Guide Data Outage - Winter 2017 Edition

Global guide related discussion. All Windows versions.
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CoteRotie

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#81

Post by CoteRotie » Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:57 pm

Just noticed that my guide data is ending in a couple days. Then found this thread. Was hoping Media Center on Win 8.1 would be viable for at least a few more years, and maybe it will, but this is making me wonder.

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STC

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#82

Post by STC » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:09 pm

Roginator wrote:Anyone else think it's weird that no one at Microsoft uses Media Center?
For as many years as I can remember they play dumb when told about outages to their own infrastructure.
It's less hassle that way.
By the Community, for the Community. 100% Commercial Free.

Want decent guide data back? Check out EPG123

kvg

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#83

Post by kvg » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:38 pm

I just signed up with the Green Button. I have seen many of these outages over the years, and have watched their progression (or lack thereof) by monitoring the many posts by Green Button community members. I decided to chime in for once.
As most of you know, these issues have been fixed (usually at the last minute) in the past. And along with that, they are usually accompanied by a lot of "hand wringing and arm waving" by members. Apparently many have known about Barb (maybe the last person at Microsoft who appeared to care). You could always file a ticket (wondering if it was really doing anything at all). And as of late, contact TIVO in order to get Microsoft to notice.
Not sure if anyone at Microsoft reads this forum. But if they do, it speaks to their internal culture as well, since concerns of WMC users are obviously not being passed along to anyone who cares, or have the power to act with authority.
Wmc users may be a small minority of Microsoft customers, but a deal is a deal. Just because WMC is supposedly nearing its "end of life" in a few years, should not mean that it is acceptable leave loyal "minority" customers in the dark. With that logic, it is ok to let disgruntled (previously loyal) customers help to deplete the rest of your customer base an inch at a time...until it becomes obvious to everyone that you do not have their interests in mind. Smart business Microsoft. Just keep pushing your own agenda, and eventually you won't have enough of a sustainable customer base to even have to worry about it. I can only hope that more viable alternatives present themselves...not just for WMC either. As alternatives eventually do come around, I won't forget the Microsoft brand...and not in a good way.

johnbinsc

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#84

Post by johnbinsc » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:43 pm

SugarFree wrote: Good. Because Tivo has been nothing less than terrific about helping us with this outage and the last several of them.
My apologies for any offense taken to my unfounded speculation. I was not aware of the history of support and cooperation from Tivo, so thanks for bringing that to my attention.

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Scallica

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#85

Post by Scallica » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:44 pm

kvg wrote:Not sure if anyone at Microsoft reads this forum. But if they do, it speaks to their internal culture as well, since concerns of WMC users are obviously not being passed along to anyone who cares, or have the power to act with authority.
They do.. http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 89#p114089
HTPC Enthusiast / Forum Moderator - TGB.tv Code of Conduct

kvg

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#86

Post by kvg » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:56 pm

Thanks for that.

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#87

Post by pfranks » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:19 pm

so, based on past experience, is this likely to be fixed on monday (when it looks like most listings end)?
I used wmc on a windows 10 machine (updates blocked) and it had, to this point, worked fine. I see epg123 +schedules direct may be an alternative but people seem reluctant about it ---why? also does anyone have experience with epg123 and windows 10 (the epg123 home page mentions only windows thru v 8)?
thx

gary94080

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#88

Post by gary94080 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:35 pm

pfranks wrote:so, based on past experience, is this likely to be fixed on monday (when it looks like most listings end)?
I used WMC on a windows 10 machine (updates blocked) and it had, to this point, worked fine. I see epg123 +schedules direct may be an alternative but people seem reluctant about it ---why? also does anyone have experience with epg123 and windows 10 (the epg123 home page mentions only windows thru v 8)?
thx
if the guide issue was the only problem I would probably check epg123 out. WMC functionality has been degraded so much for me that I don't see the point.

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#89

Post by suttonb1 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:41 pm

gary94080 wrote: if the guide issue was the only problem I would probably check epg123 out. WMC functionality has been degraded so much for me that I don't see the point.
Not sure what you mean. WMC continues to work perfectly, aside from this issue which hopefully will be resolved in time.

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#90

Post by Space » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:59 pm

pfranks wrote:so, based on past experience, is this likely to be fixed on monday (when it looks like most listings end)?
...
Unless Microsoft has people working on the weekend (and in the past I don't believe they ever have) I doubt this problem will be fixed before guide data runs out.

In the past, they have always fixed it before this happens, but I am very skeptical that they will accomplish it this time (but my fingers are crossed).

Prime time schedule ends on Monday, after that you will have to set up each recording manually.

