OTA guide info problem

[hahler2]

I installed the ota module on my 922 on Friday. I get all the channels I expected to but the guide info is not downloading. It just says info not available. I called dish network and they had me unplug the receiver and restart it and do a few other tests. Still nothing. The lady I talked to said that the guide is supposed to just mirror the Information from the satellite locals. However, while the ota stations show the same programming as the satellite locals, the towers are out of a different town and so the stations are named different. For example, the CBS station on satellite is KELO while the ota is KDLO.

Is there anyway to fix this? Dish said they would turn in a trouble ticket and try to fix it with the next software update. But for right now without any guide data my ota module is completely useless because i cant schedule any recordings.

 

[Mr Tony]

Last I checked the OTA channels has to match exactly from the Dish "database" or it wont show the guide info.

At the cabin its the same way. Satellite gets WCCO CBS Minneapolis but at the cabin its KCCW Walker, MN (just a satellite station....same programming). It shows as "digital service" on the OTA channel

 

[hahler2]

So basically I'm sol? That makes me really mad because i was counting on the two extra ota tuners to be able to record extra programs in the fall with one dvr.

 

[levibluewa]

This is one improvement that DISH could make...allow subs to enter zip codes of a primary and secondary ota area. This is one feature that I love about the Directv receivers. I use their programming grids for 99% of my program planning.

Now, if DISH wants to beat Directv they could also add the option of entering Canadian postal codes for border subs

 

[Mr Tony]

So basically I'm sol? That makes me really mad because i was counting on the two extra ota tuners to be able to record extra programs in the fall with one dvr.

I dont know about the 922 but on the other models (622,722) sadly you are SOL

This was a 811 and a 622 that we tried it on

 

[Hall]

Last I checked the OTA channels has to match exactly from the Dish "database" or it wont show the guide info.

Yeap, that's how it was explained to me. They actually use the "TSID" (it's a hex value, as I recall) that's transmitted as part of the PSIP data that the Dish receivers use. This TSID has to match in a database on Dish's end and if it doesn't, as you say, it defaults to "Digital Service".

Good luck getting this fixed too ! Even when it's an error on Dish's end, I suspect that no end-user will have much luck getting it resolved. I had to get in touch with a local station, who in turn contacted Dish and eventually got it fixed. Well, partially fixed... It involved my local PBS, which has (5) channels. They had two swapped around. Got them to fix that and they broke another channel. To this day, it still says "Digital Service".

 

[Jim S.]

If Dish would use the EPG transmitted BY THE OTA STATIONS instead of CHOOSING to be hostile towards their users, this problem wouldn't exist.

 

[KAB]

If Dish would use the EPG transmitted BY THE OTA STATIONS instead of CHOOSING to be hostile towards their users, this problem wouldn't exist.

Well, there's the misconception. Locals don't transmit program guides. It's all done by third parties, in Dish's case, Tribune.

 

[Beeper]

So basically I'm sol? That makes me really mad because i was counting on the two extra ota tuners to be able to record extra programs in the fall with one dvr.

You will need to use manual timers and edit the program name after it is recorded.

That's what I do with a 211k. Because I don't pay for locals through the dish, the local program guide info is withheld. Stupid!
Not as convenient as clicking the guide to record, but it goes pretty quick after being used to it.

 

[KAB]

You will need to use manual timers and edit the program name after it is recorded.

That's what I do with a 211k. Because I don't pay for locals through the dish, the local program guide info is withheld. Stupid!

Why so? You don't pay for the service, you don't get the guide. Simple.

 

[navychop]

Well, there's the misconception. Locals don't transmit program guides. It's all done by third parties, in Dish's case, Tribune.

I believe he is referring to the programming guide info in the PSIP data transmitted by the local stations, under ATSC. Sadly, this info is often "less than accurate," minimalist and for not far into the future. Yes, I, too, would love to get PSIP passed thru. I can understand Dish not providing EPG for the locals when not subscribed, but to go so far as to block the PSIP- well, that's going too far, IMHO.

 

[hahler2]

Ok so here's the update on my situation.

I spent about an hour on the phone with Dish. They agreed with you guys that the reason that I can't get guide data is because it's a satellite station and the station names don't match. Since I subscribe to KELO not KDLO I get no guide data, even though it's the same content.

So I asked the tech support lady if there are any options available to me since as it stands, my OTA tuner is useless to me due to the fact that I can't record anything. She told me to just do a manual recording. So I asked her how to do that on the 922. She starts looking through her info and comes back a few minutes later and says "oh, there's no manual recording option on the 922." Lovely. I asked her then if it would be possible to swap me out of the 922 and into a 722 since that would at least do manual recordings for me. She says sure, but it will cost you 200 dollars!!

