Microsoft ending EPG for WMC in January

[plplplpl]

It's alive!

My undead listings now go out to February 16.


https://youtu.be/GjjZGyYcH9E

[tonywagner]

Well Rovi is back again. After January 30th, I was left without a guide for a few days and today, I see that my guide is updated until February 16th 8h30PM!

It's alive!

My undead listings now go out to February 16.

Interesting. I wonder if Microsoft pulled the plug on their WMC data server, then realized that it affected the TV setup data as well as the guide data, and temporarily restored the whole thing until they can get it sorted out? It sounds like in some countries, the TV setup data is a lot more necessary than in the US.

[mmortal03]

Well Rovi is back again. After January 30th, I was left without a guide for a few days and today, I see that my guide is updated until February 16th 8h30PM!

Probably only certain zip codes now. I just checked, and my ehtray.exe is only getting errors trying to retrieve anything.

Edit: I spoke too soon. Looks like it finally downloaded it even for my zip code.

[adam1991]

Oh, not to worry. ReplayTV went through ALL of this same thing. The end game is still the same, regardless of the schedule.

Fortunately, EPG123 came out to solve the problem LONG before it actually became a problem--unlike with ReplayTV, where everyone was caught by surprise with suddenly needing guide data...

[rkulagow]

(I work for Schedules Direct)

It would be nice if someone from Microsoft could contact us / Schedules Direct so that we can try to transition in an orderly fashion, but I believe that they're in Zombie mode.

If someone has an actual contact at Microsoft (I know about the various "msft" handles here on TGB, and "Barb", but I think all those contacts are now gone.) then I'd appreciate it.

[mercalia]

I tried that along time ago and the epg just sat there blank as far as I can remember ( I have a number of Media Center PCs 7 & 8.1)

Did you just disconnect the internet when you tried that a long time ago? And it wouldn't advance past the setup? MIght be worth trying again, perhaps in conjunction with trying something like GuideTool on a working machine:

http://www.seanmauch.com/1geek1s-guide-tool/

no was still connected to the internet. I do have the Guidetool but it startups up media center dont it to presumably read its data? guidetool dont have any capacity to download setup data, cant say I undernstand all the various items on the right hand side what they are and how they might be useful.

Its really no big deal for me really as I only use Media Center with Media Browser to organise all my blue ray and dvd rips & previous tv downloads. Once you get used to blue ray hidef watching sd tv is nasty makes me wonder how on earth I bothered. Would be nice to be able to get Media Center to still work as it was the best and most capable device to tune into OT tv in the UK atleast? I just wish there were a list of registry items that listed the frequencies or a file some where that did the same that could be edited manually

[mercalia]

(I work for Schedules Direct)

It would be nice if someone from Microsoft could contact us / Schedules Direct so that we can try to transition in an orderly fashion, but I believe that they're in Zombie mode.

If someone has an actual contact at Microsoft (I know about the various "msft" handles here on TGB, and "Barb", but I think all those contacts are now gone.) then I'd appreciate it.

I was looking at SD and i noted "not to be used with Emby"? why is that?

[rkulagow]

Emby is a commercial application and have their own data feed; we have specific exemptions for certain applications, and Emby isn't one of them.

[tonywagner]

no was still connected to the internet. I do have the Guidetool but it startups up media center dont it to presumably read its data? guidetool dont have any capacity to download setup data, cant say I undernstand all the various items on the right hand side what they are and how they might be useful.

I was wondering how you tried testing WMC without TV setup data before. If internet was still connected, then you would have had to decline something during the setup process to avoid downloading the setup data, correct? At least that's how it works here in the USA. I'm wondering what WMC would do if you accepted everything during the setup process, but there was no setup data to download (or no internet connection), and no existing data to fall back on.

The Guidetool suggestion was to read data from an existing WMC setup, to potentially copy/restore it to a fresh WMC setup.

[mwpeterson]

(I work for Schedules Direct)

It would be nice if someone from Microsoft could contact us / Schedules Direct so that we can try to transition in an orderly fashion, but I believe that they're in Zombie mode.

If someone has an actual contact at Microsoft (I know about the various "msft" handles here on TGB, and "Barb", but I think all those contacts are now gone.) then I'd appreciate it.

When there have been issues with the listings from Microsoft recently the only option has been to contact Tivo and then they relay the issue. Maybe they can help. metadatasupport@tivo.com

[mercalia]

no was still connected to the internet. I do have the Guidetool but it startups up media center dont it to presumably read its data? guidetool dont have any capacity to download setup data, cant say I undernstand all the various items on the right hand side what they are and how they might be useful.

I was wondering how you tried testing WMC without TV setup data before. If internet was still connected, then you would have had to decline something during the setup process to avoid downloading the setup data, correct? At least that's how it works here in the USA. I'm wondering what WMC would do if you accepted everything during the setup process, but there was no setup data to download (or no internet connection), and no existing data to fall back on.

