Install EPG123

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mattiedread

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Install EPG123

#1

Post by mattiedread » Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:55 pm

I have Cable Co. coming today as my signal has deteriorated to the point of not being able to tune many channels. I pulled off one of my 2 HDHR's and both Tuning adaptors and set-up/channel rescan for the remaining single device's 3 tuners.

I first built this machine in 2008 (Vista) with ATI tuners, rebuilt it with SD HDHRs in 2012 (ivy bridge i5 onboard graphics, Z68 mobo) and it has been running for 7 plus years with very little hands on maintenance. So I am a little rusty at the finer points. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Question 1: Many channels did not come into the guide, simply missing (goes from 708 to 728, missing the 20 channels in between for example, this occurred both with the TA and without and channels neglected may or may not be HDCP/QAM256). I assume because the scan is not finding a strong enough signal on these channels, is that correct? If when scanned a channel is not found, it is not added to the guide despite the guide being a separate download? I have forgotten how that ehome dir works.

Question 2: Is there a good site/thread for setting up EPG123? I've read the GaryAn2 site, but I vaguely recall there is a secondary step to carry over all scheduled recordings which I would like to do as re-scheduling would take place over many months as many of the shows only air briefly throughout the year and I would prefer not to miss any.

Thanks,
Mattie

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garyan2

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#2

Post by garyan2 » Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:09 pm

mattiedread wrote: Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:55 pm I have Cable Co. coming today as my signal has deteriorated to the point of not being able to tune many channels. I pulled off one of my 2 HDHR's and both Tuning adaptors and set-up/channel rescan for the remaining single device's 3 tuners.

I first built this machine in 2008 (Vista) with ATI tuners, rebuilt it with SD HDHRs in 2012 (ivy bridge i5 onboard graphics, Z68 mobo) and it has been running for 7 plus years with very little hands on maintenance. So I am a little rusty at the finer points. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Question 1: Many channels did not come into the guide, simply missing (goes from 708 to 728, missing the 20 channels in between for example, this occurred both with the TA and without and channels neglected may or may not be HDCP/QAM256). I assume because the scan is not finding a strong enough signal on these channels, is that correct? If when scanned a channel is not found, it is not added to the guide despite the guide being a separate download? I have forgotten how that ehome dir works.

Question 2: Is there a good site/thread for setting up EPG123? I've read the GaryAn2 site, but I vaguely recall there is a secondary step to carry over all scheduled recordings which I would like to do as re-scheduling would take place over many months as many of the shows only air briefly throughout the year and I would prefer not to miss any.

Thanks,
Mattie
#1: Not clear on your situation. If you open the EPG123 Client, do channels 708 - 728 exist on the left side? If not, then the tuners did not see those channels during the scan... could be weak signal. If they do exist on the left, then check the right side and see if you have channels 708 - 728. If not, then either those stations were not selected for download, or they don't exist in the lineup from Schedules Direct... check the EPG123 configuration GUI to see if they are present.

#2: The Transfer Tool will take all your current recording requests, convert them to the proper IDs, and import them into the WMC database. http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/step3p2/ . You can see me going through that process in the video on the install page (http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/)
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

mattiedread

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#3

Post by mattiedread » Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:28 pm

Thanks. I have not yet installed EPG123, still using the WMC guide but once I figure out the solution to this channel problem and get the box working as it was on Thursday (all channels). The channels do not exist on the left side, they are simply omitted from the guide and I assumed the tuner did not see during the rescan as Friday I had not yet rescanned and the channels were present in the guide, however 'Weak' or "No" TV signal error on many channels. Again, Thursday night everything was fine. Assuming Cable Co (Optimum, Long Island, monopoly where I am and service is indicative of that).. but assuming they can resolve the signal issue I plan on installing EPG123.

mattiedread

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#4

Post by mattiedread » Fri Nov 29, 2019 6:41 pm

I am missing something here. I just attempted to install EPG123, downloaded the .exe file and ran it (backed up ehome first). It asks me for a login which I do not have. Is this step 1? Acquire the subscription (I can't recall the service).

As always, any help is appreciated.
Mattie

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garyan2

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#5

Post by garyan2 » Fri Nov 29, 2019 6:48 pm

You need a Schedules Direct membership to get guide data (7-day free trial, $6USD for 2 months, or $25USD for a year). http://schedulesdirect.org
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

Space

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#6

Post by Space » Fri Nov 29, 2019 8:07 pm

You can sign up for a Scheduled Direct account without having to pay for membership right away, you can use it for a week (7 day trial) to make sure it works for you before paying.

http://www.schedulesdirect.org/membershiplevels

mattiedread

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#7

Post by mattiedread » Tue Dec 03, 2019 5:45 pm

I believe I got it all set up, however, only a few of my movie posters came in despite step 7 taking several minutes. Any suggestions? I haven't had time to play with it, but hope to later today or tomorrow.

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garyan2

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#8

Post by garyan2 » Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:13 pm

The trace.log file will be able to tell you what happened. Usually the images from Schedules Direct will get you >90% of English movies, TMDB will get you most of the remainder.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

mattiedread

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#9

Post by mattiedread » Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:09 pm

Where is trace.log... I haven't played in the win7 file system for a while now... Is there a way to execute something to go out and pick them up? It won't auto-refresh when my scheduler hits (which I set at 01:00 and checked the wake box).

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garyan2

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#10

Post by garyan2 » Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:12 pm

Depends on where you installed epg123, but default is c:\programdata\garyan2\epg123\trace.log. The programdata folder is hidden.

You can view the from the epg123 gui by clicking the [View Log] button.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

mattiedread

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#11

Post by mattiedread » Fri Dec 06, 2019 9:44 pm

Thanks for your help. I played with the UI, found log file, manually kicked off update... no art but I can live with it as the underlying data is superior; I dig the channel logos and the season/episode display option... honestly having no poster is better than having the wrong poster... now when my friends check out my movie library they don't think I saved Jerry Maguire, Pretty Woman and the Horse Whisperer! Awkward situations averted.

Thanks again,

mattie

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garyan2

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#12

Post by garyan2 » Fri Dec 06, 2019 9:54 pm

I really don't know what you have going on that you wouldn't be able to see the images, unless you have WMC blocked from accessing the internet. The images in the guide are just hyperlinks jpeg images on the SD servers.

Let's make sure we are talking the same thing. We are talking the movie posters in the guide, correct? If you are talking about movie posters for movies you have recorded in the past prior to EPG123, then it doesn't work that way. EPG123 only gets guide data for the guide listings... it doesn't know about your recorded movies.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

mattiedread

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#13

Post by mattiedread » Sat Dec 07, 2019 2:30 am

I am talking about past recorded movie posters, some of them recorded as far back as 2012 when I re-built the box and put Asus Mobo in (among other things) and 'reset' the DRM.

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#14

Post by garyan2 » Sat Dec 07, 2019 2:39 am

Yah, EPG123 isn't going to do that for you. Like I said, it doesn't know what is in your recording history nor what the movies are. Those movies you recorded prior to July 2015 may be able to get some if you have the WMC option to "Retrieve CD album art, media information for DVDs and movies, and Internet Services from the Internet" enabled in settings->General->Automatic Download Options.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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