Why am I paying for a guide when Freeview is more accurate?!

[doonadude]

Been coming across heaps of programs with inaccurate start times AND WRONG CONTENT with Ice but more up to date on Freeview. Example tonight, ch7 melb, movie 'Matilda' starting at 8.30pm on Ice but 9pm on Freeview- some kids school spectacular was on (it ran a little past 9pm- but was a lot closer to 9 than 8.30)

[doonadude]

here's another one... ch7 movie 11.30pm-1.30am Movie 'Sanctum' on Freeview (correct), IceTV has it listed as 10.40pm-1.05am Movie "Kindergarton Cop' (INCORRECT)

[Dave at IceTV]

some kids school spectacular was on (it ran a little past 9pm- but was a lot closer to 9 than 8.30)

That is not a guide inaccuracy. That is a commercial TV channel deliberately running a high rating show late to gain ratings on their following show and prevent viewers switching channels. You could say it's about stealing undeserved ratings from other networks but it's all about advertising dollars.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/angry-about-your-tv-shows-never-starting-on-time-you-should-be/story-fnpug1jf-1227295449474?sv=c00c82c7ea8137d93a210ee4f5fa76a3

Government threats didn't stop them:
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/blog/gadgets-on-the-go/acma-admits-defeat-in-epg-battle-with-aussie-tv-networks-20130131-2dnjg.html

The networks even admit they don't care about running on time:
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/02/why-tv-shows-will-never-ever-run-on-time-again/

The FTA guide showing a start time that pretends to be accurate to within a few minutes doesn't help when they had the start time wrong an hour earlier. They change it on the fly at the last minute to make them look good while still trying to prevent PVRs recording the whole show.

How to Combat the Networks

The answer for Australians is, and always has been, padding. Anyone not running 20 or 30 minutes end padding is tempting fate unless they only record ABC. And you still need end padding even with multiple tuners.

The Solution?

IceTV with it's consistent titles and repeat flags combined with a PVR that has padding and ad skip buttons beats FTA anyday. And that's without even considering smart series recording and remote scheduling.

[Dave at IceTV]

here's another one... ch7 movie 11.30pm-1.30am Movie 'Sanctum' on Freeview (correct), IceTV has it listed as 10.40pm-1.05am Movie "Kindergarton Cop' (INCORRECT)

What region's guide are you looking at? Or if you are using a PVR maybe it hasn't updated the guide in the last week.

In IceTV on Seven in Sydney for last night I was seeing:

• 9:10pm to 11:35pm - Movie: Kindergarten Cop [Rpt]
• 11:35pm to 2:00am - Movie: Sanctum

I actually got to record all of Sanctum 


And the FTA guide had the same time for Sanctum (though a little less accurate)

• 9:??pm to 11:28am - Kindergarten Cop  (I can't go backwards on the TV that I'm viewing the FTA guide on to see the start time)
• 11:28pm to 2:02am - Sanctum

I am certain Kindergarten Cop would not have actually ended at 11:28pm.

So both guides had Sanctum listed as being from 11:30pm to 2am.


Note: After doonadude posted his comments at 12:00:42 AM on Sunday morning I looked at last night's guide on my DP series Beyonwiz which retains the old guide from the previous 48 hours. So I can see what information IceTV had for that night and know it has not been changed after the show aired (which is something some of the other TV guide websites do to make themselves look better).

[simoncasey]

Bold statements about the quality of the FTA guide when the icetv one has so many errors.

You may want to check what was actually broadcast last night. FTA guide seems to have it right in Melbourne from what I could see.

[John]

Hi simoncasey not sure which errors you are referring to as our 7 guide appears to agree with what the channel was saying they were screening?

If you can be more specific I could look for you?

[simoncasey]

Hi simoncasey not sure which errors you are referring to as our 7 guide appears to agree with what the channel was saying they were screening?

If you can be more specific I could look for you?

Im referring to the ones on this post. Last night FTA said Matilda at 9 and Sanctum at 11.10. Icetv had Matilda at 8.30 and then kindergarten cop.

Anyway, it's after the fact now.

[John]

Hi simoncasey sorry about that, I missed the bit about Melbourne. I did the late changes last night and missed that one.

[doonadude]

Ok, first thing.... my bad!!!... My credit card has been replaced and I hadn't updated details of new expiry date with Ice (change of expiry) and I hadn't received any guide updates from IceTV since 05/12/15! Problem is, the Skippa gives no indication that it hasn't been receiving updates from Ice. Another thing though, when I created this post, I requested updates/answers to be emailed to me- haven't received any notifications of the above replies!

[Dave at IceTV]

Another thing though, when I created this post, I requested updates/answers to be emailed to me- haven't received any notifications of the above replies!

The forum accounts are separate to the IceTV accounts. So people could have an old unmonitored email address in their forum account and not realise it.

So check that the email address in your forum account is a current address that you check.