UK EPG Licence Expiring

[Wheeker]

Here we go again! Ok- have logged on to Connect site & upvoted 3 issues listed relating to this- please god MS actually gets around to sorting this

I remember when this happened before (New Year 2013/4?) I did all sorts of research on alternative guide data sources & then magically one day the guide data had returned. As I've only 3 days of data left- are there any updates as to the best alternatives? I think I was about to try EPG Collector (for Freesat) the last time, anyone tried it?

[CyberSimian]

People who are in the UK can use the 7-day broadcast EPG as a workaround. But there are catches:

(1) It does not contain series links, so you would need to schedule keyword recordings in order to record your favourite series.

(2) It does not contain a "repeat" flag, so your keyword recordings would record all episodes on the selected channel.

(3) The EPG for the HD channels cannot be received by WMC, so you would need to map the EPG for the equivalent SD channels to the HD channels.

(4) Vista cannot receive the broadcast EPG, so you would need to buy a Win7 licence, or migrate to some other DVR software.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[Wheeker]

People who are in the UK can use the 7-day broadcast EPG as a workaround. But there are catches:

(1) It does not contain series links, so you would need to schedule keyword recordings in order to record your favourite series.

(2) It does not contain a "repeat" flag, so your keyword recordings would record all episodes on the selected channel.

(3) The EPG for the HD channels cannot be received by WMC, so you would need to map the EPG for the equivalent SD channels to the HD channels.

(4) Vista cannot receive the broadcast EPG, so you would need to buy a Win7 licence, or migrate to some other DVR software.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

Just to clarify- AFAIK the above 7-day "in-band" guide data is only available for DVB-T/T2 (i.e. Freeview- Terrestrial) broadcasts rather than DVB-S/S2 (i.e. Freesat- Satellite), which can only provide "Now & Next". As I can only receive Freesat (in Ireland) unfortunately this work-around won't work for me

[jack_kelly]

People who are in the UK can use the 7-day broadcast EPG as a workaround. But there are catches:
...
(4) Vista cannot receive the broadcast EPG, so you would need to buy a Win7 licence, or migrate to some other DVR software.

Yeah, I'm on Vista. So I'm seriously thinking of hopping over to Kodi (aka XBMC) with a suitable PVR backend.

[Blue407]

People who are in the UK can use the 7-day broadcast EPG as a workaround. But there are catches:
...
(4) Vista cannot receive the broadcast EPG, so you would need to buy a Win7 licence, or migrate to some other DVR software.

Yeah, I'm on Vista. So I'm seriously thinking of hopping over to Kodi (aka XBMC) with a suitable PVR backend.

I want to upgrade some of my HTPC's to Windows 10 and use Kodi or Emby with a PVC backend. Let me know how you get on!

[pieroxy]

The link for the French issue: https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/ ... ls/1747505

[Blue407]

Looks like lots of people are noticing this now. IF you do, please follow the links above and vote up the reports on the Microsoft Connect portal.

It looks like its the only way we will get MS to take notice.

Anyone use twitter and can start hitting MS hard about this? Make it appear on their radar?

[jack_kelly]

yes, and if you do visit the connect site then, as well as up-voting the issue, please make sure you also click on "Repros: I can too" (i.e. stating that you also have the issue).

[IT Troll]

Search for UK and then up-vote and repro all of them!

I fear our cries for help are being lost in the sea of complaints from the Americas.

(3) The EPG for the HD channels cannot be received by WMC, so you would need to map the EPG for the equivalent SD channels to the HD channels.

Yep this is the real pain for me. I only record HD channels. But I guess I will have to do this as a last resort.

[Keks22]

The link for the Switzerland/German issue: https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/ ... ls/1741426
and i vote for the other.

[CyberSimian]

Yeah, I'm on Vista. So I'm seriously thinking of hopping over to Kodi (aka XBMC) with a suitable PVR backend.

My HTPC also uses Vista, but I migrated to MediaPortal just about a year ago. Is MP better than WMC? No, it is merely different. There are some things that I don't like about WMC, and there are different things that I don't like about MP.

MP likes:

(1) Can receive the broadcast EPG for DVB-T/T2, including the HD channels.
(2) When recording/viewing TV, uses only one tuner per MUX, instead of one tuner per channel.
(3) Remembers the resume point for partially-viewed recordings in the Videos section.
(4) Does not require convoluted batch processing when moving recordings from "Recorded TV" to "Videos".
(5) Supports various skins, including one with larger text (Vista WMC is OK, but text in Win7 WMC is too small).
(6) Open source, with an active developer community.