I have all my Series set as "My fave"'s on zap2it (screenertv.com) so I can use the "View My Calendar" feature to list all of "My fave"'s on the schedule and set them to record one by one. But it will still be a pain to do this for more than a few days, so hopefully they will get it fixed quickly.

This might be the final straw that kicks me in the ass and gets me to move to EPG123, but the thought of having to re-create over 100 Series and losing the episode record history on each of those is still enough to keep me away.

dkrom

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#91

Post by dkrom » Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:04 pm

Just cloned my hd and am going to try epg123. I'll update when I get it going. I have Windows 7

gary94080

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#92

Post by gary94080 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:08 pm

suttonb1 wrote:
gary94080 wrote: if the guide issue was the only problem I would probably check epg123 out. WMC functionality has been degraded so much for me that I don't see the point.
Not sure what you mean. WMC continues to work perfectly, aside from this issue which hopefully will be resolved in time.
the guide isn't my only issue. I have the problem with the Comcast conversion to h.264

viewing recordings on Xbox 360 has been a problem. it locks up if I fast forward too many time. the only thing to do is shut it down.

viewing on the desktop, I don't seem to have the lock up issue. I think there was one person that did. I do find the poor picture quality when you fast forward annoying. I get a blobby picture for a split second until it gets corrected.

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#93

Post by steelbeard1 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:37 pm

I'm having the same program with updating the EPG on WMC using Windows Vista. I sent a message to Rovi regarding the problem as my listings end after Monday, February 6.

Octavean

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#94

Post by Octavean » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:16 pm

gary94080 wrote:
suttonb1 wrote:
gary94080 wrote: if the guide issue was the only problem I would probably check epg123 out. WMC functionality has been degraded so much for me that I don't see the point.
Not sure what you mean. WMC continues to work perfectly, aside from this issue which hopefully will be resolved in time.
the guide isn't my only issue. I have the problem with the Comcast conversion to h.264

viewing recordings on Xbox 360 has been a problem. it locks up if I fast forward too many time. the only thing to do is shut it down.

viewing on the desktop, I don't seem to have the lock up issue. I think there was one person that did. I do find the poor picture quality when you fast forward annoying. I get a blobby picture for a split second until it gets corrected.
Interesting,...

I use two Hauppauge HD PVR USB units for recording and they capture only in H.264 / AVCHD format (1080i / 720p / 480i) but I don't see any issues with FF, RW or skip. I don't use an XBox 360 as an extender usually but when I did I didn't see any issue with it.

dkrom

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#95

Post by dkrom » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:53 pm

And I'm done setting up epg123- it was EXTREMELY easy and took about 15 minutes. I now have data until February 24th!! I'm on the free 7 day trial, but will be paying the $25 year to SD soon. Happy to be able to have good data again! Now I'm off to reset my scheduled recordings. Took a picture of them before the install so it won't be very difficult.

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garyan2

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#96

Post by garyan2 » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:59 pm

pfranks wrote:so, based on past experience, is this likely to be fixed on monday (when it looks like most listings end)?
I used WMC on a windows 10 machine (updates blocked) and it had, to this point, worked fine. I see epg123 +schedules direct may be an alternative but people seem reluctant about it ---why? also does anyone have experience with epg123 and windows 10 (the epg123 home page mentions only windows thru v 8)?
thx
To answer a direct question about epg123 ... works fine on Win10 since it uses Windows 8 version of WMC. I limited the support language to the version of WMC, not operating system... a subtle distinction.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

datavortex

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#97

Post by datavortex » Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:22 am

I run out of guide data at 7 PM on Monday. :shock:

riker0314

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#98

Post by riker0314 » Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:38 am

i will give it till Tuesday i think... Still this bits glad i just added 2 turners i now have 5

lhwidget

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#99

Post by lhwidget » Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:38 am

dkrom wrote:And I'm done setting up epg123- it was EXTREMELY easy and took about 15 minutes. I now have data until February 24th!! I'm on the free 7 day trial, but will be paying the $25 year to SD soon. Happy to be able to have good data again! Now I'm off to reset my scheduled recordings. Took a picture of them before the install so it won't be very difficult.
Thanks, informative and succinct, much appreciated.

Jay

dkrom

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#100

Post by dkrom » Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:10 am

Ok - the scheduled recordings I could find in the guide (12 of 17) are all in. I only have had two problems so far-
1. My digital channels for 2.1,2.2,2.3, and 2.4 I had to add manually (figuring out that those were frequency 7 was a quick google away). Garyan's directions said I would have to add all OTA DTV so I guess one station isn't so bad. It did get all other OTA channels.
2. I had to rename all of my digital OTA 2.1, 4.1, etc channels since they shared the same name as my satellite channels 2, 4, etc. I wouldn't have even noticed the problem, but I use the Ceton myMC app and it wouldn't show guide data for channels named the exact same.

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