Introducing EPG123

[Pixelz]

Hi Gary,
After years of successfully using EPG123, I noticed a failure to download any SD listings which started on June 8th. The significant error in the logs seems to be an unhandled exception in epg123.exe with the message "The requested security protocol is not supported".

I'm not aware of any changes locally, and I've since tried --
clearing the cache
upgrading from v1.7.1.0 to v1.7.1.7
rebuilding the WMC database and rerunning TV setup
-- but none of these helped.

When I try to run EPG123 the configuration shows my subscribed lineup in the right hand pane, but all the entries are greyed out and cannot be amended.
If I try to Save or Save & Execute the configuration I get an error dialog saying --
"There are no included lineups and/or no stations to download. Do you wish to commit these changes?"
If I choose "Yes" the operation fails with the original "Requested Security Protocol Not Supported" error.

When I run EPG123 Client the Guide Channel are displayed normally (not greyed out and selectable).

I've included the last few failed attempts from my logfile (after rebuilding the WMC database).

[18/06/2022 11:07:06] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:07:06] Activating the epg123 configuration GUI. version 1.7.1.7
[18/06/2022 11:07:06] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:07:06] *** Windows 7 Ultimate, 32-bit [Version: 6.1.7601.23964] ***
[18/06/2022 11:07:06] *** Windows Media Center [Version: 6.1.7600.16385] is installed. ***
[18/06/2022 11:07:06] [ERROR] Unhandled thread exception caught from epg123.exe. message: The requested security protocol is not supported.
[18/06/2022 11:07:34] [ INFO] Backing up WMC configurations ...
[18/06/2022 11:07:38] [ INFO] Successfully forced a Media Center database configuration backup. Exit code: 0
[18/06/2022 11:07:40] [ INFO] Deleting eHome folder contents ...
[18/06/2022 11:07:40] [ INFO] Stopping process "ehrec"
[18/06/2022 11:07:40] [ INFO] Refreshing registry keys ...
[18/06/2022 11:07:40] [ INFO] Starting Windows Media Center ...
[18/06/2022 11:07:40] [ INFO] Waiting for initial WMC database build ...
[18/06/2022 11:07:58] [ INFO] Performing a manual database update ...
[18/06/2022 11:09:28] [ INFO] Increasing tuner limits ...
[18/06/2022 11:09:28] Entering ImportMxfFile() for file "C:\Users\Richard\AppData\Local\Temp\8595e53c-719a-4777-9c99-5aad353b053e.mxf".
[18/06/2022 11:09:29] [ INFO] Successfully imported .mxf file into Media Center database. Exit code: 0
[18/06/2022 11:09:29] Exiting ImportMxfFile(). SUCCESS.
[18/06/2022 11:09:29] [ INFO] Updating satellite transponders ...
[18/06/2022 11:09:29] Entering ImportMxfFile() for file "C:\ProgramData\GaRyan2\epg123\satellites\transponders.mxf".
[18/06/2022 11:09:31] [ INFO] Successfully imported .mxf file into Media Center database. Exit code: 0
[18/06/2022 11:09:31] Exiting ImportMxfFile(). SUCCESS.
[18/06/2022 11:09:31] [ERROR] Exception thrown during UpdateDvbsTransponders(). Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at epg123Client.WmcUtilities.UpdateDvbsTransponders(Boolean ignoreDefault)
[18/06/2022 11:09:31] [ INFO] Opening WMC for TV Setup ...
[18/06/2022 11:09:31] [ INFO] Waiting for user to complete Step 2 ...
[18/06/2022 11:15:24] [ INFO] Activating guide in registry ...
[18/06/2022 11:15:24] [ INFO] Disabling background scanner ...
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] [ INFO] Increasing tuner limits ...
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] Entering ImportMxfFile() for file "C:\Users\Richard\AppData\Local\Temp\ad4690f6-a826-4522-8ced-602c0b07ebf1.mxf".
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] [ INFO] Successfully imported .mxf file into Media Center database. Exit code: 0
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] Exiting ImportMxfFile(). SUCCESS.
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] [ INFO] Opening WMC for TV Setup ...
[18/06/2022 11:15:33] [ INFO] Waiting for user to complete Step 2 ...
