Microsoft ending EPG for WMC in January

[Arkar0000]

Spectrum Orange CA has updated from 12/18 4 PM end to 12/25 4 PM. An extra week. Merry Christmas

[McGary]

Spectrum San Antonio now shows guide data through 25 Dec on the "About" page for the guide -- HOWEVER, MOST channels don't have any data after the 18th (Noticed this on HallMark, then scrolled up & down the guide and found that only a few HD channels have data after the 18th at the moment.)

Hopefully this will correct itself in another day or so … although if I can find a reasonable time block where my wife doesn't have anything scheduled to record (she has a LOT of Christmas stuff recording this week) I'll likely just do the move to EPG.

Question r.e. moving to EPG => Do currently scheduled recordings get impacted by this? i.e. do I need to look at all of the scheduled recordings and make note of them, then re-schedule them after switching to EPG?

[Space]

This is a question to post on the EPG123 section of the forums, but I do know that none of your scheduled recordings will transfer over directly.

EPG123 comes with a tool for converting old Series so that they work with Gracenote/Schedules Direct data (which most people use with EPG123), however I don't know if it will work for one-off recordings (single red dot) which I assume is the case with the Christmas stuff that your wife has scheduled. Wait for Gary to respond here (or post in the EPG123 forum section) to get the definitive answer.

[RedWMC]

Guide Data: Comcast, SLC, UT, December 28 4:30 PM.
3 days before New Years.
I’m counting on switching to Plex or EPG as a backup before then hopefully. Gives me some extra time with the craziness of December going on. Wish they have ya the whole month of January but not counting on that.

[McGary]

A lot of posters in this thread seem to have the same "disease" I've had for the last 3-4 years … "Transition Anxiety"

Every time there was a guide update hiccup (and some of these came down to literally a few hours before the end of all guide data), I'd get "prepped" to move to EPG -- manually note all of our scheduled programs; image my system; review my notes on the cablecard activation process (a real PITA with then-Time Warner/now Spectrum); and then plan to make the transition in a window when we had no recordings set for at least 6 hours. Came as close as making the final image an hour before I planned to switch --- but when the image completed I checked the guide one final time and Voila! … it had updated yet again. Did that at least twice during some of the worst Rovi/Microsoft glitches.

However, I finally decided there was no alternative, thanks to Microsoft … and turns out the "Transition Anxiety" disease was a BIG false alarm.

Did the update today, and with the latest version of EPG it's practically a push-the-button and wait for it affair. Took me about 45 minutes -- and it was VERY simple. The cable cards were a non-issue -- you just tell WMC to set up to use them, then just click past the screen about calling your provider -- the activation status is maintained with no issue. I stopped several times at various screens to go read a bit more on another PC or re-watch that section of the installation video on Gary's site -- if I hadn't done that, the total time was probably ~ 25 minutes from start to finish. REALLY wish I'd done this 2-3 years ago

In other words, if you're hesitant about making the switch, don't be -- it couldn't have been a much simpler process. And $25 a year to Schedules Direct is a really trivial cost for a RELIABLE guide --- certainly not something we've had for the last few years with Rovi/Microsoft. The first year's cost is, of course, more than $25, since Gary certainly deserves at least that much for his superb EPG package ... my last task after this transition is to go click on his PayPal button

[Arkar0000]

Thank you McGary for the encouragement. I am one that has put this off because at the last moment the Guide did update. So I have been having less anxiety about the lapses but this time is different of course. So post Christmas pre bowl games, EPG123 is to be installed.


Quick edit. I am now updated to Dec 28 4 PM. Spectrum Orange CA

[adam1991]

yes, the cablecard thing is absolutely a non-issue. Once you have the cable company pair it with your tuner, that's it. No changing of WMC has any effect on that.

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

A lot of posters in this thread seem to have the same "disease" I've had for the last 3-4 years … "Transition Anxiety"

Every time there was a guide update hiccup (and some of these came down to literally a few hours before the end of all guide data), I'd get "prepped" to move to EPG -- manually note all of our scheduled programs; image my system; review my notes on the cablecard activation process (a real PITA with then-Time Warner/now Spectrum); and then plan to make the transition in a window when we had no recordings set for at least 6 hours. Came as close as making the final image an hour before I planned to switch --- but when the image completed I checked the guide one final time and Voila! … it had updated yet again. Did that at least twice during some of the worst Rovi/Microsoft glitches.

However, I finally decided there was no alternative, thanks to Microsoft … and turns out the "Transition Anxiety" disease was a BIG false alarm.

