New to EPG123 - Lessons shared & some questions

[nanat]

thanks to loss of WMC epg on 12/31 (well before midnight 1/1!) we just installed epg123. Took several hours to work through so wanted to share in case others run into same issues. Background - we have been using WMC on Win7 for years as our interface with OTA as our only source for TV. Have roof mounted HD antenna, use WMC for guide, to record, and to watch live OTA TV.
regarding epg123...
1. epg123 install video has no audio (or at least we couldn't figure out how to get it!). Is there audio?? Would be helpful!
Watched it several times while reading the written instructions and then had it running side-by-side with epg123 install screen so we could pause and rewind etc. Signed up for Schedules Direct account before starting.
2. first time through nothing showed in either panel of the Client Guide Tool (bottom bar said XX channels with 0 shown). Not quite sure what I did (reran tv signal scan I think) but next time I opened the Client Tool there were listings in both panels.
3. we are at zip 92064 and channel scans only found those >=17 (not 13 which is VHF limit per instructions). Had to manually add 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 (CBS channels), 10.1 thru 10.4 (ABC channels), and 15.1 to 15.4 (PBS channels). We were quite puzzled by the WMC directions to add "frequency" given that box only allowed 2 digits. Finally figured out that "frequency" in this case meant the "real" or RF channel (not frequency [mHz] which is a range and for most channels is 3 digits!).
4. kept looking at Settings, Guide for the options shown in the video - we were missing "Get Latest Guide" and "About"! Again, not sure what we did but by the time we were done all choices seem to be there. Again, not sure what changed!
5. appears that all is working now - scheduled recordings came in fine. Guide appears to be correct etc. So although we had a bit of frustration now seem to have a working guide again! Yahoo!
6. still not quite sure when/how to use the EPG123 Client Tool or other EPG123 tools vs when to use WMC settings. Is there a user manual other than the install instructions? there are clearly many things that this program can do and tweaks that can be done but I'm hesitant to just push buttons when there are no clues to what the consequence may be!

[Rainey]

Just a heads up for other that have to adds channels manually.

As stated in the about post when inputting the channel numbers there is a limit to the number of digits you can enter.
I had a channel 26.12 i tried to enter it was on RF 14.
WMC would not allow two digits in the second box of the channel number. i could only enter 26.1 not 26.12
So after i added the channel with 26.1, i exited the add missing channel menu and went into the edit channels menu
In there i edited that same channel i just added and it allowed me to change it to 26.12

So if you are lucky enough to have a channel with that many sub channels that you need two digits sub channels that is who you can added them if they are not part of the guide listing.

[garyan2]

I would be surprised if that worked. All you did was give it a custom number, not actually change the subchannel it tunes to.

A quick way to add channel to your scanned lineups is with the client. Just click the '+' button and things should be self evident. The digital channel number can range from 1-99 and the subchannel can range from 1-999. Physical channel is of course 2-69.

[Rainey]

This was in WMC before the guide ended, it was not using your software. But when people need to manually enter VHF channels they may come across that also.
It did work just fine and tunded the channel after the edit to .12.

I just switched to the Schedules Direct guide and had to report all the missing channels it was a lot

26.1 WMNN
26.2 Antenna TV
26.3 LAFF
26.4 Mystery Court TV
26.5 Grit TV
26.6 Light TV
26.7 Buzzr
26.8 Court TV
26.9 ThisTV
26.12 MITV12

23.1 W23EB-D
23.3 3ABN-DD
23.4 3ABN-ES
23.5 AFTV
23.6 WGCP-FM

6.1 CMU PBS
6.2 CMUKids
6.3 @create

18.1 WURO Court TV
18.2 WURO-LD2 Bounce
18.3 WURO-LD3 MOVIES!
18.4 WURO-LD4 DECADES
18.5 WURO-LD5 Heroes & Icons H&I

[Rainey]

Oh, i see i can added channels in your client software with the + button, i will have to try that . at least i will get the channels without guide until the guide data is added at schedules Direct.

Thanks for the help.