Over the air HD "Digital Service" EPG

[mathewpotter]

ok so im a noob to dish (always had DTV and dropped them because they are A** holes). Got our new stuff installed and all of the SAT programing is great. We do get locals in SD but not HD via dish. So I busted out a off air HD antenna to hit the locals. To my surprise I get all of them in HD (wow)!

Ok now the problem starts. I get 9 off air HD locals and 4 or 5 of them just say "Digital Service" dish said that that data is transmitted over the air not VIA the SAT. Is that true or were they giving me the total blow off? / Is there any way to get the guide to fill that in from the EPG data for the locals they broadcast via sat in SD (not avail in HD)?

Attached is a picture of the guide that shows what im talking about.

 

[chaddux]

ok so im a noob to dish (always had DTV and dropped them because they are A** holes). Got our new stuff installed and all of the SAT programing is great. We do get locals in SD but not HD via dish. So I busted out a off air HD antenna to hit the locals. To my surprise I get all of them in HD (wow)!

Ok now the problem starts. I get 9 off air HD locals and 4 or 5 of them just say "Digital Service" dish said that that data is transmitted over the air not VIA the SAT. Is that true or were they giving me the total blow off? / Is there any way to get the guide to fill that in from the EPG data for the locals they broadcast via sat in SD (not avail in HD)?

Attached is a picture of the guide that shows what im talking about.

Gotta tell us where you live if you want an answer.

 

[mathewpotter]

I live in Eugene, OR

 

[RandallA]

Not all the digital channels will get the guide but for starters do a check switch and that will download the guide.

Menu, 6-1-1-Check switch.

 

[mathewpotter]

Not all the digital channels will get the guide but for starters do a check switch and that will download the guide.

Menu, 6-1-1-Check switch.

I will definitely do that when I get home.

 

[RandallA]

Not sure about Oregon but here in the Bay Area most digital channels have the programming guide but there are a few that don't.

"dish said that that data is transmitted over the air not VIA the SAT"

If that was true everyone will stop complaining about not having their guide for the digital channels.

 

[kstile]

Here in Seattle I get EPG data for the primary (-01) channels, but not any of the sub channels that come OTA. The local PBS has 5(!) channels and I only get EPG data for one of them. This probably doesn't address your issue since from your screenshot you don't have it for even the -01, but maybe the Check Switch will help it...

 

[mathewpotter]

Here in Seattle I get EPG data for the primary (-01) channels, but not any of the sub channels that come OTA. The local PBS has 5(!) channels and I only get EPG data for one of them. This probably doesn't address your issue since from your screenshot you don't have it for even the -01, but maybe the Check Switch will help it...

None of the -02's fill but a few of the -01's farther down do fill in.

 

[Hall]

Dish does NOT provide guide data for digital sub-channels in most cities. There are some that they do, but those cities are the exception, not the rule. Safe to say based on your guide that Eugene OR is not one that gets this data.

The guide data is available via the OTA signal but Dish ignores it. It's typically considered unreliable and doesn't go far enough in the future to be much use, especially with DVRs.

 

[JIGGIEFLY]

I get my EPG Data on all of my OTA HD Channels but only on the -01's here in Addison MIchigan

 

[mathewpotter]

Well no luck with the switch test. Guess Ill just wait and see if and when dish picks up the ball and broadcasts it. The ones that I am missing are ALL -02 and all PBS + Fox.

The fox one is strange 34-00 is SD FOX (EPG works good), 34-01 is HD FOX ("digital service"), and 34-02 is SD WB/CW ("digital service").
Not real woried about the PBS's but the fox one is the one I want. (Would be nice to record 24 in HD again)

A friend of mine works for E and said that chances of getting HD locals here is next to nothing. Said that we are on some kind of spot beam and they are focusing on areas with dense population not a town with 400,000 people ??? .


(oh and I get 11 digital off air feeds not 9 or whatever I said b4)

Thanks for you help guys but looks like there is nothing I can do....
- BTW ... ALL of the EPG data that I do get is the EXACT same as the local SD that dish broadcasts (tribune media blah blah blah...).

 

[Hall]

Well no luck with the switch test. Guess Ill just wait and see if and when dish picks up the ball and broadcasts it. The ones that I am missing are ALL -02 and all PBS + Fox.

As I said earlier,

Dish does NOT provide guide data for digital sub-channels in most cities. There are some that they do, but those cities are the exception, not the rule. Safe to say based on your guide that Eugene OR is not one that gets this data.

The fox one is strange 34-00 is SD FOX (EPG works good), 34-01 is HD FOX ("digital service"), and 34-02 is SD WB/CW ("digital service"). Not real woried about the PBS's but the fox one is the one I want. (Would be nice to record 24 in HD again)

If your FOX digital channel 34-01 isn't getting guide data, that's a problem that Dish needs to be informed of. Problem is, calling tech support will likely get you nowhere.... What does your friend do for Dish ?? He might have access to the proper channels.

 

[RandallA]

I get data for most channels but I don't get it for most subchannels except for the PBS subchannels.