Did the update today, and with the latest version of EPG it's practically a push-the-button and wait for it affair. Took me about 45 minutes -- and it was VERY simple. The cable cards were a non-issue -- you just tell WMC to set up to use them, then just click past the screen about calling your provider -- the activation status is maintained with no issue. I stopped several times at various screens to go read a bit more on another PC or re-watch that section of the installation video on Gary's site -- if I hadn't done that, the total time was probably ~ 25 minutes from start to finish. REALLY wish I'd done this 2-3 years ago

In other words, if you're hesitant about making the switch, don't be -- it couldn't have been a much simpler process. And $25 a year to Schedules Direct is a really trivial cost for a RELIABLE guide --- certainly not something we've had for the last few years with Rovi/Microsoft. The first year's cost is, of course, more than $25, since Gary certainly deserves at least that much for his superb EPG package ... my last task after this transition is to go click on his PayPal button

^^ exactly! That's just wat (everything) i wanted to say when i switched six weeks ago. NP watsoever for me for these past six weeks.

[sgbroimp]

Agree and the support from Gary is second to none if you need help. I am no computer swiftie and had no real issues at all.

[billmich]

Thank you McGary for the encouragement. I am one that has put this off because at the last moment the Guide did update. So I have been having less anxiety about the lapses but this time is different of course. So post Christmas pre bowl games, EPG123 is to be installed.


Quick edit. I am now updated to Dec 28 4 PM. Spectrum Orange CA

same here, after the bowl games, i am all in on EPG123

[Arkar0000]

Spectrum Orange CA has updated to Noon December 31. Could we actually make it past the New Year Bowl games? He says while putting it off a few more days.

[McGary]

Spectrum Orange CA has updated to Noon December 31. Could we actually make it past the New Year Bowl games? He says while putting it off a few more days.

It is really SO simple it's hard to describe. As I noted above, I've put it off MANY times … getting oh-so-close several times, with the guide always updating at the last minute just before I started the update. But now that I've done it, I can't believe how much nicer it is than the old guide, and all the frustrating days I've endured because I didn't make the switch. I'm reminded of a LOT of friends who have had knee replacements -- the ONLY complaint anyone ever seems to have about that operation is "WHY did I wait so long !!"

In other words, I wouldn't continue "putting it off a few days" ==> create a Schedules Direct account (5 minutes); then just pick an hour when you don't have any recordings and do the update … I'd be surprised if it takes more than 30-40 minutes. I took a few minutes longer than that, but still well under an hour, and that included time to go back to Gary's web page and make a nice donation to encourage him to keep up the good work

[Space]

Microsoft/Rovi/TiVo guide data has stopped again for me. I know that the listings will end some time before/in January, but I only have listings out to 12/31 @ 7pm EDT (8 days of data) and no new updates since 12/19 (same duplicate file is downloaded every day since then).

Has anyone contacted TiVo to contact Microsoft again?

I know it's almost over, but I'd like to have as much data as possible before the migration to EPG123 so that if there are any issues I have some extra time to work on it.

Of course, it's always possible that they are blocking all data past 12/31 UTC (which would be 12/31 @ 7pm EDT), which in that case I guess there will be no more updates. I thought that maybe the updates would stop on 12/31 but we would still have ~12 days of data beyond that, but maybe not.

I know I'm just being picky, but at least we should get updated data through 12/31, not stopped updates on 12/19 with stale data for the rest of the year (and missing prime time on the last day).

[Bee_Dee_3_Dee]

Spectrum Orange CA has updated to Noon December 31. Could we actually make it past the New Year Bowl games? He says while putting it off a few more days.

It is really SO simple it's hard to describe. As I noted above, I've put it off MANY times … getting oh-so-close several times, with the guide always updating at the last minute just before I started the update. But now that I've done it, I can't believe how much nicer it is than the old guide, and all the frustrating days I've endured because I didn't make the switch. I'm reminded of a LOT of friends who have had knee replacements -- the ONLY complaint anyone ever seems to have about that operation is "WHY did I wait so long !!"

In other words, I wouldn't continue "putting it off a few days" ==> create a Schedules Direct account (5 minutes); then just pick an hour when you don't have any recordings and do the update … I'd be surprised if it takes more than 30-40 minutes. I took a few minutes longer than that, but still well under an hour, and that included time to go back to Gary's web page and make a nice donation to encourage him to keep up the good work

Rovi screwed-up all the movies i recorded so bad it was a miracle... and a miracle the way EPG123 fixed them too.

With Rovi handling EPG, there were sometimes two identical movies shown in my WMC's Movie Library. Half the time there was no cover art. But the biggest problem was while trying to free space up on my drives, i'd delete one of the two and both would go away. So, so much for managing movies from WMC's Movie Library with Rovi handling EPG. But, EPG123 recovered cover art for the movies missing it, and especially, NO MORE DUPLICATE MOVIES! So it is possible the finally manage movies in WMC's Movie Library.

And over the weekend i recorded all the Star War movies on TNT... because Rovi had screwed-up already recorded ones and they had beeen deleted months ago. So, EPG123 put off running and properly reported it Sunday and then successfully updated EPG this morning (Monday).

