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Media Center not receiving listings past 6th December?

2

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 10 dynamize100


    heston wrote: »
    I noticed the same so at least I'm happy I'm not the only one.
    I'm using the old Chorus, now UPC, analogue over the air system (special dish on the chimney). Had channels mapped from NTL Dublin.
    I've tried all the irish channel mappings and none of them are working. So I suspect this is a problem with the general updating of the EPG. Hopefully MS and UPC will sort it out soon. If not then I'm not sure what to do. I've tried installing the guide helper program but I can't get it to work...
    :mad:

    I am using a dish and free / sat and it was working beautifully last week, this week however the guide has stopped downloading. (Actually it probably started to go wrong before the day I noticed it.) The last day the guide has is the 06/12/2012.

    Its really frustrating as when the system works it's awesome but when it fails like this...... All your recordings series link and all stop working :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 10 dynamize100


    Alun wrote: »
    Just go to the link I gave, sign in with your Live ID, and then click on Feedback. The feedback thread is about 8th in the list entitled "NTL Analogue Dublin listings no longer updating".

    There's no sign of MS even bothering to reply yet though.

    Cool.

    I have added my 2 cents to that comment now. I hope we find a resolution.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10 dynamize100


    heston wrote: »
    I noticed the same so at least I'm happy I'm not the only one.
    I'm using the old Chorus, now UPC, analogue over the air system (special dish on the chimney). Had channels mapped from NTL Dublin.
    I've tried all the irish channel mappings and none of them are working. So I suspect this is a problem with the general updating of the EPG. Hopefully MS and UPC will sort it out soon. If not then I'm not sure what to do. I've tried installing the guide helper program but I can't get it to work...
    :mad:

    As I have said. I am having the problem with freesat so it's noting to do with NTL I am afraid.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10 dynamize100


    Doubt.It wrote: »

    (I then used a free program called mcBackup to save the sorted-out setup. I can send this profile to anyone who wants to shortcut the process.)

    Hi Doubt.IT,

    I would love if you could send me on a copy of the profile. I will try to fix my guide listing tonight. I will document the process for fixing it and I will post a link to it tomorrow, (If I manage to fix the issue)

    Thanks a million.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭mossym


    for those of you who used the uk postcode method, are any of you using a DVB-T tuner to get the irish channels OTA, and if so is the epg for those still working after using the uk code?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    mossym wrote: »
    for those of you who used the uk postcode method, are any of you using a DVB-T tuner to get the irish channels OTA, and if so is the epg for those still working after using the uk code?
    Yes, and yes. Both the over the air EPG and the MS EPG work fine, but to get the MS EPG you'll have to use Guide Editor to manually allocate the appropriate entry from one of the available lineups to the channel.


  • Registered Users Posts: 397 ✭✭Libera


    Any idea which type of tuner would work with UPC cable and if that would give EPG by tuning through the UK setup, as suggested? :confused: My confidence for a fix to this problem is not growing, so looking at alternatives - my current analogue tuner won't work on the UK tuning method.


  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭spooner_j


    Libera wrote: »
    Any idea which type of tuner would work with UPC cable and if that would give EPG by tuning through the UK setup, as suggested? :confused: My confidence for a fix to this problem is not growing, so looking at alternatives - my current analogue tuner won't work on the UK tuning method.

    Use the link I sent in the previous page, my analogue tuner has listings for most of the channels again now by adding in a second guide listings source.


  • Registered Users Posts: 48 Doubt.It


    kenmc wrote: »
    I'd love that file if you could send it to me please?
    Thanks
    K
    Hi Doubt.IT,

    I would love if you could send me on a copy of the profile. I will try to fix my guide listing tonight. I will document the process for fixing it and I will post a link to it tomorrow, (If I manage to fix the issue)

    Thanks a million.

    Sorry this took so long, I've had exams!

    The saved selection of sorted-out channels can be download from here. You'll need to unzip it before use.

    You install it by doing a restore with a free program called mcBackup. You can get it here. It seems to be only for Windows 7 sadly; I haven't tried it on any other version.

    It should create a new category in the Windows Media Center EPG I've called "Best", which contains 35 channels:

    Irish digital channels from Saorview, and from Freesat all the BBC channels, ITV1 to ITV4 including the +1 versions, Channel 4 and variants (More4 etc.), Channel 5 and variants (for what they're worth...), plus a few favourites of my own. All the EPG data is fully working. RTE2 and ITV1 are in their HD versions, but BBC HD isn't there because for some mysterious reason Windows Media Centre can't decode it for me.

