ICE or FreeEPG

[petere]

I am currently using ICE TV, but with the channel 9 data becoming more unreliable or nonexistent over the last week, as my subscription is due to expire, I was wondering if anyone knows how reliable the free services such as FreeEPG compare with ICE TV especially with the accuracy of the program data?

Peter

[bdorring]

I have been using FreeEPG for over a year and very happy with it.
Give it a go. What is the worst thing that can happen? you don't agree then you just go back to ice.

[TheRob]

Originally Posted by petere

I am currently using ICE TV, but with the channel 9 data becoming more unreliable or nonexistent over the last week, as my subscription is due to expire, I was wondering if anyone knows how reliable the free services such as FreeEPG compare with ICE TV especially with the accuracy of the program data?

Peter

I used FreeEPG when I first set up my HTPC. It was pretty good - no complaints really. I swapped to IceTV 'cause it works with my Topfield PVR as well (FreeEPG might too, but I wanted to try IceTV).

I've found IceTV to be very reliable and reasonably accurate - probably a bit more accurate than FreeEPG was. The current Nein dramas have made things a little more unpredictable, but I'll stick with Ice until I see how things pan out.

I imagine if IceTV goes down the tubes and TiVO starts up here, then Nein may shut down the free epg providers pretty quick anyway.

[ExtremePC]

What I don't understand is why IceTV don't base their guide on the EIT, no one not even nine could argue copyright on data they specifically broadcast for EPG purposes. IceTV could take the EIT data that is broadcast individually by the networks and NOT covered by any HWW or NeinMSN copyright and then fill it out more completely.

[dgaust]

Cause the EIT data is copyright.... this is part of Free TV Australia's press release:

Today’s announcement builds on Free TV’s announcement earlier this year that broadcasters would be providing EPG data under licence to EPG service providers.

Ms Flynn added that although Free TV networks were agreeing to transmit the data free and unencrypted, broadcasters reserved all their rights with respect to copyright and protection of intellectual property.

Although, note the first sentence of that quote part in particular.

This is the earlier announcement (pdf).

[ExtremePC]

Originally Posted by dgaust

Cause the EIT data is copyright.... this is part of Free TV Australia's press release:



Although, note the first sentence of that quote part in particular.

This is the earlier announcement (pdf).

Ah, OK. so then where is the Free part in Free TV? A holes. And anyway if it is a copyrighted product for consumers to use doesn't that add to the requirement for the product to be a. complete, b. accurate.

[TheRob]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

What I don't understand is why IceTV don't base their guide on the EIT, no one not even nine could argue copyright on data they specifically broadcast for EPG purposes. IceTV could take the EIT data that is broadcast individually by the networks and NOT covered by any HWW or NeinMSN copyright and then fill it out more completely.

Broadcasting the info doesn't diminish the copyright. The data is still subject to copyright restrictions. Viewing the broadcast EPG data is fine - copying it is not.

[TheRob]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

And anyway if it is a copyrighted product for consumers to use doesn't that add to the requirement for the product to be a. complete, b. accurate.

Why? Copyright doesn't have any relation to quality.

[dgaust]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

Ah, OK. so then where is the Free part in Free TV? A holes. And anyway if it is a copyrighted product for consumers to use doesn't that add to the requirement for the product to be a. complete, b. accurate.

You would imagine it should be complete and correct, but who's going to challenge them? Most punters will just shrug their shoulders (hell most punters don't have digital yet).

Free TV Australia is just an industry body,

Free TV is an industry body which represents all of Australia's commercial free-to-air television licencees

Since they can't even spell correctly, how can you expect them to provide a complete and accurate EPG.....

[ExtremePC]

Originally Posted by TheRob

Why? Copyright doesn't have any relation to quality.

When you copyright something and distribute it to the public it imediately becomes a product, a product, any product in Australia has a legal criteria to its existence, one of them is that it must be of merchantable quality, yes this is regarless of whether you are giving it away for free or selling it.

[philzgr8]

All good points I suspect in terms of lobbying to the government. Not only do we need to gain unencumbered access to EPG data but I think there probably needs to be some level of accountability of the networks to ensure the data is accurate. There's hardly a point in gaining access if the networks are free to provide inaccurate data.

[TheRob]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

When you copyright something and distribute it to the public it imediately becomes a product, a product, any product in Australia has a legal criteria to its existence, one of them is that it must be of merchantable quality, yes this is regarless of whether you are giving it away for free or selling it.

Sorry, you've lost me there. Firstly, I doubt whether the broadcast EPG qualifies as a product under the Trade Practises Act - it's just part of the broadcast stream. Secondly, the TPA doesn't apply to the accuracy or otherwise of published data. If it did, most gossip magazines in this country would be in a lot of trouble.