My EPG123 Issue

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RonBo

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My EPG123 Issue

#1

Post by RonBo » Fri Mar 25, 2016 5:31 pm

Well...Here's my sad story....My guide data ran out on Mar 7th. I tried to install EPG123 after all the recommendations from this form which resulted in a nasty MalWare problem. After wiping my HD clean and reinstalling my Vista operating system, I ended up with the ZapIt guide again and I have been unable to get Rovi back on there. It's really too bad because WMC WAS a good system but I think it is finally dead! I have been using WINTV (Hauppauge) and the Titan TV Guide but it is not a true whole house solution. I can watch recorded shows on multiple TV's through my XBMC/KODI/TOFU/Linux box (or whatever they call it this week) but I'm not able to control WinTV remotely at this time. It's unbelievable to me that there isn't a good solution for a whole house live TV system at this time. The cable companies have a good system but it is very costly. Why isn't there a good system for OTA TV?

I'm really getting tired of spending money on junk that doesn't work. I bought a XIOS DS media player and installed Linus/Kodi on it after watching a YouTube video of how well it works and my experience is completely different. None of the add-ons work. Nada. Does anyone have a whole house solution for OTA, Live TV that actually works? I mean one that has a guide that can be controlled to record shows from multiple TVs around the house...like WMC used to work? I don't mind spending money on a box that works but I don't want a monthly fee, otherwise I'd order cable...they have a system that actually works!

[Moderator note: topic split from DST thread]

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STC

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#2

Post by STC » Fri Mar 25, 2016 5:35 pm

Sorry to hear you had so much grief. Malware from EPG? No. It's clean. Also EPG does not work with Vista. Always backup before doing any major work. You can resort to going back to the starting point should things go wrong.
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#3

Post by Sammy2 » Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:19 pm

Did you follow the instructions? Right there on the top of step 0 it says for Windows 7 MC only. If you have Vista, that's where you stop and regroup and get Windows 7.

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#4

Post by Ladislaus » Fri Mar 25, 2016 9:18 pm

Per the steps listed for installing Epg123 @ http://epg123.garyan2.net/?page_id=5 :

"This tool only works for Win7 and up version Media Centers. Do NOT proceed if you are using Vista MC."

(Emphasis mine.)

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#5

Post by adam1991 » Fri Mar 25, 2016 10:14 pm

RonBo wrote:Does anyone have a whole house solution for OTA, Live TV that actually works? I mean one that has a guide that can be controlled to record shows from multiple TVs around the house...like WMC used to work? I don't mind spending money on a box that works but I don't want a monthly fee, otherwise I'd order cable...they have a system that actually works!
I'm headed to trying Tablo TV, the 4 tuner system.

It works for me because I'm already set up with Roku at each TV--plus, my antenna is already wired to network tuners (Silicon Dust), and Tablo would be a drop-in replacement for those.

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#6

Post by dkrom » Sat Mar 26, 2016 12:25 pm

RonBo wrote:Well...Here's my sad story....My guide data ran out on Mar 7th. I tried to install EPG123 after all the recommendations from this form which resulted in a nasty MalWare problem. After wiping my HD clean and reinstalling my Vista operating system, I ended up with the ZapIt guide again and I have been unable to get Rovi back on there. It's really too bad because WMC WAS a good system but I think it is finally dead! I have been using WINTV (Hauppauge) and the Titan TV Guide but it is not a true whole house solution. I can watch recorded shows on multiple TV's through my XBMC/KODI/TOFU/Linux box (or whatever they call it this week) but I'm not able to control WinTV remotely at this time. It's unbelievable to me that there isn't a good solution for a whole house live TV system at this time. The cable companies have a good system but it is very costly. Why isn't there a good system for OTA TV?

