OTA Guide Information

Poole

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
May 23, 2004
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I know there have been many discussions on the topic but I have yet to see a definitive answer. For starters, I was installed yesterday with a 942 and a 625. I am very pleased with the PQ and DVR functions. Only problem is not all OTA channels contain guide data. CBS KOVR Sacramento brodcast their HD on 13.1. The guide is not populated for this channel. I can set-up manual timers but this is not very convenient. I am also missing data for all my PBS Sub channels.

Bottom line. How can one get the guide data for missing local channels? Do you escalate through Dish, local channel or both?
 
I'm in the Sacto market and I see the same on my 942 for 13 and 6. This info has been reported over at dbstalk in a thread that is capturing OTA guide problems. The issue is being worked, but no ETA at the moment.

Doug
 
About half of my local channels in the Knoxville, TN market are without guide data. It is missing from ABC, FOX, UPN and WMAK (local independent station). I have called Dish Network 3 times and gotten 3 different answers.

1st Rep - I was told that the receiver gets its info from the PSIP stream, and that those stations must not be transmitting the stream. So, I called the stations, talked to the engineers, and found they are sending the data.

2nd Rep - I called Dish back, and was then told that they aren't currently decoding the PSIP stream, and they are attempting to match up channel data on their end with the OTA channels, and if they can automatically figure out what channel it is, they are populating the data.

3rd Rep - Data is only supposed to show up on the stations the Dish Network carries, so UPN and WMAK are out in my area since Dish doesn't carry them over their satellite. He said that I should be getting data for FOX and ABC, and he didn't know why I wasn't. He finally agreed to pass the information that I wasn't getting the channel info for these along, but could not tell me how long if ever it would be before they fixed it, and he said there was no way to let me know any update on the situation. Talk about poor customer service.
 
Never talk to a csr for technical issues. You need to talk to the tech department. They are the only ones that could possibly tell you the real deal. Of course you might get three different answers from them too , but at least they would be technical answers. :p
 
Poole said:
I know there have been many discussions on the topic but I have yet to see a definitive answer. For starters, I was installed yesterday with a 942 and a 625. I am very pleased with the PQ and DVR functions. Only problem is not all OTA channels contain guide data. CBS KOVR Sacramento brodcast their HD on 13.1. The guide is not populated for this channel. I can set-up manual timers but this is not very convenient. I am also missing data for all my PBS Sub channels.

Bottom line. How can one get the guide data for missing local channels? Do you escalate through Dish, local channel or both?

I believe the 811 receives PSIP data from the digital station and maps the info into the EPG. The 921 and 942 do not. Not sure if this is a hardware or software issue but many believe it is the software. Dish wants you to subscribe to locals and then map the info they provide into the EPG. The problem is that the info is based on the analog feeds not the digital and therefore all sub channels display the same data. It's a pity to pay $6 for the wrong data.

You can get free guide info from many web sites. Example:
http://www.titantv.com/
 
Yah, but you have to do a manual recording with the 942, which does not make it worth buying. I will not buy a 942 or any dvr that does not furnish guide data.
 
jerryez said:
Yah, but you have to do a manual recording with the 942, which does not make it worth buying. I will not buy a 942 or any dvr that does not furnish guide data.

Yea, that absolutely is the major problem. I have to set up manual recordings on half my local stations because they don't get their guide data. Dish certainly didn't tell me about this shortcoming ahead of time.
 
For me its like DIshnetwork does not even know Iowas PBS or Nebraska PBS stations even exist. Even though they are on the SD guide, nothing ever shows on the HD OTA guide.

Never had this problem with Direct TVs HD Tivo.
 
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