TheGreenButton - Windows Media Center Forums

Did you parse through all the ideas in the following threads (and yes, some are long):
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... =96&t=9179
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... =96&t=8903

Not sure which "3 step procedure" you refer to, whether CC or OTA tuners, etc, which "other thread", etc. so...

I've been reading this forum and the many others out there for awhile. I have a new WMC HTPC setup with a HDHomerun Prime, and 2 Xbox 360s as extenders.

I'll save most of the details, but when I got to the point of configuring my TV signal, WMC was unable to get guide data for my zip code. I tried surrounding zip codes, the hosts file tricks, the works. Everything I've seen I gave it a go. Disabled Windows firewall. Can't think of all the other things.

Since yesterday, only two things have changed. I'm not sure which, and not sure if this will help anyone at all, but I wanted to post just incase.

1. I put in a connect ticket asking them to add my zip code. That was done yesterday afternoon.
2. I was running an Apple Airport Extreme router. It has given me problems with xbox wireless speed (known bug) and is not very customizable. I just switched today to an ASUS A66U 802.11ac router. My HTPC is on wired connection anyway, but the important thing is I changed the router.

Fired up WMC. Into TV signal setup, 3 minutes later I have 3 tuners setup with guide data. Everything looks great (minus one channel that I have found off, which I also reported to Connect).

I don't know which of the above helped. I've seen people report that after Connect posts their zip code started working, but I'm much more inclined to think the new router is what made the difference.

Either way, I have guide listings now, but I suffered like so many here. It's REALLY frustrating, so I just wanted to post this to see if it helps anyone out. Now to get my extenders wired and to enjoy WMC (before anything else changes). Thanks to this forum for all the help. Even though I never posted before this, all of your posts are an invaluable resource to someone getting started with WMC and HTPC.

BucK wrote:

BucK wrote:

Snowdog wrote:
For me it was entirely related to Peter Nears "Enable ATSC" script. Which no one in the USA would need to run.

I finally have everything working for my Canadian OTA setup.

I detailed it on another forum:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/31-home ... ost2611290

Excellent snowdog - I will give your method a try and report back in this forum

Snowdog's solution above for "groundhog day" issue works!!! Guide is now updating. Thanks Snowdog.

I agree! The Peter Nears hack (CanGuide.bat) is working really good here (Montreal region). It doesn't matter if a lineup is loading initialy for your area, this hack is loading it (the lineup) manually by importing the mxf file that triggers the download and installing a scheduled task to reimport it every day. Finally, this problem has come to an end! Hurray!!

I am unable to connect to https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145. I've tried several times over several hours & always get a timed out message. Anyone else been having this problem?

Mike88 wrote:I am unable to connect to https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145. I've tried several times over several hours & always get a timed out message. Anyone else been having this problem?

Down for me as well.

It's as though hosting for the Connect site is now being provided by Rovi...

Well I'll be! It worked. Nearly 5 months without guide data and I finally have it again.

I was certain the process below posted by TRAVBRO wouldn't work for me, as I feel like I had already tried every thing in there, just maybe not in that particular order or something. Note, I also flushed the dns inbetween disabling WMC and re=enabling it.
Amazing. I really didn't think anything was ever going to work, short of MSFT actually *fixing* the system.
I'm happy to have guide data back, but honestly after all this, I'm ready to move on from WMC.
Can't wait for SiliconDust to finish their HDHomerun DVR project! I'm beta-testing that and it looks promising. Very different from WMC classic DVR design, but still could be interesting and workable.

Oh, and FYI the link below to the connect post by Larry Blanco is broken. So I just followed TRAVBRO's summary.

Kieran

I have Time-Warner. My re-install for the guide) showed FIOS and ATT. I "assumed" that TWC had some sort of contract with FIOS! [oops]

So I loaded FIOS listings on my TWC and fail fail fail. I took a suggestion to try a different zip code- same failure- until I tried Palm Springs.
The Desert Hot Springs came up with choices other than FIOS- like two for Time-Warner. Then chose the HD TWC option and now the channel listings are normal.

