OTA epg functionality ver 5

[eastavin]

Hi. There must be some sort of mapping bug or parsing problem or timing issue in the collection of ota epg data.  Lets start with Dec 31 at 7pm.  In this example WGRZ channel 2.1, ANTENNA 2.2 have no epg data but channels 2.3 and 2.4 (CRIME and QUEST) have data.  If I watch the channels with no data directly without npvr for comparision I see data for the current show and the next show.  And then for all four 2.x channels so I know its there.  Similiar thing seems to happen for channels 4 and 7 and more.  

Oddly american Channel 17.1 WNED PBS is showing the epg data for channel 7 WKBW an american ABC network with shows like 7 eyewitness news at 7 and then Dick Clark New Years at 8pm on this day.  This suggests that maybe all epg data arrived but has been parsed incorrectly for american channels by the npvr app?? 

On the other hand the data for canadian chanels like CBLT 5.1 and CITS 14.1 is correct.  this is even odder.. why does it fix itself on a canadian channel but error out on american?

Hope the input helps.

Edward

[Graham]

Hi. There must be some sort of mapping bug or parsing problem or timing issue in the collection of ota epg data.  Lets start with Dec 31 at 7pm.  In this example channel 2.1, 2.2 have no epg data but channels 2.3 and 2.4 have data.  If I watch the channels with no data directly without npvr for comparision I see data for the current show and the next show.  And then for all four 2.x channels so I know its there.  Similiar thing seems to happen for channels 4 and 7 and more.  

Oddly american Channel 17.1 PBS is showing the epg data for channel 7 wkbw an american ABC network with shows like 7 eyewitness news at 7 and then Dick Clark New Years at 8pm on this day.  This suggests that maybe all epg data arrived but has been parsed incorrectly for american channels by the npvr app?? 

On the other hand the data for canadian chanels like 5.1 and 14.1 is correct.  this is even odder.. why does it fix itself on a canadian channel but error out on american?

Is the problem with the broadcast stream?  Did the broadcast stream contain all of the EPG data that you expect at the time that you did the EPG update?  Does EPG Collector software capture the expected EPG data from the broadcast stream?

[sub]

Hi. There must be some sort of mapping bug or parsing problem or timing issue in the collection of ota epg data.  Lets start with Dec 31 at 7pm.  In this example channel 2.1, 2.2 have no epg data but channels 2.3 and 2.4 have data.  If I watch the channels with no data directly without npvr for comparision I see data for the current show and the next show.  And then for all four 2.x channels so I know its there.  Similiar thing seems to happen for channels 4 and 7 and more.  

Oddly american Channel 17.1 PBS is showing the epg data for channel 7 wkbw an american ABC network with shows like 7 eyewitness news at 7 and then Dick Clark New Years at 8pm on this day.  This suggests that maybe all epg data arrived but has been parsed incorrectly for american channels by the npvr app?? 

On the other hand the data for canadian chanels like 5.1 and 14.1 is correct.  this is even odder.. why does it fix itself on a canadian channel but error out on american?

Hope the input helps.

Edward

Ultimately, the North American broadcast EPG is pretty rubbish, and not great for use with a PVR (since it can't plan ahead for recording etc if it's got no idea when anything airs, and it can't show you what's on tonight or tomorrow etc). Immediately after an EPG update you'll have listings for all channels, but only a few hours later you'll start running out of EPG data on some channels. You'd be much better off using Schedules Direct or one of the XMLTV options.

I don't know what the channel numbers are for these channels, so it's hard to relate to your details above about 2.x channels, but here was the data it found in your scan at approx 5:37pm.

2020-12-31 17:37:21.680 [DEBUG][111] - saving 18 listings for channel: Crime
2020-12-31 17:37:21.680 [DEBUG][111] - saving 8 listings for channel: Quest
2020-12-31 17:39:37.864 [DEBUG][111] - saving 304 listings for channel: CBLT-DT
2020-12-31 17:41:54.294 [DEBUG][111] - saving 12 listings for channel: CFTO
2020-12-31 17:43:58.428 [DEBUG][111] - saving 40 listings for channel: CITS-HD
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 40 listings for channel: WNED-HD
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 72 listings for channel: Create
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 45 listings for channel: KIDs
2020-12-31 17:47:16.525 [DEBUG][111] - saving 332 listings for channel: CBLFTDT
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 19 listings for channel: FOX
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 23 listings for channel: TBD
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 6 listings for channel: Charge
2020-12-31 17:49:21.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 90 listings for channel: CJMT
2020-12-31 17:50:23.513 [DEBUG][111] - saving 17 listings for channel: CIII
2020-12-31 17:51:25.771 [DEBUG][111] - saving 23 listings for channel: CFMT

There is a couple of channels in there that look like they have a decent number of listings, and the rest look very average.

