HDTV Channel Numbering

[Azam]

Personally, I find it quite difficult that the HDTV channel numbers are all done in their frequency, rather than the virtual number. I am having a difficult time adjusting to my channel 3 being listed on channel 50. My main problem with this is that it puts my HDTV channels about as far away from the non-hd channel as it can get. And with a cable tuner and a broadcast tuner this becomes a nightmare when checking for HDTV program.

In any case, I would like to see the ability to actually "remap" the channels as the remap button suggests. To be able to map them to an arbitrary number of our own choosing. SageTV maps WISCTV in our area as channel 50 (its digital frequency.) On broadcast it is channel 3 (HDTV 3.1), and cable channel 9. When I used WinXP MCE for a bit they mapped it as 1031 which was even easier to handle than 50.

I don't know if something like this would be possible to implement, but it would be nice to be able to select how the channel is displayed (in the guide) at the very least without messing up the frequency.

...Or am I way off base here?

[SteveP]

I agree with you. It is awkward figuring out what goes with what. Another area the lack of mapping affects is the digital tuner with the TV lists channels with their virtual numbers so that channel 8 analog lines up with channel 8 digital. On
Sage, channel 8 is somewhere else (I still can't remember where). Virtual channel mapping would be handy.

Steve

[Steve52]

A lot of us would like to see a way to change the number on HD channels. I ask the same question when I was setting up my system. FYI, I have found that it helps to use channel LOGO's. Maybe Sage will get channel number ID change for channels in some future release.

[thorhtpc]

Is there any official response on virtual channels for digital broadcasts? Right now this does not pass the WAF and is the only thing that is stopping me from taking the plunge.

[bcjenkins]

Are you running version 5 yet? All of my HD channels are mapped "virtual" 4-1, 7-1, etc..

HIH

B

[thorhtpc]

Yes, I am running V5. I went back to source setup and deleted my Fusion tuner. Then I added it back, hoping that it would use the virtual channel #'s. No luck, they still used the RF channel #'s. Then I did a manual scan for all channels. This was the magic ticket. Now all of the digital channels use the virtual channel #'s.

So if you want virtual channel #'s for ATSC channels you need to do a manual channel scan when setting up the channels.

Thanks for letting me know it was at least possible.