[Donger]

Hi All:

How many days of the program guide can the 301 handle? My parents turn off their 301 every night but only get about 2 hours into the future before they get "Downloading from satellite"

Any help would be great!

 

[Keith S]

All that the 301 can handle is a few hours.

 

[gcutler]

The non-PVR guides of which the 301 is can go as far as 42 (or is it 46?) hours into the future, but it can only read a few hours at a time, it does not keep it im memory or on the hard drive like the PVRs. So if you want to looks at what is on channel XYZ for the next 2 days, you will spend quite a bit waiting as you look into the future (Go 3-4 hours into the future, wait 30 seconds for download, go another 3-4 hours into the future, wait another 30 seconds for download, YMMV)

 

[Donger]

all:

Thanks for the responses. I'll let the folks know that they get no multiday EPG downloads. Thanks again!

 

[chessmaster1010]

You can skip ahead to any period within the next 44 hours by using the number keys to enter the number of hours to skip and then hitting the right arrow key (same as browse).

That way you only have to wait for the listings to download once.

 

[Jacob S]

How come can directv have receivers made that can go into the guide a week at a time without downloading yet dish cant unless it is hard drive based? Can this be fixed with a software upgrade?

 

[MediaMills]

Originally posted by Jacob S
How come can directv have receivers made that can go into the guide a week at a time without downloading yet dish cant unless it is hard drive based? Can this be fixed with a software upgrade?

No. The receivers don't have enough memory.
This wasn't a problem until Must Carry added some 300+ stations to the EPG, then it wasn't worth a crap to an older receiver with limited memory.

 

[Mark Holtz]

I'm surprised that they didn't put in a discard function to discard useless program information.

 

[MikeW]

I don't believe that must carry created the problem. The data is not downloaded to the receiver unless it is subscribed to. I've noticed the guide is reset when changing Distant Net DMAs. I doubt that the data for every single channel exists on the receiver. If that was the case, I would think they would appear as an unsubscribed channel listed in red. The EPG has ALWAYS been just better than pathetic.

 

[MediaMills]

Originally posted by MikeW
I don't believe that must carry created the problem. The data is not downloaded to the receiver unless it is subscribed to. I've noticed the guide is reset when changing Distant Net DMAs. I doubt that the data for every single channel exists on the receiver. If that was the case, I would think they would appear as an unsubscribed channel listed in red. The EPG has ALWAYS been just better than pathetic.

Maybe so, but you have to think of it like a baggage claim at the airport. You're looking for one bag, but you still have to wait for everyone elses bag from the plane to go by until your bag shows up. You only take your bag but you had to wait for all the others.

Because everyone gets the 44hr guide from the same place on 119, Dish has to upload the entire guide in a cycle. I may only need the Dallas locals, but I have to "stand there" and watch everyone elses locals go by before I can get mine.

I may be totally wrong. This is just my logic talking...I don't know any other way they could do it.

 

[MikeW]

You're probably right about how long it takes to download. I was referring to how much memory is taken up for the guide. It doesn't seem to me that the entire guide is stored on the receiver in my house (talking all the locals and must carry additions). Seems I didn't have a whole lot of memory before must carry and I remember, since day 1 having to wait too long for the guide. I've got one receiver hooked up to a SA Tivo and find that's the only way to search for what's on the dish. Programming on TIVO is usually 10-14 days out without waiting.