Upcoming Update: Reprogramming Your PVR?

[Cap07]

June 15th we're getting an update that will, for some reason, change some show titles. Just curious, why would show titles change? Is this in preparation for another life-altering process to our TV viewing? Any connection to the upcoming earth-shattering revelations in Washington re: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

Inquiring minds want to know.

**Labels Added**

[Pauly]

The Program guide data changed, likely they changed guide providers so some of the show titles may be different, recordings work by searching for the title, if new episodes have a different title they wont record, you will be disappointed, call and complain, by reading this message you go into your pvr and re-record your shows and thats it, problem solved

[SB28]

What if we have dozens of shows?  What exactly is changing about titles?

[57]

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@SB28 wrote:

1. What if we have dozens of shows? 

2. What exactly is changing about titles?

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1. If the name of the programme changes, then you'll need to set a new series recording for any affected series.

2. I'm not sure, however, even if one letter of the programme name changes, it wouldn't record. For example a programme may change from "The Agenda" to "The Agenda with Steve Paikin."  

You should be able to notice 6 days before the next recording and check all your series recordings.  Note that the series recording may still show in your "scheduled list", however, if the name has changed it will not record.  You'll either have to check to see if the programme name has changed and/or check the IPG itself to see if there is a red dot in the programme guide grid.

I'm assuming that Rogers is getting a new provider for their Digital Cable IPG. After all we've had huge issues with their current one as outlined in the following long thread.  "Anyplace" and the Guide for Ignite has much better accuracy, so perhaps Rogers is using the information from there instead of whatever they're doing now, which is awful.

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/TV/IPG-Inconsistencies/td-p/350863

Here's a copy of the e-mail I received today:

Updates to your Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Hello 57, Starting June 15, 2021, there will be updates to the program listings on your existing TV service. After the update is complete, select program titles will change. To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of your favourite TV show, here’s what you need to know:

• For upcoming PVR recording(s), we recommend checking to confirm they’re still scheduled after the updates take effect on June 15 and reprogramming any that are missing • For steps on how to verify your upcoming recordings, please visit rogers.com/scheduled-recordings • These updates won’t affect existing recordings already saved to your PVR.

If you have any further questions, chat with our virtual assistant Anna for fast, easy support at rogers.com/contactus. Thank you for choosing Rogers.

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[SB28]

Hi 57,

I understand what needs to be done, but it will take a while to go through each of the dozens of shows and see if it changed or not.  keep checking all is ok.  delete old add new. what a waste of time. 

I didn't go through the 200+ messages in the thread you listed, but the guide has been working fine, recording everything like I set up. 

[Pauly]

this is also Not a firmware update, its just changing the provider who supplies guide data to rogers, its done on their end already and nothing to do with the firmware of your box

(Moderator note: Title has been updated accordingly)

[OLDYELLR]

It's not as if this has not happened before, even without Rogers switching programming data providers. In fact, this is the first time a switch has been announced; there have been changes in the past, such as "The" in front of a program name. 

[57]

I had a quick look at my recordings as well as some of the IPG information I use regularly and haven't noticed any changes as of June 15...

[pp18]

channel information is now condensed - movies missing rating stars, actors etc:

So I recall Rogers sending a notice they were gonna mess with my PVR saved shows to record settings.....well they must have done something because now, when you press "info" on the remote, what was a good description of the show or movie has been shortened. My biggest complaint is losing the rating stars for movies and the list of actors in those movies. HORRIBLE.

[RegularCustomer]

It is beyond me to understand why Rogers could not provide a list of all the program titles that have changed. Or is this the new 'customer service'!

I am absolutely sure they know the changes. Make them available to your customers.

[57]

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@pp18 wrote:

...movies missing rating stars, actors etc:

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I have not noticed any difference in the information on various channels that I watch/record.  I don't recall seeing rating stars and actors only appear occasionally on the channels that I watch.  Not sure which channels had the information you're referring to, but Crave and TCM are channels that I watch regularly and I don't recall rating stars...

