Configuration 1.3.5 issues

[cadprofessor]

Running version 1.3.5. Configuration program on my WHS 2011 and the clients installed on two HTPC running Windows 7 pro. Tuners SiliconDust prime HD Homerun (3 tunerss on cable card). The strange issue when I load the lineup for my cable company it displays channels for 2-99 and by digital stations 103-366. I uncheck 2-99 and I have to manual check to add channels 203, 207, and 230. I do a save or a save and execute everything works until I come back into the configuration program and those three channels have now be added back to lower channel listing. Channel 203 goes back to 3, channel 207 goes back 7, and 230 goes back to 30. I must uncheck those three and add them (put a check mark) back to the digital side. I hope I explained what is happening. Why are these there channels not behaving?

[cadprofessor]

Here is a screen shot showing the 3 channels having the check marks still there after they have been unchecked and saved.

[Space]

In the EPG123.exe (server) tool, you are selecting what network guide listings to download, not what channels to enable/download.

If you have two or more channels that use the same network guide listings, then if you check or uncheck one, the other(s) will also be checked or unchecked.

So when you uncheck 3, it will also uncheck 203 (since I assume they use the same network guide listings), same for 7->207 and 30->230. Of course, after you uncheck 3, then scroll down and see 203, it will be unchecked (because you unchecked 3). Then you check 203 and if you scroll back up you will see that 3 is also checked again.

If you want to select which CHANNELS are enabled (displayed in the guide) in WMC, you use the check marks in the CLIENT tool to do that, not the server tool.

[garyan2]

This is one of the reasons the initial sort for the form is by call sign. You will see stations with the same call sign and station id be enabled and disabled together when you click on them.

[cadprofessor]

In the EPG123.exe (server) tool, you are selecting what network guide listings to download, not what channels to enable/download.

If you have two or more channels that use the same network guide listings, then if you check or uncheck one, the other(s) will also be checked or unchecked.

So when you uncheck 3, it will also uncheck 203 (since I assume they use the same network guide listings), same for 7->207 and 30->230. Of course, after you uncheck 3, then scroll down and see 203, it will be unchecked (because you unchecked 3). Then you check 203 and if you scroll back up you will see that 3 is also checked again.

If you want to select which CHANNELS are enabled (displayed in the guide) in WMC, you use the check marks in the CLIENT tool to do that, not the server tool.

So if that is the case why are there only 3 channels that exhibit this behavior? There are maybe 30-40 or more base channels that have the same call sign as the digital. Just seems strange for only 3 do this. So when I check channel 3 some of the time this unchecks channel 203. Will that not cause the channel listing for 203 not to be imported. Thanks for the feedback.

[cadprofessor]

This is one of the reasons the initial sort for the form is by call sign. You will see stations with the same call sign and station id be enabled and disabled together when you click on them.

So when I first brought in this channel lineup all the channels were selected except 203, 207 and 230. So I needed to check these three channels so their info would be imported. Is that correct?

[garyan2]

Yes, the channel needs to be checked in order to download that station's guide listings and import into WMC. For those 3 stations, though, they are duplicated in your 2-99 range and your 103-366 range. Since you are actually selecting the station and not the channel number, you will get all channel numbers associated with that station.

If you sort by CallSign or StationID, you will see 2 WRCBDTs... one on channel 3 and one on channel 203. Click the checkbox of one and both will change state.

[Space]

...
So if that is the case why are there only 3 channels that exhibit this behavior? There are maybe 30-40 or more base channels that have the same call sign as the digital. Just seems strange for only 3 do this. So when I check channel 3 some of the time this unchecks channel 203. Will that not cause the channel listing for 203 not to be imported. Thanks for the feedback.

I can't answer definitively without knowing what lineup you are using, but one reason could be that there are different network lineups on the two channels.

For instance, on my system (FiOS) I have both SD and HD versions of most channels. The listings assigned to the SD version and the HD version are different (for instance BRAVO for the SD and BRAVOHD for the HD) even though the contents of the listings are pretty much the same (except maybe the HD listings include the "HD" indicator for shows that are in HD).

