Do Microsoft *fully* support a Sky Digital Satellite EPG for Ireland?

rodoherty1

Hi Guys,

I'm sorry for being the millionth person to ask this but I have done alot of searching and I still can't piece together a full picture of just how "supported" the Sky Digital Satellite EPG is for Irish Sky Digital Satellite subscribers.

In another thread titled "Synkro's Post ... Starting out", SouperComputer said the following:

No sub or XML grabbing needed with MCE anymore. Select your area (say Dublin) and your signal type (NTL digital) and it does the rest for you.

Does SouperComputer mean that, as a Satellite Sky Digital Subscriber in Ireland, I only need to set my location as Dublin, state that I'm receiving a cable TV signal (even though I'm receiving a Digital Satellite signal) and then select NTL (even though Sky Digital Ireland is an option if I state that I receive a Satellite signal)?

I've never subscribed to NTL so I don't know if their Channel Numbering matches the Sky Digital EPG (e.g. Sky One = 106, Sky News = 501, Discovery = 520).

Also, my MCE Guide has "No Programme Info" (or something similar) for 50% or so of the channels. Would this be a thing of the past?

Once again, I'm sorry for bringing up this age-old question but I've read so much conflicting info on the web that I had to post the question and risk getting pounded into the ground with slagging.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

Rob.

SouperComputer

you should be able to select the Sky Digital EPG under your area, rather than NTL. This will only happen if you have all current updates installed. Most importantly rollup 2, even though its 18months approx old.

rodoherty1

Thanks for replying Soup. I do have all updates that I can find (both Essential and Optional updates).

From everything I've been able to glean from the net (thegreenbutton.com, personal blogs, boards.ie), I get the impression that Satellite Sky Digital customers in Ireland *are* fully supported but, for the life of me, I can't get a fully working EPG which details all the channels in the right place with a complete schedule.

It even be a comfort to definitively learn that Irish Sky Satellite Subscribers to Sky Digital are not fully supported by MCE 2005 Rollup 2 and that the only way to setup an EPG is to use XMLTV and QuickGuide and whatever other programmes are out there to help. At least that way, I could stop trawling the net for the correct MCE2005 Guide settings and start focusing on how to use XMLTV + QuickGuide.

If anyone's listening, I'd appreciate any advice, links, thoughts ... anything.

Thanks again for the reply.

Rob

Krusty_Clown

What's going wrong?
Are you selecting Sky Digital Ireland, or still taking the NTL option?
Which channels are missing? Which channel's guide info is missing?

rodoherty1

Hey Krusty,

Thanks for taking interest.

Here's the deal as I can best describe it:

I have MCE 2005 with Rollup 2 and as many updates from the WindowsUpdate site as they recommend. I don't think I'm missing anything with regard to software updates or plug-ins.

When setting up my TV signal, I stated the following:

• I live in Ireland
• I live in Westmeath
• I am receiving a satellite signal
• My service provider is "Sky Digital Ireland"

MCE then downloaded the latest guide listings.

Now, when I hit the "Guide" button, I notice that

• RTE 1 is correctly at channel 101 ...
• RTE is at channel 102 ...
• Sky News is 501 ...
• Discovery is at 520 ...
• ... Lots of other channels are present and in their correct positions, by which I mean that their MCE EPG positions are the same as my Sky Digital STB's EPG positions.

BUT ...

• More4 is at channel 190 instead of 189 (I watch "The Daily Show with John Stewart")
• There is no More4+1
• Many channels have "No data available" rather than the name of some programme like "The Simpsons" or something ...
• Many other channels are in the wrong position
• My MCE EPG thinks I have Channel 5 or other channels which my Sky EPG doesn't list. e.g. I recall that MCE thinks that Channel 5 is at position 105 but my Sky EPG doesn't have a 105. It only lists TG4 at 104 and then Sky One at 106.

This has been the situation since I first installed MCE2005 last month. I've done tonnes of internet searching but I can find no place at all that clearly tells me that "MCE005 Rollup 2 does/does not display a 100% accurate EPG to Irish Sky Digital subscribers who receive a Satellite Signal rather than Cable".

Mr. Herschal Krustowski, if you have any suggestions or thoughts, I'd be most appreciative !!!!

Rob (Sizlak).