EPG not coming from TVGuide . . .

[SandFarmer]

I know this has been debated here many times, even some heated exchanges. But as of this morning, and all day, it is apparent that the info for Dish's EPG is not from TV Guide as the little logo implies. The listings for the NCIS marathon in the EPG all say: "Special agents investigate crimes related to the Navy and Marine Corps." Whereas, TVGuide.com has individual episode descriptions for each episode and none of them the one that is posting. Zap2it (the real source) and TitanTV (usually the best source) both have that same single description for all episodes.

So now it's a toss up between Zap2It (which I was told by DISH, eventually, was their source) and TitanTV, of which TitanTV is accurate more than the EPG. So I doubt the EPG info comes from there.

So Zap2It it probably is. Since they also supply other services to DISH. One Stop Shopping. For DISH that is.

 

[Darrell S]

The only reason the TV Guide logo is there is because E* had to put it there to settle an EPG lawsuit.

 

[SandFarmer]

The only reason the TV Guide logo is there is because E* had to put it there to settle an EPG lawsuit.

That's interesting. Now that Echostar and DISH are two separate entities . . . I wonder what the terms are? TVG told me they don't know why the logo is on there. They mentioned if the EPG was as erroneous as they are being told, I am not the only one that has contacted them about it, that in that case it would not be good for their reputation. I agreed. But it looks like it doesn't matter much if they are still there.

 

[bebop]

Doesn't the guide info say 'tribune media'?

 

[JohnL]

That's interesting. Now that Echostar and DISH are two separate entities . . . I wonder what the terms are? TVG told me they don't know why the logo is on there. They mentioned if the EPG was as erroneous as they are being told, I am not the only one that has contacted them about it, that in that case it would not be good for their reputation. I agreed. But it looks like it doesn't matter much if they are still there.

Sand Farmer,

I think the deal is TV Guide has a patent or specified the Grid layout is a TV Guide Trademark. The Actual Content does come from Tribune Media, but Dish's Grid layout requires Dish pay royalties and or require the TV Guide logo to be displayed.

John

 

[SandFarmer]

Sand Farmer,

I think the deal is TV Guide has a patent or specified the Grid layout is a TV Guide Trademark. The Actual Content does come from Tribune Media, but Dish's Grid layout requires Dish pay royalties and or require the TV Guide logo to be displayed.

John

Tribune Media = Zap2It. That makes perfect sense. You would think that they would go all the way and get content from TVG while they were at it. But the fact that TVG doesn't know about this is strange. And in a corporate sense their logo on the page makes one think content is from and directs a negative impression on TVG. I have been complaining about the accuracy of the EPG for years. I have missed many timers due to the inaccuracy of the EPG. Today was just to blatant to ignore. I don't care where it comes form, but I do about the accuracy that has been off for years.

 

[mrlaugh]

You want bad? you should have been with Verizon FiOS ~2 years ago, it was horrible, at best... complaints like no episode descriptions were the least of the problems

 

[Pen15head]

its not always tribune that is the reason why the epg is off. channels will submit their programming well over a month in advance. how else would they be able to send out the monthly dish entertainment guide, or as i like to call it the analog program guide. it has a month of programming all in paper format.

boradcasters will change their programming without any notice as they please.

 

[ercjncpr]

The listing on your box is a "TV Guide". The listings come from Tribune Media Services and are pretty good, IMHO.

 

[CowboyDren]

I just wish that TMS was a little less ambiguous about which episode is airing. My favorite is when they list the Pilot as episode 2, or even 10. Also that Dish would pop for the same guide data that TiVo does; they have way more information and don't have the level of truncation that Dish has. Scanning through the guide and seeing "Pirates of the Caribbean:..." with NO FURTHER INFORMATION, NOT EVEN THE YEAR is more than a little aggravating.

 

[MLBurks]

its not always tribune that is the reason why the epg is off. channels will submit their programming well over a month in advance. how else would they be able to send out the monthly dish entertainment guide, or as i like to call it the analog program guide. it has a month of programming all in paper format.

boradcasters will change their programming without any notice as they please.

Yes but I've seen programming changes made over night. It typically happens with live events. And the changes are reflected in the EPG. So the one month advancement is just for print but the EPG is more dynamic and can be changed when needed.

 

[DishSubLA]

OK, a little history on this:
about 10 years ago, I believe--during the reign of Gemstar's then nutty and founding CEO--Gemstar/TV Guide (TV Guide owned by Rupers Murdoch) sued EVERYONE, Dish included for patent infringement of its TV Guide EPG, even though Dish's EPG technology was from Europe, Gemstar claimed a very complicated manner in which Dish took TV Guide EPG technology, ran it through the European markets, then imported it, thereby obscuring the fact that it was TV Guide technology. UHHH!!

Anyway, after the typical long trial process, Dish prevailed on this suit, NOT in Tyler, TX. But an appeals ruled that the trial was improper for some reason I can't recall, and so a new trial was ordered. So, back at square one after years, a few weeks after the appeals court ruling, Gemstar and Dish announce a settlement (both tired of spending money on lawyers?). The terms of which I will try to remember.

Dish paid a one-time payment of a few hundred-million dollars, and in return were granted a "lifetime" license to all TV Guide technology. However, Dish is required to display the TV Guide bug, and to air the TV Guide Channel. What the other carriers, Charter, TWC, etc., decided to do, settle or fight, I do not recall. Just that Gemstar/TV Guide sued all the cable and sat companies, yes, Direc TV, too.

I can't really remember more than that.

Charley did say in a chat after the settlement, 6 years ago or so , that they planned to use TV Guide EPG technology to enhance the EPG they had at the time. I wonder if the many more search categories added to the 522, 625, and all subsequent boxes was such an implementation.

 

[yaz96]

I just wish that TMS was a little less ambiguous about which episode is airing. My favorite is when they list the Pilot as episode 2, or even 10. Also that Dish would pop for the same guide data that TiVo does; they have way more information and don't have the level of truncation that Dish has. Scanning through the guide and seeing "Pirates of the Caribbean:..." with NO FURTHER INFORMATION, NOT EVEN THE YEAR is more than a little aggravating.

FYI - Sometimes the Pilot IS Episode 2 or 3. They scrap the original Ep and use a different one for the Pilot.


I DO AGREE about the truncation. Not as bad recently, but it still shows up and you're going "huh?", which movie is that?

 

[holy_devil]

The problem with the epg is getting worst, 5 of 8 programs recorded by my son yesterday on Disney XD were the wrong ones.

 

[CowboyDren]

FYI - Sometimes the Pilot IS Episode 2 or 3. They scrap the original Ep and use a different one for the Pilot.

Okay, but why was the pilot of Alaska State Troopers episode one and the second episode listed as number 5? I don't care about how many pilots were shot, nor does anybody else. Geeky trivia like that is for 35 year olds who live in their mom's basement. I need to know if I have already seen an episode or not. Tribune Media Services, who seems to be the best on the market, still screws up pretty badly. I know they're keeping track of thousands of channels, and I don't care. If I'm paying for it, it needs to be right. Would you pay for a car mechanic who forgets to put the oil cap back on and misses a lug nut every time you see him?

 

[priester68]

Also I wish they would label their movies as drama, horror, suspense, etc. If you don't know what a movie is, it makes it easier to catch your interest in it without reading the info about it. If I see a movie says horror or suspense, chances are I'll look into it and maybe watch it.


Who do you contact to send a suggestion or complaint to? Dish Network? Not that they will start doing that but they might.

 

[DishSubLA]

Also I wish they would label their movies as drama, horror, suspense, etc. If you don't know what a movie is, it makes it easier to catch your interest in it without reading the info about it. If I see a movie says horror or suspense, chances are I'll look into it and maybe watch it.


Who do you contact to send a suggestion or complaint to? Dish Network? Not that they will start doing that but they might.

Yes, I agree. One can search by genre of movie (comedy, horror, etc); one would think they could indicate on the INFO screen if it is comedy, horror, etc.

 

[CowboyDren]

Okay, but why was the pilot of Alaska State Troopers episode one and the second episode listed as number 5? I don't care about how many pilots were shot, nor does anybody else.

That's only part of it...last night's episode (according to the Info) was supposed to be about the Academy, and was labeled Episode 1 (Ep5 aired last week, remember). This episode was neither the season premiere (I watched that one) nor the episode the Info indicated (would have been more appropriately named "Behind Bars" or something).

 

[DishSubLA]

FYI - Sometimes the Pilot IS Episode 2 or 3. They scrap the original Ep and use a different one for the Pilot.


I DO AGREE about the truncation. Not as bad recently, but it still shows up and you're going "huh?", which movie is that?

Yes, while this isn't always the case, producers have numbered the episodes with their intended order, but the broadcaster/channel will air them in a different order, for their own reasons. This has happened a fair amount of time. Over at the BBC (in the UK), Extras--a really good example--and a few other shows have aired out of order and on subsequent airings in different orders or in the intended order of the producer. This happens in the US as well. When Extras was aired in the US, HBO aired the episodes in yet another order(HBO's imposed order) that was not the producers intention. The DVD release, both US and UK is, so far, the only form that has the episodes in the producer's original, intended order. Kind of funny.

Sometimes the Pilot episode is NOT given a number, and number begins (1) on a subsequent episode as, you would be surprised at how common this is, the pilot was never intended for broadcast. Pilots can have factual errors, actors and phony situations if it is a "reality" show, and other things that the producer does not intend for broadcast, but the channels will sometimes air it anyway in the thirst for a new episode to get more money for the ads. Pilots are produced to show interested distributors what the show would really look like. They are highly produced and meet broadcast standards, but, they are often NEVER intended for broadcast. In fact, a pilot can be quite different in format and cast and, you name it, than the subsequent real first and following episodes for air.

And sometimes, Tribune somehow just gets it wrong. For example, with the TV Series Threshold, the first two episodes are tagged as 11 & 12 respectively by Tribune, or was this the producers error, or, who knows?

 

[DishSubLA]

Dish EPG data has always come from and still comes from Tribune, not TV Guide.