Generic and Incorrect Programs Showing Up in EPG

[xjim1]

I'm often seeing generic program/series information for specific episodes show up in the programming guide. Other times it's downright incorrect. Sometimes they clear up as the program time gets nearer, but overall it appears to be getting worse. Happens on multiple channels and programs.
I compare to TitanTV listings, which seem to be accurately displaying episode descriptions and times.

Anyone else see this using Schedules Direct?

[NetworkGuy]

I have seen it happen a few times.

[Tiki]

I see it all the time, but usually it’s with re-runs. Especially for shows that are in syndication - I’ve noticed that my schedule often fills up with lots of episodes of sitcoms like Mom or Modern Family airing on TBS or another cable channel and they will have no episode info, but a day or two before they record they will get corrected data and disappear from the upcoming recordings list. I also see it with some HBO shows that air repeats throughout the week.

I don’t see that it is any different with Schedules Direct than what we had before.

[xjim1]

I logged a call with SD, and cleaned up one channel. Looks like I have to do that with every anomaly that doesn't correct itself. Just wanted to see if others see this. Thanks for the replies.

[Galaxysurfer]

It is happening for me as well in 2019. Is it still happening for the rest of you?

in my online search for alternatives I found this https://www.xmltvlistings.com/

I am curious to know how their data would work in Sagetv & how the 2 services compare. I noticed it is slightly cheaper as well.

[waynedunham]

Some channels Science Channel for instance will list 8-12 straight hours worth of some science program episodes with a generic description for the program and a generic program ID. This usually happens further out into the EPG data, nearer the end of data but it happens ALL the time. Unfortunately I have said program set as a favorite as well as having Intelligent Recording turned on. So those generic programs show up in my recordings schedule triggered by intelligent recording. I then have to go in and either set them as watched or don't like to get them out of the recording schedule.
Science channel isn't the only one that does this, but they are by far the most egregious. Disney and Disney XD do it a lot as well.

In many instances this will clear up after a few days as it gets closer to that date and they actually enter the program data but by then once again out near the end of the EPG data new ones pop up. I don't think it is an SD problem, my guess is that the network hasn't entered the data out that far that they are sending to SD.
I think they use them as "placeholders" since by the time it gets to the date where the generic data was there is no longer a 12 hour block of "What On Earth" episodes in the schedule

[Galaxysurfer]

This has been happening for me off & on for awhile. It getting frustrating having to reinstall it to repopulate with correct data. I dont have a mechanism in my setup to backup wiz.bin files. What are my options? This is getting to be too much at times. As much as I love this software, for anyone but the direhard fans this would be a deal breaker for usage. Is this more common to win servers or is linux as easily affected? Now that got my replacement card in mail I may give linux a try again as daily driver.

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by Galaxysurfer

This has been happening for me off & on for awhile. It getting frustrating having to reinstall it to repopulate with correct data. I dont have a mechanism in my setup to backup wiz.bin files. What are my options? This is getting to be too much at times. As much as I love this software, for anyone but the direhard fans this would be a deal breaker for usage. Is this more common to win servers or is linux as easily affected? Now that got my replacement card in mail I may give linux a try again as daily driver.

The EPG runs in Java so it wouldn’t matter what OS you use.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by Galaxysurfer

This has been happening for me off & on for awhile. It getting frustrating having to reinstall it to repopulate with correct data. I dont have a mechanism in my setup to backup wiz.bin files. What are my options? This is getting to be too much at times. As much as I love this software, for anyone but the direhard fans this would be a deal breaker for usage. Is this more common to win servers or is linux as easily affected? Now that got my replacement card in mail I may give linux a try again as daily driver.

Wait, what? Why do you have to reinstall it?
The issue posted above is not a bug with SageTV. It’s just that EPG data tends to be less accurate when you look out a week or more into the future. I think this is an issue with the data providers (the companies providing the EPG data to Schedules Direct).

[MattHelm]

There is something else going on here. Once and a while I an getting shows added to the recording schedule without any text in bold. In other words, it isn't even a favorite, but when you select record options, it's tied to a favorite that has nothing to do with the show. Next time it happens, I'll grab a few screen shots.

