Media Center EPG Cutover

[Mike88]

Those that are in real desperate straights, it is possible to set a few things up, download the guide through Schedule Direct, convert then import the file and then add each channel manually.

I started a thread investigating possible solutions:
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... f=9&t=8927
I shall attempt to compile a brief how-to tonight if I get time, otherwise you can work it out reading through the thread.

Certainly not ideal but it is possible to do things manually, setup the most important channels (WAF+1) then recheck recording schedule to get the important stuff recording again (WAF+2).

I've been reading that thread & just want to let you know I really appreciate what you are doing.

[wifiwanderer]

Closer examination of the new Rovi listings revealed about half of the channel listings lacked any data, even our local ABC Network affiliate at 30.1. In Fresno, California, we normally have about 100 OTA TV channels.

[hansolo89]

I have a bigger problem.
I can not install WMC on ANY new/old win7 installation.
4 different computers. 2 I never installed tuners/WMC & 2 brand new 64bit win7 computers.
tries ceton & hd homerun prime
message something like:
"failed to download epg will use current one"
however because I NEVER had EPG installed before, watching/recording TV is impossible.

Now what??
Thanks,
Ray

first try the host file trick

added the below to host file to, and used google dns
65.55.5.170 data.tvdownload.microsoft.com
2.16.216.176 cdn.epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com


if still not working in a admin cmd prompt in ehome folder run the below command, you will reset media center

mcupdate.exe -MediaCenterRecoveryTask

i ran custom setup, instead of express and it finally worked

[JohnW248]

Here are some known switch when running guide update. Do this from an elevated command prompt (open the C:\ with right click run as administrator).

-u = go out and ask the server if there’s a new package to download (even if its not the scheduled time to ask)
-uf = same as above, but when you ask the server, say you don’t have a version – so the server will always give you a package to download
-pscn N = N is a number. Trigger a scan if its been more than N hours since the last successful scan (-pscn 0 is a valid input and triggers a scan)
-dbgc = perform a garbage collection on the database, deleting rows that are no longer referenced. (This is slow)
-nogc = don’t perform a garbage collection on the database, even if it’s the scheduled time.

it may be worth manually running the following to refresh the guide details:
mcupdate.exe -uf -dbgc
Here is the command I was using:
mcupdate.exe -uf -pscn 0
That would force a complete download of all the guide data plus run the client maintenance.
%SystemRoot%\ehome\mcupdate $(Arg0) just mcupdate
%SystemRoot%\ehome\mcupdate -crl -hms -pscn 15 runs scheduled twice a day

[JohnW248]

I have a bigger problem.
I can not install WMC on ANY new/old win7 installation.
4 different computers. 2 I never installed tuners/WMC & 2 brand new 64bit win7 computers.
tries ceton & hd homerun prime
message something like:
"failed to download epg will use current one"
however because I NEVER had EPG installed before, watching/recording TV is impossible.

Now what??
Thanks,
Ray

Are you sure it says "epg" that message is usually associated with setup data. That fact it can't download may be a bigger issue with connecting to the server and also explain why you don't have the guide.

With MC installed you can run the mcupdate with the switches I posted above but first make sure you are connecting to the server. If all is set properly the update icon in the notification area will be live and hovering the pointer will revel what is going on in real time. If that doesn't work you can always open management and go to event viewer and programs and media center and there will be a detailed step by step list of the download. This sounds like you aren't connecting which might be an issue with your machine, your router or your isp or DNS---you can change DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 in your router or on individual machines (open network and sharing then change adapter and click you your adapter and then properties and open IVP4 and put those number in the DNS section. That will override the settings in the router for a test.

[STC]

John are you aware of the mechanism that forces update of channels? Specifically the Rovi change over. glorp was trying to find info on this I am helping the quest.

[BucK]

This is an excellent thread thanks - I had all the same issues getting guide data on a new install but previous posts with hoist file additions solved it. Unfortunately, this switch in EPG providers looks like it is the kiss of death for us Canadians. Although I can now get new data, it will not let me see any OTA channels from Canada. Previously, as I am close to the US border, I used a US postal code and was able to see my Canadian OTA channels. Now it will only let me select Digital OTA material specific to US towers (lets me select the Watertown tower in NY) which doesn't show any Canadian channels.

I still have two other boxes with my old setup which are still using the Zapit guide data. I'm now getting a message that those will expire on the 20th and when I download new guide data it won't update. Looks like after the 20th I may be out of luck. I will report back.

Any other Canadians having trouble or have any workarounds? By the looks of the problem our US friends are having I'm guessing these is no hope for us.

