V+ : ESPN EPG Incorrect. Again. NBA Playoffs not listed- having to check SKY listings. Aga

[Sugar Kane]

The whole reason we have anything other than terrestrial is NBA, my boyfriend lives for it. So when the playoffs arrive and ESPN mess up the listings again, as they frequently do, he is not happy. He is having to record blocks of programs that are listed like Argentinian Polo, Old UK Football and the American Le Mans - just in case the play offs are actually on. We have had to play this guessing game with ESPN's listings before. Why can you just not get it right- SKY manages it- in fact we are having to rely on SKYS ESPN listings to indicate when the NBA is on! Please sort this out, there is no excuse not to know what is on the channel you are broadcasting.

[Peter_]

Are you totally unaware that this is an independent site with no ties to Virgin Media so the is little point in ranting on here so try the community site instead.

[Sugar Kane]

Originally Posted by Peter_

Are you totally unaware that this is an independent site with no ties to Virgin Media so the is little point in ranting on here so try the community site instead.

I have cut and pasted this from the Community site, where it will be ignored for the next week. I know that VM staff frequently look at this site as they have helped me with problems before- in fact they are more helpful than the staff on the actual VM site. I figure post this in as many places as possible and somebody at VM may actually do something about it.

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by Sugar Kane

I have cut and pasted this from the Community site, where it will be ignored for the next week. I know that VM staff frequently look at this site as they have helped me with problems before- in fact they are more helpful than the staff on the actual VM site. I figure post this in as many places as possible and somebody at VM may actually do something about it.

I never trust VM epg for certain channels eg ESPN America I use sky's online Tv Guide http://tv.sky.com/tv-guide it seems much more reliable.

[Sugar Kane]

Well, it's a week later and the listings are still wrong. All I got on the other forum was the weak excuse "well sometimes they change the listings and we can't change ours in time". Sky seem to manage it. It is always everybody elses fault whenever there is a problem with the EPG.

[Chad]

I feel your pain Sugar Kane.

On Saturday morning at 3am I set my TiVo to record Friday Night Fights on ESPN America. Went to watch it on Sunday and was shocked to find Basketball instead of boxing.

I then noticed Friday Night Fights was being repeated on Tuesday morning so again set to record. Went to watch it on Wednesday and was shocked to find hockey instead of boxing.

I then noticed Friday Night Fights was being repeated this Saturday in the afternoon so set it to record. I've just checked the EPG and the show has now vanished. ESPN are showing Hockey instead of the boxing.

This is now the 3rd time in 4 months I've missed this programme. I'm very angry at both ESPN and Virgin. How soon before these shows are due to be aired are ESPN changing their listings? Is it minutes, is it hours, is it days?

[Rillington]

Originally Posted by Sugar Kane

Well, it's a week later and the listings are still wrong. All I got on the other forum was the weak excuse "well sometimes they change the listings and we can't change ours in time". Sky seem to manage it. It is always everybody elses fault whenever there is a problem with the EPG.

Another reason why a dynamic EPG would probably help.

[spiderplant]

Sugar Kane: have you reported it to TivoGuideErrors@virginmedia.co.uk?

Originally Posted by Rillington

Another reason why a dynamic EPG would probably help.

The EPG is dynamic enough to pick up corrections like this - but they still need to be entered into the system in the first place.

[Lew]

And let's face it, ESPN have enough difficulty keeping the listings on their own website up to date, let alone updating others'.

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by Lew

And let's face it, ESPN have enough difficulty keeping the listings on their own website up to date, let alone updating others'.

I use the Sky guide to confirm times which in my experience is more accurate than VM epg . Especially for channels like ESPN America.

[Telly_]

I must say I am shocked that the TiVo EPG data is still not being correctly updated. Especially when you consider some people are paying £5 per box just for the EPG.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Telly Bear

I must say I am shocked that the TiVo EPG data is still not being correctly updated. Especially when you consider some people are paying £5 per box just for the EPG.

l think you are forgetting that for many people On the new Collections, you don't pay an extra £5 and also does not the Sky EPG has data faults here and there as nothing is 100% perfect.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by alwaysabear

I use the Sky guide to confirm times which in my experience is more accurate than VM epg . Especially for channels like ESPN America.

Yeah I have to use the SKY Guide to check for up to date information regarding Boxnations programming.

Boxnation doesn't even appear on Virgins online TV listings which means I can't remote record anything on this channel. It's a total farce. Boxnation are forever chopping and changing their schedule as they often pick up live events at the last minute. They picked up a fight from Germany 4 months ago 3 hours before it was due to broadcast! If I'm not at home to set my TiVo box to record the show then I'm screwed.

Boxnation launched 6 months ago. Anyone know why it isn't on Virgins TV listings?

http://tv.virginmedia.com/vtvapp/epg.do

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Lew

And let's face it, ESPN have enough difficulty keeping the listings on their own website up to date, let alone updating others'.

Careful now you may spoil a pointless rant with a few home truths.

[Sugar Kane]

From the VM forum:

"Hi Sugarkane

I have checked our listings against those published on the Radio Times website for the early hours of this morning and both list the Premier League Classic programs rather than the NBA playoffs. Sometimes if program changes are made by the channel provider we are unable to update the EPG in time. This tends to be more of an issue where live events are concerned and the ESPN schedule is notorious for changing it's published schedule due to the volume of live sporting events shown.

I have asked for clarification of EPG data collection from ESPN and also the amount of notice we require to change what they have originally published in the event of any change.

Thanks"

Thanks for complaining SK, but actually we don't care. We know there is a problem, but it's too much like hard work to update the listings. Sky can do what they want, but we are too focused on Broadband and celebrity endorsement to improve our service for existing long term customers. I have answered this to placate you, but I intend to do nothing at all about it.

Say what you mean, VM. It would annoy me less.