[18/06/2022 11:47:46] [ INFO] Activating guide in registry ...
[18/06/2022 11:47:46] [ INFO] Disabling background scanner ...
[18/06/2022 11:47:50] [ INFO] Opening EPG123 Configuration GUI ...
[18/06/2022 11:47:50] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] Activating the epg123 configuration GUI. version 1.7.1.7
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] *** Windows 7 Ultimate, 32-bit [Version: 6.1.7601.23964] ***
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] *** Windows Media Center [Version: 6.1.7600.16385] is installed. ***
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] [ INFO] Waiting for EPG123 to close ...
[18/06/2022 11:47:51] [ERROR] Unhandled thread exception caught from epg123.exe. message: The requested security protocol is not supported.
[18/06/2022 11:48:10] [ INFO] Status request successful. account expires: 2022-11-07T14:01:28Z , lineups: 1/4 , lastDataUpdate: 2022-06-17T22:24:29Z
[18/06/2022 11:48:10] [ INFO] system status: Online , message: No known issues.
[18/06/2022 11:48:10] [ INFO] Successfully requested listing of subscribed lineups from Schedules Direct.
[18/06/2022 11:48:11] [ INFO] Successfully retrieved the station mapping for lineup GBR-1000014-DEFAULT.
[18/06/2022 11:48:12] [ INFO] Successfully queried the Task Scheduler for status. Ready. Last Run 18/06/2022 00:00:00; Exit: 0x00000000
[18/06/2022 11:48:35] [ INFO] epg123 update execution time was 00:00:00.0100000.
[18/06/2022 11:48:35] [ INFO] Opening recording request transfer tool and waiting for it to close ...
[18/06/2022 11:51:30] [ INFO] Setup is complete. Be sure to create a Scheduled Task to perform daily updates and keep your guide up to date!
[6/18/2022 11:53:17 AM] [ INFO] **** Intercepted "mcupdate.exe -u -nogc" call. Ignored. ****
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] Activating the epg123 configuration GUI. version 1.7.1.7
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] ===============================================================================
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] *** Windows 7 Ultimate, 32-bit [Version: 6.1.7601.23964] ***
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] *** Windows Media Center [Version: 6.1.7600.16385] is installed. ***
[18/06/2022 11:54:20] [ERROR] Unhandled thread exception caught from epg123.exe. message: The requested security protocol is not supported.
[18/06/2022 11:54:43] [ INFO] Status request successful. account expires: 2022-11-07T14:01:28Z , lineups: 1/4 , lastDataUpdate: 2022-06-17T22:24:29Z
[18/06/2022 11:54:43] [ INFO] system status: Online , message: No known issues.
[18/06/2022 11:54:43] [ INFO] Successfully requested listing of subscribed lineups from Schedules Direct.
[18/06/2022 11:54:43] [ INFO] Successfully retrieved the station mapping for lineup GBR-1000014-DEFAULT.
[18/06/2022 11:54:45] [ INFO] Successfully queried the Task Scheduler for status. Ready. Last Run 18/06/2022 00:00:00; Exit: 0x00000000
[18/06/2022 11:55:55] [ INFO] Successfully requested listing of subscribed lineups from Schedules Direct.
[18/06/2022 11:56:08] [ INFO] Successfully requested listing of subscribed lineups from Schedules Direct.
[18/06/2022 11:56:09] [ INFO] Successfully retrieved the station mapping for lineup GBR-1000014-DEFAULT.

Any advice or suggestions would be very gratefully received.
-Richard

[Pixelz]

Should've searched the Exception error message more carefully. I've been directed to an earlier post reporting the same problem which was diagnosed as SD making a change that made their servers incompatible with clients running .Net Framework 4.0 and earlier. Installing .Net Framework 4.8 Runtime has fixed my problem.

[kkingsto]

This may be just me but under Firefox, the download page is difficult to read. The text is light grey on white. Is it me?

[artm]

Wait a minute...does this mean we need to update EPG because of an earlier .NET? I'm running 1.1.19 and am perfectly satisfied with it, no issues.

What .NET does EPG use?

