[mythtv-users] EPG Accuracy (Was: record at any time on channel <CHANNEL> is missing in master soon to be .27)

[Stephen Worthington]

On Fri, 26 Jul 2013 8:21:35 +0100, you wrote:

>Dean Collins wrote:
>> I'm super curious how other countries around the world "manage" their EPG, I understand
>> how the USA and Australia does it (though seems to be based on their legal models more
>> than technical issues) but are there users from other nordic/asian countries where there is
>> a bit more co-operation between the channels and "end user EPG friendly"
>
>I'd be surprised if broadcasters got together to make EPGs better. In general, from a competitive standpoint, it's better for the differences to remain.
>
>Jay Ashworth wrote:
>>> "Not complaining fixed this problem" --no person ever
>>
>>"I complained to the Mayor that my brother used all the toilet paper
>>and didn't replace the roll, and he fixed it right up!"  --no person ever
>
>Well put !
>And I'll add that complaining about something that can't be fixed that way is counter productive. All that'll happen is that you'll be labelled as the boy who cries "Wolf !" a lot - which means you'll count a lot less when you do have something to complain about.
>
>Complaining about EPG data to your elected representatives is, IMO, as useful as complaining that your local supermarket uses the wrong colour of floor tiles. It's nothing to do with them, and in theory we can just choose a different supermarket (supplier). If I don't like the EPG that Dave uses, then I can choose not to watch Dave.

There are many examples in other fields where complaining about the
behaviour of companies has brought about legislation that has made
life much better for the consumers.  For example, many countries now
have laws that prevent some of the worst things insurance companies
try to do, such as using some very small thing that the customer
failed to tell them about that is irrelevant to the loss being claimed
for as a reason not to pay out.  Another good example of this is here
in New Zealand where we have laws that allow for parallel importing of
DVDs and prevent the DVD publishers from enforcing the region codes.
Any DVD player you buy in New Zealand is expected to be region free or
sold with the instructions on how to make it region free.  So it is
not too much to expect that a reasonable government might consider
legislating to provide the consumers with sensible TV systems,
including good EPG.  The current National Party government in New
Zealand would never consider doing this - they call this sort of thing
a "Nanny State".  But other parties here would be open to requests for
making life better for their constituents.