I'm really getting tired of spending money on junk that doesn't work. I bought a XIOS DS media player and installed Linus/Kodi on it after watching a YouTube video of how well it works and my experience is completely different. None of the add-ons work. Nada. Does anyone have a whole house solution for OTA, Live TV that actually works? I mean one that has a guide that can be controlled to record shows from multiple TVs around the house...like WMC used to work? I don't mind spending money on a box that works but I don't want a monthly fee, otherwise I'd order cable...they have a system that actually works!
I see one key element missing from your setup, if you want to keep Vista you need to install the TV pack. Vista uses the same guide as the old XP system (hence the reason epg123 doesn't work). When you install the TV pack it changes the system over to the Windows 7 guide (which might then allow epg123 to work). Not sure how you were getting data so long without TV pack (or was able to get Rovi) since most other users ran out of guide data a long time ago. From my readings TV pack was an OEM release so manufacturers could plan for win7, but it was never released to the public. TV pack switches you to the Rovi guide as well. Check out the forum topic here http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 626#p93626

Of course you could just install Winslows 7....

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#7

Post by dkrom » Sat Mar 26, 2016 12:26 pm

RonBo wrote:Well...Here's my sad story....My guide data ran out on Mar 7th. I tried to install EPG123 after all the recommendations from this form which resulted in a nasty MalWare problem. After wiping my HD clean and reinstalling my Vista operating system, I ended up with the ZapIt guide again and I have been unable to get Rovi back on there. It's really too bad because WMC WAS a good system but I think it is finally dead! I have been using WINTV (Hauppauge) and the Titan TV Guide but it is not a true whole house solution. I can watch recorded shows on multiple TV's through my XBMC/KODI/TOFU/Linux box (or whatever they call it this week) but I'm not able to control WinTV remotely at this time. It's unbelievable to me that there isn't a good solution for a whole house live TV system at this time. The cable companies have a good system but it is very costly. Why isn't there a good system for OTA TV?

I'm really getting tired of spending money on junk that doesn't work. I bought a XIOS DS media player and installed Linus/Kodi on it after watching a YouTube video of how well it works and my experience is completely different. None of the add-ons work. Nada. Does anyone have a whole house solution for OTA, Live TV that actually works? I mean one that has a guide that can be controlled to record shows from multiple TVs around the house...like WMC used to work? I don't mind spending money on a box that works but I don't want a monthly fee, otherwise I'd order cable...they have a system that actually works!
I see one key element missing from your setup, if you want to keep Vista you need to install the TV pack. Vista uses the same guide as the old XP system (hence the reason epg123 doesn't work). When you install the TV pack it changes the system over to the Windows 7 guide (which might then allow epg123 to work). Not sure how you were getting data so long without TV pack (or was able to get Rovi) since most other users ran out of guide data a long time ago. From my readings TV pack was an OEM release so manufacturers could plan for win7, but it was never released to the public. TV pack switches you to the Rovi guide as well. Check out the forum topic here http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 626#p93626

Of course you could just install Winslows 7....

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#8

Post by dmagerl » Sat Mar 26, 2016 12:48 pm

I havent done it and therefore cant offer much help but supposedly you can keep Vista and use an old program, Bladerunner Pro, to get guide data from Schedule Direct.

I used to run it in XP. It''s a real pain to get running though.

RonBo

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#9

Post by RonBo » Sat Mar 26, 2016 3:52 pm

Thanks, guys, for the heads up about EPG123 not working with Vista without the TVpack. I went through the motions of getting the TV pack but I can't remember if I completed it or not...I'm guessing not since EPG didn't want to work. Anyway, someone up above posted this article, http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/a-noti ... ar-BBqNBDC
which says;
"A notice about TV Listings on MSN
2 days ago
As of March 15, TV Listings are currently unavailable on MSN.com. We regret the inconvenience.
You can view listings on partner sites such as TVGuide.com or TV.com"

I don't know if they mean permanently or not but elsewhere it says that ROVI bought TiVo which may change things forever.