Cheers
BucK

[ravsitar]

I am yet to find an online guide that matches my Rovi output. It would be handy to know who syncs 100% so we can check things.

might want to check http://www.tvguide.com/listings/
matches my Rovi WMC listings (including nine channels with wrong timezone).

Sadly the data on TV guide is good for my OTA signal. However, the data that media center pulls is screwed up with multiple missing channels and no way to add them to the guide data.

[hansolo89]

I am yet to find an online guide that matches my Rovi output. It would be handy to know who syncs 100% so we can check things.

might want to check http://www.tvguide.com/listings/
matches my Rovi WMC listings (including nine channels with wrong timezone).

Sadly the data on TV guide is good for my OTA signal. However, the data that media center pulls is screwed up with multiple missing channels and no way to add them to the guide data.

have you tried guide tool, you may need to rerun setup with a zipcode that has the channels you need from a cable lineup that you can map to lost channels. I've successfully added about 10 vhf channels manually that media center dropped from ota for no good reason

[Aussie]

My EPG has been stuck on 7-22-2015 since at least last Sunday 7-12-2015.

Yeah, mine too.

It appears the zap2it data has stopped updating and switching to rovi is the only way to get a guide going forward.

7/22 may very well mark the end of WMC for me if rovi doesnt get their act together.

I have 2 WMC machines. One's still on zap2it and it ends 7/22. The other I changed over to rovi and it ends 7/29. But the rovi guide has 1/3 the channels of the zap2it guide and is unusable for me. This is for OTA channels.

My WMC is OTA only. As of this morning the EPG is still stopped at 7-22-2015. I keep clicking to download the latest guide, it then says it is d/l the guide, then says it was successful. But it's not. I'll probably wait till Sunday & then do some kind of mcupdate & hope for the best.

Mine is gone too ... I think that I am using Zap2it. I keep clicking to download the latest guide, it then says it is downloading the guide, then says it was successful. But it's not. I'm loathe to reset everything ... I already lost one WMC OTA recorder the last time these guys screwed up. So I am anxiously waiting for whatever is wrong to be fixed

[JohnW248]

John are you aware of the mechanism that forces update of channels? Specifically the Rovi change over. glorp was trying to find info on this I am helping the quest.

I would think the manual update with this -dbgc = perform a garbage collection on the database, deleting rows that are no longer referenced. (This is slow) and force download should remove old data and replace with new. The -dbgc shows up as client maintenance when it's run normally and on my machines takes about an hour.

[ravsitar]

Sadly the data on TV guide is good for my OTA signal. However, the data that media center pulls is screwed up with multiple missing channels and no way to add them to the guide data.

have you tried guide tool, you may need to rerun setup with a zipcode that has the channels you need from a cable lineup that you can map to lost channels. I've successfully added about 10 vhf channels manually that media center dropped from ota for no good reason

Just did that and was able to map the channels with the correct EPG data. I'm assuming that mapping will stick through automatic EPG updates? Never really played with GuideTool before.

[wifiwanderer]

Mine is gone too ... I think that I am using Zap2it. I keep clicking to download the latest guide, it then says it is downloading the guide, then says it was successful. But it's not. I'm loathe to reset everything ... I already lost one WMC OTA recorder the last time these guys screwed up. So I am anxiously waiting for whatever is wrong to be fixed

Today, ran Setup TV Signal and got listings through 31 July 2015. However, some 50 OTA channels lack data, including our local ABC Network affiliate in Fresno, California. Fortunately, all but a few ABC shows I like are on channels with Rovi data. Manually adding those few ABC shows to be recorded weekly using time and channel from an online TV guide was relatively straightforward on WMC. (Excuse my near duplicate post somewhere on these related forum discussions.)

[BucK]

This is an excellent thread thanks - I had all the same issues getting guide data on a new install but previous posts with hoist file additions solved it. Unfortunately, this switch in EPG providers looks like it is the kiss of death for us Canadians. Although I can now get new data, it will not let me see any OTA channels from Canada. Previously, as I am close to the US border, I used a US postal code and was able to see my Canadian OTA channels. Now it will only let me select Digital OTA material specific to US towers (lets me select the Watertown tower in NY) which doesn't show any Canadian channels.

I still have two other boxes with my old setup which are still using the Zapit guide data. I'm now getting a message that those will expire on the 20th and when I download new guide data it won't update. Looks like after the 20th I may be out of luck. I will report back.

Any other Canadians having trouble or have any workarounds? By the looks of the problem our US friends are having I'm guessing these is no hope for us.