Too bad the guide is not there for digital channels in Oregon.

 

[mathewpotter]

As I said earlier,
If your FOX digital channel 34-01 isn't getting guide data, that's a problem that Dish needs to be informed of. Problem is, calling tech support will likely get you nowhere.... What does your friend do for Dish ?? He might have access to the proper channels.

Exactly it got me no where fast.
This is what his signature says. Means nothing to me. He said to call CS and good luck.


Analyst/Developer
Retail Services
Strategic Initiatives

 

[Hall]

So which does he do ?? Seems unusual that he'd do all of those.... Never mind, that doesn't matter.

You might actually tell your local FOX station and let them tell Dish. They don't deal with customer-tech support.

 

[mathewpotter]

I think he mainly does the thing where they manage the commissions to the dealers/retailers.

I thought about calling them, but who in the hell would you ask for?

So which does he do ?? Seems unusual that he'd do all of those.... Never mind, that doesn't matter.

You might actually tell your local FOX station and let them tell Dish. They don't deal with customer-tech support.

 

[Bradtothebone]

As I said earlier,
If your FOX digital channel 34-01 isn't getting guide data, that's a problem that Dish needs to be informed of. Problem is, calling tech support will likely get you nowhere.... What does your friend do for Dish ?? He might have access to the proper channels.

Send an email to dishquality@echostar.com

Tell them which analog channels' guide info needs to be mapped to which digital channels. If the info is already there (in the analog channel guide) they can do this (they did it for us in KC after I talked to them). It's probably just an oversight on their part. As others have said, this may or may not include the subchannels. However, they should be able to do PBS-HD, for example, if it's a subchannel (as it is in KC) and maybe others.

This is really the only contact at E* that has been consistently helpful for me. Just keep the tone friendly, and give them as much info as you can. Encourage them to pass the email on to someone else if they're not the right ones to answer the question.

Good Luck,
Brad

 

[Hall]

I thought about calling them, but who in the hell would you ask for?

Ask for the engineering department. Definitely try the e-mail address just given too.

The "rule" with guide data for OTA digitals is normally if Dish carries the analog channel, i.e. 34-00, they will provide guide data for the -01 digital channel. They currently do NOT provide guide data for -02, -03, and so on in most markets. I keep emphasizing that because someone will come along and say "all my sub-channels have guide data" but those markets are the exception, not the rule. Dish did provide this data for more and more markets, increasing the number every other week or so using "virtual channels" that made this happen but as soon as they got my market, among others, they shut it down two day later....

 

[mathewpotter]

Ask for the engineering department. Definitely try the e-mail address just given too.

The "rule" with guide data for OTA digitals is normally if Dish carries the analog channel, i.e. 34-00, they will provide guide data for the -01 digital channel. They currently do NOT provide guide data for -02, -03, and so on in most markets. I keep emphasizing that because someone will come along and say "all my sub-channels have guide data" but those markets are the exception, not the rule. Dish did provide this data for more and more markets, increasing the number every other week or so using "virtual channels" that made this happen but as soon as they got my market, among others, they shut it down two day later....

I will try to send them an email. I understand the -02 -03 ... not filling in. that would require allot more work on there part for channels that they are not broadcasting. The FOX 34-01 is also broadcast by them on 34-00 Soooo away the email goes...

thnk you for your help guys!

 

[mathewpotter]

So I just found this little tid bit of info that says the EPG data DOES come from them.

I just sent an email to that address...

• Why does the program guide display "Local Programming" or "No Information" for Off Air Analog Channels?
  Why does the program guide display "Local Programming" , "No Information" or "Digital Service" for Off Air Digital Channels?
  • A subscription to a DISH Network local package must be active on the account in order to receive programming information for off air analog and digital local channels on models 211/411, 222, 622, 921 and 942.
    
    For models 5000 and JVC IRR a subscription to a DISH Network local DMA package is not required in order to view the program guide information for off air analog channels.
    For models 811 and 6000u a subscription to a DISH Network local DMA package is not required in order to view the program guide information for off air analog and digital channels.
• Why does the program guide show the correct information for some off air analog and digital channels but wrong information, "No Information", "Local Programming" or "Digital Service" for other off air channels?
  • The program guide information present for the off air channels are provided by the satellite and not the actual off air broadcast source. In order for the receiver to see what program information is available, the channel must be included in the subscribed DMA package from DISH Network accompanied with the necessary satellite feed in order to display the program information into the electronic program guide. The satellite installation setup can be viewed in the check switch matrix.
    
    The models 5000 and JVC IRR support Analog OTA channels via their Local Link feature. For these models there is a menu option to select and assign the off air antenna channels to one of the big three Networks (ABC/CBS/NBC) if appropriate. Regardless of frequency or call letter assignment, the program guide will import the guide data from the satellite. This leaves a small margin for programming event description or timer errors as this is assigned by the user. A fourth option, "None", offers no EPG info but breaks the channels EPG info into blocks simply titled "Local Programming"; this permits EPG based or manual event timer support of these services.