RE: [TV] basic qusetion - ireland, listings, howto?

["Paul Webster" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> On Thu, Sep 09, 2004 at 08:36:46AM +0100, Paul Webster wrote:
> | I don't know if Andrew has any plans - but - just for your info
> - there is a
> | commercial offering called DigiGuide (less than 10GBP per year) that
> | provides UK and Irish channels and can import XMLTV-syntax
> listings. It is a
> | fully functional Windows application that also includes teh
> ability to set
> | markers (looking out for programmes or text in the description)
> and taking
> | actions like voice alert, launch external application (which
> could initiate
> | recording on your PC) etc.
> | I use it and like it a lot and have written add-ons for it.
>
> How about the other way around? Is there an xmltv exporter for Digiguide?
While technically possible to make a pretty good stab at this ... there is a
significant commerical problem.
DG gets many of its raw listings from BDS (Broadcasting Data Services). It
enriches the content where it can (like adding series/epsiode numbers and
actors) and then makes the updates available to the DG client.
First issue - BDS does not allow republication.
i.e. DG can publish it its users but that data cannot be republished.
So - if someone did make an export of the listings and then (for example)
made it available to friends or passed it to Bleb (etc) then there would be
a problem.
Second issue - the DG enriched content makes the data more valuable and DG
would want to protect it.
This is DGs business model that is sustaining a very small company. I for
one would be sad for them if they went under because their listings were
being ripped off.
If other sources of data or better software or different commerical/free
model comes along and they didn't survive then I would still be sad but with
more of a shrug of the shoulders as something that happens in business.

If you paid for the DG software and service and then only used the listings
locally then it is difficult to see how anyone would know or be able to
complain. But - if DG found that people were doing it and then publishing
for others then I expect that they would include some form of block in their
client software to make it more difficult.

Paul