# Ota Epg



## DishNet_Fan (Oct 14, 2003)

How do I get the EPG to come up on my OTA HD channels? Thanks.


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## Ken Green (Oct 6, 2005)

DishNet_Fan said:


> How do I get the EPG to come up on my OTA HD channels? Thanks.


Try changing the selection in the Display sub-menu of the Locals menu setup.
When set to Dish Locals, both your Dish and OTA locals should be together at the beginning of the EPG.
When set to Off-Air Locals, the OTA locals should be at the beginning of the EPG, and the Dish locals in their 8xxx.


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

DishNet_Fan said:


> How do I get the EPG to come up on my OTA HD channels? Thanks.


Not all stations can get their EPG data to the 811. Lots of discussion in this thread: 
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=69802&highlight=811+ota+epg


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## logray (Apr 8, 2005)

Join the club. I've been reporting OTA EPG inconsistencies to Dish tech support for months and months and months and months and months and nothing has been done about it. I've even had others join in on calling them. I've even been told by people at Dish that "it is being looked in to". I never knew that they had to research OTA EPG problems for 6 months to fix them.

My feeling is that Dish doesn't want to do anything about the problems at this point since there is a rumor that early next year they are going to support OTA EPG through PSIP, rather than from satellite (although that data comes from the station even with satellite).

It sounds to me like the whole OTA EPG thing is a mess, some stations don't know how to implement it, don't have the equipment to implement it, have too many things to do, don't know how to do it properly/etc. and if Dish can get out of the middle of that whole mess and just leave it up to the station to send data over the air properly, then our tech support calls will be diverted to the local station rather than Dish. "Accept, and deflect".

For me, I've been complaining to both the local station and Dish, so I don't mind since it will be one less entity I have to complain to.

For example currently my local PBS station shows guide data for the only subchannel, but that guide data does not correspond with any of the OTA stations, primary, subchannel, or otherwise.

Also, my local CBS station shows guide data for the subchannel, instead of the primary channel, yet both channels are identical.


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## moman19 (Oct 22, 2004)

Logray, I feel your pain and I ditto everything you've said. Dish has been trying to get the 811 right for 2 years or so, and I'm starting to believe that that dog just doesn't hunt. Frankly, I think it's a dead end product and they've all but tossed in the towel.

We've only got 2 choices if we want Dish Network in HD: The buggy 811 or the pricey and soon-to-be-outdated (MPEG2 -only) 942. Perhaps they should consider licensing out boxes to other hardware vendors.


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## DougRuss (Oct 16, 2005)

> Perhaps they should consider licensing out boxes to other hardware vendors.


What.... and have Happy & Satisfied Customers ???


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## logray (Apr 8, 2005)

moman19 said:


> Logray, I feel your pain and I ditto everything you've said. Dish has been trying to get the 811 right for 2 years or so, and I'm starting to believe that that dog just doesn't hunt. Frankly, I think it's a dead end product and they've all but tossed in the towel.


Don't get me wrong, I love the 811 for what it is, bugs included. A low end HD box so we don't have to shell out big bux for a 942. Eventually they'll get all the bugs ironed out - I really think we are close to some solid code here once "No Info" gets fixed and a few other things such as stuttering video, etc. I'm looking forward to that day and will spend as much time as I can making it right by testing things out as much as I can.

The product is very alive today and there are a lot of subscribers using it and I'm sure a lot of people experiencing the little bugs with it, but at some point down the road it will be replaced by another box without a doubt.

IMHO, the problem with the OTA EPG data has nothing to do with Dish, and everything to do with the 10,000's of independently operated local stations out there that don't know how or don't have the capacity to provide accurate guide data over the air or to external carriers such as Dish. 942 users have to deal with the same EPG problems that we do. As it happens if/when Dish makes the 811 and other boxes get EPG data OTA via PSIP, I'll be worse off than I am now since only one or two out of 10 stations provide data over PSIP. Hopefully this will be a "selectable option", but I doubt it.

Your idea of other hardware vendors is a spectacular idea, but I think part of the E* business model is making the hardware and selling/leasing it. Sure, they provide the TV service, and that makes a ton of money too.


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## tonyp56 (Apr 26, 2004)

For $200 or so at Wal-Mart (or any electronic store for that matter) you can pick up a neat little OTA tuner that comes with desent EPG . The problem lies with the way Dish gives guide data for OTA locals, the info is in the stream, yet they choose to instead populate it with satellite info. If the rumor is true that they will, like logray says, actually use PSIP to give guide data for at least OTA locals, the problem will be fixed (mostly, there will of course always be problems, at least for a few more years).


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

I had not heard any rumor of the 811 using PSIP data for the EPG. Has has been mentioned, this comes with its own issues. If it was to happen, I definitely would want to selectable. 

As to the OEM model, it basically comes down to control. Do you want to control the deliver of your content or license it out? Good example of this model is the Apple vs. PC model. I personally don't think Dish makes a lot of money upfront on receiver sales, but I could be wrong.


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## Foxbat (Aug 1, 2003)

FCC regulates OTA EPG PSIP (I was trying to write that all in acronyms, but I needed a verb) unlike Dish's EPG data which is based on a business partnership. Stations can be fined by the FCC for not providing proper PSIP data, so it's in the stations' best interest to provide accurate EPG information.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

Foxbat does that include the content of the PSIP information? As I understand it One of the main pluses for using your own EPG guide data is that you have some control over the content which helps with NBR related functions through partnership. PSIP does not provide this. I know the 811 does not have NBR features, but I could see how Dish would want to keep some consistency with the OTA EPG guides.

There is a few Enhancement requests on this board to have the option of OTA PSIP guide info or Dish provided Guide Info. My personal guess is that this type of enhancement will not happen. Why? I see a number of support issues and consistency issues that Dish might not want to tackle.


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## Foxbat (Aug 1, 2003)

Ron,
According to Mark Schubin (of Digital TV magazine,) the FCC requires all data in the PSIP to be accurate. I'll try to dig up the link to his article. I had posted it here earlier in the year, but what with the changes and all, it may be lost.

_(edit: Here's the link. The article was written by Christopher Lennon, not Mark like I thought. It was a year ago...)_

I have had the Radio Shack Accurain ATSC STB for a couple of months and the EPG data that it pulls off the air from the PSIP has titles, descriptions, and rating info that goes out at least 12 hours and for sub-channels, too. Now, granted, that is nothing like the 44 hours that my 811 goes out to, nor the 9 days that my 942 has, but it is current and it is available, unlike the local ATSC channels on my HD receivers, both of which require a SuperDish 105 and the 942 a subscription to my DMA local channels in order to see the data for those channels, IF Dish has that data available from my DMA stations AND Dish passes that information along. I don't feel like spending $$$ on an SD105 and SD locals just to find out that the data isn't available and/or reliable.


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## logray (Apr 8, 2005)

Foxbat said:


> ... I don't feel like spending $$$ on an SD105 and SD locals just to find out that the data isn't available and/or reliable.


I agree. If I'm paying for locals the data should be accurate!!! I've sent countless letters and phone calls to dish and they ignore me. The worst customer service I've ever encountered. Not a single intelligent reply in nearly 6 months of constant issue reporting.


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