EPG Programs Database Understanding

[richardgetz]

Somewhat often when channels change I have to make some updates to cabernet and reset my Plex integration. Which is fine I'm not expecting this to work in perpetuity without any effort by me, but every time I need to reset the data I seem to run into issues using the XMLTV guide. Each time I have to reset the the database several times until I can get it responding properly and not timing out in the pairing of Plex. Do you have any advice as to how you are currently approaching the epg data? Am I adding too many channels (143)? AM I looking too far out (6 days)?

[rocky4546]

The general issue with Plex, is the way it handles UIDs. It believes that UIDs are channel numbers, which is not the case. To have long strings of UIDs not appear in the Plex TVGuide, we recommend setting the "Use Channel # for Channel ID" setting. This does make the view much better, but also makes the channel list sensitive to channel list updates. Plex has a cache that causes most of the update issues. Mine on Linux is located at "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Cache". When I do updates, I basically clear the folder and regen the plex tuner. In your case, that may not be a good idea.

Each plugin's solution will be different and is based on how you setup and configure the channel numbering. As an example, if you use "Starting Ch Number", then you are more sensitive to changes in the channel listing (except for daddylive, which has no channel numbers). So, each plugin may be different in how you handle this issue. As an example, for daddylive, you can rename the channel name to start with a number. EX: xxx name where xxx is a number from 001 to 999. When a new channel is added by the provider, it would normally appear at the end of the list. This would then not cause the channels to not change in plex when a channel is added. Deletions would still be an issue. This would also allow you to organize the list by groups and have space in the numbered list so you can add new channels without renumbering. You can try this by changing a number of channel names, reset the daddylive channel list in Data Mgmt and then run the daddylive channel task in the scheduler. Once it is done, you should see the channels have moved.

You don't have too many channels or too many days. I have over 800 channels and for daddylive have the days set to 10.

[richardgetz]

I only use daddylive but I do have the setting "Use Channel # for Channel ID" enabled. The next time I have to refresh it, I'll try without that and see if my issues go away. Generally I don't mind if it reset on Plex's side as long as I don't have to go through the process of wiping cabernet away multiple times to get it to work. To be clear, I presume most of this comes from my misunderstanding on some of the EPG data reset and pulling pieces. Thank you for the information!