TVGOS Prob
@saccapital.com
| [Internet] TV Guide Data
Has anyone had problem receiving TV Guide (TVGOS) data via RCN? I have a Panasonic plasma and with built-in TVGOS and RCN CableCard, but cannot get the listings populated from RCN. RCN says not their problem. Panasonic say's its RCN's transmission. Has anyone else had this problem? Maybe it's just RCN's way of getting me to give up the cablecard for their 2-way STB so they can generate more revenues?
Thanks. |
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TVGOS Prob
@saccapital.com | I have RCN in Manhattan if that helps. |
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cs rep
@rcn.net | reply to TVGOS Prob
IF RCN CHARGES YOU $10 A MONTH FOR A BOX AND THEY PAY $300 FOR IT, HOW ARE THEY MAKING MONEY? NO INTER ACTIVE FEATURES ON CABLECARDS LIKE GUIDE AND VOD. AND EVERY TIME YOU CALL RCN TO COMPLAIN IT COSTS THE COMPANY $20 |
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jmirabella
Joe Mirabella
Premium,VIP
join:2003-10-20
Lanham, MD
clubs:
| if capital letters cost us we would be more broke...
please consult your manager before posting here, because if you dont, and they find you posting, you will no longer be employed at RCN, if you even are....
drive through..
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Joe Mirabella
Lead Network Engineer
RCN Cablemodem Operations |
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carnegie
join:2002-09-04
Philadelphia, PA | reply to TVGOS Prob
Try splitting your cable signal to every available input because guide data usually comes from local PBS station in your case would probably be channel 13. |
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TVGOS Prob
@saccapital.com
| reply to TVGOS Prob
Thanks carnegie. However, I only have one coax input. If I had another, I could hookup some rabbit ears to get the local PBS with the TVGOS feed. I'm guessing that either my signal to noise ratio is too low, or that RCN strips out the TVGOS from the PBS feed. Either way, RCN reps have no idea what I am talking about. Customers of other cable companies seem to have no problem (with CableCard and same TV as me), and I am not sure if others cablecard customers of RCN are. The only other people across the country that are having problems are Cablevision customers. In that case there is a technology issue (something to do with dropped lines?) and Cablevision is working with Gemstar to rectify.
As for the csrep's comments. How discouraging that an (apparent) representative of a company has no idea of his products. You do [should] not need a cable box to get the TV Guide if your TV has TVGOS EPG built in as EVERY CableCard-campatible TV that I've seen does. The reason why they build it in to CableCard ready TVs is BECAUSE the card is only one-way (for now) and this is the only way for customers to retain TV Guide Programming. All we need is the EPG (from Gemstar) data carried on the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) usually on PBS (ch 13). As for RCN making money on the boxes, do you think that your employer is in the business of providing products at a loss? Assuming your basic math is correct, you have still neglected the money cable company makes on VOD and PPV. AT 6 bucks or more a pop plus the $10 a month, they can quickly recoup this and make tones of money. This is money that they lose out on with CableCard customers as they are currently one-way devices. As for costing the company $20 per call, if the reps there, like you, had any idea what they were talking about, the company would save a ton of money due to fewer calls. The FCC has MANDATED that the cablecos support CableCards. The guy that set up my cable didn't even know what one is when I told him that I requested a card instead of the box. I had to explain it to the tech! He dropped one off the next day after realizing I wasn't out to lunch. And the client service reps had their standard canned speaches of "no box, no guide or VOD - therefore forget the card and get our box" when I encountered my guide problems. I am not implying that they (you) are lying, I am just saying that you are ignorant and/or poorly trained. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
| Shhh... Im not supposed to be in this forum.
Is your service all Digital? If RCN started their digital simulcast then you will loose that data stream. On your tv you should be able to go to PBS and view the diagnostics ( if your tv offers that option) You can check to see if it is a analog or digital signal.
If its digital then your info will not be there.
RCN is right that it isnt their issue but they should be making provisions for it at some point.
Since everything will be required to be broadcast in digital at some point, that analog stream will disappear sooner or later and the provider ( gemstart in most cases) should already be working on a digital alternative.
The CS rep has knowledge about THEIR products. They just dont have knowledge about every single tv manufacturer, what guide they are loaded with and how those guides are populated. Your not calling an entertainment THINK TANK, your calling the cable company.
If you call asking about your guide not showing and you have a cablecard they will immediately think you mean the interactive guide that comes with the boxes as most customers are not aware that they will loose the vod and such.
Unless the rep has a 2k tv with this guide they are not trained in it and will not know about it.
