Here is my new geeky tool: Guide Tool.

Guide Tool is a Windows Media Center guide management application.

Here are the features that Guide Tool provides:

• Local and remote guide management
• Channel name and number edition
• Restoration of previously edited channel names and numbers
• Modification of channels’ visibility
• Automated subscribing to guide services (manually, by number or by call-sign)
• Tuner merge (by channel number, by call-sign or by guide service)
• DVBLink sources synchronization (if you're into that)
  
• Listing of tuners providing channel’s sources
• Generation of lean MXF file (mostly for debugging purpose)
• More fun stuff to do with your channels

This program is for geeks who enjoying moving their channels around and changing their listings. Yes, I do that.

To get more information and download and view screen shots of Guide Tool, visit the Guide Tool's website or come visit us at 1geek1tool.com.

Fred

This looks very cool, can't wait to try it later. Does it have a backup/restore settings option to make it easy to move a configuration from one installation to another?

No it does not have a backup/restore functionality.

What would you like to backup/restore?

Hi Fred,

backing up channel line up, series data, and recording history would be great

Save a lot of time re-installing when things go pear shaped.

Thanks
Tony

Channel lineup is hard to backup because it's tuning information is very much device dependant. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not an easy task.

Backup of series and recording history would be neat. I can look into that later, but I wonder how useful it will be when W7 comes out and we stop re-installing W7 every month.

Fred

Hi,

mpjbell suggested me to check this thread out. I like the look of your tool and I have a feeling it can help me out. For some reason, during listing setup, MC presented me with only 3 TV signal providers. (Rogers, Rogers Digital and Look Digital). And I have Bell VDSL TV (Digital).

So, just to finish with the setup I went ahead and selected Rogers Digital. But in your tool, I see all the channels provided on Canada (East), Bell TV (Digital).. some of which I'm subscribed to and watch most of the time. How can I actually make my TV Signal Provider to Bell TV Digital, or how can I show my Bell TV channels in MC using your tool?

(Sorry, your tool isn't too helpful for newbs like me, which is why I need your help)

fredx21:

Channel lineup is hard to backup because it's tuning information is very much device dependant. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not an easy task.

Backup of series and recording history would be neat. I can look into that later, but I wonder how useful it will be when W7 comes out and we stop re-installing W7 every month.

Fred

If possible backing up the channel lineup would be fantastic.  I've had to remap my channels a dozen times from errors and upgrades.

Hi devilish,

you're right, this tool ain't for newbies, but it should not stop you from using it.

To subscribe a channel to a guide service and make your guide display the guide service's programming:
1. Select your lineup
2. Select 1 channel and 1 guide service
3. Click on the subscribe button.

You can also perform the subscribing in an automated way:
1. Select your lineup
2. Select all the channels that needs remapping
3. Click on the Subscribe drop-down and select either by channel number or by call-sign
This will search for the best channel to subscribe bases on the criteria you chose.

Hope this helps,
Fred

fredx21:

Channel lineup is hard to backup because it's tuning information is very much device dependant. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not an easy task.

Backing up custom channel maps would be a great thing. Most people just want a way to backup their custom channel maps in the event that the EPG gets corrupt etc. I can understand how if I change a tuner the restore might not work, but I believe even without the ability to restore after a tuner change, it would still be a great addition to the community to be able to backup the channel mappings.

And like you said, series recordings and history would also be nice.

BTW, you should be able to schedule these backups.

I hope someone figures out how to backup series lists before the RC expires. It's going to SUCK if I have to go back and setup our 80 series' again.

Brian my friend, you watch too much tv

lol.. Don't we all!?!?!?!

I for one think this is EXTREMELY handy. It actually helped me solve a QAM mapping problem I've been having the last couple days.

Is there any way to add a "Clear All" option? One thing I HATE about VMC_TVPack is that I can't simply Clear all stations on initial guide setup. Since I've had to redo it a bunch of times lately (7MC testing), my spacebar & thumb are getting REALLY tired! :)

Thanks again for the tool!

Backing up series recordings:

loadmxf -i <backup>

Data is in the ProgramData\eHome\mcedb\backups\recordings folder, I believe (don't have access to the PC at the moment.)

If there's a series in your series recordings that it doesn't see in the guide though, it shows a blank spot for some reason, so it's not perfect (yet).

TheOsburnFamil,

If you select all the channels and press your space bar, doesn't that clear them all?