it might be just what you want. Further comments back to the Video Center people. There're also threads about it here somewhere.