UK Guide listings

[rannydoscoe]

Is anyone having issues with listings only running until 11th/12th January. I've tried numerous manual updates and re-indexing. Are the providers on holiday or do I have to delete the database and re-run setup?

[mark1234]

Not an issue with your PC. Mine is stopping on the 12th as well. Someone has raised a Connect ticket for it. Please pile on and mark it as important. Some clown at MS has responded, but doesn't seem to understand what they're talking about.

https://connect.microsoft.com/site1145/ ... 12-01-2012

There is also a Connect ticket saying that data in Germany/Austria is stopping on the 12th. I believe they get their data from BDS/Redbee, same as we do. After the data nearly ran out a couple of months ago are MS only on short term contract extensions these days?

[rannydoscoe]

Not an issue with your PC. Mine is stopping on the 12th as well. Someone has raised a Connect ticket for it. Please pile on and mark it as important. Some clown at MS has responded, but doesn't seem to understand what they're talking about.

Thanks for replying, added a vote, hopefully will get sorted. Surely it's the same issue they had back in October.

[IT Troll]

Same for me. I've voted and commented on the ticket.

[tommo]

everyone is affected by the looks of it.

digitallifestyle has reported it also.

[richard1980]

What is it with these guide listings? Didn't you guys just have a big problem like this a couple of months ago? And then we had an issue here in the US just a couple of weeks ago. Geez, fix the problems already.....

BTW, I saw the Connect ticket where Microsoft couldn't even figure out what headend ID's exist....amusing.

[tommo]

DOOMSDAY 12/01/2012

[tony_park]

DOOMSDAY 12/01/2012

just wait until we get to 20th December 2012

[tommo]

they're fixed

[IT Troll]

Yep, sure are. Now running until the 20th. I am sure we will get a full and detailed explanation of what went wrong - just like the last time.

[mark1234]

To be fair they did update the October ticket with the comment that "There was a duplicate schedule entry last week and the error was corrected." Full and detailed enough for you?

Data working here now as well.

[IT Troll]

This ticket is still showing as active with no explanation of what went wrong. Just shows you how much Microsoft cares.

[richard1980]

I don't think all of the Connect people are actually qualified to be answering tickets. I know Mark and a few other people have had success with Connect, but that has not been the case for everyone. I gave up on Connect after reading a few of Microsoft's responses. I'm still amused by the response "the US EPG data provider does not support QAM channels". I hope that guy got fired for that response.

[IT Troll]

It is a bit scary though when that is our only official support channel.

In the process of planning this upgrade and reviewing TGB, it became clear that Guide Data issue reporting would be more effective and actionable for the team that oversees it were we to migrate the issue reporting to Microsoft Connect, our product feedback community that many of you have participated in.

[mark1234]

I don't think all of the Connect people are actually qualified to be answering tickets. I know Mark and a few other people have had success with Connect, but that has not been the case for everyone. I gave up on Connect after reading a few of Microsoft's responses. I'm still amused by the response "the US EPG data provider does not support QAM channels". I hope that guy got fired for that response.

Given some of the times of day that I've had Connect emails, and the language used in them I am guessing that this support has been outsourced, or at least offshored. I'm guessing India as the language seems familiar - I work for an Indian company!

So, the person involved had probably never heard of QAM and is only acting as a go-between with the guide data providers on behalf of MS. I've had some responses recently on tickets regarding channels with no data, and they said they've referred the issue to "decision makers on the project" and that they will "forward [my] request along" and I think this supports them not actually having any responsibility in this area.

[mark1234]

It is a bit scary though when that is our only official support channel.

In the process of planning this upgrade and reviewing TGB, it became clear that Guide Data issue reporting would be more effective and actionable for the team that oversees it were we to migrate the issue reporting to Microsoft Connect, our product feedback community that many of you have participated in.

To be fair, as ropey as it is, it's still the best EPG support I've had since 5 years or so again when I actually got someone's email address at MS who was dealing with guide data. The old XP era error reporting was dreadful; just a black hole where reports went to die.

[IT Troll]

Well, Media Center is only included in "Premium" versions on Windows at premium prices so, to be frank, the level of support we get for our money is appalling.

I remember only too well how it took 14 months for Microsoft to fix subtitles for PAL DVDs in Media Center. For months the Microsoft KB gave the helpful suggestion that you could either turn off subtitles or use some thing else to play your DVDs.

[mark1234]

I'm not defending the support particularly (though I would disagree that actually we pay for it). I'm just saying it could, and has been, much worse!