How to configure automatic channel icons/images?

Francois Visagie

Hi All,

I'm new to Tvheadend and try as I may I haven't been able to get automatic channel icons working.

Hopefully it's something simple I've overlooked that you guys can point me to. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

# Version of TVHeadend?
tvheadend/stable,now 4.2.4-dmo1~bpo9+1~rpt1 armhf
# Running on what OS and version?
Raspbian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch), with
kodi/stable,now 2:17.6-3~stretch all
kodi-pvr-hts/stable,now 3.4.27-1~stretch armhf
# Package that came with the OS or something you compiled yourself?
From Raspbian repo
# Adapter/tuner chipset or make/model?
Raspberry Pi DVB TV uHAT with Sony CXD2880 chipset, tuned to the BBC A, D3&4 & BBC B muxes for Freeview services

# Detailed description of problem. If possible: Steps to duplicate.

What I think I know:
* http://docs.tvheadend.org/webui/config_channels/#configuration-channelepg-channels says that "The icon URL will be set automatically when importing data from XMLTV"
What I've done:
* Enabled General -> Image Cache: Enabled, & Ignore invalid SSL certificate
* Enabled Channel / EPG -> EPG Grabber: Update channel icon
* Enabled Channel / EPG -> EPG Grabber Modules:
* * Internal: XMLTV: UK - TV Guide (tvguide.co.uk) - added subsequently to OTA grabbers below in the hope of also getting auto channel icons
* * Over-the-air: UK: Freeview - initially added because below 2 didn't identify HD channels on BBC B mux
* * Over-the-air: EIT: DVB Grabber
* * Over-the-air: PSIP: ATSC Grabber
* * in descending order of priority
* Channel / EPG -> EPG Grabber: Trigger OTA EPG Grabber & Re-run Internal EPG Grabbers
* Also restarted Tvheadend
What I get:
* Channel EPG comes up fine, channel selection, streaming etc. all work fine from the web UI and Kodi
* Channel / EPG -> Channels doesn't show any icon URLs/paths
* Channel / EPG -> EPG Grabber Channels is empty
* No icons are visible in Tvheadend or Kodi
Many thanks in advance.

Francois Visagie

Hi Guys,

I've been through all available documentation but found no information about setting up automatic channel icons.

I'd be really grateful for any help or suggestions, thanks.

Saen Acro

Point TVH to location where picons are and that's enough.

Francois Visagie

Thanks, but where do I find the [p]icons? I've looked through the subdirectories underneath xmltv and tvheadend directories on the system but haven't been able to locate them.

Or aren't icons available by default, is some explicit Tvheadend or XMLTV step required to generate them first?

Lisa White

The only way that I had 100 percent success with picons was to download the channel png from the net and save it to the root file folder that you have created specifically for the picons. Make sure the file name is entered the same way that it is within the original png name when you manually add it within the mux or it will not show up. It is time consuming but works great. For example, my local nbc channel is rooted like this: file:///storage/picons/nbc.png. This method worked for me and all my channels have icons. Another way is to manually enter the the url address of the picon within the mux. This worked for me but sometimes the icon does not show up. I have a method with the manual loading and it works faster than trying to figure out why the url within the m3u playlist is not working. Hope this helps :)

Lisa

Saen Acro

this is a very hard to understand

simple one
in general point to folder where icons/picons are stored
Channel icon path: file:///path/to/folder/%c.png

Picon path: file:///path/to/folder/

channels icons names must be equal to channel name

picon to picon source directives

Francois Visagie

Thanks, guys.

Any idea how to make this happen automatically? According to http://docs.tvheadend.org/webui/config_channels/#configuration-channelepg-channels there is a way to have icon URLs set automatically, but it doesn't explain how.

Saen Acro

What do you understand underautomatically to be clear.

It will not search and download from internet for you, you shod do that.

Channel icon path: file:///path/to/folder/%c.png

This will search in folder all PNG files with name of channels.

With part you not understand?

There is a lot of picon sets in internet, just search for them.
https://github.com/openatv-picons https://github.com/OpenLD

Francois Visagie

Hi saen acro,

In answer to your question, I would like to avoid having to manually set and maintain the channel icon URLs in Configuration - Channel/EPG - Channels, and the User Icon description at http://docs.tvheadend.org/webui/config_channels/#grid-items gave me the impression that is possible ("The icon URL will be set automatically when importing data from XMLTV").

What does one need to enable importing data from XMLTV?

At the moment XMLTV does not seem to be doing anything. XMLTV: UK - TV Guide (tvguide.co.uk) is enabled, but Channel / EPG - Channels doesn't show any icon URLs/paths and Channel / EPG - EPG Grabber Channels is empty.

anatoliy koveshnikov

guys, hello. I also have a question on channel logos. I am currently using tvh 4.3-1784 in linuxserver docker on xpenology. i use tvh to view iptv.
The iptv-provider gives me a link to the playlist. the link is m3u playlist. In this playlist, the provider has already indicated links to channel logos.
I form EPG on my own. Some of the channels in my TV-guide also have links to channel logos.
But I want to use my logos.
I could download the playlist from the iptv provider, edit it in any way to use my logos. but the playlist changes periodically. so in tvh I use a direct link, not a link to a local playlist.
- I did not include a check mark in configuration - channel/epg - epg grabber - update channel icon (because I do not want to use logos from epg)
- I put my logos in a folder accessible to tvh
- I have a link to the folder with logos wherever possible (configuration - general - channel icons / picon settings, configuration - dvb inputs - networks - (select network - edit) - icon base url)
-- I tried to specify different options, for example file:///config/icons/%c.png or file:///config/icons/%U.png
but tvh stubbornly uses logos from links in the playlist. After various manipulations with the settings, I reset the icons on the channels tab. This also did not help to abandon the use of remote icons.
Yes, I can edit each mux (and this is a list of about 300 channels) and link to my logo there. but after updating the playlist (re-fetch period) these changes will not be saved.
maybe somewhere I can tell tvh not to use links to playlist logos? or can i set the priority for logos?
I hope I clearly explained my problem. sorry for my English.

Mo Hahn

@anatoliy

Quite old, but I'm facing same problem. No way to let TVH ignore icon URLs within playlists :-(

Adrian A

it is possible to change it indeed, but you have to change it for every single channel by editing each user logo