I just checked Crave and they do show information for Violence, Nudity, etc.

[mls1]

Jun 2021 Program Listing Update caused significant loss of search/list functionality in Guide: 

On Jun 15 Rogers executed a Program Guide update that, based on their email, was only supposed to affect Program Names and, therefore, PVR recording schedules. The update affected much more than just the program names. Prior to Jun 15 the Guide displayed a lot of information about a program that included (but not limited to) Cast, star rating, Program Type and category. This information allowed me to list, for example, all movies listed in the guide and further select all movies in a particular category such as Horror.  This was accomplished by entering the Guide, hitting the Guide button a second time to bring up the selection drop down list and selecting 'Themes'. You can no longer use this tool because the information is no longer available for each program in the Guide. In my opinion, it is a significant loss of Guide functionality. Additionally, the Info function of the Guide no longer displays useful information such as the Cast, director, year, length, TV content rating, program type or star rating.

Chats to Rogers Support got me nowhere because it's not a problem with MY service or equipment. I confirmed with other customers and here in the forum that it was not just my issue. Finally, I was directed by Technical Support to "Share a Concern" with Rogers about the update that has caused this loss of functionality. That group reviewed my concern and directed me back to Technical Support. My 2nd, more detailed, attempt to "Share a Concern" has gone unanswered. 

I would very much like to see Rogers reinstate all the information about each program that is necessary to restore the functionality of the Guide listing options and to display meaningful INFO about each program.

I am wondering what my next course of action should be and hoping for some meaningful advice through the forum.

[57]

Here are my comments:

1. "Share a concern" is usually the last resort with Rogers.  If they can't get you any results after repeated tries, then you're unlikely to get anywhere with Rogers.  You need to decide when to stop banging your head against this wall.

2. Rogers is migrating everyone to IgniteTV (over time) and it is unlikely that they will be putting any effort into the existing Digital Cable (Navigatr) IPG.

3. I have been trying for years to get them to have a proper IPG as discussed in the following thread.  It has borne no fruit whatsoever, outside of some "immediate" corrections in programme names as they were brought up.  As you have noted, things are just getting worse.

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/TV/IPG-Inconsistencies/m-p/482768#M53421

[OLDYELLR]

I noticed the concern raised in another thread is that the release date of movies is no longer shown in the new descriptions.  Given that movies get remade over and over again, usually in an inferior version, this is an important part of the description.

[57]

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@OLDYELLR wrote:

...Given that movies get remade over and over again, usually in an inferior version, this is an important part of the description.

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Although it can be an important part of the information, it's also often wrong, so when it was present, I usually took it with a grain of salt, realizing it was probably the latest if on Crave and often not the latest if it's on TCM.  😉

[Cap07]

So, if IGNITE TV is the next step in the devolution of television, and knowing that all great things quickly come to an end, what will we be subjected to when IGNITE TV becomes obsolete? What looks to be the next big thing? It will have to be expensive, inconvenient and unstable for most customers.😀

[mebe]

• NOTE: See my EDIT at the bottom of this post, dealing with the CityTv News missed recordings from two Fridays ago, and an important point about duplicate Tiles (Not Titles, but TiLes).