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The ScreenSavers PODCAST! TWIT
Everytime I post "SYSTEM" sends me a little "Thank You.." |
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wbertram
join:2005-08-19
Allentown, PA
| reply to TVGOS Prob
I have RCN in Allentown PA area. I have similar setup to yours, cable from wall to splitter; one going to TV(with cablecard) input, and the other to the cablebox input. TVGOS works fine (well, as well as TVGOS works, which isn't very good!) and the listings are always up to date.
Perhaps you don't have TVGOS set up properly? |
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TVGOS Prob
@saccapital.com
| Thanks furiously handsome. Good point. I do subscribe to digital packages, but I do not know if it is all digital. I'll have to check. I'm pretty sure my PBS on channel 13 is analog and a digital PBS is in the high 200's. I guess from what you are saying is that if it is all digital, then I'm out of luck for now.
As for your comment on my complaint, I would agree if I was speaking about something specific to my tv. But because EVERY CableCard ready TV (that I've seen) has TV Guide EPG built-in, I do think that it is reasonable to assume that the cable company know if their system supports it. Or at least they should be able to point me to a tech who could answer it, instead of sticking with the "not with CableCard" script which is wrong, even after I explain why. As wbertram pointed out, his RCN cable does populate his TV's TVGOS in PA which proves that. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
2 edits | reply to wbertram
One test, aside from knowing if your area is all digital or not, would be to remove your card and see if your guide starts to populate. If it does then you know the card is blocking the stream as it will only be reading and passing the digital signal.
Analog will still be present in a straight cable feed if it is simulcasted. Without the card and a straight hookup you should see the guide populate.
The only solution for this would be to see if you can be moved OFF of the digital simulcast stream through an addresability movement of your feed.
Of course you will loose the digitized analogs but regain your guide until a provision is made for that data stream by your cable company or Gemstar.
reply
I agree but again, RCN is passivly providing that signal. Its carried on PBS and whether RCN knows it or not they are passing that stream. In regards to reps knowing of it, think of how many cablecard customers they come across with an issue concerning their tv's built in guide? Honeslty its maybe you and 3 other people. ( Literally ) Im sure it will be a larger issue once there are more cablecards out there and more areas go all digital. But right now.. its a BRAND NEW ISSUE and one I just found out about last week. ( two weeks after my area went all digital )And we heard from just one customer so far.
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The ScreenSavers PODCAST! TWIT
Everytime I post "SYSTEM" sends me a little "Thank You.." |
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cdr1000
join:2004-02-18
10100 | As per FCC regulations, cable operators shall broadcast a signal compatible with customers equipment.
RCN is using Motorola cablecards and cable boxes.
It is up to RCN and Motorola. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
2 edits | Really?
So when all OTA are migrated to DIGITAL per the almighty FCC and GEMSTAR is still tyring to broadcast an analog data stream it is up to the host channels to break the FCC mandate so they can still carry GEMSTARS outdated guide stream?
Analog is STILL available in a digital simulcast area. This customer just cannot be switched to a digital simulcast because you cannot introduce the analog data stream into the simulcast. Its not Motorolas issue, nor is is really RCN's issue. Sooner or later GEMSTAR will have to migrate to a digital transmission. It is their shortsightedness that is causing this issue.
One solution is to add an analog stream of PBS with the digital simulcast. Unfortunately double carrying a channel is another FCC violation.
At this point there is no way to get that stream into the digital line up without breaking other FCC regulations.
Thanks for breaking it down in simple terms though.
The most that can happen at this point is the cable companies can hold back their technology until GEMSTAR catches up.
So again, this subscriber will simply not benefit from the digital simulcast until a solution is worked out.
:edit
To add, motorola has nothing to do with anything. They are simply used to descramble the encryption which they do quite well. They are not responsible for what is or isnt carried within that decryption. |
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bcunningh
join:2005-04-01
Seattle, WA | The problem I see is that when OTA signals go all digital there's going to be all these sets out there with Gemstar's analog datastream receivers which are going to be SOL. |
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mythdraug
join:2004-09-01
Chicago, IL
| said by bcunningh  :The problem I see is that when OTA signals go all digital there's going to be all these sets out there with Gemstar's analog datastream receivers which are going to be SOL. When OTA signals go all digital, Gemstar's datastream will be the least worry of many people (who own analog only TVs). |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
| Yup!!
But as CDR put it.. its the cable companies problem. haha.
Not likely.
said by cdr1000 :As per FCC regulations, cable operators shall broadcast a signal compatible with customers equipment. RCN is using Motorola cablecards and cable boxes. It is up to RCN and Motorola.
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The ScreenSavers PODCAST! TWIT
Everytime I post "SYSTEM" sends me a little "Thank You.." |
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cdr1000
join:2004-02-18
10100
 ·RCN CABLE
| As a cable pro, please help me out:
One of my TV sets is Samsung.
Samsung says it can display unencrypted 256QAM.
I do not see any on my TV.
