Some satellite multiplexes not being scanned for EPG changes

Martin Underwood

I have TVH configured to access the Astra 28.2 Sky/Freesat satellite via a DVB-S/USB tuner. TVH has a cron job to poll for OTA EPG updates every day at 13:02 and 02:02.

When I look at Configuration | Inputs | Services, I see the full list of services and almost all of them have a Last Accessed date of 13:02 or 02:02 with today's date. But there are two multiplexes who services do not get updated by this mechanism, although they are updated if I record from a channel in the mux or if I watch that channel using the > icon in the Services list.

The muxes in question are duplicates of existing muxes (which work OK) - I imagine the broadcaster ITV is intending to move channels from one mux to another and currently has a period of parallel running. As far as I can see, all the entries in Coniguration | Services | Mux match, apart from the obvious differences for frequency, symbol rate, modulation, FEC. In particular, Enable=Enabled and EPG Scan=Enable (auto).

When I look in the logfile configured in Configuration | Debugging, I can see all the various muxes being polled for EPG - except for the two rogue ones, so it looks as if TVH is not even trying to poll them, as opposed to trying and failing.

Configuration | Channels | EPG Grabber has a cron line "4 2,13 * * *" for OTA and Configuration | Channels | EPG Grabber Modules has "OTA: EIT: DVB", "OTA: Freeview" and "OTA: Freesat" modules enabled. (My TVH setup also has a DVB-T terrestrial tuner, hence the Freeview entry.)

Is there something that the OTA: Freesat grabber module uses to determine which muxes to poll, irrespective of the ones that are enabled in the Configuration | DVB Inputs | Muxes?

Specific details are (see https://www.lyngsat.com/Astra-2E-2F-2G.html for the mux/channel list):

11386 V is a new copy of 11068 V
11344 H is a new copy of 11097 V

Services in 11068 and 11097 show as "last seen" at the last cron-scheduled EPG scan, but those in 11386 and 11344 do not, and only get updated when I access the mux by recording from or watching a channel in the mux.

Jonas Lang

Martin Underwood what results do you get when you manually scan those two muxes and map the services

Adrian Smith

Martin Underwood Is there something that the OTA: Freesat grabber module uses to determine which muxes to poll, irrespective of the ones that are enabled in the Configuration | DVB Inputs | Muxes?

The full, 7-day Freesat EPG is only transmitted on the Freesat home transponder (11426.5H). The other muxes (as far as I'm aware) only carry now/next EPG data. Personally, I just manually set EPG Module ID for the the home transponder mux to "UK: Freesat" and disable it on the other muxes (per screenshot).

If you're using accurate recording (EPG running state) then TVH will use the EIT p/f data once tuned to a channel to pick up any last minute schedule alterations.

Jonas Lang

Of course you have the option of using 11778 V which is the Sky OpenTV iEPG mux and displays as iEPG radio on your channel list. It supplies a full 7 day EPG. It provides this EPG for the majority of Freesat and free to view channels on Astra 28.2 which TVH can utilise.

Adrian Smith

Jonas Lang Of course you have the option of using 11778 V which is the Sky OpenTV iEPG mux and displays as iEPG radio on your channel list. It supplies a full 7 day EPG. It provides this EPG for the majority of Freesat and free to view channels on Astra 28.2 which TVH can utilise.

Indeed you do, but it wouldn't be my first choice if you want to use accurate recording for the Freesat channels as there is a risk that the Event IDs in anything except the pukka Freesat EPG won't match those transmitted in the EIT p/f packets on the dedicated Freesat services. Yes, okay, TVH will attempt to match transmissions to EPG entries using a fuzzy logic based on event start/end times, duration, description etc. but why risk it? For me it's Freesat EPG for the Freesat services complimented with an alternative source (in my case an XMLTV source) for the services I have mapped which aren't in the Freesat lineup (but only for those services).