I do have .NET 4.6.2 installed in Control Panel (Win7) so I hope I'm OK. I do NOT want to touch this setup, as it is trouble free. I still don't get you guys who update EPG seemingly just for the sake of updating.

[kkingsto]

Wait a minute...does this mean we need to update EPG because of an earlier .NET? I'm running 1.1.19 and am perfectly satisfied with it, no issues.

What .NET does EPG use?

I do have .NET 4.6.2 installed in Control Panel (Win7) so I hope I'm OK. I do NOT want to touch this setup, as it is trouble free. I still don't get you guys who update EPG seemingly just for the sake of updating.

I'm on 4.6.2. We should be good there. Gary's saying 4.5 for TLS 1.2

[artm]

Yes, good on the 4.6.2 but is EPG tied to that version I have or not? That is, is EPG 1.1.19 still good? It better be!

I am sick and tired of all this TLS crap! I do not need the ultimate security with every friggin website I visit! This move to https for all sites has been a headache I can do without.

[stuartm]

The newer versions address things that change at Schedules Direct. e.g. the requirement for a newer version of Transport Security and changes to access to the poster art, etc. or posible version changes to the schedule data retrieval interface. Don't assume we are all just updatintg for the fun of it. I also don't usually want to update unless there ar bug fixes or new features that I can use or need.

[garyan2]

For .NET 4.x, you don't need a specific version to run a .NET 4.0 program. All versions of 4.x are in-place upgrades. If you have a version of 4.x higher than the framework required by the program then you are good.

[IT Troll]

One of the UK Freeview multiplexes recently has shutdown which means a number of channels have disappeared from the SD feed. In my case, it only meant 1 of my 17 subscribed channels disappeared. However, this was enough to cause EPG123 to flag this as a lineup error and prevented it from updating. This of course happened whilst I was away. I think this was perhaps done as a safety measure, but the trigger threshold seems a little low.

[garyan2]

The safety measure is based on a percentage of your channels and the threshold is 5%. 1/17 is greater than 5%. I suppose I could make this variable based on the total.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

[IT Troll]

Ah, it’s only just greater than 5%. Perhaps something like 5% and greater than 1 or 2 total.

[sanjosanjo]

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere - I searched and couldn't find an answer regarding the options presented on the Schedules Direct account overview. I just went to pay for the upcoming year and there is a message saying:
"Schedules Direct offers two data services. With the newer SD-JSON service, lineups are managed within the application. The legacy SD-DD (XML) service requires you add a lineup below."
And then for my account:
"You have no SD-DD lineups configured. If you use the legacy service, you should add at least one lineup".

Should I configure a lineup to work with EPG123? I'm running the most recent version of EPG123.

[garyan2]

No. EPG123 uses the SD-JSON service and handles adding/removing lineups from your account.

If you click the web page button to submit a ticket, you will see the SD-JSON lineups you have added to your account.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

[boii5]

I don't know if this is an EPG123 issue. It might be EPG123-adjacent: A channel in my region switched to Nextgen (full HD or something). I ran WMC's Scan for More Channels. It picked up that channel's new frequency. However, I lost two other channels. In the EPG123 Client Guide Tool app, I added the two missing channels to the WMC Guide Channels section. When I ran WMC, these two channels showed up in the guide with listings. But only one of the two channels has a TV signal.

WMC's Digital TV Antenna Signal Strength shows a low signal strength for that particular channel. The HDHomeRun app, however, gets crystal clear reception of that same channel.

Is there a setting in either EPG123 or WMC that can fix this problem?

Thanks.

[boii5]

I don't know if this is an EPG123 issue. It might be EPG123-adjacent: A channel in my region switched to Nextgen (full HD or something). I ran WMC's Scan for More Channels. It picked up that channel's new frequency. However, I lost two other channels. In the EPG123 Client Guide Tool app, I added the two missing channels to the WMC Guide Channels section. When I ran WMC, these two channels showed up in the guide with listings. But only one of the two channels has a TV signal.

WMC's Digital TV Antenna Signal Strength shows a low signal strength for that particular channel. The HDHomeRun app, however, gets crystal clear reception of that same channel.

Is there a setting in either EPG123 or WMC that can fix this problem?

Thanks.