Scanning for more channels

[mdovell]

About a few weeks ago I posted about there not being anything when I scan for channels...well somethings have changed....

First I scanned with a antenna - got most of the locals

Then I scanned with the cable directly to the tv as antenna - got about a dozen channels...mostly locals and community

Then I scanned it as cable

I got 317 digital channels and 75 analog to pop up



OK so I checked...I didn't totally wait for it to map it out but that was the final number. The analog stations are all there in the order too (except for pay ones) on the digital it gets odd...I think these might be labeled as in the RF or something...it breaks down like this (I'll post the major stuff)

92.xx these are all the music choice channels

94.1 nhl sports on demand
95 - cspan
98 - bctv
99 hsn
100.11 - pbs
100.12- qvc
100.16 - shop at home (hd?)
100.17 - tv 38 boston (hd?)
100.18 (one of the I stations...might be hd)
102.103
102.105
103.102 these three are some movie ones I think but couldn't find a station id
104.106 - hbo on demand?!?
107x
108x these are locals
109.1 NESN HD
It maxes out at 117.30 that had some black and white movie

there was a mix with some analog stations as well as somethings repeated itself a few times (hense why I should wait for the mapping to end)

I will note that there is some stuff here that isn't listed...one hidden channel but it isn't a major thing...it would be interesting if anything else pops up. I've heard of odd things with this like seeing someone elses ppv's or on demand stations...sounds like security protocols aren't 100%...it could be interesting also if this is true and someone filed a lawsuit for privacy...it's one thing to have a 2 way service to say that the cable co knows what your watching but imagine if everyone on your street did...

 

[grantsa4]

What tv/antenna/cable were you using - how did you get all of these channels?

 

[mdovell]

The tv I have is a phillips hd one...there's a ton of inputs...the hdmi one is for the cable box but for the heck of it I decided to scan some things...

The weird thing is when you see say a movie and there's no tags on movie channels (like there's no hbo in the corner or cinimax etc) it's extreamly hard to say what your watching. There's no guide or channel information at all...

Fortuatly I just was able to a few mintues ago catch the tail end of a movie...I looked up the title and it was for a channel I don't subscribe to...after the movie ended the channel seemed to have ended as well.

I take it that these things beyond 99 (everything below 99 is analog) are a mish mash of channels. But this isn't bad but does take a bit to find out what your watching...unless you see a major actor/actress it's hard to say what the heck you are watching....

the hdtv local channels appear to be in the clear...

the other thing I'm thinking about is some of the overlapping channels might be digital (not hd yet) versions they could be testing of current analog stations.

I'm sure all of this is feed type of material so it can constantly change...

 

[Meathead]

The tv I have is a phillips hd one...there's a ton of inputs...the hdmi one is for the cable box but for the heck of it I decided to scan some things...

The weird thing is when you see say a movie and there's no tags on movie channels (like there's no hbo in the corner or cinimax etc) it's extreamly hard to say what your watching. There's no guide or channel information at all...

Fortuatly I just was able to a few mintues ago catch the tail end of a movie...I looked up the title and it was for a channel I don't subscribe to...after the movie ended the channel seemed to have ended as well.

I take it that these things beyond 99 (everything below 99 is analog) are a mish mash of channels. But this isn't bad but does take a bit to find out what your watching...unless you see a major actor/actress it's hard to say what the heck you are watching....

the hdtv local channels appear to be in the clear...

the other thing I'm thinking about is some of the overlapping channels might be digital (not hd yet) versions they could be testing of current analog stations.

I'm sure all of this is feed type of material so it can constantly change...

The digital channels your are seeing are those that are QAM encoded. You most likely are seeing some OnDemand and PPV feeds (that would explain the channels that ended after the movie). It's really funny when you come across a neighbor watching a PPV in fast forward to the "good" parts.

Those feeds will always be shifting and in order to stay on top of them you would have to constantly scan. However the digital broadcast channels aren't likely to change very often.

I just use my box because with the exception of the locals, the other HD channels are not broadcast "in the clear" QAM encoding. What you are seeing are the non-encrypted channels.

 

[mdovell]

Some of the stuff shifts all right...the number of scanned channels consistantly has gone down per day...the locals have stayed at the same numbers but there is this gap area I won't mension that seems to be what you said the wild feeds of on demand content...sometimes it just stops...it would be a bit interesting as to the timing w/ the content...I don't think they'd be much midday but now you can tell what's watched at late night...