Useless Program Guide

[aquaman67]

Is anyone else's program guide useless?

I have a Dish 300 system on Sat 119 only and 2 receivers, a 3900 and a 2700. (311's are on the way)

The program guide only goes one hour ahead and then always says "Info Not Availible". I have to use AOL to see what's on.

 

[wobbie]

Maybe try shutting the recievers down and seeing if they will take an uograde??

 

[dfergie]

Get a dish 500, more program guide info is on 110 .

 

[aquaman67]

I do shut off my receiver. It doesn't help.

As for Dish 500, I have Grandfathered distant East/West coast networks. I love it and use it all the time. If I miss a show, it comes on again in two hours. Plus I get way more football games than I would with just my Nashville locals.

I was told if I get a 500 system and was able to get my locals, I had to swtich and I can't have both, distant and locals.

Is that true? That's why I haven't upgraded. I was also told if I ever lose the East/West distants, I can't get them back.

 

[dfergie]

You do not have to sub to your locals, just because you get a 500 doesn't mean you have to get them...find a Dish 500 and install yourself....(or another 300 or even a D* 18" dish will work with an sw21 switch)

 

[JohnL]

I do shut off my receiver. It doesn't help.

As for Dish 500, I have Grandfathered distant East/West coast networks. I love it and use it all the time. If I miss a show, it comes on again in two hours. Plus I get way more football games than I would with just my Nashville locals.

I was told if I get a 500 system and was able to get my locals, I had to swtich and I can't have both, distant and locals.

Is that true? That's why I haven't upgraded. I was also told if I ever lose the East/West distants, I can't get them back.

Getting 110 will not help your program guide. On a DISH NON DVR receiver the standard Program guide is only 44 hours and NON DVR receivers can only buffer at most 7-10 hours of EPG Data.

If you have a Dish DVR with a Dish pointed at 110 then you will get a 9 day guide that is stored on the DVR's Hard drive and is ALWAYS instantly available all the time. This in itself is worth the extra charge for a DVR, IMHO

John

 

[dfergie]

JohnL is right, I totally skimmed by your receivers but Depending on your package you are missing channels by not having a 500...

 

[Anole]

guide info

Well, actually...

The 2700 and 3900 have 4-hour guides.
The old 4-digit receivers have 4 hour guides.

The 301 receivers were given 44 hour guides, a couple of years ago.
The 3-digit receivers have 44 hour guides, except...
...as stated, the PVRs with hard drives have a 9-day guide.

The 44 hour guide is carried on all satellites positions in the fleet.
The 9-day guide is only available on the 110 slot. (scroll to bottom )

So, while I sympathize, your equipment is working the way it always has.

 

[aquaman67]

JohnL is right, I totally skimmed by your receivers but Depending on your package you are missing channels by not having a 500...

Thanks all,

4 hours seems about right.

As for getting a DRV for the program guide, AOL has a nice one for free. You can set your city and system (cable or satellite) and it goes out farther than 11 days.

I checked into the channels I don't get not having 110, with AT 120, it's nothing I'm missing. Most channels are on 119. Now with at 180, there are a few channels I'd like on 110.

I have two Dish 500 dishes and 4 sw 21 switches. (I own a rental house and people leave them behind, I even have a D* dish too.)

Since I've found this forum, maybe one day I'll get brave and try to find both satellites....

 

[jerryez]

My TiVo guides go out 14 days. They are easier to use and I never use the Dish guide. Get a standalone TiVo. You will Love the guide.

 

[Anole]

bigger is better?

.... that's what they say.

The 4 hour guide is all but useless.
The 44 hour guide is somewhat useful.
The 9-day guide lets you set up an event at this time next week, which is what I'm always wanting to do.
Two weeks is fine, but just getting past that 7 day threshold really makes a difference.

When I first got my old 301, all it had was the 4-hour guide.
I set up a laptop in my living room to scroll through the guide Dish provides on their web site.
It's okay and would get me through the evening, but was limited in what it could display and let you do/see/search.

But I found that just as having a week+ guide is the way to go, being able to click in the guide and set up a recording schedule is imperative!
Neither is good enough, you really need both.
So, any sort of guide that's not integrated (eg: my laptop) thought better, isn't quite the whole solution.

imho

 

[rocatman]

Is anyone else's program guide useless?

I have a Dish 300 system on Sat 119 only and 2 receivers, a 3900 and a 2700. (311's are on the way)

The program guide only goes one hour ahead and then always says "Info Not Availible". I have to use AOL to see what's on.

Replacing your 3900 and 2700 with 311's should solve your problem.