[eastavin]

Hi Graham. I think you missed this input? >> If I watch the channels with no data directly without npvr for comparision I see data for the current show and the next show. And then for all four 2.x channels so I know its there.<<

I think the gift in this log is that channel 17 wned PBS is showing the EPG for channel 7 WKBW .. so something is not right in the code.

[sub]

FYI, I've always seen the ATSC EPG as only really useful to give a new user a taste of what the application is like, but that users would likely need to move to real EPG if they decide to stick with the app.

[mvallevand]

Much nicer trying to debug v5 thanks for switching to make looking at this worthwhile. There is a known issue when the same channels or of different frequencies which seems to be the case but there is other weirdness here.

One scan of phsyical channel 31 has results duplicated on 34, 35

Another scan of physical channel 34 is duplicated on 38, 39 I don't think 38 or 39 or used anymore.

Also Channel 34 has two different scans

What is your antenna source? Are you perhaps using a booster screwing up frequencies or a communal antenna? If not there might be a cache issue.


Martin

[eastavin]

2020-12-31 17:37:21.680 [DEBUG][111] - saving 18 listings for channel: Crime 2.3
2020-12-31 17:37:21.680 [DEBUG][111] - saving 8 listings for channel: Quest 2.4
2020-12-31 17:39:37.864 [DEBUG][111] - saving 304 listings for channel: CBLT-DT 5.1
2020-12-31 17:41:54.294 [DEBUG][111] - saving 12 listings for channel: CFTO 9.1
2020-12-31 17:43:58.428 [DEBUG][111] - saving 40 listings for channel: CITS-HD 14.1
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 40 listings for channel: WNED-HD 17.1
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 72 listings for channel: Create 17.2
2020-12-31 17:45:01.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 45 listings for channel: KIDs 17.3 
2020-12-31 17:47:16.525 [DEBUG][111] - saving 332 listings for channel: CBLFTDT 25.1
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 19 listings for channel: FOX 29.1
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 23 listings for channel: TBD 29.2
2020-12-31 17:48:18.834 [DEBUG][111] - saving 6 listings for channel: Charge 29.3
2020-12-31 17:49:21.290 [DEBUG][111] - saving 90 listings for channel: CJMT 40.1
2020-12-31 17:50:23.513 [DEBUG][111] - saving 17 listings for channel: CIII 41.1
2020-12-31 17:51:25.771 [DEBUG][111] - saving 23 listings for channel: CFMT 47.1

There is a couple of channels in there that look like they have a decent number of listings, and the rest look very average.

I added the channel numbers. and will update the first post above.  How else can I help this project sub?

[sub]

On the Settings->Channels page, is 2.1 listed as WGRZ? Does it say the EPG source is DVB/ATSC EPG?

Does this channel never get listings in NextPVR?

[eastavin]

Much nicer trying to debug v5 thanks for switching to make looking at this worthwhile.    There is a known issue when the same channels or of different frequencies which seems to be the case but there is other weirdness here.

One scan of phsyical channel 31 has results duplicated on 34, 35

Another scan of physical channel 34 is duplicated  on 38, 39    I don't think 38 or 39 or used anymore.

Also Channel 34 has two different scans

What is your antenna source?  Are you perhaps using a booster screwing up frequencies or a communal antenna?  If not there might be  a cache issue.


Martin

Hi Martin.  Methodology is important as you say.  So the antenna source is an 8 bay antenna with a 10dB amp at the masthead to account for the calculated loss on the run to the house.  It has been in place with no complaints from anyone here for viewing for over ten years  The signal is sent to a splitter and sent to two LG tv's where the EPG data can be viewed by anyone watching the tv. It is also sent to a nextPVR v4 by one of these sets.  For this test I detached the cable from one of the TV's and attached to a USB tuner on a 2nd pc running npvr ver 5 and windows 10 ver 20H2.  If I watch the LG tv\s they all show EPG data.. there are no channels without epg data except CHCH ch 11.1 which has it on some days and not on others.

If I can make it work i will be delivering it to the lady.. If not, such is life.. I tried.  there is no rush here.  Just a crazy covid project I thought I had some time for.  and if it helps with npvr even better.

Edward

[mvallevand]

Further to my previous post checking WGRZ there are two physical 36's in the scan too. It is almost like two scans are happening at once.

2020-12-31 15:11:42.387 [DEBUG][70] {"stat":"ok",
"complete":false,
"status":"Scanning physical channel 36 (47 channels found)",
...

2020-12-31 15:11:43.559 [DEBUG][73] {"stat":"ok",
"complete":false,
"status":"Scanning physical channel 36 (47 channels found)",


Martin