Yes, extremly helpful, thanks!
ABout the epg stuff I guess it depends on the provider. For Media Center, it fetches the epg from a provider as xml, and then media center keeps a small sqlite db with info on all shows, scheduled recordings etc which it grooms on a regular basis. Stuff like if an episode is a rerun or new episode is very sketchy and works sometimes, much dependant on the epg provider. I guess, if you only have to rely on in-band guide data then you simply can't build the more "advanced" features" like the "record only new episodes".
What surprises me a little is why webOs ONLY schedule episodes by the time, which is kind of dangerous when it comes to series, that might be moved to another timeslot for reasons unknown. It also makes me wonder how webos handles partial recordings (like if there was a power out in the middle of the recording). WMC keeps track of this and records the rerun (if exists) if there was a partial recording of the original scheduled recording. The database, showid tracking is much more reliably, you will seldom miss an episode of your favorite show.
It feels like WMC and TivO are more advanced when it comes to PVR than the webOS (or maybe LG has not implemented all features yet, or maybe they feel that PVR is yesterdays technology, and streaming is the future (which it most certainly is).
Too bad LG won't embrace an "open door policy" when it comes to future development of their TV platform. Maybe it will change as they will release their TVs to additional markets (hell, here in Sweden we don't even have the app store yet), but has a tech geek, I really like the way we can interact with members of the xbox team for example by twitter and fb and blogs. And MSFT is not a small company, so that is not an excuse on LGs behalf. But I guess MS is more tech oriented by nature...
This platform show lots of promise definetly, and it is evident that the focus for LG is not the traditional way of watching TV, but rather the online social network streaming way.
I will hold off my purchase until the app store is opened and we hear word from the most popular on demand service providers, when they plan to release apps for this new platform.
/H