All my channels just got scrambled (randomly rearranged)

[Paul Anderegg]

Had a red ERROR for EPG123. I opened the client and config thingies, and channels were all randomly checked and unchecked, complete utter nonsense. I tried to restore a backup, but this resulted in the proper channels being check marked, but all the channel numbering is wrong. I have tried system restore, full disk image to a few days ago, I cannot fix this and don't know what to do. Have not played with or updated EPG123 in a while, so the backend has just gone crazy on its own.

Help..I don't want to have to spend the next 5 hours with no sleep starting from absolute scratch setting up my WMC

Paul

[Paul Anderegg]

Here is what my restored backup looks like, these are the correct data.

[Paul Anderegg]

And here is the broken config screen, that is all out of order and anything I do with it just makes things worse. I just want the previous post data to transfer to this other config screen and make it all better.

[garyan2]

Not sure what you mean by all scrambled. What you say is right, and showing what is wrong, are the same. Do you mean how it is displayed in the configuration GUI?

[Paul Anderegg]

OK, went to Schedules Direct, looks like THEY have broken the listings, as they changed the channel assignments and they no longer match what Cox is actually assigning channels to. ARGGGGGG

Now what do I do?

[Paul Anderegg]

Not sure what you mean by all scrambled. What you say is right, and showing what is wrong, are the same. Do you mean how it is displayed in the configuration GUI?

If I click save or save and execute on the CONFIG screen, when I open WMC, all the stations listings will not match the Cox channels. The Client screen shows correct after restore from backup, but the Config screen is pulling incorrect channel assignments from SD.

Example...22 is the Weather Channel, on Cox listings and on Client restored backup, but not on Config data coming from Schedules Direct.

[garyan2]

Ah, I didn't cross-check enough channels. A lot of the channels in all 3 pics are the same, but there are some differences. BTW: the screenshot from SD is for their XML server, not the JSON server that EPG123 uses.

[garyan2]

This appears to be an upstream issue (Gracenote) providing that data with the wrong channel assignments. If ever in doubt, go to https://tvlistings.zap2it.com and see what Gracenote is providing.

You should submit a ticket to SD so that they in turn can submit a ticket to Gracenote to get it fixed.

For now, I would suggest you restore to what is correct, delete your current scheduled task, disable the automatch feature, and then create a new task. This will keep the channel assignments correct while still updating the guide listings for each channel.

[Paul Anderegg]

The JSON is the same data, I deleted the line up and added it again, and same bad data, and looking at both versions on SD shows the same incorrect data. I submitted a ticket.

My problem now is that after restoring the correct lineup in the Client, WMC has no guide data, and if I select update guide, WMC is corrupted by the incorrect SD Config channel lineup, so I am boffed at the moment. Going to do an Acronis restore to a few days ago and should I just disable EPG123 until SD fixes their shiznit so it doesn't corrupt my guide, which will have 2 weeks of good Acronis data?

Paul

[Paul Anderegg]

When you say create a new task...can you be more specific?

Paul

[garyan2]

In the client for your Scheduled Task in the top left, click the [Delete] button, uncheck the 'Automatch' option, then click the [Create] button.

[Paul Anderegg]

Client, restore from December 2021. Config, Scheduled Tasks, Deleted, unchecked Automatch, and unchecked automatically match and automatically import guide data in Config Scheduled Tasks pane. Created new tasked, open WMC, no guide data.

Same as above but leaving automatically import guide data results in corruption of WMC channel lineup.

:-\

Paul

[Paul Anderegg]

Just tried to Acronis restore again to a working guide so I can kill the task without blanking my guide, and Acronis decided it would be a perfect time to CLEAN UP (delete) all my backup version files, so now I am super boffed.

Paul

[garyan2]

If you restored from December 2021, then all your guide data in the WMC database is long past. You need to run an update to get current listings.

[Paul Anderegg]

If I run an update, then the corrupted Config channel line up gets pushed to WMC. Looks like Acronis made a new backup immediately when it restored, so I got my guide listings through March 11th back now, and the Scheduled Task is deleted until SD gets things sorted. They got back to me earlier and are trying to determine who to yell at for feeding them bad data

Paul

[garyan2]

Sorry, meant to circle back on this. You don't need to stop your updates as long as the automatch option is disabled for your scheduled task. It won't matter that the lineup is not correct, only that the lineup has the stations you want to download. The channel numbers only mean something for the automatch feature and for user viewing.

[Insectoid]

Hello. My family and I use the same service as the OP (Cox South San Diego), and are having an identical issue (coincidence?). Had a red X on EPG since a few days ago, tried to fix it, and now channel assignments are mismatched (but still tune correctly) in WMC, trashing most of our scheduled recordings. We do not have a backup, and I don't know what specifically would need to be backed up in any case. My dad and I are both at a loss what to do - do we just wait it out, and hope the upstream guide service fixes itself? I can't think of anything else to try, so would appreciate any advice.

[Paul Anderegg]

Probably need to manually set each channels number that is wrong to the corr3ect channel number? I have good guide data until the 10th, so I am hoping Schedules Direct will have the ticket and issue resolved by then. Maybe try a different zip code in Zap2it and find another Cox area maybe not affected but has the same channel line-up?

Paul

[garyan2]

Hello. My family and I use the same service as the OP (Cox South San Diego), and are having an identical issue (coincidence?). Had a red X on EPG since a few days ago, tried to fix it, and now channel assignments are mismatched (but still tune correctly) in WMC, trashing most of our scheduled recordings. We do not have a backup, and I don't know what specifically would need to be backed up in any case. My dad and I are both at a loss what to do - do we just wait it out, and hope the upstream guide service fixes itself? I can't think of anything else to try, so would appreciate any advice.

You will need to the same above concerning deleting your current task, disabling automatch, then creating a new task.

To correct your current channel mappings, take a look at https://garyan2.github.io/map.html.

[Paul Anderegg]

I am looking at the non-digital line-up for my areas Cox cable. What would happen is we selected the non-digital line-up in Schedules Direct? The channels are all correct, and Cox has discontinued Standard Def channels, everything is HD now, so either nothing would work or this would fix the issue?

Paul

https://www.schedulesdirect.org/lineups ... A04486%3A-