    Remember you first need to set up Media Centre to think it's in Northern Ireland and scan for satellite channels, so find or make up a NI postcode.

    Obviously, I can't guarantee this will work with your set-up! But it could save you a couple of hours' work if it does.


  • Registered Users Posts: 254 ✭✭coolaboola


    Hi folks,

    Anyone making any more progress with this problem? I've tried some of the fixes suggested above but without success.

    I set the region to UK and put in a Belfast postcode... still lots of 'no data available'... There was some improvement though - the categories list was back (Movies, Sport, etc) But with so much missing data the categories are mostly empty.

    I tried the Canadian fix but came unstuck with the XTML file where when you run it as an administrator there are only US/Canadian options ... where did I go wrong?

    c


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  • Registered Users Posts: 397 ✭✭Libera


    spooner_j wrote: »
    Use the link I sent in the previous page, my analogue tuner has listings for most of the channels again now by adding in a second guide listings source.

    Thanks, I did look at that the other day when posted but I'm not on Win7...XP and Vista, which worked perfectly fine for my needs until the EPG vanished!


  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭spooner_j


    coolaboola wrote: »
    I tried the Canadian fix but came unstuck with the XTML file where when you run it as an administrator there are only US/Canadian options ... where did I go wrong?

    c

    Open CustomGuide.mxf and replace everywhere you see 189833220 with 400000. Do the same with ImportATSCCustom.xml. Once you have done that, run the USGuide.bat file and then select option 7. Once that completes, load up Media Center, then edit the listings source and you should be able to see all the UK channels.


  • Registered Users Posts: 405 ✭✭McAlban


    Been bogged down with Christmas exams and went to recorded TV last night for a catch up, just to find nothing has recorded. Then saw this issue. I still get the Saorview stuff. But I only really record of RTE2 HD on that. All the NTL Digital listings are gone.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,028 ✭✭✭FrankGrimes


    I'm using Saorview for Irish channels and Freeview via satellite for UK channels. What's the best way to go about getting the channel listings for the UK channels (Irish ones working fine) - do I need to do the more complex editing outlined above, or should changing the postcode to the Belfast one help? All my UK channels have none or very little guide data at the moment.

    I installed MCE Guide but amn't too sure how to use it. I clicked BBC1 in the left pane, selected NTL Digital in the right-hand pane and subscribed to BBC1 in that list but there was no change. Should I just try that but with a UK listing?

    I've lost a lot of time trying to get this sorted in the past so would really appreciate if anyone has an overview of the most successful steps to follow. Using Windows 8 by the way in case there's any difference to Windows 7.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Grrrrr. Now even the UK listings aren't going past 31/12/2012. What a bunch of incompetents.


  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭spooner_j


    Alun wrote: »
    Grrrrr. Now even the UK listings aren't going past 31/12/2012. What a bunch of incompetents.

    Was just checking to see if it wasnt just me noticing this too...

    Great, was happy enough to get the UK workaround up and running, only to find that the UK listings are disappearing now too... Are MS ditching Windows Media Center listings totally? Anyone seen anything elsewhere about this?


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I haven't seen this case mentioned anywhere yet.

    It's happened before with the UK listings, and usually it gets resolved after a while, but sometimes with less than 7 days to go, and given the time of year, and people who are supposed to be monitoring this potentially being on holiday, I'm fearing the worst!

    I've opened a feedback item on the MS Connect site, although given the lack of response to the Irish EPG disappearing from the face of the earth, I'm not sure why I bothered. The only thing I can hope for is that there's a bigger cohort of UK based MCE users out there, so hopefully they can be a bit more vocal in getting something done about it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 618 ✭✭✭Carter P Fly


    I just did a re-install of my media center and cant get most of my guide to work at all.

    Having done this several times I find ( I always use a belfast post code) thats I have to play about with the epg sources to pick a good one. Its mostly the sky ones I selected this time around and I dont think any of them work so Ill be giving a few others a try.

    I think when I'm done Ill post the list here for reference sake


  • Registered Users Posts: 248 ✭✭Wheeker


    *sigh* here we go again. I see this has been reported on the Microsoft Connect website https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/feedback/details/775012/no-uk-guide-data-past-01-01-2013

    I can't believe that only 22 people have been affected by this in the UK, though you do have to register on Connect to report the bug & probably most people are just keeping their fingers crossed that it will be resolved by 1/1/13. Anyway, if you are affected then report it.