I posted in this old thread because of a recent, forced reboot that did some minor damage to some of my previously set, upcoming Series recordings for 3 channels (fixable though).
There are not that many forced updates with my Nextbox 4k PVR anymore, but the previous Saturday morning (not today), there was a Rogers forced reboot (at 3am or 4am that I chose to delay by 30 minutes), that might have been responsible for some Series tile deletions that I noticed.
By the way, at least as far back as a month ago or so, I also noticed some IPG errors, like The Agenda on TVO not being listed at 8pm (or at all), even though new episodes were airing (the Guide listings for the Agenda are correct now, possibly even before the forced Rogers reboot, since the Guide can be updated daily, even without a forced reboot).
Plus, on the Friday before the Saturday morning reboot, I noticed that the CityTv 5pm and 6pm titles changed to City news at 5pm Toronto, and CityNews at 6 Toronto (and thus I didn't get any Series recordings for that day). I then made another Series recording for each of the new City News titles, and it all worked fine ever since (I use 'only this time slot' and 'New' for this Series recording).
So now for the weird part ... As far as I can tell, the only Series tiles that were deleted (along with the Red dots in the Guide that show the series recording is set, and the scheduled recordings from the List section), were from 3 channels: CTV SCIFI, History Channel, and the Discovery channel.
I have a lot of Series set from other channels, but all of them continue to function. And the titles of the shows from the 3 channels affected, didn't have any title changes, nor have I noticed anything else weird going on since after the reboot.
In my next post in this thread, I'm going to explain how I fixed this problem, and what were the signs that led me to the solution.
I also noticed that somebody posting in the Bell TV forums (no, I don't have any Bell services), with a Bell 4K PVR - VIP 5662W (not the new Android, cloud-recording box that Bell recently released - still buggy), has had the same or similar problem for months, but I'm not sure if that Bell box has a tile system like the Rogers box does, so it might have been harder to figure out the solution that most likely is the same solution that worked for my PVR. The title of that Bell thread is: 'PVR Not Remembering Series Set to Record.'
I'll be back... 🆗
EDIT: I realized that with my Nextbox 3, 4K PVR (unlike with IgniteTV cloud recordings), those two CityTV News missed recordings were Not missed because of the possible Title change, since anything in those time slots would have recorded (even with a title change), but they didn't get recorded because the actual Series tiLe was deleted, thus blocking any possible recording taking place. There are no old CityTV News Series tiLes showing; only the newer titled Series tiLes are showing. If the reason those Two recordings were missed was because of a missing NEW tag, I would still see those two older CityTV tiLes, instead of just the two newer Series recording tiLes that I do see listed.

You might be thinking that I don't see the older tiLes because I have at least one unwatched CityTV News episode, within a tiLe, but I don't. And each Series tiLe is linked to a specific channel number like Star Trek set to record on channel 50 (Ctv SciFi), which would have a different tiLe for Channel 575 (also CTV SciFi channel).

If I currently have a Series tiLe for some unwatched Star Trek episodes from ch. 50, you won't see another Series tiLe for Star Trek, UNLESS you set a Series recording for it to record on ch. 575. And that's the key to solving the mystery of that bug included with the recent update.

I'll be back much later to explain deeper.

[mebe]

I'm not sure if there's a limit to how many Series or One-time tiLes are allowed, but during that recent update (from two Saturdays ago), the software systematically tried to delete EVERY single Series tiLe from CTV SCI-FI, History and Discovery. At least that's what my box seems to have been exposed to.
Once they were gone (even after several manual reboots), I just set most of them again.
The sneaky part, is that any Series tiLe (that was tied to CTV SCI-FI, History, or Discovery), with unwatched or partially watched episodes within the tiLe, can't be deleted by the software update because Rogers is not trying to delete any saved PVR recordings. However, those former Season tiLes are actually changed to one-time tiLes (but with more options than just the Watch or Resume, Restart and Delete options that a pure, unaltered, one-time tiLe would have). You can tell because when you click on the tiLe (from List page), to see the recorded episodes, you will see the option to Record Series, instead of seeing the correct options for a Series tiLe, which are "Series Recording settings," and if you click "Scheduled" you will also then see the option to "Cancel Series Recording."
Once you have an altered, previous Series tiLe, it prevents the user from successfully setting a working Series tiLe that retains its recording status after a reboot, or Guide daily update (not sure yet if the daily Guide update will delete the Scheduled Series recordings listing and Series two red dots from the Guide, after the very first update - with no reboot, either forced or manual, or wait until the morning of same scheduled recordings date).
So the only way (other than setting one-time recordings), that I (or the Bell user) can get a lasting Series recording for a specific channel (locked into a bug-infested former Series tiLe), would be to set another Series recording for that infested channel, using the Guide, on the same day that the show is to be recorded (but After an early-morning Guide update, and Before any reboot by Rogers or the user).

