MythRecCal - Set Recordings in MythTV Using TitanTV and Your Calendar

MythRecCal is a script that can be set to run daily on a MythTV backend computer which allows setting recordings from other devices using titantv.com.  TitanTV provides free online guide information, and the site allows several methods for interacting with computers that have DVR software.  One of the options on TitanTV for each guide listing is to add the program information to your personal calendar.  MythRecCal checks your calendar and sets a corresponding recording in MythTV for each program added.

Usage Instructions

After doing the setup steps shown below, login to titantv.com.  If using a mobile web browser, it is necessary to choose the desktop site.  Select a future guide listing, and the calendar icon will appear as shown in the screenshot image above.  Click or tap the calendar icon to to add the program to your calendar.

If using an Android device with a Google calendar, tap the TitanTV calendar icon, select download, open, add to calendar, and tap the Recordings calendar as shown in the screenshot image below.  If the download prompt does not appear after tapping the calendar icon, tap the calendar icon again.  With some Android versions, the prompt to select the Recordings calendar is not available.  If the option to select the Recordings calendar is not supported, the method shown below for using a computer can likely be used on the mobile device.

If using a computer or other device with a web browser that is compatible with Google Calendar, tap the TitanTV calendar icon to download the calendar entry file.  Browse to and bookmark https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/settings/export.  Click select file from your computer and select the calendar entry reminder(#).ics file, select the Recordings calendar, and click import.

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Setup Instructions

Notes:

1. The numerical portion of the channel information after the space in the calendar entry description must match the corresponding MythTV channel number as shown in the screenshot below.
2. Providing login information to access the Google Recordings calendar is not needed.  This is made possible by using the unique Google calendar url for specific calendars.  This url is put in the MythRecCal settings, and it is not shared.  It provides read-only access to only the Recordings calendar.  You can see what the script can see by putting the url in a web browser and opening the file that is downloaded with a text editor.  Only the Recordings calendar information will be visible in the text file. 
3. Making the Google Recordings calendar public is not required.
4. MythRecCal is compatible with Ubuntu.  Any operating system and device with a browser that is compatible with TitanTV and Google Calendar or other equivalent calendar can be used to set recordings. 

Setup:

1. Start a web browser, and navigate to https://github.com/heyted/mythreccal/releases.
2. Under the latest release, download the tar.gz, and extract the files to your home folder.
3. Open a terminal, and type "sudo ./install".  A message indicting the program was successfully installed should appear in the terminal.
4. The files placed in the home folder can be deleted.
5. In a web browser, navigate to titantv.com.  Sign up if you are not already a member, and create a channel lineup that matches the MythTV channel lineup.  If traditional cable TV is being used, be careful when selecting cable versus digital cable, as this will affect the channel lineup.
6. In a web browser, navigate to google.com/calendar, and add a calendar:
• Go to settings (gear icon top right)
• Click add calendar
• Click create new calendar
• Enter "Recordings" for the name
• The description can be left blank
• Select the applicable time zone
• Click create calendar
• Select the Recordings calendar on the left panel
• Scroll down to Integrate calendar
• Copy the "secret address in iCal format" (not the public address)
7. Start MythRecCal by viewing the Ubuntu applications menu and clicking on the MythRecCal icon.
8. Press the s key and then enter to access the settings.  This step will be skipped if no settings have been saved, and the prompt for settings will be displayed.
9. Enter the MythTV backend address and the calendar addresses that was copied as indicated above when creating the Recordings calendar.  When prompted for an additional address, enter another address or just press enter if done.  For the other settings, press enter to select the default, or change the value as applicable.
10. Set MythRecCal to run daily to check the calendar(s) and set recordings:
• Open a terminal and type "sudo crontab -u mythtv -e" (change the username to the username needed to run mythfilldatabase)
• Select nano if prompted to choose an editor
• Enter "30 14 * * * /opt/mythreccal/mythreccal.py" without the quotes at the bottom to run daily at 2:30 PM (change the time as desired)
• Hold Ctrl and press s to save
• Hold Ctrl and press x to exit nano
11. Optional if using an Android device:
• Open the Calendar app
• Tap the three-line (hamburger) icon
• Enable the Recordings calendar to make the entries visible on the calendar
• Tap settings
• Enable sync under the Recordings calendar