Guide Data Outage - 2017 Edition

Global guide related discussion. All Windows versions.
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rogers2717

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#1741

Post by rogers2717 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 5:21 am

Somewhere in the last 2 hours FINALLY got an update to Nov 13. OTA in West Palm Beach. Don't know if I'm furious at M/S or Rovi or both for waiting 'til the last minute AGAIN!!!! I really want some answers

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davidhp

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#1742

Post by davidhp » Tue Oct 31, 2017 6:07 am

Have data through 11/12/17 now in Las Vegas for Cox Digital Cable. FYI posting on old Microsoft Connect reports is probably not going to work. When Barb used to give us some help in these outages, she said Microsoft wants a new Connect entry for each outage. But considering they never respond, I don't know if anyone there even looks at it any more. Emailing Rovi/Tivo seems gets a response and they do contact Microsoft, so that appears to me to be the best way to go at this point. But I don't believe we will ever see the daily updates again like we used to get a year ago.

gary94080

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#1743

Post by gary94080 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 8:45 am

San Francisco Comcast - received an update late Monday night (11/30), end date 11/13.

I haven't been following much that has been discussed in the board for a while so I don't know if this has been brought up already but I have seen WMC crash when in the Recorded TV page. I first saw it on my sister system just after we got updates after the last data outage. what was happening was that when you click on a certain program WMC will shut down. I just assumed that it was just a corrupt file and deleted it in Windows Explorer.

today I find that I am experiencing the same problem on my system with two programs causing WMC to shut down. I now suspect that there is something in the data that is causing the problem. to test this I opened the program outside of WMC by double clicking on the file in Windows Explorer. using this method I am able to view the program.

I mention this here because it could be something related to what has been preventing the guide updates from loading.

Roginator

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#1744

Post by Roginator » Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:05 am

A new data set was downloaded, but many shows on HBO say "To Be Announced".

Space

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#1745

Post by Space » Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:30 am

Roginator wrote:A new data set was downloaded, but many shows on HBO say "To Be Announced".
I've seen this many time with Rovi/TiVo data, they just suck at updating the guide in a timely manner. I've had to set up manual (date/time) recording many times to record from HBO. Usually it is fixed with a few days after the initial airing of the movie, so you can record subsequent airings using the normal method, but to record it when it premieres or within a few days of the premiere requires a manual record.

AnotherDave

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#1746

Post by AnotherDave » Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:17 pm

Suffered same problem on Comcast in South Florida. Data ended ~8:00PM on Friday. Was planning to start Email barrage today.

Woke this AM to discovered that my OTA system had updated to ~3:00AM on Saturday, and my cable systems to ~9:00PM on Saturday.

And, as I was writing this, I discovered that one cable system had just updated to 7:00PM on 12th. Will have to check the others.

So, it appears that Guide data does exist and may now be moving through the various internet pathways to individual systems.

Unfortunately, that does not explain why the people responsible for providing this service are so incapable of doing it in a professional manner.

Octavean

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#1747

Post by Octavean » Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:39 pm

Like others I’ve received guide data through to the 13th. It must have updated some time last night. I’m pleased it didn’t require any intervention on my part. For what it’s worth I’m on RCN in NYC.

BTW, Plex DVR had its guide data mostly functional but there was an oddity where a channel had to be removed from the channel list in order to function properly.

At the moment I’m still using DVBLink for Hauppauge HD PVR. That software is currently abandonwear if I am not mistaken. For me it works beautifully but that is because it was previously installed. There is no way to authenticate the software for new installs so I can’t start fresh. I do have backups though so if something goes wrong I can just swap out the OS SSD and replace it with a clone

adam1991

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#1748

Post by adam1991 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 3:08 pm

So let me guess here: someone at MS forgot to hit the "create automated task" button, and now some poor intern has it on his calendar to hit the "update" button every 12 days?

fleanote

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#1749

Post by fleanote » Tue Oct 31, 2017 5:48 pm

MCUpdate command worked for all my media centers. This is an FYI to those looking for a fix for the guide cutting out or not updating. My setup is Verizon FIOS, Anne Arundel County MD (Heritage Harbour in WMC), all Media Centers are running Win7 PRO 64B, 4GB RAM/160GB HD. The command c:\windows\ehome\mcupdate.exe -uf worked! I'm working now on how to script it to run automatically with Admin privileges.

