Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Users

OT: Zap2it Labs Email

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geoff.scott.mail at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 2:08 PM

Post #26 of 38 (1212 views)
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Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 16:16:05 -0500, Bill Chmura wrote:
>
> They could just be thinking the same thing as us... what is the contingency
> plan if it does go away. I have no idea what it would be...
>
>

Quite honestly, this is my concern. The Myth community relies
exclusively (to my knowledge) on Zap2it. What if they went away?
What is the back up? What if they charged? Who are their
competitors? They do a terrific job, and I love their service, but
woe be to the community if, for some reason, some day, they went away.

Are there back up plans? Does Zap2it have stamina?

I'm not advocating a second service, Zap2it does a fine job. Just
thinking out loud a little.

The more this is discussed, the more I can't help but feel that they
are going to start to charge. If they set a good rate, and it will
ensure some longevity, then I say charge me. If this is simply
another way to (to use a tired /. joke) get to step 5 "Profit", then I
say we look else where.

Honestly, why send a letter to every subscriber. Seriously, can
anyone provide a good logical reason for this? I'm not buying "Zap2it
knows but is not on solid legal grounds" argument. I really don't see
how that would warrant a mass email. Did they expect the community to
flex a little influence? No one to influence when you don't know who
it is.

Geoff

Bill at Explosivo

Nov 1, 2004, 2:44 PM

Post #27 of 38 (1178 views)
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Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

You make a good point there...

On Monday 01 November 2004 05:08 pm, Geoff Scott wrote:
> I'm not buying "Zap2it
> knows but is not on solid legal grounds" argument. I really don't see
> how that would warrant a mass email. Did they expect the community to
> flex a little influence? No one to influence when you don't know who
> it is.

--

Bill Chmura
Director of Internet Technology
Explosivo ITG
Wolcott, CT

p: 888.560.YWEB (9932)
e: bill [at] Explosivo
w. http://www.explosivo.com
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

geckofiend at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 2:56 PM

Post #28 of 38 (1183 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 14:08:54 -0800, Geoff Scott
<geoff.scott.mail [at] gmail> wrote:
> On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 16:16:05 -0500, Bill Chmura wrote:
> >
> > They could just be thinking the same thing as us... what is the contingency
> > plan if it does go away. I have no idea what it would be...
> >
> >
>
> Quite honestly, this is my concern. The Myth community relies
> exclusively (to my knowledge) on Zap2it. What if they went away?
> What is the back up? What if they charged? Who are their
> competitors? They do a terrific job, and I love their service, but
> woe be to the community if, for some reason, some day, they went away.
>
> Are there back up plans? Does Zap2it have stamina?

Where were you before Data Direct? One of the reasons DD came about
was because the screen scrapers being used to pull their data which
cost them a ton of bandwidth. IF DD gets shut down screen scrapers
are alwasy an option again. Though the data isn't nearly as good.

geoff.scott.mail at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 3:13 PM

Post #29 of 38 (1186 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 17:56:34 -0500, Donavan Stanley wrote:
>
> Where were you before Data Direct?
>

I was in a pre-MythTV shackle, unaware of the freedom that awaited me
after much blood, sweat and four letter words was poured into a linux
box. It was before my emancipation.

Thinking about this some more...could Titan TV be a potential back up?

Geoff

gaberubin at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 3:18 PM

Post #30 of 38 (1183 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

Is it possible to screenscrape from newspaper listings? I know wash
post gets its data from Zap2it, so it would be the same guide data if
someone can figure out how to do the screenscraping.

gaberubin at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 3:40 PM

Post #31 of 38 (1167 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

one more question, did everyone get this email? I got it a couple
hours after I renewed my zap2it subscription and assumed it was
related to that. I am guessing this was just a coincidence?

curiouskangaroo at gmail

Nov 1, 2004, 6:52 PM

Post #32 of 38 (1205 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 16:48:08 -0500, Preston Crow
<pc-mythtv04 [at] crowcastle> wrote:
> Personally, I still want a screen-scrubber that goes to each network's
> web site. They often have more episode information there than what the
> provide to the services. I've had this problem with Comedy Central with
> South Park recently, and I've seen it with Cartoon Network in the past.

I've always wondered why there isn't some standard for this. It seems
to me that it would be in a network's best interest to get its
scheduling data out there to whoever wants it, and that the network
would want the data to be as accurate and as detailed as possible...
after all, such good data would help potential viewers decide to watch
the network's shows.

Basically, if each network and local station published their schedule
data online in their standard format, all you'd need to do is write a
program that knew your channel lineup and aggregated the standardized
feeds. (Local stations, I imagine, would have a schedule that
"extended" the schedule of their national network... might be exactly
the same, but might have some variation... i.e. in New York City, I'd
download the WNBC local data instead of the national NBC data)

mythtv at lists

Nov 2, 2004, 2:47 AM

Post #33 of 38 (1174 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

Correct me if I am wrong, but zap2it is for US & Canadian listings only?

