Starhub Denies EPG
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RESPONSE TO STARHUB'S ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST IN THE DISTRIBUTIION OF ELECTRONIC PROGRAMME DATA ON WWW.HTPC-GEAR.COM
We the undersigned, petition to Singapore's Cable TV provider (Starhub Limited) to allow the redistribution of its Cable electronic program guide. Our case is as follows:
1. The community of Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC) users in Singapore is growing. For every user, an integral part of an HTPC is the ability to view an electronic television program guide (EPG) via the HTPC interface. Without such information, one would have to manually refer for program information over the Internet, Starhub's periodical, or via the digital set-top box interface. Moreover, recording of television shows would also be affected, as one would have to manually enter dates, start and end timings. As such, denial of such information destroys a great aspect of the HTPC experience.
2. At present, Starhub does not provide EPG data in a manner that can be natively imported into a computer. Therefore, Singaporean HTPC users have 3 options:
A) To be disgruntled and live without an EPG in their HTPC setup.
B) To employ sophisticated software that trawls through Starhub's online guide, and convert this into a file that can be natively employed by the HTPC. Do note that this is both tedious and time consuming for the user.
C) To download a nicely packaged and customised file from www.htpc-gear.com and import it hassle free into our HTPCs. Do note that no consideration has been paid by end user to the website, it is a free service and the guide data is not being resold.
3) We, as paying users of Starhub's cable TV services are shocked and appalled by Starhub's move to order www.htpc-gear.com to cease the distribution of EPG data. It insults and disturbs us at so many levels. Firstly, as PAYING CUSTOMERS, we feel that it is our right and entitlement to consume this information. If Starhub does not offer the information packaged into a native file for our consumption, who else can we turn to?
4) In addition to point 2(b), it defies logic that Starhub is ordering the cessation of distribution of EPG data on www.htpc-gear.com. This is because, if every user were to import information from Starhub directly, it would pose demands on both Starhub's server and bandwidth. Having the information downloaded only once, packaged into native file formats, and redistributed for end-user consumption is obviously the smarter choice.
5) In light of the present situation, and with the emergence of HTPCs both in Singapore and globally, it is already lackadaisical of Starhub to not provide EPG data in supported formats.
6) Therefore, we are complaining and demand the following:
- Starhub to allow www.htpc-gear.com to distribute EPG data
- As an alternative, Starhub should immediately and freely provide such EPG data in natively compatible formats to subscribers. If starhub does not know how to do so, they can start by learning from www.htpc-gear.com
7) In conclusion, it is frightening that Starhub is Singapore's only cable TV provider. If Singapore had alternative providers who provided such a service, many of us would be migrating right now. We feel that it is in Starhub's duty to us, as to its stakeholders, to accede to our demands.
Yours truly,
The undersigned.
We the undersigned, petition to Singapore's Cable TV provider (Starhub Limited) to allow the redistribution of its Cable electronic program guide. Our case is as follows:
1. The community of Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC) users in Singapore is growing. For every user, an integral part of an HTPC is the ability to view an electronic television program guide (EPG) via the HTPC interface. Without such information, one would have to manually refer for program information over the Internet, Starhub's periodical, or via the digital set-top box interface. Moreover, recording of television shows would also be affected, as one would have to manually enter dates, start and end timings. As such, denial of such information destroys a great aspect of the HTPC experience.
2. At present, Starhub does not provide EPG data in a manner that can be natively imported into a computer. Therefore, Singaporean HTPC users have 3 options:
A) To be disgruntled and live without an EPG in their HTPC setup.
B) To employ sophisticated software that trawls through Starhub's online guide, and convert this into a file that can be natively employed by the HTPC. Do note that this is both tedious and time consuming for the user.
C) To download a nicely packaged and customised file from www.htpc-gear.com and import it hassle free into our HTPCs. Do note that no consideration has been paid by end user to the website, it is a free service and the guide data is not being resold.
3) We, as paying users of Starhub's cable TV services are shocked and appalled by Starhub's move to order www.htpc-gear.com to cease the distribution of EPG data. It insults and disturbs us at so many levels. Firstly, as PAYING CUSTOMERS, we feel that it is our right and entitlement to consume this information. If Starhub does not offer the information packaged into a native file for our consumption, who else can we turn to?
4) In addition to point 2(b), it defies logic that Starhub is ordering the cessation of distribution of EPG data on www.htpc-gear.com. This is because, if every user were to import information from Starhub directly, it would pose demands on both Starhub's server and bandwidth. Having the information downloaded only once, packaged into native file formats, and redistributed for end-user consumption is obviously the smarter choice.
5) In light of the present situation, and with the emergence of HTPCs both in Singapore and globally, it is already lackadaisical of Starhub to not provide EPG data in supported formats.
6) Therefore, we are complaining and demand the following:
- Starhub to allow www.htpc-gear.com to distribute EPG data
- As an alternative, Starhub should immediately and freely provide such EPG data in natively compatible formats to subscribers. If starhub does not know how to do so, they can start by learning from www.htpc-gear.com
7) In conclusion, it is frightening that Starhub is Singapore's only cable TV provider. If Singapore had alternative providers who provided such a service, many of us would be migrating right now. We feel that it is in Starhub's duty to us, as to its stakeholders, to accede to our demands.
Yours truly,
The undersigned.
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