PromaSoft EPGcenter
  EPG Software for Windows

Using EPGcenter with the Dreambox and MV plugin

This page describes what you need to do to use EPGcenter in combination with the Dreambox satellite receiver and the MV plugin on the Dreambox.

The MV plugin is able to download the EPG information itself but it does not allow you to manage the channels well. Using EPGcenter will give you the benefit of managing your channels on your PC where you also can choose a combination of EPG sources and hide channels you don't want.

We consider that you have basic knowledge on how to operate, configure a Dreambox and the use of the MV plugin.

Whatever EPG information is visible in EPGcenter will also be available in the MV EPG on your Dreambox.

Before you start to configure EPGcenter and your Dreambox I want to make sure that you understand the flow of things:

• EPGcenter automatically downloads EPG data at a certain time from the internet or an XMLTV file that you have created yourself using a grabber like XMLTV.EXE
• EPGcenter automatically uploads all EPG data to your Dreambox
• The MV plugin will find the newly uploaded EPG data and process it

These are the steps we need to take to setup EPGcenter

Define the input locations

For this tutorial we will consider the following details. Your own details obviously can be different. For that it's best that you look them up before you start.

Start EPGcenter and click on the Input Tab

If you started EPGcenter for the first time there will already be a samle location defined. If it is there then select the input location, right-click on it and select Delete

Right-click on the Input Locations grid and select Add New Location

Now enter the input location details as in below picture and click Save

Setup EPGcenter to automatically download EPG information

Click on the Options Tab

We will configure EPGcenter so that it will automatically starts together with windows and that it will update its EPG database at 01:00 at night.

Select the options as in below picture

You will notice that as soon as you have entered the value 01:00 in the Load EPG Data at setting, EPGcenter will start downloading EPG information. This is normal behaviour. Just wait for the download to finish.

Next thing to do is to setup MV on our Dreambox

We will need to add a new entry in the inputs.txt file which usually is located on /var/tuxbox/config/mv

Add following line the the end of the inputs.txt file

Make sure the file is saved on your Dreambox in the same location

Go to MV (usually the red button on your remote control)

Click Menu

Select Input

Define one input location called EPGcenter

Close MV

Last thing to do is to tell EPGcenter where the EPG file should be uploaded on your Dreambox

Goto EPGcenter and select the Options tab

Fill out the details as in below picture

Obviously you need to enter the IP address of your own Dreambox and also make sure that the FTP Destination is correct

Note that in the latest version you can also (advised) use the CFE format instead of the XMLTV format. This is much more performant and error prone.