So for the rest of us, what zap2it does is not important?

flurdy

_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

witmore1 at gmail

Nov 2, 2004, 3:34 PM

Post #34 of 38 (1146 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

> Correct me if I am wrong, but zap2it is for US & Canadian listings only?
You are not Wrong

> So for the rest of us, what zap2it does is not important?

Correct, Data-Direct is the alternative from using XMLTV screen
grabber, and this allows smaller amounts of data to be downloaded
faster

Otherwise you us tv_grab-xx which is bound to reading the webpages
provided by another vendor and it scans for pertinant info and puts it
into xml format and allows it to be integrated into your SQL database

shane-lists at thehillpeople

Nov 5, 2004, 9:13 AM

Post #35 of 38 (1145 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

Just a coincidence. Everyone got it, I assume, who signed up for DirectData
service.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gabe Rubin" <gaberubin [at] gmail>
To: <bill [at] explosivo>; "Discussion about mythtv"
<mythtv-users [at] mythtv>
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 5:40 PM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] OT: Zap2it Labs Email

> one more question, did everyone get this email? I got it a couple
> hours after I renewed my zap2it subscription and assumed it was
> related to that. I am guessing this was just a coincidence?
>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
mythtv-users [at] mythtv
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

ijaaz at digitalmethods

Nov 5, 2004, 9:35 AM

Post #36 of 38 (1152 views)
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RE: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: mythtv-users-bounces [at] mythtv
[mailto:mythtv-users->bounces [at] mythtv] On Behalf Of Shane Hetzel
>Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 12:14 PM
>To: Gabe Rubin; Discussion about mythtv
>Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] OT: Zap2it Labs Email
>
>Just a coincidence. Everyone got it, I assume, who signed up for DirectData
>service.

I haven't received anything from them.

eburrows at gmail

Nov 5, 2004, 9:36 AM

Post #37 of 38 (1169 views)
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Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

what is in this email? I don't recall receiving anything from them and
I have a subscription.

thanks,
Evan

On Fri, 5 Nov 2004 11:13:35 -0600, Shane Hetzel
<shane-lists [at] thehillpeople> wrote:
> Just a coincidence. Everyone got it, I assume, who signed up for DirectData
> service.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gabe Rubin" <gaberubin [at] gmail>
> To: <bill [at] explosivo>; "Discussion about mythtv"
> <mythtv-users [at] mythtv>
> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 5:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] OT: Zap2it Labs Email
>
> > one more question, did everyone get this email? I got it a couple
> > hours after I renewed my zap2it subscription and assumed it was
> > related to that. I am guessing this was just a coincidence?
> >
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>

courtland.jones at gmail

Nov 5, 2004, 2:33 PM

Post #38 of 38 (1156 views)
Permalink

Re: OT: Zap2it Labs Email [In reply to]

Basically there are the unscrupulous types using the DirectData
service outside of the scope of the agreement, i.e. using it in a
commercial sense. Here is the open letter:

An Open Letter to the Zap2it Labs Community:

We at Tribune Media Services and Zap2it.com have been privileged to
offer a TV listings service to the open source and freeware
communities so that the many innovations in electronic program guides,
digital video recorders, and recommendation engines could continue to
flourish. This free-of-charge service is at risk, however, due to the
actions of several businesses seeking to exploit our generosity so
that they can make greater profits.

When you signed up for Zap2it Labs, you agreed to a contract that
states the service is available for non-commercial, personal use only.
A few commercial entities have chosen to ignore these contractual
terms in order to receive television listings without paying. We know
who these entities are; you know who they are.

These violations must end.

If you purchased a hardware or software product that receives its
television listings from Zap2it Labs' DataDirect or, indirectly,
through XMLTV, you may be violating our contract. It is critical that
you and your vendor abide by our contractual terms, lest everyone
suffer the consequences.

If you have any questions about this issue, or suggestions for how to
ameliorate the situation, please feel free to contact us at
mailto:labs [at] zap2it

Sincerely,

Jay R. Brodsky
VP/Technology
Tribune Media Services

On Fri, 5 Nov 2004 12:36:18 -0500, Evan Burrows <eburrows [at] gmail> wrote:
> what is in this email? I don't recall receiving anything from them and
> I have a subscription.
>
> thanks,
> Evan
>
> On Fri, 5 Nov 2004 11:13:35 -0600, Shane Hetzel
>
>
> <shane-lists [at] thehillpeople> wrote:
> > Just a coincidence. Everyone got it, I assume, who signed up for DirectData
> > service.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Gabe Rubin" <gaberubin [at] gmail>
> > To: <bill [at] explosivo>; "Discussion about mythtv"
> > <mythtv-users [at] mythtv>
> > Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 5:40 PM
> > Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] OT: Zap2it Labs Email
> >
> > > one more question, did everyone get this email? I got it a couple
> > > hours after I renewed my zap2it subscription and assumed it was
> > > related to that. I am guessing this was just a coincidence?
> > >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ----
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > mythtv-users mailing list
> > mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> > http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > mythtv-users mailing list
> > mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> > http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users [at] mythtv
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
>
>

--
-Courtland Jones
courtland.jones [at] gmail

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