[peternm22]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

There is something else going on here. Once and a while I an getting shows added to the recording schedule without any text in bold. In other words, it isn't even a favorite, but when you select record options, it's tied to a favorite that has nothing to do with the show. Next time it happens, I'll grab a few screen shots.

I've seen this exact same thing, when something in the schedule is shown without bold text and then the favorite info is for a completely different show. It has been happening to me for years. I think I saw it even before SageTV went open source.

It typically happens not very long after an EPG update (usually within the couple of hours is when I've seen it).

I think SageTV is still scanning and making the schedule, and gets confused along the way. It has always corrected itself for me after a few hours. I've never had to manually intervene to correct it. It doesn't happen very often either.

Does it automatically fix itself for you after a few hours?

[MattHelm]

Yes, it has been. I don't remember it doing that before though.

I also had something happen last week. It recorder a movie (matching a favorite) that was also marked watch. I even brought up the info, and it had it marked watch.

[Tiki]

I’ve seen that issue as well. I think it started with v9, but I’m pretty sure it started before I switched to Schedules Direct. I don’t remember seeing it with v7 of Sage.

It always corrects on its own after a few hours for me too.

[Galaxysurfer]

I think it is a combination of epg data & something in sagetv. I have contacted schedules direct for wrong data in guide & they will reply that there is nothing wrong at their end of things. I find that there are numerous errors in guide that don't auto correct. The frustration is seeing entries that I know are blatantly wrong. I don't know when & /or where the corruption is happening. Something is definitely off. Even after a reinstall to get seemingly uncorrupted data it still happens.

[JustFred]

Originally Posted by Galaxysurfer

I think it is a combination of epg data & something in sagetv. I have contacted schedules direct for wrong data in guide & they will reply that there is nothing wrong at their end of things. I find that there are numerous errors in guide that don't auto correct. The frustration is seeing entries that I know are blatantly wrong. I don't know when & /or where the corruption is happening. Something is definitely off. Even after a reinstall to get seemingly uncorrupted data it still happens.

Go online and look at another guide service, such as titantv.com, tvguide.com, zap2it.com, etc, etc. If some/most of those have the same guide info that Sage does, then the program source is probably feeding bad info. GIGO.

[Galaxysurfer]

here is a sample screenshot of what I mean the first is from zap2it online & the 2nd from my guide for same timeframe.


NB listing 2 11 pm for CTV

[Galaxysurfer]

How do I repair the corruption if it is originating in my metadata?

[JustFred]

Originally Posted by Galaxysurfer

NB listing 2 11 pm for CTV

Based on the time those screen grabs were taken, I suspect the info shown in the Sage Guide is coming OTA from CTV itself. Broadcasters typically transmit about 4-6 hrs of the most current guide info, and Sage uses that to supersede whatever comes from the SD EPG.

Do you have a TV directly connected to your antenna? If so, bring up the TV's guide data and compare that to both Sage and zap2it.

[wnjj]

Originally Posted by JustFred

Based on the time those screen grabs were taken, I suspect the info shown in the Sage Guide is coming OTA from CTV itself. Broadcasters typically transmit about 4-6 hrs of the most current guide info, and Sage uses that to supersede whatever comes from the SD EPG.

Do you have a TV directly connected to your antenna? If so, bring up the TV's guide data and compare that to both Sage and zap2it.

Here’s a super old thread showing how to turn off OTA guide data: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30471

[Galaxysurfer]

the examples in the screen shot at 11 pm happen to match the names of shows I had already recorded. I have weeded out a lot of corrupted recordings so hopefully that will improve things. EPG direct from OTA is not an issue for me since most of the local stations dont have much free epg provided as per looking in kaffeine. only 1 of the six stations has much. I'm sure it is because they dont want to go to the effort of providing data or the cost related to it. I am not sure if they are required to by law ala crtc or not. I doubt it. as for Schedules direct data I find it discouraging since we are paying for the feed. I know it isn't all on them if the stations aren't giving them updated data in a timely manner. I refuse to pay for cable tv again. If anything I will move to stream services where a tv guide is a non issue, since it is all on demand content except for something like PlutoTV. Anyone tried the other canadian/us offering I posted a link for further up thread?