Yes.
If you look at some of my earlier postings (search for orbiter EPG), I had done exactly this.
Basically, there are two data grids that are exposed by the MythTV plugin, as well as the VDR Plugin:
* Current Shows - Which shows a list of all channels, and the current shows on them.
* All Shows - Which shows a list of all shows on the currently selected channel in Current Shows.
Screen 242 is reserved for this purpose, and is currently only filled in for the UI2 variation as the on-screen gyro-guide.
If you open up the designobj pointed to by Screen 242, you'll see these two data grids laid out side by side, and some other buttons etc.
However the default data grids for this purpose used on this screen were designed to be automatically scrolled by the MouseHandler present on the UI2 OSD, and thus do not have <Scroll Up> <Scroll Down> buttons available for use on UI1 orbiters, so you have to copy down the settings for those data grids into new data grid objects. I added a P to the extra options field so that the data grid could be scrolled.
I also built a new designobj for the TV guide views so that I could change the cell background image etc...
I also remember at one point I had replaced the left keypad area with the current shows datagrid, but I took it off...It will be back on my system at least sometime after 0810's release.
These were not released to the public because I wanted to do more UI tweaking, but my point is, if you're willing to learn designer, and dig in a bit, you CAN implement this without needing to touch the code base.
I do know posde was doing work in this area as well, he has a custom designed VDR remote, that has his EPG on it. I do not know whether we will be releasing it into the main database as is..
Point being, you can do it, if you're willing to put in some time.

Oh, also. Suspend works simply by pressing the power button. If you hold it down, you will turn it completely off.
-Thom