Guideplus problem

Hi all,

Had a Philips Hdrw720 for a couple of weeks and everything works fine apart from the Guideplus. Initially it worked like a dream, data downloaded overnight and I had about five days worth of listings.
Now I'm lucky to get one day worth of listings (even when I've kept the machine on standby and tuned to ITV overnight)
Even when I get the info, when I click on a programme to record it all I'm getting is the symbol for the channel but no programme details, despite the fact the Guideplus system showing the details when I highlight the programme.
I'm on NTL Langley, but can get an ITV and teletext signal. Would I be better tuning in on Eurosport?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

[BrianF]

Originally Posted by brian mcsweeney

Hi all,

Had a Philips Hdrw720 for a couple of weeks and everything works fine apart from the Guideplus. Initially it worked like a dream, data downloaded overnight and I had about five days worth of listings.
Now I'm lucky to get one day worth of listings (even when I've kept the machine on standby and tuned to ITV overnight)
Even when I get the info, when I click on a programme to record it all I'm getting is the symbol for the channel but no programme details, despite the fact the Guideplus system showing the details when I highlight the programme.
I'm on NTL Langley, but can get an ITV and teletext signal. Would I be better tuning in on Eurosport?
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

I am also having Guide Plus+ problems on a Pioneer box but I understand the EPG is only carried on Eurosport (410). However, logically, the DVR should wake up the Digibox and tune to 410 automatically (so long as both are in stand-by mode overnight).

[JethroUK]

I was having similar problems for last 2 weeks but mines seems alright now - i put it down to me recording Survival ITV3 @ 6:00am & 7:00 am daily - i figured it might be interupting the download so i deleted the 6:00 am recording

also consider that only the main channels (by Guide+ definition) get a full 7 day listing - minor channels only get 2 day listing - i'm anticipating a full 48 day listing when the Gemstar (Guide+)/Radio Times web site partnership materialises

[LV426]

Originally Posted by BrianF

I am also having Guide Plus+ problems on a Pioneer box but I understand the EPG is only carried on Eurosport (410). However, logically, the DVR should wake up the Digibox and tune to 410 automatically (so long as both are in stand-by mode overnight).

The EPG is supposed also to be broadcast on an Analog channel (ITV1 IIRC).

SO when does the ITV Guideplus download actually happen? Is it at 3am, or 4am or do you have to put the system on standby all night? I'm at work during the day so if I put the machine onto ITV and standby will it download the guide during the day?

Also has anyone got a support email contact for Guideplus? And Jethro when is this much anticipated Radio Times/Guideplus thing ever gonna get off the ground? It does sound really interesting.

[BrianF]

Originally Posted by LV426

The EPG is supposed also to be broadcast on an Analog channel (ITV1 IIRC).

You are correct. I forgot because I am on the continent and can only get the satellite transmissions.

[BrianF]

Originally Posted by brian mcsweeney

SO when does the ITV Guideplus download actually happen? Is it at 3am, or 4am or do you have to put the system on standby all night? I'm at work during the day so if I put the machine onto ITV and standby will it download the guide during the day?

According to the Guide Plus+ web site, it is between 3am and 4am. However, I am still not sure if you have to leave the Digibox on after the first download or if the DVR switches it on automatically via G-Link and tunes it to the download channel. It seems logical that it would do that once it has the download source logged. If you had to remember to leave it on overnight once a week that would be a real pain.

[JethroUK]

eurosport only downloads updates in the early hours

ITV updates guide+ from the teletext stream all the time you're tuned to ITV (even if you're recording from it) - day and night, whether the unit is on/off

Dunno when Gemstar/RadioTimes thing will happen - contracts were signed back in May sometime - what can i say - what this space - it will be worth the wait

[Phantom Phixer]

My Pioneer 530 goes into EPG download at 14:00 - 16:00, 19:00 - 21:00 and 03:00 - 05:00.

If you are downloading from ITV there is no need to have ITV selected, my machine is always set to external (L1).

If you want to download from Eurosport the sat box must be on and tuned to the correct channel.

It's all in the manual.

[BrianF]

According to the Pioneer Belgium support desk, if the download is ITV analogue via the antenna (in the UK) or permanently-on cable, the DVR will wake itself up at 3am and update the programme/channel listings. It will do the same thing at 6:30am and at 3:30pm.
If you have satellite only, Eurosport (410) is the download channel. The DVR does not have the abilty to switch the Digibox on via G-Link (Why not?) but can change channels. So, you do have to leave the Digibox on overnight, at least once a week so that the DVR can wake up, change to 410 and run the lastest download.
It seems amazing to me that the DVR-530H-S, for example, does not have the ability to send the wake-up code to the Digibox but the excuse given is that the cost of leasing the code is too high (duh!).

[Phantom Phixer]

The 530 can indeed turn on a Sky box or freeview box, at least mine can. However this is not reliable. Because of the time taken for the Digibox to initialise it may miss the channel change codes being sent and end up recording the wrong channel.

In any case the recorder is unable to return an external box to standby when it has finished with it so you might as well leave it on.

Refer to page 29 in the manual. An external receiver must be left on the correct channel to download data - it will NOT change channel for EPG download.

[BrianF]

Originally Posted by Phantom Phixer

The 530 can indeed turn on a Sky box or freeview box, at least mine can. However this is not reliable. Because of the time taken for the Digibox to initialise it may miss the channel change codes being sent and end up recording the wrong channel.

In any case the recorder is unable to return an external box to standby when it has finished with it so you might as well leave it on.

Refer to page 29 in the manual. An external receiver must be left on the correct channel to download data - it will NOT change channel for EPG download.

Does this mean that your satbox will be on continuously if you go on holiday leaving the DVR to record say all episodes of Eastenders in your absence?
The technical capability is evidenly there for the DVR to turn the satbox on for timer recordings so why does it not do that for the GP+ downloads. In the same way, it is only a matter of sending the appropriate code via G-Link to turn the satbox off when recording is finished.
The same applies to the question of turning the satbox on and then leaving an adequate delay before sending the channel-change code.
Perhaps the GP+ people have their reasons for not completing the process but it is not yet clear to me.

[nadeem]

Hi, Where do you connect the g-link cable to a sky digital box, i have the Thomson Make,

[JethroUK]

Originally Posted by BrianF

....The technical capability is evidenly there for the DVR to turn the satbox on for timer recordings so why does it not do that for the GP+ ....

It does

You other questions about jobs left incomplete (there's millions of them) is as a result of technology - every time a 'new feature' is released, it opens the door for 100's of other applications, each one opening a 100 more - why they don't exploit all these avenues is because they simply don't have time/inclination or often not viable to persue - priority being to release the technology as soon as possible - they do know about these 'open doors' and somethimes they must wonder whether it's better not to release technology at all and keep them tightly shut - course one of the big benefits of new technology is the 'firmware upgrade', which gives them an excuse to release asap and an avenue to plug the holes as and when they appear

so to answer your question more directly - it could happen any day soon - but dont hold your breathe