Or if however, you delete all the episodes within the still infected Series tiLe, and make sure the tiLe is now gone (else delete it), you can then reboot the box and the software will then hunt for the infected Series tiLe (if it's still there), and delete it. You will then be able to set a working Series tiLe on that previously infected channel.

And as mentioned before, you could also set a working Series tiLe (even while you still have your saved recordings within the infected tiLe), if you choose one of the other channels number choices (like ch. 575, if ch. 50 was the infected channel).
There's still more to discuss, but that's the solution to overcoming the PVR problem of not remembering a Series set to record, so that nothing is deleted after the Series is set the normal way . 🔧🔨

[mebe]

This is a Legacy digital TV update issue ... I can now confirm (after test-setting another Series recording yesterday, that was still locked to a previously altered, former Series tiLe), that it's the very First early morning, daily Guide update (that requires No box reboot by Rogers or me), after setting an infected Series recording, that wipes out all trace of scheduled Series recordings that use any altered ("infected") Series tiLe linked to the specific channel used by the Series tiLe. So even though the next scheduled Series recording (using my infected Series tiLe for "Star Trek Prodigy" a Tv series on CTV SCI-FI, ch. 50) is for Thursday Dec. 22, at 8:30pm, it has now been deleted, leaving only the infected "Star Trek Prodigy" tiLe with the previously recorded episodes -- still working of course. However, the good news is that my ch. 50 "Doom Patrol" Series recording also for Thursday Dec  22, at 9:02pm, (set AFTER the damaging Rogers box boot update, that had infected my previous "Doom Patrol" Series tiLe that was linked to ch. 575 -- until I watched the previously recorded episodes within that "Doom Patrol" infected tiLe, and then rebooted the box), is still working, because it always stays as a Series tiLe (with no "infection").
So had I not known that there was a forced Rogers reboot, I would have thought that my box was having a nervous breakdown (although if I wasnt watching TV when the Rogers reboot happened, I could have easily checked my Legacy 4k PVR box diagnostics screen to see exactly when the last reboot occurred).
By the way, yesterday (on Saturday Dec. 17, 2022), before doing my latest Series recording test, I did another box reboot by pulling the plug out for about 2 minutes, before plugging it back in.
My test today involved checking the Guide to see that the Thursday Dec. 22 listing for Star Trek Prodigy (one of my altered Series tiLes), no longer showed the two, red Series dots/circles, plus then checking the Scheduled recordings (using List button) to see that the previous listing there was now gone, and then I checked the status of the altered Series tiLe (for Star Trek Prodigy), which showed that it once again had been changed from a Series tiLe to a one-time tiLe.
Note: Each time you try to set a new Series recording using an altered (update infected) tiLe, it temporarily (until the next day guide update, or any reboot) changes to a Series tiLe again, thus fooling the user into thinking that the upcoming Series recordings will work, but they won't work, UNLESS your scheduled Series recording occurs BEFORE the next daily early-morning Guide update, or any box reboot.

Finally, the only reason that I haven't bothered watching the Star Trek Prodigy episodes within the "infected" tiLe, and then making sure the tiLe is deleted, followed by a box reboot by pulling the plug, is because my other Series tiLe for Star Trek Prodigy using ch. 575, that I set AFTER the Rogers box boot update from two Saturdays ago, works perfectly, and I can see that it's still there after any reboot, or Guide update. I also used the exact same settings for the Series recording, that I had used for the now infected ch. 50 locked, Series tiLe (which also had worked perfectly until that damaging Rogers box boot update from two Saturdays ago).

