How can I record OTA from 942 when the OTA guide's not there?

[bookwalk]

Four of the five OTA channels (HD) that come through the 942 do not have any guide data -- but say only "Digital Service". So, then, how can I record from these OTA HD channels and watch something else?

This was supposed to be an option with the 942 that I definitely wanted to take advantage of because I have no other way of getting these HD network channels!

 

[Fredinva]

"four of five" are not carrying OTA data!
So. the one local channel is probably the only one broadcasting PSIP data at this time.
Give your local station a call and ask them.

You can also check: www.AVSForum.com for your local city information.

fred

 

[Cyclone]

Dish didn't want people to cancel their locals when they upgraded to a OTA capable HDTV box like the 942. So they prevent the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data from appearing on local OTA channels in your 921 or 942 unless you subscribe to your locals.

Also if you can get OTA channels which are out of your market (and you can not subscribe to them) then you also will not get any EPG data for those channels. I'm in the Wash DC DMA (Market) and I also receive all of the Baltimore, MD channels via OTA. Well I sub to DC locals so I get EPG data for the DC OTA channels, but nothing for the Baltimore channels.

If I were to drop the DC locals from my subscription, then I would lose the EPG data for the DC channels as well. As far as your question about "how to record" the OTA channels. You can still record them, but you have to set up a timer for them where you specify the date, time, channel, duration etc....

 

[Mike4HDTV]

Cyclone - I'm in the Miami market and I am able to receive some of the West Palm Beach OTA locals. I subscribe to the Miami locals and I get guide data for the Miami OTA & WPB OTA channels. I can not get the satellite locals for WPB but the HD OTA channels have full accurate guide data.

 

[Cyclone]

Let me guess, you have a 811? The 811 has better EPG support.

 

[Mike4HDTV]

I have a 942.

 

[Alto101]

Four of the five OTA channels (HD) that come through the 942 do not have any guide data -- but say only "Digital Service". So, then, how can I record from these OTA HD channels and watch something else?

This was supposed to be an option with the 942 that I definitely wanted to take advantage of because I have no other way of getting these HD network channels!

This is a very common issue for 942 users. Please see this thread to read about the problem: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=41135

And see this thread for an update from E*:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=41861

 

[GaryPen]

"four of five" are not carrying OTA data!
So. the one local channel is probably the only one broadcasting PSIP data at this time.
Give your local station a call and ask them.

You can also check: www.AVSForum.com for your local city information.

fred

It has nothing to do with the stations carrying the data. Dish HD receivers do not use that data in the guide. The guide relies on information from Dish. Dish simply does not provide guide data for most local OTA DT channels. They remap the local channel data from the Dish local channels to your OTA channels. However, they do not do it for all channels in all markets; it usually does not include sub-channels; and, except for the 811, I believe they require you sub to Dish locals in order for you to receive this partial info.

 

[mdonnelly]

It has nothing to do with the stations carrying the data. Dish HD receivers do not use that data in the guide. The guide relies on information from Dish. Dish simply does not provide guide data for most local OTA DT channels. They remap the local channel data from the Dish local channels to your OTA channels. However, they do not do it for all channels in all markets; it usually does not include sub-channels; and, except for the 811, I believe they require you sub to Dish locals in order for you to receive this partial info.

Actually, it's a combination of both. E* uses a very unforgiving PSIP intrepreter to map the channel number to the EPG data. If the PSIP stream from the station doesn't meet the standard 100%, then the mapping process fails. Other (non-E*) STB's are generally more forgiving. I have E* locals, and in my area, I only get EPG info for 4 of 8 OTA stations, but the EPG data is accurate for all 8 of the E* locals.

 

[GaryPen]

Actually, it's a combination of both. E* uses a very unforgiving PSIP intrepreter to map the channel number to the EPG data. If the PSIP stream from the station doesn't meet the standard 100%, then the mapping process fails. Other (non-E*) STB's are generally more forgiving. I have E* locals, and in my area, I only get EPG info for 4 of 8 OTA stations, but the EPG data is accurate for all 8 of the E* locals.

I'll bet you a dollar that the EPG info you get for those 4 are from Dish, not from OTA PSIP data. The reason you don't get all 8 is they still haven't added the necessary info to remap for all of their local markets.

 

[DarrellP]

Can you set a manual timer?

 

[mdonnelly]

I'll bet you a dollar that the EPG info you get for those 4 are from Dish, not from OTA PSIP data. The reason you don't get all 8 is they still haven't added the necessary info to remap for all of their local markets.

None of the guide data is from PSIP. It's all from Dish. PSIP is used to map the channels to the proper (analog) number, and Dish uses it to synchronize the guide data.

 

[GaryPen]

Right. And many properly mapped OTA DTV channels are still without EPG guide info for many Dish subs, especially on sub-channels. It has more to do with Dish than the broadcasters. It was that way in SF/SJ/Oak DMA.

I wonder how DirecTV manages to do it successfully? (I don't believe they require subscribing to locals, either, as Dish apparently does with their HD DVRs. That's low.)

 

[Foxbat]

...Dish apparently does with their HD DVRs. That's low.)

Even though I'm as big an E* booster as any, I agree with that. It isn't enought that we pay $5/mo/DVR; no, we need to shell out another $6/mo for the "privilege" to record HD locals that we receive free off-air. And as it's been pointed out, the Digital OTA channels don't all match up, either (so much for it saying "TV Guide" on the 942's EPG)