Cheers
BucK

Update - hope is not lost!!! I got most of my Canadian OTA channels with the new change (only missing 1 of 14)! First thing is I tried a bunch of Canadian postal codes in the WMC setup TV signal. On some of them it said no guide data available, however, on a few close to me it found the data. Next problem was it would only find an analog antenna or a Bell, Rogers etc.... subscriber services. I downloaded the program EnableATSCandQAM (google it - it is on pnear's wordpress blog) and ran it then reran the setup - it let me pick Ottawa areas Digital OTA!!! Done.

Hope this helps others

BucK

[STC]

John are you aware of the mechanism that forces update of channels? Specifically the Rovi change over. glorp was trying to find info on this I am helping the quest.

I would think the manual update with this -dbgc = perform a garbage collection on the database, deleting rows that are no longer referenced. (This is slow) and force download should remove old data and replace with new. The -dbgc shows up as client maintenance when it's run normally and on my machines takes about an hour.

Interesting. We were wondering if the 'changeover' mxf file actually had some extra triggers in it to cause WMC to overwrite channels including callsign...

[STC]

That or some other trigger occurs during handshake prior to mxf download.

[BucK]

This is an excellent thread thanks - I had all the same issues getting guide data on a new install but previous posts with hoist file additions solved it. Unfortunately, this switch in EPG providers looks like it is the kiss of death for us Canadians. Although I can now get new data, it will not let me see any OTA channels from Canada. Previously, as I am close to the US border, I used a US postal code and was able to see my Canadian OTA channels. Now it will only let me select Digital OTA material specific to US towers (lets me select the Watertown tower in NY) which doesn't show any Canadian channels.

I still have two other boxes with my old setup which are still using the Zapit guide data. I'm now getting a message that those will expire on the 20th and when I download new guide data it won't update. Looks like after the 20th I may be out of luck. I will report back.

Any other Canadians having trouble or have any workarounds? By the looks of the problem our US friends are having I'm guessing these is no hope for us.

Cheers
BucK

Update - hope is not lost!!! I got most of my Canadian OTA channels with the new change (only missing 1 of 14)! First thing is I tried a bunch of Canadian postal codes in the WMC setup TV signal. On some of them it said no guide data available, however, on a few close to me it found the data. Next problem was it would only find an analog antenna or a Bell, Rogers etc.... subscriber services. I downloaded the program EnableATSCandQAM (google it - it is on pnear's wordpress blog) and ran it then reran the setup - it let me pick Ottawa areas Digital OTA!!! Done.

Update 2 - Although I get the EPG data, when I tune to the channel I get no signal. I know signal is fine. If I manually enter the channel with coreect frequency (real channel number) the channel tunes in fine. I'm guessing the EPG has the wrong frequencies? Anyone know how to correct that? Can I edit that?

Hope this helps others

BucK

[glorp]

deleted

[glorp]

John are you aware of the mechanism that forces update of channels? Specifically the Rovi change over. glorp was trying to find info on this I am helping the quest.

I would think the manual update with this -dbgc = perform a garbage collection on the database, deleting rows that are no longer referenced. (This is slow) and force download should remove old data and replace with new. The -dbgc shows up as client maintenance when it's run normally and on my machines takes about an hour.

Interesting. We were wondering if the 'changeover' mxf file actually had some extra triggers in it to cause WMC to overwrite channels including callsign...

STC,
I suggested a while back you could try to run that after a clean load. It just wasn't clear what other switches you need with it if any. -u/uf does a download of schedule which you probably don't want to do as I assume it would get the MS one again. -pscn 0 just signals timing delay between new downloads and I think only needs to be done in combo with -u/-uf. So who knows for sure beyond -dbgc.

I spent a fair bit of time trying to find an actual spec for XMLTV data thinking maybe it had a field that would signal "new" but with little luck in actually uncovering specific documentation. What I found was this:
http://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/XmltvCa ... pabilities
which implies that it's the grabbers responsibility right now to figure it out since these are proposed additions to XMLTV. The only way I can see do to that currently would be some type of "garbage collection" comparing channel IDs in the XMLTV to IDs already in the database. So maybe -dbgc will work on an MS EPG.

[bomberjim]

I just found this thread, my guide data terminates on July 22nd. After doing some reading, I found that my HTPC is still using zap-to-it as the source. I tried re-running setup the TV signal, but my cable provider is NOT LISTED. Any ideas on what to do??? Can I contact Rovi?? Any help will be greatly appreciated.