MP dislikes:

(1) Does various varieties of repeated recording, but not series recording.
(2) The broadcast EPG is less detailed than the Microsoft EPG, and has no series linking info and no repeat flag.
(3) No slo-mo playback or frame advance.
(4) Various minor nits with panel behaviour.

Everyone will have their own set of likes and dislikes, different from mine. You need to use your proposed WMC replacement seriously, for several weeks, before you can determine whether its set of compromises is acceptable to you.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[Vistaar]

Yeah, I'm on Vista. So I'm seriously thinking of hopping over to Kodi (aka XBMC) with a suitable PVR backend.

I have long used NextPVR on my Vista PC (not in combination with Kodi, but that can certainly be done). Since this is the "Windows 7 Media Center" forum I hasten to add that it supports everything from XP to Win10. It only conflicts with WMC insofar as they cannot simultaneously use the same tuner. Of course setting it up places greater demands on the user than WMC. Several British citizens are active in the NextPVR forums. With the right tuner and decoders it supports your HD channels, and it can read the Huffman-encrypted in-band HD EPG. In fact most of what CyberSimian likes about MediaPortal (which I've never tried) is also true of NextPVR, except it is not open source. The developer (screenname sub) lives in New Zealand and answers many forum questions personally. I believe there are XMLTV sources that could be used for British EPG data, but they are probably not free.

[camelopardis]

Getting the same problem - UK EPG data expiring 6/09/2015. Have upvoted and repro-ed on the MS Connect site.

I know they'll pull the plug sometime but I'm really hoping it's not yet!

[Pixelz]

I know they'll pull the plug sometime but I'm really hoping it's not yet!

You'd like to think Microsoft would make an announcement to advise users they were pulling the plug.
It's the deafening silence from MS whenever the EPG data fails to update that I find most disappointing.

[jack_kelly]

You'd like to think Microsoft would make an announcement to advise users they were pulling the plug.
It's the deafening silence from MS whenever the EPG data fails to update that I find most disappointing.

Agreed. 1000 times, agreed

[Blue407]

I know they'll pull the plug sometime but I'm really hoping it's not yet!

You'd like to think Microsoft would make an announcement to advise users they were pulling the plug.
It's the deafening silence from MS whenever the EPG data fails to update that I find most disappointing.

This has happened before, at least twice I know of. Both times, if I remember correctly, its to do with contract negotiations between Microsoft and the supplier. However that's no excuse, no sensible Company leaves it until the last minute to renew a contract or raise a Purchase Order for the next 12 months...
The problem is, I do not know how many people this really effects, compared to Microsoft's user base. Even if they checked how many WMC PC's pull down the EPG, i bet its only a few thousands Worldwide...

[CyberSimian]

You'd like to think Microsoft would make an announcement to advise users they were pulling the plug.

I am probably one of the few people who actually read the EPG "Terms and Conditions" when I setup Vista WMC for the first time. The "Terms and Conditions" state that Microsoft can withdraw the EPG service at any time by giving one month's notice.

Have Microsoft given one month's notice somewhere on the internet? If not, you could proably take legal action against them. (Good luck with that!)

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

[Keks22]

Can anyone tell me if a Microsoft employee has ever replied to a comment? I only see User posts and no answers from Microsoft like " we are working to resolve the problem".

Is the website still under observation?

[Rebel.g]

Hi

I also have the same issue and experienced it back in 2013.

Went to the link for the report to vote it up and any others to find 'page not found'. Three attempts later, still pnf!! Also tried searching Windows Media Center and Guide Listings, but nothing found.



In the meantime as a temporary measure I've connected an external hard drive to the TV and recording that way, better than nothing but not as good.

Also noted when trying to start from scratch with guide listings, the T&C seem to be a later version, but regardless of them appearing to work (but still no listings) the version in the 'about' section still appears to be an earlier version.

[cliffwright]

I'm stuck with this too

My guide on a windows 7 pc using freesat tuners here in the UK ends early 6/9.

Flushing the DNS as per the suggestions does nothing.

I do recall the last time this happened it just seemed to start working again a few days later - but this is just rubbish. Hope it's cured before 6/9.

I've tried following the links above to the connect site but it tells me I don't have access to view the board!?

Hmmm . . . .