So let me get this straight. I paid a 200 dollar upgrade fee to get the 922 in the first place, and now when the 922 won't do what I want it to, they want to charge me another 200 dollars to go to the receiver that I could have gotten for free a week and a half ago! WTF!!! I told them very politely that they should at least swap me out for free, or best case, swap me out and refund me the 200 dollar upgrade fee I already paid. She said there's no way they can do that.

I have to say at this point I'm so mad I'm considering tell Dish eff you and pay the early termination fee and go back to Directv. It's such a load of crap that all they would have to do is either let you download guide data for ota by zip like Directv does, or at the very least, enable manual recording. I really like the 922 a lot but this is ridiculous.

What is the email address to get ahold of Charlie? I think I'm going to send him a letter personally and try to get this straightened out.

 

[Beeper]

Why so? You don't pay for the service, you don't get the guide. Simple.

It's stupid because DISH is missing out on revenue that would otherwise be gravy.

I use OTA through a 211k. I don't pay the $4.99 for locals through the dish. I then don't get the convenience of the locals in the guide.
Manual timers don't take much longer to set vs. using the guide. Editing the program title takes more time.

I would gladly pay $1 a month when using OTA, to have the locals in the guide, and I'm sure many others would also.

Stupid management = less revenue.

 

[ltorres98]

Not everyone pays for locals. It depends on your package.

 

[ltorres98]

It ussually takes 24 hours for the guide to update to PTA channels. All scanned ch.s on 722k coming in on guide

 

[Jim5506]

Well, there's the misconception. Locals don't transmit program guides. It's all done by third parties, in Dish's case, Tribune.

Local stations DO transmit program guides in their PSIP data, but it is of such poor quality and with no standards, there is no way for the Dish receiver to interpret it in a usable fashion.

I believe that dish may update your data to fit what the receiver has found OTA on the next data dump.

Several "movers" report that they still get their local guide data after changing DMA's.

 

[KAB]

Local stations DO transmit program guides in their PSIP data, but it is of such poor quality and with no standards, there is no way for the Dish receiver to interpret it in a usable fashion.

I believe that dish may update your data to fit what the receiver has found OTA on the next data dump.

Several "movers" report that they still get their local guide data after changing DMA's.

Thanks for the correction!

 

[navychop]

Ok so here's the update on my situation.

I spent about an hour on the phone with Dish. They agreed with you guys that the reason that I can't get guide data is because it's a satellite station and the station names don't match. Since I subscribe to KELO not KDLO I get no guide data, even though it's the same content.

So I asked the tech support lady if there are any options available to me since as it stands, my OTA tuner is useless to me due to the fact that I can't record anything. She told me to just do a manual recording. So I asked her how to do that on the 922. She starts looking through her info and comes back a few minutes later and says "oh, there's no manual recording option on the 922." Lovely. I asked her then if it would be possible to swap me out of the 922 and into a 722 since that would at least do manual recordings for me. She says sure, but it will cost you 200 dollars!!

So let me get this straight. I paid a 200 dollar upgrade fee to get the 922 in the first place, and now when the 922 won't do what I want it to, they want to charge me another 200 dollars to go to the receiver that I could have gotten for free a week and a half ago! WTF!!! I told them very politely that they should at least swap me out for free, or best case, swap me out and refund me the 200 dollar upgrade fee I already paid. She said there's no way they can do that.

I have to say at this point I'm so mad I'm considering tell Dish eff you and pay the early termination fee and go back to Directv. It's such a load of crap that all they would have to do is either let you download guide data for ota by zip like Directv does, or at the very least, enable manual recording. I really like the 922 a lot but this is ridiculous.

What is the email address to get ahold of Charlie? I think I'm going to send him a letter personally and try to get this straightened out.

Welcome to our game show "CSR Roulette." Wait a couple of days to see if it fixes itself, then try another CSR. No way does it make sense for them to charge you another $200 - or, in my opinion, not refund your previous $200. If the CSR droid had thought about what he was saying, he might have realized this. But it's so much easier to follow the script, or what you think is the script......

 

[hahler2]

Yeah I don't honestly expect them to refund the 200. But i can hope. And charging me another 200 is just flat ridiculous.

 

[sam_gordon]

Local stations DO transmit program guides in their PSIP data, but it is of such poor quality and with no standards, there is no way for the Dish receiver to interpret it in a usable fashion.

So that explains why every DTV set sold in the country can't display the PSIP data. Oh, wait, it's part of the requirements of having an ATSC receiver. Every DTV set CAN interpret and display the PSIP data.

Now, if you want to gripe about accuracy or the amount of advanced data stations are putting out, that's fair. But don't try to peddle some BS that Dish can't read the data.