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#10

Post by JohnW248 » Sat Mar 26, 2016 4:07 pm

RonBo wrote:Thanks, guys, for the heads up about EPG123 not working with Vista without the TVpack. I went through the motions of getting the TV pack but I can't remember if I completed it or not...I'm guessing not since EPG didn't want to work. Anyway, someone up above posted this article, http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/a-noti ... ar-BBqNBDC
which says;
"A notice about TV Listings on MSN
2 days ago
As of March 15, TV Listings are currently unavailable on MSN.com. We regret the inconvenience.
You can view listings on partner sites such as TVGuide.com or TV.com"

I don't know if they mean permanently or not but elsewhere it says that ROVI bought TiVo which may change things forever.
If you wonder if you have TV Pack on Vista, just check what your tv recording format current is. If you're on the released version, they're DVR--MS; if you're on TV Pack they're WTV. There were lots of other changes, etc and some Vista machines were sold with TV Pack installed (I have an HP Pavillion that was and wasn't cableCARD ready).

Don't know what to make of the MSN/Rovi issue. My guide is now down to 9 days (see above) and wonder if the MSN contract has anything to do with MC and Xbox. MSFT could get listings again from Zap2It or TV Guide but we know what we all went through with the last guide change.

RonBo

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#11

Post by RonBo » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:20 pm

I upgraded my HTPC to Win7 last weekend and now the guide is back to normal. I guess Vista is the real problem.

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#12

Post by artm » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:35 pm

Do yourself a favor: install Win7 (as you did) and do NOT upgrade it at all. Disable Windows Update!

I am running win7 Ultimate, no updates and both MC systems are running just fine on HP i3 laptops. In fact, all my systems (even non-MC) do not update at all and I have never had an issue.

I do not use AV programs, since I'm not an idiot who clicks at everything.

As far as I'm converned, leave well enough alone, especially in this application.
-Art --
Win7 Ultimate x64 (NO UPDATES!), EPG123 v1.1.19, Schedules Direct, HDHomerun Prime,
Dell 980 SFF, i5, Nvidia GT710
Dell 780 SFF, i5, HD4000

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#13

Post by garyan2 » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:57 pm

artm wrote:Do yourself a favor: install Win7 (as you did) and do NOT upgrade it at all. Disable Windows Update!

I am running win7 Ultimate, no updates and both MC systems are running just fine on HP i3 laptops. In fact, all my systems (even non-MC) do not update at all and I have never had an issue.

I do not use AV programs, since I'm not an idiot who clicks at everything.

As far as I'm converned, leave well enough alone, especially in this application.
A tad overprotective, aren't we?

For a dedicate media center, this is probably not too bad advice. I allow my media center (which is Win7 Premium, 32-bit) to download updates but not install until I initiate. Also, I hide KB3035583 update which is the Win10 upgrade nagware. I think there are tools out there to completely block it, but hiding it, with updates requiring me to approve, does the trick. As far as AV goes, I'm usually back-and-forth. MSSE is pretty light on resources so I typically don't notice it but if I am having any kind of problems, it is the first to go.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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#14

Post by RonBo » Sat Apr 02, 2016 5:15 am

Thanks for the advice. I think I will turn off the automatic updates tomorrow morning...I hope it's not too late! I'm pretty sure it did some upgrades already.

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#15

Post by Mike88 » Sat Apr 02, 2016 5:54 am

garyan2 -

Thank you for the information regarding the KB3035583 update.

I have my system set to notify me of updates, not to automatically download & install them. I keep getting the Windows 10 popup message to install it & I keep saying no. At some point in time I stopped getting the regular Windows 7 notifications.

I just looked at Control Panel > Windows Updates & they was 1 Important one waiting & it was KB3035583. The description said it had to do with Windows 7. No mention about Windows 10. So I looked at the update history & there were several successful installs of this update. I've always looked at the regular Windows 7 updates but never caught these because they probably said Windows 7 not Windows 10. I looked up how to delete & hide the update & don't see any traces of it in the PC so I think all is good. Now to look at the other PC.

Thanks again.

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#16

Post by stuartm » Sat Apr 02, 2016 6:04 am

I have found this little tool quite useful to disable the win10 junk and re-enable getting normal win 7 updates:

http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/0 ... emove.html

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