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Scallica

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#1750

Post by Scallica » Wed Nov 01, 2017 5:15 pm

Off topic posts deleted.
HTPC Enthusiast / Forum Moderator - TGB.tv Code of Conduct

anotheruser

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#1751

Post by anotheruser » Thu Nov 02, 2017 2:46 am

Both the WMC and Xbox One EPG updates for the last two days have no new data.

I'd like to suggest that we email and/or call Rovi/Tivo to complain again. I'd also suggest asking Rovi to convey to Microsoft that not providing a direct contact method is unprofessional and unacceptable. Yes, I'm aware of the T&C of WMC and the EPG.

The longer we wait to complain, the longer it takes to fix and the worse the daily update performance gets.

anotheruser

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#1752

Post by anotheruser » Thu Nov 02, 2017 9:00 pm

For the third day in a row, the Xbox One EPG was not updated with new data.

I expect the next WMC update to also contain no new data and this not getting fixed until we complain at every outage.

DFox

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#1753

Post by DFox » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:29 pm

fleanote wrote: The command c:\windows\ehome\mcupdate.exe -uf worked! I'm working now on how to script it to run automatically with Admin privileges.
I haven't tested if it would be effective for this command specifically, but you can try creating a Scheduled Task with the user account of "System", and/or the security option of "Run with highest privileges" checked.

jimi1000

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#1754

Post by jimi1000 » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:36 pm

Still no updated listings for me. EPG runs out on the 13th or so. Also the guide for OTA didn't update this week and I almost missed game 7 of the World Series.

Jimi_in_Philly.

Sorry for my previous rant as well.

AChanceFind

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#1755

Post by AChanceFind » Sat Nov 04, 2017 12:26 am

I posted on the connect site but it seems even more abandoned as users really only seem to flock there when the guide is almost ending.

If ya'll can go and upvote and also add your own post as someone stated the legendary Barb said they prefer separate reports so who knows if it's upvotes or reports that get their attention if the connect site has any true effect at all.

I have read here multiple times that Tivo is not the cause, they've never replied to me other than directing me to their form and then never got a reply to that, although some have been successful with emailing them directly. I'd suspect though they'll eventually start ignoring all WMC related inquiries so barraging them may make things worse? All they ever seem to say is 'MS is aware of it and working on it" which we cannot even prove to be true.

As for noise on twitter that too seems dead - the majority of tweets about WMC are spammy/virus looking links to getting WMC to install on Windows 10.

If they really are only updating once a week now I'll live with that until I decide what my next DVR solution will be , if any, but if I do get something new it will probably will be a OTA Tivo w/ lifetime epg built in (no guarantee that won't become a frustrating experienc in the future either).

If all inside connections have been lost at Tivo/MS then I'm not sure what else can be done as we will be at the whim of the MS hive which may forget WMC forever.

jimi1000

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#1756

Post by jimi1000 » Sat Nov 04, 2017 2:58 am

Tried a manual update and still no update for OTA listings. Most college games are "Teams TBA". I'll upvote and comment again on connect whether it's useless or not.


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dab2kab

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#1757

Post by dab2kab » Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:16 pm

Guide data update sunday morning at 7am, buffalo ny OTA, now have data until the 16th.

JRD

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#1758

Post by JRD » Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:59 pm

Finally, after seeing post today about guide update success elsewhere in US, I used WMC Tasks > Settings > TV > Guide > Get Latest Guide Listings for force an update, and after a few minutes About Guide Listings reflects End Date = 11/17/2017 6:00am! :)

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Bee_Dee_3_Dee

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#1759

Post by Bee_Dee_3_Dee » Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:09 pm

Just updated EPG!

Guide End Date: 11/17/2017 1:15:00 PM
Cable Provider: Spectrum
Location: Indiana

:)

AChanceFind

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#1760

Post by AChanceFind » Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:16 pm

I did a manual update inside WMC this morning and got my update here in N. CA up to 11/17 .

I hold out hope that it was something to do with the time change and perhaps it will be a little smoother going forward.

Still unsure as to whether any reports on connect made any difference.

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