Does "Get Latest Guide Listings" Still Work?

Global guide related discussion. All Windows versions.
User avatar
plplplpl

Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:45 pm
Location: Montreal

HTPC Specs: Show details

#21

Post by plplplpl » Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:38 pm

I'm probably missing something here, but if you could purchase Windows Media Center with Windows 8.1, shouldn't they support it until 8.1 end of life, slated for 2023/1/10?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... cle-policy

RedWMC

Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:34 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#22

Post by RedWMC » Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:16 am

plplplpl wrote:I'm probably missing something here, but if you could purchase Windows Media Center with Windows 8.1, shouldn't they support it until 8.1 end of life, slated for 2023/1/10?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... cle-policy
You are missing a few things.
1. You can’t buy WMC for 8.1 anymore, there is another thread discussing this, however if you have a key can find a legit key you may be able to install it.
2. The Wikipedia and Microsoft links that were posted above state that the guide for all versions of WMC including 8.1 will cease to work beginning in January 2020.

Your options:

1. Wait until after January to see what other people state with 8.1 (if they haven’t moved to EPG123, to see if it still works)/Ride our 7 in the state of uncertainty with the guide since it keeps updating so far.

2. Switch to using EPG123 and stay on Win7 with the lack of security updates (several people on this thread are and have been doing this).

3. Switch to an alternative TV recording service, there are several options out there as long as your cable provider doesn’t place DRM on your channels. (a thread/poll asking what people are using also exists on here). Otherwise you’ll have to stick with WMC or TIVO (if using cable).


User avatar
plplplpl

Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:45 pm
Location: Montreal

HTPC Specs: Show details

#23

Post by plplplpl » Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:20 am

Thanks for the reply. I understand you can't buy it anymore, as well as that MS has given notice that they won't support guide info for WMC for 8.1 after this month, but I was pointing out that it seems unfair to those who did buy it that they will see it crippled before 8.1 end of life, so MS should do right by them by keeping it operational until 2023.

But then, how often has MS not done what they should do? :roll:

tonywagner

Posts: 178
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:53 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#24

Post by tonywagner » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:32 am

plplplpl wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:38 pm I'm probably missing something here, but if you could purchase Windows Media Center with Windows 8.1, shouldn't they support it until 8.1 end of life, slated for 2023/1/10?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... cle-policy
It would be nice, but "support" doesn't mean preserving every feature of every program in the OS. They killed WMC's "Internet TV" features years ago; we're fortunate that they kept providing free guide listings for this long.

Ken H

Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:14 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, home of the NCAA College Football National Champions!

HTPC Specs: Show details

#25

Post by Ken H » Mon Jan 13, 2020 5:05 am

plplplpl wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:20 am Thanks for the reply. I understand you can't buy it anymore, as well as that MS has given notice that they won't support guide info for WMC for 8.1 after this month, but I was pointing out that it seems unfair to those who did buy it that they will see it crippled before 8.1 end of life, so MS should do right by them by keeping it operational until 2023.
Irrelevant, unfortunately.

compsurfer

Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:50 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#26

Post by compsurfer » Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:50 am

I have installed EPG123 and it has been working well, I have added channels but have not found a way to pull up the guide, its just an open line but does play right content.

I have been making channel changes to my line up but don't know how to make Windows Media Center to re-load the changes.

And I not sure that I even have the guide update itself every 14 days.
Can someone give me some pointers on what to do?

tonywagner

Posts: 178
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:53 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#27

Post by tonywagner » Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:22 pm

compsurfer wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:50 am I have installed EPG123 and it has been working well, I have added channels but have not found a way to pull up the guide, its just an open line but does play right content.

I have been making channel changes to my line up but don't know how to make Windows Media Center to re-load the changes.

And I not sure that I even have the guide update itself every 14 days.
Can someone give me some pointers on what to do?
Please review all of the steps here, it sounds like you may have missed something along the way:
http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/

My guess, assuming you fetched the Schedules Direct listings successfully in step 3 part 1, would be that you may have missed the channel matching in step 3 part 3:
http://epg123.garyan2.net/install/step3p3/

foxwood

Posts: 1761
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 3:43 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#28

Post by foxwood » Thu Jan 23, 2020 9:45 pm

plplplpl wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2020 11:38 pm I'm probably missing something here, but if you could purchase Windows Media Center with Windows 8.1, shouldn't they support it until 8.1 end of life, slated for 2023/1/10?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... cle-policy
When you configure Windows Media Center on Windows 8.1, you are asked to accept the License Terms and Conditions for the Program Listings. They are not the Windows 8.1 Terms and Conditions, and they do not have the same life-cycle and end of life. The Terms and Conditions that you agree to when you configure Windows Media Center clearly state that Microsoft can stop providing guide listings at any time, after providing notice. As Windows Media Center can still work with 3rd party guide services, Windows Media Center isn't "broken" after this change, just slightly less useful.