    In the meantime I'm wondering what my options are:
      In-band: does Freesat provide (good) 7-day in-band guide data?
      EPG Collector: free
      Big Screen EPG: subscription
      DVB Link TV Source: subscription
      Media portal: WMC alternative?

    Any other suggestions?


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I'm currently giving EPG Collector a go as a stop-gap solution, then planning on taking another look at Mediaportal after New Year.

    I think FreeVIEW (not FreeSAT) in the UK provides an in-the-clear OTA 7 day EPG if that's an option for you, but otherwise you're dependant on either an external EPG provider like DigiGuide, or a 3rd party tool like EPG Collector that can decode the FreeSAT EPG.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7 fats19760


    None of my MC EPG listings go beyond 2012 whatsoever, here in the UK.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 fats19760


    For all Google Chrome users you can use Sky Guide for Chrome to access Sky Guide, and then record programs manually or simply remember the channel number to flick over. Logitech Harmony remotes can be programmed to remember a series or commands and as an alternative to the old MCE remote control. Therefore you can teach it 5 - 0 - 1 for Sky News, etc, etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 fats19760


    It's not an ideal solution but its what I'm doing, and hopefully they will sort things out soon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭marcusarillius


    I found that it was showing nothing from midnight last night.
    Now every time I launch media center it says guide out of date in less than 3 days and click to download.
    I do, and after a while it finished but only shows now and next for all the channels.
    then when I close media center and launch again it does the same, guide out of date in less than 3 days and the process repeat.

    Any solutions?


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 fats19760


    MS are definitely aware of the problem as the reports of this issue are stacking up at the;-

    Bug Report Center

    but nobody has come up with a solid suggestion as yet, the best ideas yet I have found is that the new TOS are not ready for release yet as MS plan to tap into the Pay-Per-View movies market similar to Google Play and Apple. If you go to settings-TV-guide-about you may see exactly when the listings seized to function on your PC.

    The only other solution for the moment is to try another service such as;-

    MediaPortal

    though I have not tried this myself to offer any criticism or praise.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    fats19760 wrote: »
    MS are definitely aware of the problem as the reports of this issue are stacking up at ....
    They might be aware if there is actually anyone actively monitoring that site, but given the almost total lack of comments from MS on this topic, and many others, in recent months would suggest otherwise.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 fats19760


    Alun wrote: »
    They might be aware if there is actually anyone actively monitoring that site, but given the almost total lack of comments from MS on this topic, and many others, in recent months would suggest otherwise.

    Probably not, it is entirely possible that they will not do anything, since W8 users now have to pay for additional TV services. So people would simply be tempted to rollback to earlier OS. So they might just let it permanently expire.

    I'm still using MCE2005 and still very happy with it, but it doesn't help MS greedy purse strings at all. However, I'm going to hold on for a bit longer before conceding the fact that they will not do anything whatsoever.


  • Registered Users Posts: 48 Doubt.It


    All the trouble to fix Windows Media Center when the listings went in Ireland, and now this. Gagh! And I've just bought a four-way LNB for the satellite dish to bring multichannel to several rooms. Those new cable runs will not now be ending at Windows PCs.

    Well I've found one workaround that is good, though not perfect. It took some time and it didn't get all the channels, but it's the best solution I've found short of abandoning Media Center altogether. Instructions here. All I'll add is that you must run the program as an Administrator.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,276 ✭✭✭kenmc


    right, so given that MCE seems to be a dodo, what are the options available then? My wife is already talking about asking the landlord can we install a sky dish :eek: Rather do a DIY jobbie myself if he'd let me, I've installed Sat dishes before it's trivial, but any of the boxes I've played with have had horrible EPGs and crappy recording ability, whereas MCE was very usable - the only M$ product that was ever good. We've no phone line, so would need to keep UPC for the broadband and probably phone, so don't really want to go and have 2 direct debits now, would be happy to drop the UPC tv and just go with some good free satellite and dvb-t solution (assuming the landlord was agreeable), but the emphasis is on good, with a usable UI etc, hence we wouldn't be bothered upgrading the UPC package, as I know from having worked on those boxes, they're crap, and the guide is rubbish.
    Any thoughts?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 21,392 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I wouldn't give up all hope just yet, MS have now at least acknowledged the problem on the MS Connect site ...
    Posted by Microsoft on 1/2/2013 at 6:03 PM
    Thanks for contacting us. We are currently investigating the issue and will send update once resolution has been found.


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