EPG fails to auto-update

[Lao Pan]

Freesat has the full epg on a single transponder (now and next only on every channel) To get the full epg you will need something like DVBGuide to download the TVXML file for NPVR.

[martint123]

DVB-S in the UK only has "now and next" channel information. I used to use Alan Birtles xmltvgui to get the full EPG data from the radio times, but have recently changed over to xmltv grabbing from Atlas (who generate the radio times data for them, but this may be fading away as they don't update with new channels).
DVBGuide as mentioned is also a good source.

[Bobins]

Sorry for sounding dumb but I've always used XMLTV with my old GBPVR rig and not tried using Freesat EPG before.

So are we saying that NPVR will never recover the full 7 day EPG from Freesat, only the current programme EPG from each discrete channel and that to get the full EPG we must use an external grabber and import the data? I had heard the full EPG data wasn't in the same format as the current/next data but hadn't realised NPVR couldn't get the full EPG format.

[martint123]

With all the current patches, it should be able to decode the proprietary compressed Freesat EPG rather than the now and next from each channel. Going back to your first post saying that a manual EPG update fills the EPG properly is evidence of this.

I'd suggest posting full logs which may show something up.

[Bobins]

Ok. Reduced Freesat to one active channel .....BBC One HD. Emptied EPG and triggered manual scan from the Channels menu. At the end of 60 seconds if I monitor the database it seems to populate it with a number of entries and then deletes all but the last two.

Log attached.

[Bobins]

Progress !

Lao is right. The full EPG only seems to be broadcast on specific transponders and unless you have a channel selected on one of those transponders, you don't get the full EPG.

In my case you needed a channel enabled on 11428 H to get 7 days of EPG. Not that I particularly wanted the Fashion Channel enabled

Not sure if the full EPG is broadcast on any other transponders.

This would explain why I got a full EPG the first time I did a manual update because I hadn't removed the channels on the 11428 transponder at that time.

This might be worth a note in the Wiki for other Uk FreeSat users who are having challenges with OTA EPG.

[martint123]

Before I spotted your last post, I started with the empty database and added just BBC1 HD as you mentioned and I also got the minimal EPG of now and next.

It seems crazy that the proprietary Freesat EPG is not carried on the transponder that carries the few Freesat HD channels!! and yes 11428 is the only transponder carrying the EPG

p.s. I can't seem to find any channels on 11428 to enable epg grabbing!. Fashion TV went off quite a while ago AFAIK.

pps. Ah LBP or whatever it is seems to be there.

[Bobins]

I also found that the NKWA Radio station did the trick too so have removed the two TV channels (Fashion & LBP). I can hide the Radio Channel :-)

[Bobins]

OK...things were looking up till the auto-update bombed Hmmmm.

Sub

Any hint on what the following error is trying to tell me?

8 seconds remaining...
2014-02-03 02:34:04.948 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3.1-28
2014-02-03 02:34:04.948 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3-27
2014-02-03 02:34:04.948 [DEBUG][10] Scanning Freq:11428/H/27500 SID:10556
27 seconds remaining...
2014-02-03 02:34:05.938 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3.1-27
2014-02-03 02:34:05.938 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3-26
2014-02-03 02:34:05.938 [DEBUG][10] Scanning Freq:11428/H/27500 SID:10556
26 seconds remaining...
2014-02-03 02:34:12.877 [ERROR][10] Unexpected error getting dynamic event list: System.Runtime.Remoting.RemotingException: Failed to read from an IPC Port: The pipe has been ended.


Server stack trace:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.IpcPort.Read(Byte[] data, Int32 offset, Int32 length)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.PipeStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.SocketHandler.ReadFromSocket(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 count)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.SocketHandler.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 count)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.SocketHandler.ReadAndMatchFourBytes(Byte[] buffer)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Tcp.TcpSocketHandler.ReadAndMatchPreamble()
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Tcp.TcpSocketHandler.ReadVersionAndOperation(UInt16& operation)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.IpcClientHandler.ReadHeaders()
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.IpcClientTransportSink.ProcessMessage(IMessage msg, ITransportHeaders requestHeaders, Stream requestStream, ITransportHeaders& responseHeaders, Stream& responseStream)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.BinaryClientFormatterSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg)

Exception rethrown at [0]:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
at NShared.Visible.IEPGDataSource.GetDynamicEventList()
at NShared.DigitalRecorder.GetDynamicEventList()
at NShared.EPGManager.UpdateEPG(IEPGUpdateCallback callback)
2014-02-03 02:34:12.877 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3.1-26
2014-02-03 02:34:12.877 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3-25
2014-02-03 02:34:12.877 [DEBUG][10] Scanning Freq:11428/H/27500 SID:10556
25 seconds remaining...
2014-02-03 02:34:16.949 [ERROR][10] Unexpected error getting dynamic event list: System.Runtime.Remoting.RemotingException: Failed to connect to an IPC Port: The system cannot find the file specified.


Server stack trace:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.IpcPort.Connect(String portName, Boolean secure, TokenImpersonationLevel impersonationLevel, Int32 timeout)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.ConnectionCache.GetConnection(String portName, Boolean secure, TokenImpersonationLevel level, Int32 timeout)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.Ipc.IpcClientTransportSink.ProcessMessage(IMessage msg, ITransportHeaders requestHeaders, Stream requestStream, ITransportHeaders& responseHeaders, Stream& responseStream)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Channels.BinaryClientFormatterSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg)

Exception rethrown at [0]:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
at NShared.Visible.IEPGDataSource.GetDynamicEventList()
at NShared.DigitalRecorder.GetDynamicEventList()
at NShared.EPGManager.UpdateEPG(IEPGUpdateCallback callback)
2014-02-03 02:34:16.949 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3.1-25
2014-02-03 02:34:16.949 [DEBUG][10] EPG@3-24
2014-02-03 02:34:16.949 [DEBUG][10] Scanning Freq:11428/H/27500 SID:10556
24 seconds remaining...

[sub]

This "System.Runtime.Remoting.RemotingException: Failed to connect to an IPC Port: The system cannot find the file specified." message sounds like NDigitalHost.exe may have died, so the recording service isn't able to talk to it.