Mythtv: Metadata Lookup Scripts Not Provided

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Introduction

MythTV is a popular open-source media center software that allows users to record, play, and manage their TV shows and movies. One of the key features of MythTV is its ability to retrieve metadata for TV shows and movies, such as episode summaries, cast lists, and ratings. However, in this article, we will discuss an issue where the metadata lookup scripts are not provided in the NixOS package, leading to a "Movie grabber not functional" error.

Background

Metadata lookup is a crucial feature in MythTV, as it allows users to easily find and manage their TV shows and movies. The metadata lookup scripts are responsible for retrieving the necessary information from various online sources, such as TheTVDB, TVMaze, and TMDB. However, in the NixOS package, these scripts are not provided, leading to the "Movie grabber not functional" error.

The Issue

The issue is that the metadata lookup scripts are not included in the NixOS package, which is a requirement for MythTV to function properly. The scripts are supposed to be located in the /nix/store/ki7xqspcbf2xv06pn5c1xl90rspkqyk2-mythtv-34.0/share/mythtv/metadata directory, but they are not present. This leads to the "Movie grabber not functional" error, which prevents users from accessing metadata for their TV shows and movies.

Steps to Reproduce

To reproduce the issue, follow these steps:

  1. Install the NixOS package for MythTV.
  2. Run the mythmetadatalookup command with the --refresh-all-rules option.
  3. Check the output for the "Movie grabber not functional" error.

Expected Behavior

The expected behavior is that the metadata lookup scripts should be provided in the NixOS package, allowing MythTV to function properly and retrieve metadata for TV shows and movies.

Relevant Log Output

The relevant log output is shown below:

[mythtv-backend@minithink:~]$ mythmetadatalookup --refresh-all-rules
2025-05-02 07:29:48.706955 C  mythmetadatalookup version: tag: v34.0 [v34.0-d941a6d21ac] www.mythtv.org
2025-05-02 07:29:48.706961 C  Qt version: compile: 5.15.15, runtime: 5.15.15
2025-05-02 07:29:48.706981 I  NixOS 24.11 (Vicuna) (x86_64)
2025-05-02 07:29:48.706982 N  Enabled verbose msgs:  general
2025-05-02 07:29:48.706985 N  Setting Log Level to LOG_INFO
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717269 I  Added logging to the console
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717509 I  Setup Interrupt handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717513 I  Setup Terminated handler
2025-05-02 :29:48.717516 I  Setup Segmentation fault handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717519 I  Setup Aborted handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717523 I  Setup Floating point exception handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717526 I  Setup Illegal instruction handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717528 I  Setup Bus error handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717533 I  Setup Real-time signal 0 handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717536 I  Setup Hangup handler
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717612 N  Using runtime prefix = /nix/store/ki7xqspcbf2xv06pn5c1xl90rspkqyk2-mythtv-34.0
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717614 N  Using configuration directory = /home/mythtv-backend/.mythtv
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717715 I  Assumed character encoding: en_AU.UTF-8
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717875 I  Empty LocalHostName. This is typical.
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717892 I  Using a profile name of: 'minithink' (Usually the same as this host's name.)
2025-05-02 07:29:48.717982 I  Start up testing connections. DB localhost, BE , attempt 0, status dbAwake, Delay: 2000
2025-05-02 07:29:49.730101 N  Setting QT default locale to en_AU
2025-05-02 07:29:49.730106 I  Current locale en_AU
2025-05-02 07:29:49.730140 E  No locale defaults file for en_AU, skipping
2025-05-02 07:29:49.738513 E  PowerDBus: No UPower interface. Unable to monitor battery state
2025-05-02 07:29:49.785778 I  Power: On AC power
2025-05-02 07:29:49.785784 I  Power: Supported actions: None
2025-05-02 07:29:49.786771 I  Loading en_gb translation for module mythfrontend
2025-05-02 07:29:49.787361 I  Testing grabbers and metadata sites for functionality...
2025-05-02 07:29:49.788106 I  Starting process manager
2025-05-02 07:29:49.788133 I  Starting process signal handler
2025-05-02 07:29:49.788154 I  Starting IO manager (read)
2025-05-02 07:29:49.789376 I  Starting IO manager (write)
2025-05-02 07:29:49.888532 I  Movie grabber not functional.  Aborting this run.
2025-05-02 07:29:49.888591 I  PowerDBus: Closing interfaces
2025-05-02 07:29:49.889074 I  Exiting

Conclusion

In conclusion, the metadata lookup scripts are provided in the NixOS package, leading to a "Movie grabber not functional" error. This issue is crucial for MythTV users who rely on metadata lookup for their TV shows and movies. We hope that this article has raised awareness about this issue and will encourage the maintainers to provide the necessary scripts in the NixOS package.

Recommendations

To resolve this issue, we recommend the following:

  1. Provide the metadata lookup scripts in the NixOS package.
  2. Update the mythmetadatalookup command to include the necessary scripts.
  3. Test the mythmetadatalookup command to ensure that it functions properly.

Q: What is the issue with the metadata lookup scripts in MythTV?

A: The issue is that the metadata lookup scripts are not provided in the NixOS package, which is a requirement for MythTV to function properly. This leads to a "Movie grabber not functional" error, preventing users from accessing metadata for their TV shows and movies.

Q: What are the metadata lookup scripts used for in MythTV?

A: The metadata lookup scripts are used to retrieve metadata for TV shows and movies, such as episode summaries, cast lists, and ratings. This information is essential for users to easily find and manage their TV shows and movies.

Q: Why are the metadata lookup scripts not provided in the NixOS package?

A: The reason for this issue is not clear, but it is likely due to a mistake or oversight in the packaging process. The maintainers of the NixOS package should provide the necessary scripts to resolve this issue.

Q: How can I resolve this issue?

A: To resolve this issue, you can try the following:

  1. Provide the metadata lookup scripts in the NixOS package.
  2. Update the mythmetadatalookup command to include the necessary scripts.
  3. Test the mythmetadatalookup command to ensure that it functions properly.

Q: What are the consequences of not having the metadata lookup scripts?

A: Without the metadata lookup scripts, users will not be able to access metadata for their TV shows and movies, making it difficult to manage their media collection.

Q: How can I report this issue to the maintainers?

A: You can report this issue to the maintainers by creating a new issue on the NixOS GitHub page. Be sure to include as much information as possible, including the steps to reproduce the issue and any relevant log output.

Q: Can I work around this issue by using a different metadata provider?

A: Yes, you can try using a different metadata provider, such as TheTVDB or TVMaze, to retrieve metadata for your TV shows and movies. However, this may not be a reliable solution, as the metadata providers may not always have the most up-to-date information.

Q: How can I stay up-to-date with the latest developments on this issue?

A: You can stay up-to-date with the latest developments on this issue by following the NixOS GitHub page and checking for updates on the issue. You can also join the NixOS community to discuss this issue and get help from other users.

Q: What is the expected behavior for the metadata lookup scripts?

A: The expected behavior for the metadata lookup scripts is that they should be provided in the NixOS package, allowing MythTV to function properly and retrieve metadata for TV shows and movies.

Q: Can I contribute to the resolution of this issue?

A: Yes, you can contribute to the resolution of this issue by reporting the issue, providing a patch, or helping to test the fix. Your contributions can help to ensure that MythTV users have access to the necessary metadata for their TV shows and movies.