Field length of "sub-title" and "descr" in XMLTV file for EIT

staidaffect · 2025-07-21T10:31:17+00:00

Hello, is there a way to increase the default lenght of the "sub-title" and "descr" fields. They seem to be set at 256 symbols, but the descriptions in the...

DeltaMikeCharlie

staidaffect I did a mux dump

Thanks, I will have a quick look at it today.

DeltaMikeCharlie

@staidaffect - Are you absolutely sure that your broadcaster provides extended descriptions?

I used a tool called 'DVB Inspector' to analyse your mux dump. From the random sampling I conducted, it would appear that there are no extended descriptions present in the EPG data.

There are 2 short descriptions, 1 in Bulgarian and 1 in English, but I could not see any extended descriptions.

I will do a deeper analysis, but the specifications only allow 255 bytes each for the event title and the short description. What you are seeing may be normal behaviour.

DeltaMikeCharlie

@staidaffect - I did some more analysis and imported your data into my TVH with some extra debugging code enabled. Unfortunately, your EPG does not appear to contain any extended event descriptions. From what I can tell, what you are seeing is normal.

On a different subject:
I am compiling data on the parental classification systems used by various countries. I noticed that all of the programmes in your sample have a rating of 'Undefined' (as opposed to no rating at all). If you are willing, would you be able to perform another mux dump or two on networks that contain parental classification so that I can analyse those?"

staidaffect

I'll get a satellite reciever to check how the epg is displayed on it and compare it with TVHE.

DeltaMikeCharlie

staidaffect I'll get a satellite reciever to check how the epg is displayed on it and compare it with TVHE

You could also download a copy of DVB Inspector and have a look at your mux dump. You could even just play the mux dump with VLC and have a look at the programme guide that it provides.

staidaffect

https://mab.to/t/BksYDIJ4B0I/eu1
Service 5024 (Dorcel) is a porn channel, i hope this helps. I'll try do do a dump on another network later.

staidaffect

Here's a dump from Bulsatcom muxes:
https://mab.to/t/r53NQIyLoN6/eu1

and from A1 Muxes:
https://mab.to/t/VJgquVPlBAP/eu1

DeltaMikeCharlie

staidaffect Here's a dump from Bulsatcom muxes:
staidaffect and from A1 Muxes:

Thanks.

staidaffect

Just checked A1_12309H.ts from A1 muxes dump. The show from 12:35 to 14:10 on MovieStar channel. The VlC shows full description, but when i open TVHE i see only 256 symbols and description ending with "...". My /XMLTV/Channels shows the same.How to increase the number of symbols in that field?

DeltaMikeCharlie

staidaffect and description ending with "...".

This seems to be what is in the EPG transmitted by the broadcaster. This screen print is from DVB Inspector, nothing to do with TVH.

DeltaMikeCharlie

From Bulsatcom_12156H.ts. TVH is seeing 413 characters of extended description for this event.

staidaffect

DeltaMikeCharlie Bulsatcom's EPG seems to display full text, so i'm using it for the moment.

Chris G Which provider is that ?

DeltaMikeCharlie

You can see that there are 2 extended_event_descriptors. TVH processes these and joins the text together.

Both TVH and DVB Inspector see the same data longer than 256 bytes when it is present.

Chris G

It seems OK for me when using Kodi.
This description is too long for the UI, but you can see the cut-off when you view info.

DeltaMikeCharlie

Chris G It seems OK for me when using Kodi.

Interesting. What was your EPG source?

Chris G

DeltaMikeCharlie

Auto-Detected EIT:

This is how I have my grabbers configured... I just let TVH decide which to use:

DeltaMikeCharlie

Chris G I just let TVH decide which to use:

On the MoveStar channel, do you ever see descriptions longer than 255 bytes?

Chris G

DeltaMikeCharlie

I didn't count, but probably?

DeltaMikeCharlie

Chris G I didn't count, but probably?

Do you see any on MovieStar that end with 3 dots ...?

Chris G

staidaffect
Bulsatcom.
I use this bouquet: