HI there, I have added myself to the list. I’m in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. This town is north of Toronto, and my ISP is Rogers. I noticed this problem a couple of weeks ago, but did not report it until now, as I thought I was doing something wrong… until I read this Forum. Same symptom as everyone else: Refreshing the EPG does not move beyond “Refreshing EPG (0%)—Initializing”, or some very low percentage.
Desperately need a workaround until this is fixed.
The only workaround I have heard of so far is to collect via VPN (spoofing a US IP). Though easy if PMS is on Windows, I’m on FreeBSD and don’t really know how to do that (and to reverse it later).
Is there another workaround? Force it to use a US server for the update? Download EPG on another machine (e.g. Windows) and copy it to my PMS machine? I’m losing a great deal of recording right now and I’m willing to do a fair bit of work to keep it running.
Also, keep in mind that the workaround may include stopping EPG update on the PMS as any failed update erases any guide that may already be there (according to an earlier post)
The problem is not limited to Canada. I’m in Washington, DC, and have had the same problem with the EPG stalling out. I’m afraid I’m a rather new Plex user but I’ve been enjoying live TV with DVR on Plex for several months–until April 2 when the EPG problem suddenly appeared. I run Plex Media Server on my Qnap NAS with FIOS as my ISP and access it from several devices. I use an HD Homerun as my server with a cable card. I have my HD Homerun setup to pick up far less than 300 channels. I’ve tried stopping and restarting Plex on my NAS several times but each time, after starting to update, the EPG stalls. It has stalled out as early as at 3 percent but more recently (after waiting for over a day) it stalled out at 82 percent. Eventually, it stops updating for hours but I never get an error message. The screen just remains blank with the updater continuing to churn.
I’m afraid I’m a newbie with Plex and don’t have a clue about creating a log that would be useful to you. If you point me to a place that offers instructions on this, I’d be happy to learn and then provide you with the log that you need. I could also try running the PMS on a PC to see if I get the same problem. But I do want to get the server on my NAS working.
@ljohnston20003 said:
The problem is not limited to Canada. I’m in Washington, DC, and have had the same problem with the EPG stalling out. I’m afraid I’m a rather new Plex user but I’ve been enjoying live TV with DVR on Plex for several months–until April 2 when the EPG problem suddenly appeared. I run Plex Media Server on my Qnap NAS with FIOS as my ISP and access it from several devices. I use an HD Homerun as my server with a cable card. I have my HD Homerun setup to pick up far less than 300 channels. I’ve tried stopping and restarting Plex on my NAS several times but each time, after starting to update, the EPG stalls. It has stalled out as early as at 3 percent but more recently (after waiting for over a day) it stalled out at 82 percent. Eventually, it stops updating for hours but I never get an error message. The screen just remains blank with the updater continuing to churn.
I’m afraid I’m a newbie with Plex and don’t have a clue about creating a log that would be useful to you. If you point me to a place that offers instructions on this, I’d be happy to learn and then provide you with the log that you need. I could also try running the PMS on a PC to see if I get the same problem. But I do want to get the server on my NAS working.
Just looked again and (somehow) it is now at 10% showing over 1000 airings. Before I would never get any airings and most of the time I would get to 3% then fail (though sometimes it went to 14% within a minute but still with no airings). It seems stuck, but could it just be slow? Could Cloudflare have got us back up? Tune in next time for the answer to this awesome question…
My observations are following.
I set up a new installation of plex server for troubleshooting purpose.
After adding tuner, channel scan and DVR Setup Initializing - 0% - 1%. After several manual initialization minimums 3% guide is downloaded with about 450 airings. It is giving channel guide sufficient for a day. This situation there is no way Program Recording is impossible. At first instant at least 14 days guide should be downloaded, and it should continually have updated. Nothing happening currently.
Plex server is supposed to continually automatically gather channel guide without user intervention. This is an automated process. This is not happening now.
It would be Channel Guide provider server side or recent version of the Plex Server not properly communication Channel provider server.
User side only possibility is uninstalling Plex Server and reinstall and configure DVR & TV setup for troubleshooting purpose.
I continue to play with my DVR settings in the hope of being able to schedule recordings for the next week. Trying something different I turned off the enhanced program guide and I am currently sitting 13% of the TV Listing data downloaded. It is still running, so I don’t know if it will complete the cycle, but I now have 812 listings where I normally on get 250-350.
My question has anyone else played with this option? Has it made a difference in getting the listings downloaded?
@macdom2k
I think everyone here has tried some combination of everything…it seems to be out of our control. I believe we are waiting for an update… something to do with cloudflare. I’ve had temporary luck rebooting my modem, using a us zip code, but those only last a day is so.
If you are able to VPN into the US, you can get around the cloudflare issue. I am doing this once a week just so I have the EPG data updating. At present it’s still not updating without the VPN outside of Ontario.
@sa2000 said:
List of users - I have not included the few US users reporting here as I have not seen any logs to establish if same issue. However, I have assumed that anyone new reporting the issue in Ontario, is the same issue
As this for Ontario, it is definitely it is Guide Providers Server issue.
In my case I was running two servers with the same issue and I introduced another server testing purpose. It is only receiving 3% with 450 airings. It will last for a day. Plex server should continually update the channel guide without user intervention. This is not happening. Manual update seems to be not working.
I stopped all my recording and deleted all because multiple times severs was reinstalled. I will wait for to service to improve and I will start all over again.
Hopefully it will be resolved shortly.
Having the same issue. DVR EPG NOT updating. The issue has been happening since approx March 30, 2018. Restarted Plex several times. Restarted Synology NAS several times. Reverted back to Plex version 1.11.3. EPG is still not updating. Ontario, Canada location -Teksavvy DSL customer, last mile leased from Bell. To the best of my understanding, Teksavvy uses their own network services and connects to the internet via their own leased trunk links. Internet traffic emerging is from “Teksavvy” and NOT from “Rogers” or from “Bell”. Also using Channels iOS app on same HDHomerun Extend tuner with no issue. Channels EPG is working well so tuner is not the issue.
Plex Media Server seems to have lost the ability to update EPG.
PS. Something has changed with the EPG service or set-up. My DVR was working for more than 18 months with no issues.
@sa2000 said:
List of users - I have not included the few US users reporting here as I have not seen any logs to establish if same issue. However, I have assumed that anyone new reporting the issue in Ontario, is the same issue
As this for Ontario, it is definitely it is Guide Providers Server issue.
In my case I was running two servers with the same issue and I introduced another server testing purpose. It is only receiving 3% with 450 airings. It will last for a day. Plex server should continually update the channel guide without user intervention. This is not happening. Manual update seems to be not working.
I stopped all my recording and deleted all because multiple times severs was reinstalled. I will wait for to service to improve and I will start all over again.
Hopefully it will be resolved shortly.
Update to the last message. Connected my Synology NAS via VPN to the internet in the same city as I live. This effectively put the NAS connection OUTSIDE the Teksavvy Network. DVR EPG downloaded and refreshed. Program Guide is full, DVR schedule has come back to life. DVR Plex is fully functional and ready to go.
All of this while still connected inside of Canada. Seems to suggest network issue with Teksavvy, Bell and/or Rogers depending on whether you use a DSL or CABLE internet connection. Very strange.
