Electronic program guide: Difference between revisions

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An '''electronic program''' (or '''programme''') '''guide''' ('''EPG''') isor aalso [[televisionan '''ínteractive program|program]](me) [[schedule]],guide''' typicallyor [[broadcasting|broadcast]]('''IPG''') alongsideis [[digitala television]]on-screen orguide [[digitalto radio|radio]]scheduled signals.broadcast television Theseprograms, signalsallowing may arrivea viaviewer [[cableto TV]]navigate, [[satelliteselect TV]],and discover content [[cableby radio]]time, [[satellitetitle, radio]]channel, orgenre, viaetc, over-the-airusing terrestrialtheir [[broadcastremote station]]scontrol.

The technology is based upon [[broadcasting|broadcasting]] data to an application usually residing within [[middleware]] in a [[set-top box]] which connects to the television set and enables the application to be displayed. The technology is predominant in the [[digital television]] and [[digital radio|radio]] world, but equally EPGs exist that rely upon analogue technology (using the VBI - or [[vertical blanking internal]]). These signals may arrive via [[cable TV]], [[satellite TV]], [[cable radio]], [[satellite radio]], or via over-the-air terrestrial [[broadcast station]]s.

By navigating through an EPG on a receiving device, typically a [[television]] [[display device|screen]] or its [[set-top box]], users can see more information about the current program and about future programs. A [[graphical user interface]], with program titles, [[channel]]s (and [[virtual channel|subchannel]]s if applicable), and times on a [[grid]] is usually displayed, with the option to select more information on each program. Radios may include a simpler, more [[text]]-based display.

By navigating through an EPG on a receiving device, users can see more information about the current program and about future programs. When EPGs are connected to [[PVR]]s, or Personal Video Recorders they enable a viewer to plan their viewing and record broadcast programs to a hard disk for later viewing.

An EPG allows the viewer to take advantage of [[features]] such as program summaries, [[search]] by subject or [[television station|channel]], immediate access to the selected program, reminders, and [[parental control]] functions. It also enables services such as [[video on demand]], which may be [[gratis|free]] or [[pay-per-view]]. If the device is capable of it, an EPG can enable one-touch [[television recording|recording]] of programs, such as some [[DirecTV]] [[IRD]]s can do with a [[VCR]] and an attached [[infrared]] [[emitter]] (which [[emulate]]s a [[remote control]]).

Typical elements of an EPG comprise a [[graphical user interface]] which enable the display of program titles, descriptive information such as a synopsis, actors, directors, year of production and so on, the [[channel]] name and the programmes on offer from [[virtual channel|subchannel]]s such as pay-per-view and VOD or [[video-on-demand]] services, program start times, genres and other descriptive [[metadata]]. The information is typically displayed on a [[grid]] with the option to select more information on each program. Radio EPGs offer simpler, more [[text]]-based displays of artist, album and track title information.

EPGs are typically sent within the broadcast [[transport stream]] (included in [[teletext]], like [[MHP]]), or alongside it in a special [[data]] channel. The [[ATSC]] standard for DTV uses tables sent in each station's [[PSIP]], for example. Users of some systems, notably [[TiVo]], use a dial-up [[modem]] to retrieve EPG listings from a third-party [[server]], if there are only analog TV signals available. In the U.S., these devices receive [[time signal]]s from local [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] [[TV network]] [[affiliate]], so that they can record on time.

An EPG allows the viewer to takebrowse advantage of [[features]] such as programprogramme summaries, [[search]] by subjectgenre or [[television station|channel]], immediate access to the selected program, reminders, and [[parental control]] functions. It also enables services such as [[video on demand]], which may be [[gratis|free]] or [[pay-per-view]]. If the device is capable of it, an EPG can enable one-touch [[television recording|recording]] of programs, such as some [[DirecTV]] [[IRD]]s can do with a [[VCR]] andusing an attached [[infrared]] [[emitter]] (which [[emulate]]s a [[remote control]]).

See also: [[DTT]], [[NexTView]].

EPGs are typically sent within the broadcast [[transport stream]] (included in [[teletext]], like [[MHP]]), or alongside it in a special [[data]] channel. The [[ATSC]] standard for DTV uses tables sent in each station's [[PSIP]], for example. These Userstables ofare some systems, notably [[TiVo]], use a dial-up [[modem]]meant to retrievecontain EPGthe listingsprogram fromstart atime third-partyand [[server]]title, ifand there areadditional onlyprogramme analogdescriptive TV signals available´metadata´. In the U.S., these devices receive [[time signal]]s from local [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] [[TV network]] [[affiliate]]s, so that they can record on time. Most systems, however, rely upon third party ¨metadata aggregators¨ (companies such as Tribune TV Data or Gemstar TV Guide in the US and Europe), to provide good quality data content.

== External links ==

* http://nxtvepg.sourceforge.net/intro.html

For state-of-the-art digital EPGs see: [[http://www.broadbandbananas.com/vvepg.html EPG applications]][[http://nds.com/applications_showcase/epgs.html NDS]], [[http://www.tvtv.de TVTV.de]],

[[http://www.tvtv.co.uk TVTV.co.uk]], [[http://www.gemstartvguide.com/footer/demos.asp Gemstar]]

Analogue EPGs:

[[NexTView]]

* [[http://nxtvepg.sourceforge.net/intro.html Sourceforge/NextView Info]]

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