OTA Electronic Program Guide

[aperry]

If Dish does not provide a channel LIL, they do not uplink guide data for that channel.

That's not entirely true. They do not provide KHOG (they provide KHBS instead), and our CW "station" is just a sub-channel carried on the antenna for each of these. Dish does not carry that CW station as part of our locals, but I get guide information for 29-2 (the CW station) in my guide.

As far as a contact person goes for darthxenu, there was a guy, Kip Wilcox (don't seem to have his email, sorry), and he might be able to help you out.

The first place to contact though is dishquality@echostar.com (at least I think that's the email). Just keep hammering on them, and get your friends to do it too. It seems that the more people writing in about the problem, the more likely they'll do something about it.

One thing to keep in mind. If Tribune (Dish's listings provider) does not have the channel, you're not likely to get it.

 

[darthxenu]

That's not entirely true. They do not provide KHOG (they provide KHBS instead), and our CW "station" is just a sub-channel carried on the antenna for each of these. Dish does not carry that CW station as part of our locals, but I get guide information for 29-2 (the CW station) in my guide.

As far as a contact person goes for darthxenu, there was a guy, Kip Wilcox (don't seem to have his email, sorry), and he might be able to help you out.

The first place to contact though is dishquality@echostar.com (at least I think that's the email). Just keep hammering on them, and get your friends to do it too. It seems that the more people writing in about the problem, the more likely they'll do something about it.

One thing to keep in mind. If Tribune (Dish's listings provider) does not have the channel, you're not likely to get it.

Thanks for your advice and the comments from everyone in this thread.

I received a reply back from WICD. According to them, dish does not provide guide info for local channels they don't carry (wouldn't that imply not guide data for subchannels either?). They did suggest checking to see if the receiver will let me use the guide data they transmit (unless something has changed very recently, the 622 won't) or seeing if I could map another station's guide info to the channel (I doubt the 622 supports it, if it did I would wave to map WSB's info). The person who posted earlier in this thread that said they were with WICD suggested I use an antenna to get WICD. Isn't that what OTA is? They told me when dish adds the HD channels for their market that their sister station WICS would be added. That would do me no good because I am not the the Champaign/Springfield market.

I will try emailing the address you gave me at echostar. Hopefully I'll have better luck than when I called Dish. I forgot to mention in my previous post that the person I called at Dish suggested I restart the receiver every night. How that will add the data on their end, I don't know.

The only helpful suggestion WICD gave me is to try some of the online forums for dish network users.

I checked and Tribune does have listings for WICD.

There is one other OTA station that I receive that shows "digital service" in the guide, but it is a subchannel of WTHI-DT that shows the radar. I think guide data for it would be a waste of bandwidth.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I have an OTA program guide issue unrelated to the original post but didn't want to start a new thread.

I currently subscribe to SD satellite locals. HD locals are unavailable for my area therefore I use an antenna. The program guide shows info for my OTA NBC, ABC and Fox affiliate but shows "digital service" for the OTA CBS channel. The satellite CBS channel does show programming info. Since I only pay for locals just to get the guide service I think it is time to get this fixed. It has always been like this since I got dish months ago.

I am wondering where the guide info comes from? And who do I need to hassle to get this fixed, the local CBS station or dish?

Send an email to dishquality AT echostar DOT com. Give them all the details and you may be surprised, I know I was.

Our Hartford PBS station just started broadcasting their digital signal late last month. I sent an email to dishquality on Monday, 9/15 and I noticed on the morning of 9/17 the guide had been updated, no more "Digital Service". And, just about an hour ago I received an email reply stating that the issue has been resolved!!!

 

[GTAE86]

Wait, wait something here does not make sense!

So, the only way to get the OTA program guide information in the program guide is to subscribe to local channels? But that is the main reason to have the OTA into a DVR - because of problems with local channels! I am on the east coast, and my locals are through 129 - what a joke!

So, in order to record OTA locals, I upgraded to a ViP 722 - installed yesterday. Unrelated to the program guide issue, by 10:30 PM yesterday, I had been on the phone with tech support for two hours because the thing just went berserk. It would randomly freeze, or flash psychedelic snippets of multiple channels simultaneously. I have a new unit on the way.

Back to this program guide thing - I also mentioned that to them, and they had no answer. In fact, here is the real jewel: I explained why I am using an HD DVR (to be able to record OTA digital) after they (both technicians) questioned the rationale of paying $7.00/month for the HD DVR rather than the $10.00/month for the whole servie - I cannot see 129. Therefore, I cannot see HD channels, or my locals, but I do want my locals, so I will get and record them OTA. I also mentioned the program guide problem. In the process, one of the technicians suggested I remove the locals subscription because I am paying $5.00 a month for them but not getting them!

Let me lay it out clearer:

Premise: Cannot get program guide without local subscription!?
I cannot get locals because of LOS issues with 129.
I switched to HD DVR to record OTA locals.
No program information displayed for OTA channels - mentioned to installer and two technicians.
Technician suggests dropping locals subscription.

Would that not be the exact opposite thing to do?!

Buying a TiVo and just getting reamed on their cost/service is looking more attractive all the time!

 

[GTAE86]

OK - just got off the phone with tech support....

There is something buried in one of their manuals that says the user must be subscribed to locals in order to see the program guide information for OTA locals. However, it did not work for me yesterday before I was un-subscribed....

I am now re-subscribed, and have a new DVR on the way.

Here is a hoot - I had to explain to the technician how his own hardware worked. Or at least how it is advertised to work: He could not accept the idea that the antenna input on the 622 and 722 boxes allows viewing and recording of OTA digital channels. He kept saying my problem is 129 LOS, and that is the only way to get locals. I finally had to refer him to the DVR manuals - then he believed me.

Now, if a person lives in an area where they are not "allowed" to subscribe to DMA locals, so they are forced to an OTA solution, how can they ever get program guide information? I guess they are relegated to manual timers only....

The technician was totally surprised that I could see program gude information with just the set top box - he was freaked that the data are transmitted with the programs!

 

[okiekevn]

seriously, the ota is a free feature. not like their is a service charge or any profit to be made off it. just set up manual timers. problem solved.

 

[navychop]

That's what I do. I'm only recording regularly scheduled OTA programs anyway.

 

[rlcoker]

Its very disappointing to know that I received OTA guide info on my 811 but when I "up-graded to a 722 I lost that. I would hope that the gurus at Dish are working on a firmware upgrade to enable this feature. Is there a correct e-mail address to suggest restoring this feature?

 

[navychop]

They don't want to restore that feature. Old topic.

 

[wolfjc]

seriously, the ota is a free feature. not like their is a service charge or any profit to be made off it. just set up manual timers. problem solved.

Has any one thought of going to the old standby the PAPER which has TV listings?
They come with the paper for just the price of the paper.

 

[waltinvt]

As part of the MPG2 to MPG4 conversion, I was upgraded from the 811 to the VIP211 and no longer receive program guide info for OTA channels.

(I do not and have never subscribed to DISHs local channels.)


Has anyone else had this problem and if so has it been resolved??

Thanks

You mean Dish didn't tell you you'd loose the OTA EPG info? What a surprise. Did they tell you they'll sell them to you for the price of the locals package?

 

[AdamGott]

Strangely enough, you get program guide data for ANY local channels regardless of your service address... don't ask me how I know this, just trust me (or the many others reading these forums that know).

Also, they do have guide data for many channels that they don't actually uplink (PBS and all of the subchannels in my area have guide data).

 

[Derwin0]

Strangely enough, you get program guide data for ANY local channels regardless of your service address...

They have to, as many people pull in neighboring DMA's OTA.

 

[darthxenu]

Does anyone know how long it takes for the guide data to shop up once it's uplinked? The guide data for WICD has been uplinked since 10/9/2008. However, it still shows "Digital Service" in the guide.

 

[navychop]

They'll all say digital service if you don't pay for Dish locals via satellite. And if the program info is not provided to Dish, you might still see that even if you are paying for Dish provided locals.

Except for the 811, which picks up the PSIP data. Some stations still are not providing PSIP data or accurate data.

 

[shy_guy]

I am having the "digital service" problem with my Fox station, KXVA 15 Abilene, TX. Customer Service seemed clueless, so I will try the dishquality e-mail. Thanks!

 

[JTBenson]

I am in a market that doesn't have locals, therefore I can't subscribe to locals even though I would like to. I have "Digital Service" on my guide, but from August to December last year, I was actually getting guide data on all the locals from my neighboring DMA. I am not sure why I got them for four months, but it was nice while it lasted.