That is exactly what I understand, the problem is that Dish has not loaded the data.
I feel like I've been banging my head on a wall trying to explain that to several people. So many assume that no guide data means we don't subscribe to locals through Dish no matter how many times I say I do. I just want to make it clear to anyone at Dish.
Sorry for the frustration. The information internally shows that local OTA guide information is provided with a subscription to local channels through DISH. That is almost verbatim. Taking it as a general statement, which some employees do, it is assumed that Local OTA channels means ALL OTA channels (including sub-channels). Unfortunately, that is just not the case. I had no idea until the formation of DIRT and our release into Satguys.us (always thankful for eye-openers). The statement, in actuality, refers to specific channels, namely the local stations that made the digital transition
and were/are provided by DISH,
excluding the sub-channels that came about as a result of the digital transition.
Current 'rule of thumb': if we do not provide the channel, we do not provide the data. Unfortunately, that is the manner in which it is handled. Personally, I like this method as much as anyone else on this thread.
I have been looking into this as long as DIRT has been around and have spoken with many people with regard to changing the current business practices surrounding it. During LIN, I drove for a change, using it as a catalyst to provide software that would actively read PSID information. I push, and it pushed back. I learned (during conversations and research) that the information is "purchased" from Tribune at a cost that I do not know. The business decision DISH has made was not to spend more money purchasing additional information from the third party, or buying and refitting the hardware and software needed to decode it from the data stream directly from the receiver or at the Uplink center(s).
My personal opinion, much like those of you here, is that gear should do EVERYTHING it is
capable of doing. My goal is to find someone like-minded with enough pull to change the way it is. Hence tracking down leads.
What does new equipment have to do with this issue ?
New gear has nothing to do with the issue itself, but may prompt that 'like-minded individual' into stepping forward and saying "Hey, lets do this."
