Disappointing EPG

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Mikhail27
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Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Disappointing EPG

Post by Mikhail27 »

Hi Freesat Team

This is my first post, having recently bought the V8 Super for use on Astra 28.2E in the UK. Being a newbie to satellite receivers, I have nothing to compare it against but initial impressions are that is is well made, great value for money and that it does most things reasonably well. However, the one area that stands out as being substandard on the V8 is the EPG.

In Satellite mode the EPG only lists 2 programmes per channel and also programme text is often in a jumbled state. This makes for an annoying experience with very limited use for advance PVR.

In XML mode the EPG gives 7 days of programmes and should therefore make it the most useful mode. However that is not the case because of two problems. Firstly, some channels seem to be lacking programme data, which in some cases may eventually appear but not in all. This makes the experience very frustrating. Secondly, and in my view, most annoyingly, although the EPG displays the correct time for the UK, the actual programme times are delayed by one hour, which makes programme planning and recording very tedious and is a great source of confusion, especially when trying to convince my wife that the V8 was a good purchase.

I get the impression that this time delay problem is a long standing fault that applies not just to the V8 but other receivers as well. By its very nature I feel that this fault must have a relatively straightforward solution but cannot understand why it has not been given the priority I think it deserves. Or maybe my inexperience of satellite receivers has caused me to be naive in expecting a solution.

Here's hoping something will be done to resolve this fault soon.

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Feralkiwi
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Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Feralkiwi »

In the menu options there is a choice of two formats for the epg.
One of these is the newer format with programs for many channels displayed at once.
This format has the hour delay problem, and fails to display more than two programs depending on what time zone you choose.

Another EGP problem is that Freesat units do not do MHEG5 EPG.

Owen
Dishes; 3x3m, 2.4m and 4.1m, 10+ ku, 2 movers, USARLS. V8 Combo, Pro, V8 Golden, Nova V8Pro2, GTC, Super.V7HDs, Combo and V7s V7Plus Finder, Finder-Meter V8X / UHD V7Pro GT/XCombo. Sats 100.5E to 177W. I'm a Sat hobbyist who helps out.

Mikhail27
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Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Mikhail27 »

Hi Owen

Thanks for your reply. I just want to clarify that my V8 reacts slightly different to what you have suggested. I find that the hour delay problem applies only to XML EPG, as my initial post,but in doing so it is present in both the old and the new formats (ie. Style 1 and 2 as the menu selection)

Mike

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Feralkiwi
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Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Feralkiwi »

Do you still have daylight saving on, or does XML at source still have it on?

Owen
Dishes; 3x3m, 2.4m and 4.1m, 10+ ku, 2 movers, USARLS. V8 Combo, Pro, V8 Golden, Nova V8Pro2, GTC, Super.V7HDs, Combo and V7s V7Plus Finder, Finder-Meter V8X / UHD V7Pro GT/XCombo. Sats 100.5E to 177W. I'm a Sat hobbyist who helps out.

Mikhail27
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Mikhail27 »

Hi Owen

I assume Daylight Saving is what the V8 lists as Summertime. I have this OFF. My other settings are GMT on plus UTC+00.00. This results in London as a location.

Whether XML at source still has Daylight Saving on, I do not know. Unless I am missing something I do not have access to or knowledge of the XML source. I assumed this was something dictated by firmware over which the user has no control. Maybe that's the problem and a new data source needs selecting by the maker.

Mike

Steve_in_Ireland
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:47 am

Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Steve_in_Ireland »

I have a V8 Combo with a multiple satellite set-up. "Satellite" EPG is adequate for the German and Italian stations I watch, but is much worse (as you describe) for UK Freesat channels. "XML" EPG is actually even worse. It has a lot of information, but often duplicates one channel's EPG on another unrelated one (i.e shows completely wrong programmes).

The XML EPG doesn't appear to work at all on the non-UK stations! If only there were options for configuring its downloads, I could run my own XMLTV server and fix everything. :evil:

In short, the EPG is easily the worst aspect of the V8 boxes. It's Banned Word.


(It's not the software's fault that terrestrial HD channels in the UK have gibberish in the EPG. That was thanks to a monumentally stupid decision by Ofcom to allow Freeview to encrypt it. They thought it would make people buy Freeview-branded HD boxes.)

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Feralkiwi
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Re: Disappointing EPG

Post by Feralkiwi »

Steve_in_Ireland wrote:(It's not the software's fault that terrestrial HD channels in the UK have gibberish in the EPG. That was thanks to a monumentally stupid decision by Ofcom to allow Freeview to encrypt it. They thought it would make people buy Freeview-branded HD boxes.)
Yes. Here in New Zealand they changed the terrestrial EPG to MHEG5 so that non "Freeview" boxes would not get it.
When they started freeview here in NZ they thought that they would only ever use two TP frequencies and set up for that.
When they changed to using more that two Freq's some boxes would not work without a hard to do hack.

"Freeview" = You only get what we want you to get!

The down side is the EPG.

Owen
Dishes; 3x3m, 2.4m and 4.1m, 10+ ku, 2 movers, USARLS. V8 Combo, Pro, V8 Golden, Nova V8Pro2, GTC, Super.V7HDs, Combo and V7s V7Plus Finder, Finder-Meter V8X / UHD V7Pro GT/XCombo. Sats 100.5E to 177W. I'm a Sat hobbyist who helps out.

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