Sorry to ask this if anyone else has already answered but I have an OTA antenna and on the program guide it says "Digital Service". Is there anyway to fix this issue?
OTA
- Thread starter jlahmeyer
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What kind of receiver? If it is a vip series, you may need to do a check switch and have it re download the guide data. Also Not all channels will have the program data. ie: cw's and other channels that dish does not carry.
Digital Service means that Dish doesn't give us the guide for that channel/subchannel. I have numerous subchannels that show Digital Service. Most annoying, and it hasn't been fixed in YEARS. So I don't know how you can fix it.
It is not a function of whether DISH Carries the channel. I get some stations DISH does not carry and get guide data. I also get guide data for some subchannels where DISH carries the main channel. In other cases I see only "Digital service" even though DISH carries it. I get This TV from both Baltimore and DC but only grt guide data for the baltimore station.
On at 4 separate occasions I have had a good response from dishquality@echostar.com
This from one of their responses:
In each case the Digital Service issue was resolved and all my OTA channels have EPG information. In 2 out of the 4 instances I had to email again after 10 days for them to "revisit" the case but the second reminder worked each time.
John
This from one of their responses:
In each case the Digital Service issue was resolved and all my OTA channels have EPG information. In 2 out of the 4 instances I had to email again after 10 days for them to "revisit" the case but the second reminder worked each time.
John
Does your subscription include the locals? I have a grandfathered annual account without locals, which is why I do not get the program guide on any of the OTA channels.
I use Titan but...
They still show Sundance and other channels that are gone.
They show "channels" imported up to 99 that do not exist to me.
I do find it useful to go back in time before current to see what I missed,
like news shows that didn't record because of football.
I maintain an IMDb list of movies to get.
I have it show those that are coming within critical range but it does not say the channel.
I copy the names to the Titan search list, which is limited to say 200.
Thus I can tell where I might look, although SD programming is out as well as bye-bye channels.
None of this helps find shows I might want but haven't listed before.
-Ken
It is totally a dish problem as OTA broadcasters are required by license to put out at least a program guide consisting of virtual channel info, Channel Major Number, CHannel Minor number, Time, Program Title, and soon, if not already, a description of the service. If DIsh does not carry the channel, Dish does not decode this locally at you receiver, only match it to a DISH channel and not finding one, end up with "Digital Channel". It seems the receivers are smart enough to pick up OTA PSIP info when it has nothing. But that would acknowledge that there are idiots out there (me included) who use OTA when it is there over DISH.
I recall this topic coming up awhile ago. The DIRT team here looked into it, and came back with the unfortunate upper management decision to no longer add any new subchannel guide info. So if you now show "Digital Service" don't count on it being updated.
Even if they don't want to pay Tribune, I wish they could at least find a way for the PSIP guide data to be added in. Once programmed, it would be free to Dish.
Even if they don't want to pay Tribune, I wish they could at least find a way for the PSIP guide data to be added in. Once programmed, it would be free to Dish.
I suggested this too. Let the receivers pull the psip data from the air for all ota sub channels that DISH doesn't want to carry. That way we get a full fleshed out guide for all ota channels and we can at least know what we are watching . I know that the dish dtv pal plus dvr can do this , so it is possible with a software change. This would fix the problems for most if not all ota viewers with DISH.
OTA channels always show Digital Service on my 211 (I don't subscribe to locals). This past weekend - Oct 6 and 7, the guide showed up for most of the OTA stations. Some of the sub channels still showed Digital Service but most had a guide. On Monday Oct 8 all the OTA channels went back to Digitial Service. This also happened for one day a couple of months ago. I called support and they could not explain it. Same thing they said after it happened last time when I called. The 211 is capable of showing the OTA guide - I've seen it.
E* doesn't decode PSIP data period. I don't know if they could w/ a software update. They may not even have the hardware set to use it. I doubt that they ever will. It is not to their advantage to use it.
I think there is an advantage for them to use it. If customers like the subchannels, there is no guide data, and they find programs they like but want to record, then they'll go get another recorder, and may dump Dish. It common knowledge in the business world, to have your customers get "ALL" of their products from you, not just some. Those subchannels are another product.
This is a dumb decision by Dish not to include complete guides. It makes their product look half-finished.
Michael