bargmeyer

Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:13 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#29

Post by bargmeyer » Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:23 am

The WMC “About Guide Listings” settings item says “portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation”. Since Rovi is now a part of TIVO, I sent a message and received a response.
Sent message:
Subject: Are ROVI content updates available for WMC after Jan 30, 2020?
I run Windows Media Center (WMC) on a Windows 7 machine. For years, I have gotten content (electronic program guide) updates through Rovi. This gives the metadata that the program guide uses to record programs and display the names of the programs for each time slot on each channel. A message now pops up on WMC saying that the Rovi guide update service will end in January. Now that Rovi is part of TIVO, can I buy an extension to my Rovi updates for WMC from TIVO?
If so, do I need to sign up? How do I pay?
If so, you should get the word out, since people are looking for what to do when the Rovi update service arranged by Microsoft for WMC ends.
Thanks.

I received the following response:
No, there is no other option through TiVo/Rovi. Microsoft is our customer and Microsoft has chosen to stop providing this service to their end users. TiVo/Rovi does not have another solution for WMC end users.
From what I understand other WMC have found another solution. Perhaps the Green Button forum has some info about that.
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2020 5:04 PM

Space

Posts: 2838
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:44 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#30

Post by Space » Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:42 am

Yes, Microsoft used Rovi/TiVo data to build their guide. Rovi/TiVo was never directly responsible for the guide.

But you are in luck! You've come to the right place. You can get (even better) guide data from a different party (Schedules Direct) by using a free program called EPG123. Note that Schedules Direct is a non-profit organization that gets it's program data from Gracenote. Since they must pay Gracenote for the data and must also maintain their own servers, they charge a modest fee of $25 per year for the service.

See this thread for more information.

Direct link to EPG123 here.

Saintor

Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:24 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#31

Post by Saintor » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 pm

Is there a really free alternative?

Ken H

Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:14 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, home of the NCAA College Football National Champions!

HTPC Specs: Show details

#32

Post by Ken H » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:40 pm

Saintor wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 pm Is there a really free alternative?
There are totally free methods that require effort to make it work and ongoing effort to keep it up to date. Read this topic for details:
viewtopic.php?f=96&t=12391

The best solution is to simply pay the $25 per year to Schedules Direct and use the free EPG123 software. The data is much better, it's easier to implement, and once in place requires little attention. See this topic for details:
viewforum.php?f=99

User avatar
Vistaar

Posts: 141
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2015 3:11 pm
Location: United States

HTPC Specs: Show details

#33

Post by Vistaar » Wed Jan 29, 2020 3:46 pm

Saintor wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 pm Is there a really free alternative?
I have read all of your posts and I'm still not sure what country you live in, but you did once mention "an antenna." If you happen to live in the UK, I believe it should be possible to set up WMC to use in-band EPG data as opposed to data downloaded from Microsoft (or Schedules Direct). Otherwise, you might want to consider EPG Collector, which has recently been discussed beginning here: viewtopic.php?p=137607#p137607

hojoos

Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:14 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#34

Post by hojoos » Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:15 pm

So, do I understand correctly and ROVI updates are not available for WMC after January 30, 2020? Are they available at all or blocked? Possibly it is a chance to get them now as a paid feature. I am located in the Dallas zip code. What services remain accessible to me in this area? It would be very helpful to learn what solution the other users have found. And does it mean that different areas should use different solutions?

Billycar11

Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2020 12:35 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#35

Post by Billycar11 » Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:30 pm

hojoos wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:15 pm So, do I understand correctly and ROVI updates are not available for WMC after January 30, 2020? Are they available at all or blocked? Possibly it is a chance to get them now as a paid feature. I am located in the Dallas zip code. What services remain accessible to me in this area? It would be very helpful to learn what solution the other users have found. And does it mean that different areas should use different solutions?
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=9702

Ken H

Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:14 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, home of the NCAA College Football National Champions!

HTPC Specs: Show details

#36

Post by Ken H » Mon Feb 24, 2020 3:54 am

hojoos wrote: Sun Feb 23, 2020 3:15 pm So, do I understand correctly and ROVI updates are not available for WMC after January 30, 2020?
Correct.
Are they available at all or blocked?
Not at all, discontinued by Microsoft.
Possibly it is a chance to get them now as a paid feature.
No.
I am located in the Dallas zip code. What services remain accessible to me in this area? It would be very helpful to learn what solution the other users have found.
See the link in the reply above. Get the free EPG123 program and pay $25 a year for the Schedules Direct information that EPG123 uses.
And does it mean that different areas should use different solutions?
No.

Post Reply