only time will tell if the DVB-t FTA EIT EPG improves in either quality or consistency.

If their past performance is any measure/indicator of future performance, you may be waiting a very long time to receive consistent quality EIT EPG...

Well IceTv must be a little concerned, I just received an email offering me a 12 month subscription for 1/2 price.

Hi,

I just wrote a (long winded) blog post about freeview vs the EPG (see my blog link below) - however the gist of it is that there's a chance that we are screwed all depending on how the EPG is actually implemented. If freeview offers an EIT based guide - all is well - but the literature sort of indicates that a custom MHEG5 based EPG is on the cards ("an easy to use electronic program guide" is their wording). In NZ freeview (and I think UK) - the freeview system (broadcasting over H264/DVB-S2) don't actually supply EIT Data (only MHEG) - so VMC can't get to any transmitted guide data beyond now/next.

Also - I suspect the 'all you need' quote is talking specifically about tuning into the channels (and not getting the EPG) - as the Aussie freeview will continue to use MPEG2/DVB-T.

Niall

I moved to Aus from the UK 3 years ago, before that I was using media XP center with freeview for several years with a full integrated EPG ( just via the media center interface ) with up to two weeks of guide data, and 36 channels. So unless things have changed dramatically then no you were not restricted to now and next on media center ( and all shows finished on time I never had to extend a single show )

I was hopeful that Australia's implementation of freeview was going to give us a similar experience here.

The difference is that your guide in the UK still came via the MS Guide service - yes, they were probably only replicating the data that came directly from the networks, but they were allowed to.

Here, the networks are promising us better guide data for free, but they aren't sounding like they'll allow MS to replicate the data & that's the most reliable way to use data for series recordings. TV Pack & W7 can access the EIT data, but how reliable will it prove to be? When every sports broadcast on Channel 9 is labeled as "Wide World Of Sports", I'm guessing that it won't be great.

Justin

I've noticed, at least with the cricket, that Win Television are broadcasting it as First Test - xxxx as opposed to Wide World of Sports. Haven't really had too much more of a look at it.

But there are still no categories (although ABC & SBS do use the movie category occasionally), and no episode titles (they're included in the episode synopsis)

Still Wide World Of Sports in Sydney. Get the "First Test - Aus vs RSA" in the body of the listing. I'll attach a screenie.

Justin

Attached Images

1st test.jpg (29.5 KB, 28 views)

"2009" is quite broad, anyone got any idea when they're actually gonna start broadcasting the new channels?

Lots of talk from the free channels. Enough talking, enough "thinking" let's see it.

Aus Freeview Wiki page claims April this year.

Wiki link

It's all about Advertising. A certified Freeview box/TV will not allow Ad Skipping. for that price you will get an EPG.

Update
ChannelNews Article