The Guidetool suggestion was to read data from an existing WMC setup, to potentially copy/restore it to a fresh WMC setup.

yes declined downloading the setup data. I havent tried the bolded bit. I will have to try that to see what if any thing happens, though I expect nothing. Well if you could clone the data would that allow me to eg move to another part of the Uk which has difference transmitter frequencies? if so then no need to clone at all. Really need some one who has moved and then just run media center as normal, did it still work? Guidetool seems to show lots of stuff that dont seem relevent to where I live or how I am receiving the OT, I wonder if it the downloaded data is for the whole of the UK and a subset is activated

[tonywagner]

Well if you could clone the data would that allow me to eg move to another part of the Uk which has difference transmitter frequencies? if so then no need to clone at all. Really need some one who has moved and then just run media center as normal, did it still work? Guidetool seems to show lots of stuff that dont seem relevent to where I live or how I am receiving the OT, I wonder if it the downloaded data is for the whole of the UK and a subset is activated

Ideally, if you figure out a way to export/import the data, it would be in a format you could modify too. So you could add/change/remove frequencies as needed, and you wouldn't be limited by what you had set up before.

[DavidinCT]

It's alive!

My undead listings now go out to February 16.


https://youtu.be/GjjZGyYcH9E

I updated mine last night (noticed no guide data and tried it before going to bed)... just have not had the time to do anything about it.... It shows to Feb 16th but, It's only covering local channels, all the extended basic channels (Discovery, TLC, etc) have no guide data for me. I don't have any premium channels on my WMC machine.

I'm going to try some solutions soon... might try it on my 8.1 partition as I don't have any shows setup to record on there.

[Waynezo]

Been using EPG123 for about 4 days now, works flawlessly. I paid up for a year of schedules direct and sent a donation to garyan2. Thanks to all who gave their advice especially Gary. Now I am on set it and forget it mode

[Space]

Interesting. I wonder if Microsoft pulled the plug on their WMC data server, then realized that it affected the TV setup data as well as the guide data, and temporarily restored the whole thing until they can get it sorted out? It sounds like in some countries, the TV setup data is a lot more necessary than in the US.

I'm just going to guess and say the stoppage was unintentional, as was the "starttage" .

The Microsoft guide data server has always had problems since the Rovi cut-over, and I assume that these were just the normal problems that they have been having. I don't think they have ever purposely stopped the data (at least not yet, I am sure it is coming). It could partially be because the person who has been "watching" it has been slacking due to the pending decommissioning of the service.

As for EPG123 and Schedules Direct with Gracenote data (now that I've converted), the data is pretty flawless. I knew the data was good, but it is even better then I expected. From my limited experience (5 days), even the episodes that are 17 days out have episode specific data, which is not what I expected. I thought that programming that far out would have generic info for at least a few days before they were updated with more specific data.

I know this is not the case with all programs, but for what I record, it is almost flawless. The only upcoming recording I have that has generic information is "Shark Tank" airing after the premiere of "American Idol" on 2/16 and I assume this is the case because ABC has not decided what they are airing in that slot (I assume it will be a repeat).

[mercalia]

Emby is a commercial application and have their own data feed; we have specific exemptions for certain applications, and Emby isn't one of them.

cant say I understand this as Media Center users with epg123 still have to pay? You ar enot giving the service a way for free ?

[Space]

Emby is a commercial application and have their own data feed; we have specific exemptions for certain applications, and Emby isn't one of them.

cant say I understand this as Media Center users with epg123 still have to pay? You ar enot giving the service a way for free ?

I believe that Schedules Direct's agreement with the data provider (Gracenote) states that they cannot provide service to commercial applications.

Applications need to be approved first before they are allowed. This includes some applications that used to be commercial but are no longer (such as WMC or ReplayTV, etc.).

Yes, there is a fee for the service, but if you are the publisher of commercial software that needs guide data, you need to negotiate directly with Gracenote, as they only allow Schedules Direct to provide service to free/open source applications.

[Vistaar]

Its really no big deal for me really as I only use Media Center with Media Browser [Emby] to organise all my blue ray and dvd rips & previous tv downloads....

Perhaps you should be posting at Emby's forum? Is it incapable of tuning DVB-T on its own? (Never used Emby myself.) NextPVR could formerly be used as a back end for Emby, but I don't think that has been true since Emby went commercial. It seems like I already mentioned EPG Collector in an earlier reply.

[Saintor]

Now updated until Feb 17th.

[Mike88]

I signed up for the 7 day free trial from Schedules Direct & was going to install EPG123 today or tomorrow. I figured there would be no conflict with old guide data because the guide was empty. But I saw the HTPC was awake & recording & had guide data. Not sure if I should wait till the data runs out or try EPG123 tomorrow.