You need listings from the same company that provides your cable service. For each time zone, the listings don't change. 131 is always Smithsonian, for Time-Warner. I could have downloaded listings from San Francisco , so long as it is Pacific Time AND the same cable company- whatever yours may be. Like goes with like.

Palm Springs has the same local channels as my area. [Greater Los Angeles] Perhaps SF would have failed on the local channels.
Don't go too far from home. Good luck.

[Moderator note: topic merged; search before posting]

What a saga this has been. Finally got my Guide back this afternoon, thanks to EVERYONE here, and the Video (youtube) link posted here some pages back.

Background: Have been running my HTPC (Win 7 32-bit) with PCI Ceton Infinitv 4 on Verizon Fios in New England for the last several years. Changeover to Rovi 'worked' - if you can call their pitiful excuse for a guide working - but at least I knew my zip code was correct.

Two weeks ago my OS SSID drive crashed and burned. Got a new drive installed, clean installed Win Ultimate, downloaded driver for Ceton but noticed it was for SP1. Asked Ceton (via Trouble Ticket)- with whose support, or really, lack of it, I find disgusting - for the previous driver I originally used. Took them days to get back with: 'say what now? Can't help you.'

Installed SP1, because I *assumed*, not yet having found this thread, that my lack of Guide was due to this. Ceton Diagnostic said/still says this minute that I have no valid cablecard, so I got Verizon to send a new one. They sent two, because "we seem to have had a batch of bad cards these last several months." No kidding. I spent most of the weekend on the phone with Verizon Tech trying to get their cards to bring in premium channels - to no avail. To quote one: Are you sure cablecards can show premium channels?

And Ceton diagnostic kept saying, despite Verizon sitting right there and saying they could 'see' the card, which did bring in all other channels, that I had no valid cablecard. Finally re-installed my former card, had tech activate it, and voila - all premium channels. But still no guide.

Did manual recordings for the weekend - I wasn't about to miss the season premiere of Walking and Talking Dead - read ALL of this thread and a few hours ago re-ran the video and followed instructions. Changed host file, ipconfig/flushdns, ran objectrecovery, shut off/on computer, opened WMC, got the 'fixed a problem' - went through Set TV Signal, used my zip -- and there it was. No Download Error screen, and for the first time was asked to select my provider. Guide downloaded fully. Spent the last hour or so setting up options, series, etc.

About DNS. I can't remember who wrote here that the Host file doesn't use the IP's we add, but that does not seem to be the case here. Before opening the Host file I pinged data.tvdownload.microsoft.com and received IP 65.55.5.170 - which is for Southern US. Not me. After adding the two IP's to the Host file (which had none otherwise) and going through set up successfully, I pinged again. This time: 65.55.186.113 - so it must have gotten that from the Host file, since over the weekend I'd periodically flush the dns and two different zips, to no avail.

I did not have to uninstall WMC or change my DNS or detach the HTPC from the router and set it up on Wi-Fi. Simply followed the video exactly, which took about ten minutes - and it worked the first time. Oh, and I still haven't downloaded all the Win updates either. In fact I have them turned off at the moment, though I didn't have to turn off Firewall. Though I suspect Ceton Diagnostics might finally see my cablecard if I do.

Marks for this forum and everyone in it: A+

Marks for Ceton and their so-called support, who *must* know about this problem and who should point their many customers with the same problem to this forum, instead of shrugging their collective shoulders and saying 'it's not our job to deal with the guide or provide legacy drivers for customers who need them. We only want to sell you equipment we already know you're probably going to have trouble with, so shut up and fork over": Major FAIL. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Like many of us here, I did not know there was a problem until coming across this forum. With the host file modified, I could finally get my WMC back again, mostly. It won't find my local network channels. I've tried different zip codes to no avail. I am using Win7 Pro, DirecTV and Colossus card. My zip is 52601. It comes up with two options: Central Time Digital or Rock Island/Davenport Digital. If I select the first option it goes fine without local channels. The second options fails every time with a crash of WMC. At which point I reset WMC by removing the ehome db folders and try again. I have even rebuilt the box ground up. Any suggestions?

