Electronic Program Guides

But this depends on the broadcaster.

The BBC are usually quick off the mark to change the EPG if the football, for example, has gone into extra time so you can have a rough idea when the next programme is to follow. It usually syncs up with the transmission too, so if the programme is scheduled at 19:30 but doesn't start until 19:34, the EPG doesn't change until 19:34.

ITV should, in theory, also keep pace with its EPG on the occasions when the footie or motor racing are overrunning, but its quite common to see things like "2:30pm Croc Diaries" on the Now/Next banner at 2:35pm with six laps of the motor racing still to go.

Others, mainly the smaller channels that have little or no need to alter the schedule (or don't give much of a stuff towards the EPG listings), just feed it in for the day and leave it at that. As they all run off automated play-out systems anyway, it just needs monitoring to ensure it doesn't fall off the air.

I think the BBC and ITV example you gave is to do with the live Now and Next data. The BBC Channels carry this data, which when you tune into the transponder, overrides the Sky EPG data. The Sky channels also do the same, mainly to make sure Sky+ boxes record any extra time. ITV however, are a bit patchy with this. Sometime they carry the Now and Next data, sometimes they don't.

Most of the satellite channels have made EPGs obsolete thanks to DOGs that tell you what you're watching, what's next, what's on tonight at 9, etc.

No they haven't, we still need the EPG for listings at anytime, as well as recording.

Is Sky having problems with the default transponder today? My Sky+ box has forgotten all the channels except ITV1 which has messed up a recording and my plans to watch My Family. I would reboot, but I did a signal check on the default transponder, and it has a strong, locked signal, but all the ID's have changed to 0000. I don't want to risk reboot and then finding otu I can't get anything.

Well they weren't today, while watching Grandstand on Sky when you looked at the programme information it was listing Racing from Ascot - that got called off yesterday (and it even said that in the papers this morning!) so they had racing from Haydock instead but the EPG still said Ascot!



Yes, this was evident when there was a transmission cockup at the beginning of the BBC News Special for the silence for the anniversary of the London bombings, the next programme (Cash In The Attic) was accidentally started at the beginning of the News Special and so this triggered the Sky EPG to jump to showing "NOW: Cash In The Attic".

I have an NTL Pace box which is quite old, several years - maybe 6 or 7.

I have a frequent problem, and I was wondering why it happens...

On the EPG (ie the Now/Next bar), the listings often stay the same whichever channel I'm on, and for the same timings.

For example, I will be watching the Six o' Clock News on BBC One followed by South Today, but on the bar it will say that now on is The Chris Moyles Show followed by Jo Whiley. Then I will change to UKTV Gold, and watch Only Fools and Horses, but on the bar it will still say that now on is The Chris Moyles Show followed by Jo Whiley. However, the channel name and current time will change. The programme indicated on the bar is always a programme that I have watched that morning, hence The Chris Moyles Show in this example.

The problem is usually fixed by loading up the full screen EPG, but this is an annoyance in itself.

Any help?

So would I be right in saying:

- TV Station has a Playout System which is used to schedule and control what is aired.
- The TV Station gets people to enter its own metadata (e.g description, time of airing) into the Playout System.
- This playout system is automatically hooked up with and synched with a variety of third party EPG devices (such as from Sky, Gemstar etc)
- These devices send the EPG metadata out. (Is it to a centrlized location with each company or is it straight along the airwaves, or is it both?)

Is this right?
Can anyone offer any more info?

That sounds about right. As for centralised location, for Sky and Cable, the EPG metadata is sent sent to a central location where the provider will put it on their system (usually an automated process). As for Freeview, it varies on each multiplex. For multiplexes A-D, I assume it works the same way as Sky and Cable. Multiplex 1 is operated by the BBC, and as it only carries BBC Channels, I assume the metadata doesn't get sent to any other location, it's just sent straight to the transmitter for broadcast. Multiplex 2 is shared between ITV and Channel 4, and to accomodate I think it is multiplexed at the transmission site, so I assume the metadata is feed straight to the transmitter where it is mulitplexed and broadcast.

Sounds like a dodgy cable box to me. Both NTL and Telewest will be getting a new EPG in the next free weeks/months to match the new Virgin brand so that may resolve the problem. if it don't...give them a call and ask for a new box.

I think NTL and Telewest use a different system to that or Freeview and Sky because when a programme over runs the EPG will change to the next programme regardless, also when a news stories breaks and BBC One shows News 24 the EPG will carry on showing what would normally be on.

Cable buy their EPG data from a company and load it into the system, once in the system it is very rare for it to change... well on Telewest anyway!

It's a common problem on the NTL Network, it really winds me up sometimes, you can get that, get 'Searching for Programme' or you only get Now and Next and you cannot see what you want to look at later. It winds me up, I really hope that Mr Branson and Co sort this out, it looks rather lame for a half decent Cable service.

I think NTL TW/Virgin should replace the STB's, many customers are on 1st generation boxes that coped well with the old CR1 and CR2 software, but since the CR3 download about 4 or 5 years ago now the software has got clunkier and slower, and it needs faster hardware.

My little Pacific Freeview box from Asda loads Interactive services and the EPG about 1000 times quicker than my NTL, sorry my Cable & Wireless box.

The problem is replacing the STB's costs a lot of money, which will just increase subscriptions if done. It's the same with Sky, there are a lot of people using old boxes, especially those who had those boxes replaced with refurbs. They also take forever to load things such as the listings, and both Sky One Active and Sky Active which are very animation dependant are a nightmare to use on them. However, replacing them all would cost a fortune.

Slightly O/T, but I thought i'd post this in here or i'll get shouted at...

What's been deleted from the Sky EPG recently?

abc1 on channel 185 has been the bottom entry on page 6 of the 'All Channels' guide for quite some time now, but recently, it's moved up - first revealing More4+1 and Rapture TV. I can't quite tell what's missing further up though!