Here's wat the EPG123 log entry had Sunday:

"[ERROR] A program recording is still in progress after 5 hours. Aborting the mxf file import."

If someone reading this never used EPG123, ^^ is an example of how well it works. Movies were successfully recorded and the EPG was updated the next day. i didn't have to lift a finger. (EPG123 didn't allow itself to run because it could tell recordings were in progress and maybe they could have been corrupted a little while it ran.)

There was a Red EPG123 icon displayed... versus the usual pretty Green one... on bottom right WMC main menu page. And that is why i checked the log.^^

Checking the log was two too easy-peasees to do...

-Open the little EPG123 program
-click on "View Log" button
-The Log opens up for u in Notepad
-Then u just scroll to the very bottom
-Look for anything starting with "[ERROR]".

Perfect!!!

I have only had to briefly view/ glance at the log twice since starting EPG123 two months ago. (1st time it let me know that one ESPN program's time was overlapping another... so what? and big whoop! right?... but i was properly informed and EPG123 worked perfectly.)

It is all about piece of mind.

No more EPG breaking and being forced to ask:

-What happened Stan?
-I guess i'll have to check on thegreenbutton dot tv?
-Time to start hoping it is eventually fixed?
-While not knowing wat is going on?

IF U USE EPG123!!! the answers are Nope, nope, nope, and nope!

EPG123 keeps track and IF anything needs to be noted (and it never really does) the Log will tell u.

Next EPG123 update promises to make ur morning coffee too. K, so it won't. but at least u can peaceably drink ur coffee every morning while raising ur mug and saying,
"the blank blank to Rovi; i'm watching TV on my WMC machines NP."

[Gadget Guy]

Like everyone else here, I need to do something about the guide in the next week or so. Fortunately I have a few days off this time of year.

I recently tried Jellyfin and became familiar with zap2xml when I setup the guide listings for it. I was just wondering if there is an easy way to use .xmltv files with EPG123 instead of Schedules Direct? My needs a very modest, since I'm only using a handful of local channels via antenna.

[garyan2]

Like everyone else here, I need to do something about the guide in the next week or so. Fortunately I have a few days off this time of year.

I recently tried Jellyfin and became familiar with zap2xml when I setup the guide listings for it. I was just wondering if there is an easy way to use .xmltv files with EPG123 instead of Schedules Direct? My needs a very modest, since I'm only using a handful of local channels via antenna.

I'm working on a generic xmltv to mxf program, but being generic it is going to have to be somewhat limited. There are so many different generators of xmltv files, with varying levels of quality and completeness, that it is proving difficult to get what I would consider a minimum level of dependability/configurability.

I do have a ZAP2XML created that could be pretty much ready for release, but I'm trying to make sure it is safe. It will take any XMLTV file that has the "dd_progid" episode number system in it which is the Gracenote ID. This would mean that the Transfer Tool of EPG123 would work with it as well. These XMLTV files would come from sources like mc2xml, xmltv project's tv_grab_zz_sdjson generator, or even EPG123. It just so happens that zap2xml also contains the "dd_progid".

If you are not aware, zap2xml is basically a webscraper and as such is not considered friendly by the hosting party. Please visit https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/terms-of-service/ to review Zap2It's Terms of Service.

[McGary]

Why would anyone want to not use Schedules Direct? It seems SO complete; is apparently VERY reliable; and integrates perfectly with EPG123. I guess the downside is it isn't free … but surely $25/yr isn't a real burden -- that's less than a cup of coffee/month

[adam1991]

You'd be shocked at how many indignant people there are, yelping about "they promised free for life, and by God I'm going to hold them to it! I will never pay a dime for guide service!".

Hence all the work on jumping through hoops to make some free stuff work, if it can.

[Scallica]

You'd be shocked at how many indignant people there are, yelping about "they promised free for life, and by God I'm going to hold them to it! I will never pay a dime for guide service!".

Hence all the work on jumping through hoops to make some free stuff work, if it can.

[Gadget Guy]

Why would anyone want to not use Schedules Direct? It seems SO complete; is apparently VERY reliable; and integrates perfectly with EPG123. I guess the downside is it isn't free … but surely $25/yr isn't a real burden -- that's less than a cup of coffee/month

The cost isn't a burden in itself, but when you only need basic listings for a couple of channels it's overkill. It also contributes to Subscription Overload.
EPG123 could integrate just as well with Zap2it as it does with Schedules Direct. It appears that Gary chose the later for completeness and terms of service.

You'd be shocked at how many indignant people there are, yelping about "they promised free for life, and by God I'm going to hold them to it! I will never pay a dime for guide service!".

Hence all the work on jumping through hoops to make some free stuff work, if it can.

Thank you for your invaluable insight, but these comments don't advance the conversation.