RCN claims that they don't encrypt basic HDTV channels.
My TV card can display unencrypted 256QAM.
I scanned all frequencies up to 1 Ghz only to find that all HDTV channels are encrypted.
Who is right? RCN or Samsung and PC TV card people? |
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Himadri7
join:2005-10-29
Monmouth Junction, NJ
| reply to TVGOS Prob
TVGOS Prob,
TVGOS not working issues should only be understood well by the very people who designed the TVGOS product and it's data-stream. TVGOS data-stream HOST-CHANNEL stations like PBS13 [WNET] or cable provider like RCN/Camcast/Cablevision/etc., does not have knowledge to troubleshoot TVGOS.
If you use a CABLECARD (programmed by your cable provider for your TV/DVR), make sure you still get your "analog/NTSC" TVGOS HOST-CHANNEL for your ZIPCODE (HOST-CHANNELS are pre-assigned to ZIPCODES). It is possible that CABLECARD is programmed so that PBS13 [WNET] is mapped to the digital simulcast that does not yet have the ATCS version of the TVGOS data-stream. Gemstar TVGOS is still working on the "digital/ATSC" version (Q4 2005 or Q1 2006, as I hear so far).
I suggest you get in touch with Gemstar TVGOS support at 800-386-7380. Leave messages till you are responded to and please be very patient with the small tech-support team there (who seem to be already very occupied). They have been very helpful in my case.
My TVGOS case in short:
- I have Comcast. My head-end is "Comcast of Central NJ".
- My ZIPCODE of 08852 (South Brunswick, NJ) maps to HOST-CHANNEL of analog PBS13 [WNET] of New York Metro.
- Since my Pana Plasma TV purchase in early Aug 2005, TVGOS worked very well.
- On 8 Oct 2005, Channel-line up in TVGOS disappeared (empty TVGOS LISTING & can't go to TVGOS CHANNEL-EDITOR) but interestingly while I waited to see if things correct itself for over 2 weeks, 'most' program-listing continued to be downloaded (seen via the current channel "TV's INFO button" or via TVGOS SEARCH).
- I reset Pana TV to factory with Pana Support...TVGOS does not initialize at all...TVGOS did not work.
- I bought another LG TV with TVGOS...TVGOS does not initizlize at all...TVGOS did not work.
- Opened case with Gemstar TVGOS Support.
- TVGOS Support provided me alternate-ZIPCODE 08541 (Princeton, NJ) to force TVGOS to use a different HOST-CHANNEL of PBS12 [WHYY] or Fox29 [WTXF] of Philadelphia Metro...TVGOS starts to work and channel-lineup is compatible.
- TVGOS Support tells me that HOST-CHANNEL PBS13 [WNET] has a problem (and they also tell me that this serves their biggest market)...they have opened an investigation now.
- I will use the alternate-ZIPCODE till TVGOS Support tells me that WNET data-stream issue is rectified.
You can use the TVGOS Diag to determine if you have a HOST-CHANNEL or not. This is a basic check you can perform yourself:
- Highlight TVGUIDE -> SETUP -> Change System Settings. Do not "select" it...just highlight it.
- Enter 753 159 852
- Press left/right arrow to move within pages in a SECTION.
- Press up/down arow to move between SECTIONS.
- If HOST-CHANNEL is blank or 0xFFFF in SECTION SYSTEM - STATISTICS, HOST-CHANNEL pre-assigned to your ZIPCODE is either not found or the TVGOS data-stream it carries has some problem.
- Press TVGUIDE to exit. |
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cdr1000
join:2004-02-18
10100
·RCN CABLE
| reply to CableTool
Please allow me to disagree.
FCC is a part of our Government.
It says what it says.
Everything else is not relevant and comes to a very simple
thing:
Good support cost good money.
Wages paid to support people and technicians who are subcontractors in my area, are inadequate to the amount of knowledge required to support high-end TV sets.
I own a 2K TV made by a major manufacturer.
It is capable of everything I need.
It is up to a cable operator to provide service.
PS: I do know how Motorola box from RCN works compare to Pioneer box from Time Warner.
Motorola is not even close. |
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ifm
| reply to Himadri7
I am expirencing the same problem ever since RCN went digital. I lost almost all of my analog channels, which now explains why I can't get my channel set up or listing.
I tried entering 753 159 852 after high-lighting the change system setting and could not enter anything from that screen. The only opions with to go up or down to modify channels (doesn't work since everything comes up as air rather than cable) and the default settings. |
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bwest4343
join:2005-11-10
Chicago, IL | reply to TVGOS Prob
I'm having this problem with an RCN cable box. Worked fine until just before the World Series. Now nothing. Digital Box hooked up to a Panasonic DMR-85H. Worked fine with this box for months. We changed to digital boxes about 9 months ago. |
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