Replacement guide for Windows Media Center

[MRMILSTAR]

I have been using Windows Media Center (WMC) with Windows 7 for almost 10 years. I host this on a home theater PC (HTPC) which I built. I use this in combination with a Ceton 4-channel cable tuner card and a cable card which I rent ($2 per month) inside the HTPC to record and watch encrypted and unencrypted cable TV programs. I also use the HTPC for all of my media needs including watching movies of any format and listening to music. Even though Microsoft stopped supporting WMC with the release of Windows 10, it still works great with Windows 7 which is pretty amazing considering that it hasn't been updated or supported in over 5 years.

Microsoft has now announced that both Windows 7 and the electronic program guide (EPG) needed for WMC will no longer be supported starting in January 2020. I don't need Windows 7 updates or support. I can just keep on using it with no problem. The problem is the EPG. Without an EPG WMC is useless for recording or watching TV programs. I need to find a replacement for the EPG.

I have been reading about the EPG123 guide as a replacement for the discontinued Microsoft EPG. It requires a yearly subscription of $25 which is reasonable. Does anyone have any experience with EPG123? Are there any other replacement EPGs that anyone knows about?

Please don't suggest that I just buy or rent a TIVO. I want to keep my HTPC as my sole media player/recorder.

[MRMILSTAR]

Since I made this posting I have installed EPG123, which is freeware, to replace the WMC Electronic Program Guide (EPG) which will cease working on December 31, 2019. I can report that EPG123 works as advertised. The EPG listings are also far superior to what Microsoft was supplying from Rovi. The EPG123 EPG listings come from Gracenote which is the most widely used source of EPG information. A Gracenote subscription costs $25 per year. I highly recommend EPG123 if anyone is using WMC as a DVR and needs a replacement EPG.