Windows Media Center Electronic Program Guide Alternatives

Anonymous

I've recently received a popup on my Windows Media Center home screen stating that the Electronic Program Guide will not be available after January 2020. I've long expected this day. The popup gives you a click option for alternatives to the EPG, but the link it takes you to is a nothing link for generic guide troubleshooting (I got the same popup on my Windows Media Center Extender. Clicking on it rebooted the extender).

Are any 3rd party EPG alternatives even in the works? I am trying to figure what my next DVR setup will be and need to get on it. Am thinking of getting an Amazon Recast box, but kind of want to see if they have a second generation (with larger HDDs) in the works. Thinking about SiliconDust's HDHomeRun stuff, or perhaps rolling my own with Plex or something. Again, having an EPG is paramount.

For what it's worth - I've bought into WMC since the beginning - I was the lead factory escalation engineer for a vendor's line of Media Center products - it will be like saying goodbye to an old friend, and even though it was pretty much abandoned in place for the past ten plus years, there was someone there to make sure it still was working. Just a thank you to the Windows Home team...

-Dale

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hi,

For what its worth I am also a long time WMC user and hate to see it go. However, in anticipation I've set up a Plex server and have been running it in parallel with WMC the last couple of months just to see how it would work as a DVR. You had to buy a one time DVR license from Plex which I think was around $80 (it's normally more than that but they were running a special over the summer). The one time fee was another reason that I decided to try Plex versus some of the other options that had recurring fees. Anyway, I've been using Plex with my OTA antenna and an amazon firestick and it seems to be working fine without any EPG issues like the ones that always seemed to be popping up with WMC. As an added plus I can also stream from my server to my phone which comes in handy at the gym.

Regards.

0 comments

64 additional answers

Anonymous

2020-02-29T16:14:26+00:00

For crying out loud, the guide is BACK!!!! Not that I'm complaining, but make up your damn minds, Microsoft. Are you going to support WMC or not? If so, please start working on a Windows 10 version.

+1 for a fully supported Windows 10 version.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2020-02-29T14:56:19+00:00

For crying out loud, the guide is BACK!!!! Not that I'm complaining, but make up your damn minds, Microsoft. Are you going to support WMC or not? If so, please start working on a Windows 10 version.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2020-02-28T01:00:07+00:00

Well, seems like the guide gone again. Wonder if it will come back as it did before? From now on, I'll just have to set recording manually.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2020-02-21T13:22:05+00:00

I'm disappointed that the current guide that seemed to return after the January discontinuance is so inaccurate that it's not usable. Wonder why this is? I'm assuming Microsoft decided to restart the guide, but why it's not as good as the previous one is beyond me. And I don't mean an hour error difference in the programs listed, but having the wrong program listed entirely. Wished this could be fixed. Otherwise I'll just have to use manual date and time setup of any programs I want to record.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments