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View Full Version : What's the best TV listings program?

Psamtik
02-28-2003, 12:48 AM
Hey, I was wondering if anyone has found a good TV listings program yet? TVGuide.com doesn't realy offer a mobile solution for the Clie, and it won't work with Avantgo :( . I look at some of the freeware available on Handango, but haven't tried any of it yet. Any tips?
rhart00
02-28-2003, 04:43 AM
TV Grid Listing/Pocket TV Browser. Need both for it to work
Visigoth
02-28-2003, 07:49 AM
I second Pocket TV Browser. It is a great program and it fit my needs perfectly. I don't use TV Grid Listings, but I did try it and would recommend it also if you like to see them in grid format instead of a list.
jimroad
02-28-2003, 08:22 AM
Second Screen TV or What's On are pretty good. 10 bucks a year subscription for 2nd Screen and 20 bucks one time charge for What's On.
Anita
02-28-2003, 11:13 AM
I third Pocket TV Browser. I don't use a grid either (you don't need the grid for Pocket TV Browser to work, but you need Pocket TV Browser for the grid to work). . . .One time purchase price, listings are free from TV Guide.

Takes a while to download a week's worth of listings (about 45-50 minutes for about 30 channels for me on dialup connection), but you get program details, color codes on repeats or programs in progress, excellent search and save-favorites function. You can choose which channels you want to download (don't have to download them all). You can view listings by date, by channel, by program name, etc. Or just view movies.

One of the nicest features is if you're browsing through listings and find a program you want to watch in the future, you can send the whole listing into the datebook, with or without an alarm.

It also has a Palm emulator on the desktop side, so you can browse the listings on the PC.

AND it has small and tiny fonts <g>.

Anita
sebring
02-28-2003, 11:36 AM
Also use Pocket TV Browser, I do use the TV Grid Listings with it also. One of the advantages of TV Grid Listings is it is hires+. TV Grid Listing otherwise, is really not necessary, although I do like it.

SecondScreenTV use to have a freeware version that was advertising supported. It used part of you screen to deliver ads. I used it for a while and for the price was OK, but it is no comparison to Pocket TV Browser. I haven't used the subscription version of SecondScreenTV, I think they offer a demo period. The impression I have of WhatsOn is that it is poorly supported.
Anthony Foreman
02-28-2003, 11:40 AM
Check out http://connected.tv. I've used it for the past year and have been very satisfied with it. The software was recently updated to operate on an OS5 system. It's working fine on my NZ90 and can even be launched using PowerRun.
Griff
02-28-2003, 11:56 AM
I like connected.tv as well...I'm hopeing they jazz it up a bit, maybe add a grid...but it is reliable and works well.
sebring
02-28-2003, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by Anthony Foreman
Check out http://connected.tv. I've used it for the past year and have been very satisfied with it. The software was recently updated to operate on an OS5 system. It's working fine on my NZ90 and can even be launched using PowerRun.

Looks interesting, but certainly seems pricey at $30/yr, compared to the other options. Don't know if integrating the guide with the remote is worth that much. I keep my Pocket TV Browser DB on MS using MSMount. Powerrun or PiDirect would probably also work.

ConnectedTV also doesn't seem to offer a demo or mention support of hires or hires+.
Anthony Foreman
02-28-2003, 03:59 PM
The latest version (1.44) provides hires/hires+ support.
kstuart
02-28-2003, 04:10 PM
I have satellite TV and subscribe to packages comprising over 200 channels, so nothing that fits in a PDA would do.

I use a PVR (actually two), which automatically records all of my favorite shows to hard disk.

In conjunction with that, I use software that searches the entire listings for a list of keywords (including actors I like, movies I want to see, subjects I am interested in, etc.).

I can't imagine what having listings for a couple of dozen channels would do for me...

(but I'm happy that it exists for those who want it...)
*YellowRose*
02-28-2003, 04:32 PM
Originally posted by kstuart
I have satellite TV and subscribe to packages comprising over 200 channels, so nothing that fits in a PDA would do.

I use a PVR (actually two), which automatically records all of my favorite shows to hard disk.

In conjunction with that, I use software that searches the entire listings for a list of keywords (including actors I like, movies I want to see, subjects I am interested in, etc.).

I can't imagine what having listings for a couple of dozen channels would do for me...