So all is good, and once I get around to watching any unwatched or partially watched  episodes from any of the altered (infected) tiLes, I'll just reboot my Legacy box to finally rid myself of the infection ... Until perhaps the next time an insidious update occurs, either from a box reboot, or simple daily Guide update that changes the name of a Series (like the CityTV News change), and then might also delete the Series tiLe used for the previous name.

Mission accomplished! 🚀

[mebe]

To satisfy my curiosity, I ran a few more tests with the ch. 50 (CTV-SCIFI), "Star Trek: Prodigy" infected, former Series tiLe.
Since the infected tiLe now still thinks it's a one-time recording tiLe, it allows the user to go to the Guide and simply set a one-time recording (which shows the correct, One red dot/circle). It will also appear in the upcoming Scheduled recording list (using List button). A reboot of the box will NOT remove either the Guide's red dot/circle or scheduled recording listing ... so that one-time recording will work, and will also not be affected by daily Guide updates.
However, here's the tricky part: If instead of trying to set a Series recording for the infected "Star Trek: Prodigy" tiLe, from the Guide (which then immediately shows the two red dots/circles on the Guide, and says that a Series recording has been scheduled to record), the user instead goes into the infected tILe (with the previously saved recordings) and uses the option within the infected tiLe, to Set a Series recording (using "Record Series" option), it will temporarily change it to a Series tiLe, but the recording does not show up in the upcoming Scheduled recordings list, and you will also not see any red dots/circles in the Guide (for Thursday Dec. 22, ch. 50 Star Trek: Prodigy 8:30pm listing). If I then click in the Guide in that time slot and try to set a Series recording, it won't let me, and says that a Series recording has already been set and then to check the Scheduled recordings or My recordings list to modify it. The only ways to then get rid of that Series block Message are as follows:
1) Click in the Guide Thursday Dec. 22, 8:30pm time slot and then set a one-time recording for Star Trek : Prodigy, which adds the one red dot in the Guide, adds it to the Scheduled recordings list, and also changes the infected tiLe back to a one-time recording tiLe.
2) Simply wait until two daily Guide updates have occured, and then the infected tiLe will be changed back to a one-time recording tiLe.
3) Simply reboot the box and the infected tiLe changes back to a one-time recording tiLe.
By the way, anytime an "infected," former Series tiLe shows that it's been temporarily changed to a Series tiLe, and then the box is rebooted (either by Rogers, or by user), it will (after trying to watch Live TV), often cause some black screens, and/or picture freezes that cause a forced-box reboot. After that 2nd box reboot, everything is fine because during the 2nd reboot, the box no longer needs to try to delete any infected Series tiLes (since they've all been changed to one-time recording tiLes after the first reboot).
I hope this is the post that finally satisfies my curiosity, so that I can live long and prosper.
Janeway, out. 👸

[mebe]

I'll know for sure over the next two Thursdays, but this complicated issue has a simple solution.
I don't have to do anything to the infected tiLe (I just leave it as a former Series tiLe, with still working, previously recorded episodes within it).
It seems that the infected ch.50, "Star Trek: Prodigy" tiLe is only blocking the creation of a fresh, New Series tiLe for ch. 50, because I keep trying to use the "New Episodes Only" setting. Everything looks fine, but since no New ch.50 tiLe is created, any reboot or daily update deletes all trace of an upcoming recording.
So of course, all I have to do is choose "All Episodes" and then any other settings I want, and then a new ch. 50 linked Series tiLe for Star Trek Prodigy is created. I need to then press the List button to look for the new tiLe (has no image yet), and then change "All Episodes" to "New Episodes Only" and save the new setting. And that's it. Manual Reboots don't delete anything, so as long as the daily-Guide updates over the next two weeks, and the next Rogers update reboots are not evil enough to delete my tiLe change, I win.
Fingers crossed. ✌️