recording a series

[Rob Latour]

I have Jellyfin is setup 

     to watch live tv using my HDHomerun 4k device, and 

     to load the xml tv guide info using the shuaiscott/zap2xml via docker as referenced in the Jellyfin help. 

With this done, I can see my tv shows listed fine in the guide, but I want to be able to record all the CBC National news broadcasts which air every week night at the same time.  

However, when I click record option for on tonight's upcoming broadcast Jellyfin only offers me the option to record tonight's broadcast.

Is there as way to set it up to record the same show every weeknight?

[TheDreadPirate]

You can, but there has to be sufficient metadata in place to trigger the "record series" button.

https://forum.jellyfin.org/t-i-can-no-lo...ord-series

You need an episode number, minimum, I found that the sub-title (part of the title, not talking about subtitles in a video) also needs to be present.

[Rob Latour]

Thanks, I read thru that post but am not clear what Jellyfin is expecting, this is what the xml has:

<programme start="20241015020000 +0000" stop="20241015030000 +0000" channel="I4.1.58494.zap2it.com">
<title lang="en">The National</title>
<desc lang="en">CBC&apos;s flagship nightly news program, featuring the day&apos;s top stories with in-depth and original journalism; Adrienne Arsenault and Ian Hanomansing anchor.</desc>
<date>20241015</date>
<category lang="en">News</category>
<length units="minutes">60</length>
<icon src="https://zap2it.tmsimg.com/assets/p191966_b_v13_ar.jpg" />
<url>https://tvlistings.zap2it.com//overview.html?programSeriesId=SH00283627&amp;tmsId=EP002836273205</url>
<episode-num system="dd_progid">EP00283627.3205</episode-num>
<new />
<subtitles type="teletext" />
</programme>

[TheDreadPirate]

In my testing there also needs to be a <sub-title> field. Not the same as <subtitles>. The script I use to make my XML I had to add a check that if the provider didn't include a <sub-title>, usually the episode name, that I would copy the <episode-num> field to <sub-title>.

[Rob Latour]

Thanks that is helpful.  However, worse case scenario is I just need to click to record individually on a week of shows at a time.

Here's an example of another show in the same xml feed that is just fine in terms of recording it in a series.

Code:

<programme start="20241015170000 +0000" stop="20241015173000 +0000" channel="I11.1.73192.zap2it.com">
<title lang="en">Hogan&apos;s Heroes</title>
<sub-title lang="en">Request Permission to Escape</sub-title>
<desc lang="en">A prisoner pleads with Hogan to let him escape from Stalag 13 and return to the States.</desc>
<length units="minutes">30</length>
<icon src="https://zap2it.tmsimg.com/assets/p1124984_e_v9_ab.jpg" />
<url>https://tvlistings.zap2it.com//overview.html?programSeriesId=SH00002106&amp;tmsId=EP000021060032</url>
<episode-num system="common">S01E32</episode-num>
<episode-num system="dd_progid">EP00002106.0032</episode-num>
<episode-num system="xmltv_ns">0.31.</episode-num>
<previously-shown />
<subtitles type="teletext" />
<rating>
<value>PG</value>
</rating>
</programme>

All in all, not a big issue.

[TheDreadPirate]

Yep. That second example has both an episode-num and a sub-title. The first example did not have a sub-title.

[acidice]

I have a question - I also want to record a series, but some series (showing repeat) can be scheduled to record series, but new series does not show the "Record Series" option and for some reason it seems to not show the Episode nr on the new series. I also load from an xmltv file.
I went ahead and installed an alternative software package - NextPVR. All series are detected properly from my xmltv file and I can record the series just fine using NextPVR.
The issue I have with this is that I now run two live TV systems - one for Jellyfin to watch TV and NextPVR for recording, which is what I do not want.
NextPVR works great with the recordings, but it sucks with playback of live TV, it constantly shows blank screens when trying to live stream, but with recording its 100% fine each time, whereas Jellyfin does live TV good, but sucks with series recording.
I was hoping to use just the NextPVR plugin for jellyfin, but as mentioned - NextPVR sucks with live streaming.
Would it be possible for a Dev to check the source code of NextPVR and adapt NextPVR's xmltv / recording options to work with Jellyfin?

[TheDreadPirate]

This thread mentions the two things that Jellyfin expects in your XML file before it offers to record series. An episode number field and a sub-title field (not the same as subtitles).

My data source for XMLs did not always provide a sub-title, so I modified my script to copy the episode number to the sub-title if a sub-title wasn't already present.

Can you provide examples from your XML?

[acidice]

I had a look at the XML file I use and I think I found the issue.
The EPG I use only shows the "Sub-Title" option on repeats after doing a comparison between a repeat and no repeat.
The EPG does however show all the Episode numbers, which could be an indication as to why NextPVR picks up the series as I suspect it goes via Episode-num and not the sub-title option.
Since I am no expert with these, would it be possible to add the option to check for a Episode-num, or will I have to manually add the Sub-Title option to the new EPG for all EPS every 2 ~ 3 days when it updates? I get my EPG from epgshare01.online

Here is an example of my EPG (one that does repeats and one without)
New Episode:
<programme start="20241030170000 +0700" stop="20241030180000 +0700" channel="Sky">
<title lang="en">Blue Bloods</title>
<desc lang="en">The Reagans' professional lives converge when an allegation of jury tampering against Erin intertwines with Danny and Baez's homicide case and Eddie's bond to a child murder witness.</desc>
<credits>
<actor>Donnie Wahlberg</actor>
<actor>Tom Selleck</actor>
</credits>
<date>2024</date>
<category lang="en">Series</category>
<category lang="en">Drama</category>
<icon src="https://03mcdecdnimagerepository.blob.core.windows.net/epguideimage/img/214233_blue_bloods-s10-.jpg" />
<country lang="en">USA"</country>
<episode-num system="onscreen">S14 E11</episode-num>
<previously-shown />

Repeat Episode:
<programme start="20241030123500 +0700" stop="20241030130000 +0700" channel=Sky">
<title lang="en">Extended Family</title>
<sub-title lang="en">Consequences Of Loaning Your Dad Money</sub-title>
<desc lang="en">Jim advises a player on the Celtics to take one of his recent losses less personally, sparking a controversy.</desc>
<credits>
<actor>Jon Cryer</actor>
<actor>Donald Faison</actor>
</credits>
<date>2023</date>
<category lang="en">Series</category>
<category lang="en">Comedy</category>
<icon src="https://03mcdecdnimagerepository.blob.core.windows.net/epguideimage/img/400736_EXTENDED_FAMILY_S01_2024_KV_LANDSCAPE_TEXTLESS.jpg" />
<country lang="en">USA"</country>
<episode-num system="onscreen">S1 E8/13</episode-num>
<previously-shown />

[TheDreadPirate]

Yeah. The episode that you can't "record series" doesn't have a <sub-title> field. Which usually has an episode name.

The episode that you can record series on does have the sub-title field.

Code:

<sub-title lang="en">Consequences Of Loaning Your Dad Money</sub-title>

My IPTV provider has a URL to pull their schedule from. The script I use to scrape will copy the episode number and create a sub-title field if the provider didn't include one.