In your case, this might be a similar issue, most of the channels have two listings, one for the SD? and one for the HD? (it's not clear to me if the 2xx channels are HD and the lower ones are SD), except for those three channels which use the same listings. You can see that channel 30 indicates it is using the "HD" listings, is channel 30 HD? I am just guessing, but my guess is that 130 is HD and 30 is SD, so 30 is actually using the HD listings. Whether or not this is a "mistake" is a matter of opinion I suppose, technically it is a mistake, but things still pretty much work, although I am guessing that there may be some programming listed as "HD" even though it is an SD version of the channel.

[cadprofessor]

I think I just spotted the problem. The three stations have the same station ID. That is why it can not keep the selected boxes checked. Channel 7 and 207 both have ID 32714, 03 and 203 have 30752, and channel 30-230 have channel ID 61138. This data is being supplied by Schedule Direct database, is this correct. Should I contact them to see if there is a fix? Thanks for the assistance.

[Space]

If they are the same station, then it is correct, how are the different? You still haven't been clear on what the difference is.

[cadprofessor]

If they are the same station, then it is correct, how are the different? You still haven't been clear on what the difference is.

Please tell me what is not clear.

I have a station line up that has SD stations 2-99 and HD stations 103-500. Every station has a different channel ID except for 3 pair. There are multiple channels in the lineup that are on both SD and HD lineup for example 2 SD and 202 HD different channel ID for each. 5 SD and 205 HD have different channel IDs. Have a look at the screen shot. Take a look at WSB channel 2 and WSBDT 202 both have different channel ID. Now take a look at WRCBDT 3 (the call sign is wrong should be WRCB for SD) and WRCBDT 203 both of these have the same channel ID 30512. Because they share the same channel EPG123 seems to selects the first channel ID out of the two. When EPG123 updates the data from scheduledirect it only gets the data for channel 3 which in turn is not displayed in WMC channel guide.

[Space]

What was not clear was that the lower channels were SD and the higher numbered ones were HD. You just said the higher ones were "digital" which is not clear what is meant (both the SD and HD channels are digital). Part of the confusion is that even the networks themselves are a bit confusing as they label the "HD" version of the channel a "DT" (or digital) even though the SD channel is also (now) digital. I suppose this is because originally the SD channels were analog.

Anyway, I am thinking that it may be something you can ask Schedules Direct to take a look at to see if there are separate channel IDs for the SD and HD version of these networks. If so, have them change the IDs so that they use the correct one.

[cadprofessor]

Thanks for the reply. I am way ahead of you. I contacted Schedules Direct about the issue and I already got a response. I will paste it below.
They said it is not our problem it is a EPG123 problem. Well the problem is theirs because the issue is the station call sign is the same on just these three stations. The channel 3 and 203 both have station call sign of WRCBDT which is not correct. The channel 3 is an SD station and this is what causing the issue. The other two station with the issue both pairs have the same digital call sign and they assigned the station ID number to both. I replied to the email he sent and I have not heard. I asked them to look at the issue but I don't think they will. Anyone know anyone at Schedules Direct? The cable line up is USA-GA63205-X.


This is what they replied: From Robert Kulagowski.
"That's an EPG123 question. If the stations have the same stationID, then they will have the same schedule."


Yes garyan2 was correct when you check or uncheck a box it happens to both stations. I was able to see that when I followed his advice and sorted by call signs. When I was sorting by station number I was only seeing what was happening to one station when in fact it was happening to both at the same time.

[Space]

Maybe you asked the wrong question. The problem is that the two channels (for each network) perhaps should not have the same stationID, one is the SD version and the other is the HD version. Usually the SD and HD version of a network have different stationID's, although I don't know if that is always the case.

Also, Robert from SD post here in the forums often.

[cadprofessor]

Thanks....That is what I ask him. Why the did 3 pairs of all the channels on the channel line up of SD and HD channels have the same Station ID # and the rest did not? Do you have a better way of phrasing the question? :^))

[Space]

Just tell him that the lower numbered ones should be the SD version of the network and the higher numbered ones should be the HD version.

Most (all?) networks have separate stationIDs for the SD version and HD version of the network.

Note that Schedules Direct will have to then forward this information to their provider (Gracenote) for them to fix.