I'm starting to see per-episode descriptions return for things like the late night shows.

Agreeing with this post: http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... =96&t=9369

Hello All,
Has anyone in the Dallas, Fort Worth area had any success with the guide? If so what was done.
Thanks.

I'm in Cedar Hill (75104) and am now running fine on a Vista Media Center + TV Pack.

Nothing worked until M$ made a change the Sunday before the new TV season, then I could get data.

bmcpeak wrote:Has anyone in the Dallas, Fort Worth area had any success with the guide? If so what was done.

Someone in the "Known working ZIP codes" thread recommended 75261 back in August: http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 528#p94528. Obviously TV setup data download must be successful.

75219 Time Warner Cable Host file and when it fails hit update again.

Anyone else have a problem with tonight's guide update?

It seems to download the update, but then later fails when processing it.

It also differs from previous failures I have seen in that it creates a new file and directory in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\eHome\Packages\EpgListings each time an attempt is made to download:
EpgListing (folder)
EpgListing-1 (folder)
EpgListing-2 (folder)
EpgListing-3 (folder)
EpgListing-4 (folder)
EpgListing.enc
EpgListing-2.enc
EpgListing-3.enc
EpgListing-4.enc

Normally I only have two folders (EpgListing and EpgListing-1) and a single *.enc file which alternates with each nights update between EpgListing.enc and EpgListing-2.enc (with the new *.mxf being put in the corresponding folder), but tonight, each time I try to do a download, it increments the number and creates a new folder and *.enc file without deleting the old *.enc file. Each time it downloads, the new *.enc file has the same filesize and timestamp as the previous ones (as does the *.mxf file inside the new folder).

It could just be a corrupt download file, but I was wondering if others are also seeing this, or if it is just my system.

Thanks!

Yes. I noted the same thing here earlier today.
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 045#p98045
but didn't see the ever expanding list of directories when I posted it earlier. I see the same thing on 2 different WMCs. As of now I have directories EpgListing - EpgListing5 and the same for EpgListing-x.enc.

I find it oddly coincidental that it's starting to occur as the guide dates extended to days just after the weekend daylight savings time switch and with what looks to be some kind of xmf loading/processing problem.

glorp wrote:Yes. I noted the same thing here earlier today.
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 045#p98045
but didn't see the ever expanding list of directories when I posted it earlier. I see the same thing on 2 different WMCs. As of now I have directories EpgListing - EpgListing5 and the same for EpgListing-x.enc.

I find it oddly coincidental that it's starting to occur as the guide dates extended to days just after the weekend daylight savings time switch and with what looks to be some kind of xmf loading/processing problem.

Yeah, I assumed it just wasn't updating, but it looks like it is updating but is just missing data for many channels starting after 11/3 @ 7pm ET. If you are also seeing the extra folders being created, then I feel better that it is not just a problem with my system. It looks like it goes up to EpgListing-7 and then any update after that just keeps using that one and it deletes the EpgListing-7.enc file after each "failed" update.

Space wrote:Yeah, I assumed it just wasn't updating, but it looks like it is updating but is just missing data for many channels starting after 11/3 @ 7pm ET. If you are also seeing the extra folders being created, then I feel better that it is not just a problem with my system. It looks like it goes up to EpgListing-7 and then any update after that just keeps using that one and it deletes the EpgListing-7.enc file after each "failed" update.

I just updated ~hour ago successfully. No error in the Event Log for the mcupdate task and I confirmed data populated on all channels, all days thru ~11/5 in the EPG. So it was a one-off problem I guess.

I do now have an EpgListing-6 directory as well as all the old failed ones, 1 - 5 from yesterday, but it did get rid of all the extra EpgListing-x.enc files with this update.

Sigh. Good ol' M$.

Yeah, similar thing happened here. Only thing is that I updated manually and got a pop-up error saying it failed. But it added two new days of data, so not sure what (if anything) failed.