(but I'm happy that it exists for those who want it...) Forgive my ignorance, but what's a PVR, exactly?&nbsp; Sounds geeky, er, interesting...;)
rhart00
02-28-2003, 04:48 PM
Originally posted by kstuart
I have satellite TV and subscribe to packages comprising over 200 channels, so nothing that fits in a PDA would do.

I use a PVR (actually two), which automatically records all of my favorite shows to hard disk.

In conjunction with that, I use software that searches the entire listings for a list of keywords (including actors I like, movies I want to see, subjects I am interested in, etc.).

I can't imagine what having listings for a couple of dozen channels would do for me...

(but I'm happy that it exists for those who want it...)

PVRs kick a$$. I don't have one yet but I will get one soon. what kind do you have? TiVo? ReplayTV? other? Does it do a good job of picking your interests? I am kind of suspicious because I was watching this news show (on cnbc, msnbc, or something, I don't remeber) and they had were talking about what to do when your TiVo thinks you are gay! or a neonazi! it was pretty damn funny
jerryf
02-28-2003, 04:58 PM
Well, I have been using TVG for a little while now and have it displaying about 65 channels of the 200 or so that I get on my TV. It is very good. I can't imagine that anyone would need to have more than 100 or so channels in the listing since in most cable/satellite systems there are a lot of shopping channels and other stuff that you really don't need to see a schedule for.
Unregistered
02-28-2003, 07:31 PM
Wow, looks like I started a really popular thread! :D I tried Pocket TV browser, and it's just what I was looking for! I love it's search abilities! I was even able to find when Aqua Teen Hunger Force was on next with it! Too bad it costs money!
lthwc
02-28-2003, 07:38 PM
Do any of the tv listing programs out there have memory stick support?
Griff
02-28-2003, 10:44 PM
I can only speak for Connected.TV, it does have MS support. In fact, I copy my guide right to the memory stick when I download it.
rhart00
02-28-2003, 10:53 PM
Originally posted by lthwc
Do any of the tv listing programs out there have memory stick support?


Pocket TV/TV Grid Listings can be moved to the MS with powerrun but it is a little bit tricky. You have to move TV Grid Listings to the MS with powerrun then move the Pocket TV database to the PALM/programs/powerrun/TV Grid Listings (or whatever folder powerrun puts TVGL in). Then you can delete the app part of Pocket TV. Now TVGL should work fine and still recognize the Pocket TV database.
Anita
03-01-2003, 12:32 AM
If you move Pocket TV and the database to the card, you have to move the database each time you update it?

Anita
rhart00
03-01-2003, 01:05 AM
Originally posted by Anita
If you move Pocket TV and the database to the card, you have to move the database each time you update it?

Anita

no, when you run TVGL, it will move it for you
Anita
03-01-2003, 11:25 AM
Ah, well, I don't use TVGL. PocketTV browser alone says it will only use cards on PPCs, not Palm. . .. but I'm waiting to get accepted into the pimcity forum, see if that's changed.

Anita
rhart00
03-01-2003, 06:02 PM
It works fine on memory cards with Palm if you follow the directions I posted.
*YellowRose*
03-01-2003, 06:25 PM
Originally posted by Anita
Ah, well, I don't use TVGL. PocketTV browser alone says it will only use cards on PPCs, not Palm. . .. but I'm waiting to get accepted into the pimcity forum, see if that's changed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't think it has, but it works great with PowerRun (even the databases).&nbsp; When you run PTVBrowser the first time after syncing a new db, it moves the new database to the card, deleting the old one.

VERY cool, and since my databases are about 2.5 meg, that's (as Martha says) 'A Good Thing.'
kstuart
03-02-2003, 05:46 PM
PVRs kick a$$. I don't have one yet but I will get one soon. what kind do you have? TiVo? ReplayTV? other? Does it do a good job of picking your interests?

I have a Dish Network PVR (which is built-in to the satellite set-top box) and also a standard TiVo. The DishPVR records the digital signal directly from the dish, so there is no difference in the quality between recording or watching live. But, I also have a TiVo, because it has this "WishList" feature, where you can enter in keywords, and with one click, it will search the entire listings for all the keywords (in other words, stuff like "Giants Baseball", "Cary Grant", "Star Wars" or "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit"), and give you the results.

BTW, what you are referring to is TiVo's "Suggestions" and actually I turned that off. That's similar to when you go to Amazon.com home page and it lists books by the same author as your last order, or albums by the same musician as your last order. I find that with "WishLists", I don't need or want the "Suggestions".

PS If you have analog cable, TiVo is great because it gives you an Onscreen Program Guide like satellite has.