As mentioned further down the board, zap2it stopped providing tv listings that can be used with XMLTV-based software. My Palm app Pocket TV Browser relied on these listings. There's a new site, Schedules Direct, that has a subscription deal with Tribune Media to deliver tv listings to freeware and open source software users. Schedules Direct is non-profit but they have to pay Tribune Media for the listings so the service is not free.

When they first launched, they were charging $15 for 3 months. Now that their subscription base is larger, they are charging $15 for 6 months, with an aim to get it down to $20/year eventually. I can live with that.

My zap2it listings ran out as of today so I checked the forums at the PTVB site to see if anyone had streamlined the process of converting over. Thankfully, someone has. It's not too painful to change now.

Instructions here:

http://forums.schedulesdirect.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=331

You can use Schedules Direct's service with a number of open source applications, including apps that work with DVRs and PVRs. Here's a list of approved software:

http://www.schedulesdirect.org/approvedsoftware

UPDATE: Schedules Direct has reached their subscription goal and are now offering $20/year subscriptions. They've also added Google Checkout as a payment option so you don't have to go through PayPal any more.

I'm really happy to have tv listings on my Palm again, especially since my DVR tv listings seem to be running the "no data" show continuously. I hope Time-Warner cable hasn't killed TV Guide's onscreen listings in an attempt to sell their own DVR product.