sofasurfer

One channel shows that it is 11:28 and the current show (which started at 11:00) for that time is playing. Another channel will show (at the same time) that it is 11:31 and the show that starts at 11:30 is playing. So I then go back to the previous channel and it is still 11:28. What the....
So differant channels start there programming at differant times and display incorrect times to cover up the fact that they have done this. The time display has nothing to do with actual, true time.
I have an "Insignia" box.
Whats this all about?

1inxs

sofasurfer, Welcome to the DTVUSA Forum. The broadcasters send out information through the Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP). This information isn't always input correctly by the broadcaster, as you have already experienced.

Aries

Someone screwed up and got the time wrong by a few minutes. It happens.

sofasurfer

This is on an antenna system.
It doesn't "happen". It is a regular occurrence, every day. I just went through the channels and I found 3:21, 3:23, 3:24 and 3:25.
Is this a sign of the unprofessionalism that we can expect in the digital age? I had satelitte and cable years ago. This NEVER happened.
And if it was a case of someone "entering the wrong time" you would still see the program start at the same time as other programs. This is not the case. The programs start at the displayed time whether the time is correct or incorrect. In other words, one channel says it is 3:30 and its show starts. At the same time a differant channel says that it is 3:28. That channels program will not start for another 2 minutes, 2 minutes after the other channel started. This makes no since, but if you pay closer attention you will see that this is the case.

Don_M

That's certainly true, but it sometimes happens "accidentally on purpose." This past season, "Lost" chronically ran several minutes past 10 e&p/9c; one week, it was nearly eight minutes over. Could it be that the network asked the producers to tack on another five minutes or so -- or was it because ABC made much more money on advertising during "Lost" than on commercials during "Life on Mars"/"The Unusuals?" I'm not a betting man, but if I were, my chips would be on the latter.

ABC isn't alone -- Fox is about the same, and NBC has been known to dabble in this as well. Haven't seen CBS or CW do it, though.

TonyT

Could be that and/or a result of networks trying to fool DVRs too. There were a lot of complaints about an American Idol/Adam Lambert performace that ran 5-10 minutes longer than the normal schedule back in April.

Piggie

If most of the country is like the Gainesville market it's the local stations that set the PSIP "clock". Now why this "clock" is not tied to WWV or even the network I don't know. I don't know that much detail of the inside of the new digital studios. But apparently they are not kept on time automatically.

Here are my current local stations by network

WUFT PBS 0
WJCT PBS 0
WTLV NBC +31 minutes
WJXX no reception
WCJB ABC 0
WGFL CBS -1 minute
WOGX FOX + 127 minutes

All of them had the correct program data to match their time.
Except WOGX, which said it was 8 pm something and the program guide had the 11pm news. Now that is messed up!

Also in the above list WGFL doesn't normally run that close, they are often an hour off.