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DarkJedi

Last reply May 6, 2011 · posted in Cable Television and Fiber Providers

Time Warner Guide - Nobody else finds it cumbersome?

I recently switched from Dish to TWC because I wanted SNY. While I didn't expect the same guide features I had with Dish (multiple customizable menus, etc.), I did expect something better than this. No customization, channels in some random order, the whole menu with hundreds of channels to look through to find what I want.... Seriously, customers put up with this? I'm not technologically challenged by any means, but this is just way too clumsy and cumbersome.

For what it's worth, yes I do know about the fav button, but it's a poor solution. The fav buton allows you to flip through your favs. How is that better? It's like the old days when I was a kid and only had 12 channels.

I could have (and still could) get Direct for cheaper, but had initially decided against another satellite with contracts, leases, etc. I am seriously reconsidering. Really, folks, I can't believe customers of TWC tolerate this.

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DarkJedi

May 3, 2011

Cablecard's not an option, too few channels (and my 6-month-old TV doesn't have a slot). But I'm not sure I'm understanding something here. If I used the regular cable connection from my box to the TV instead of the HDMI cable, that's not really analog, is it?

jayn_j

May 4, 2011

DarkJedi said:
Cablecard's not an option, too few channels (and my 6-month-old TV doesn't have a slot). But I'm not sure I'm understanding something here. If I used the regular cable connection from my box to the TV instead of the HDMI cable, that's not really analog, is it?

Well, yes it probably is.

The vast majority of cable systems, and TWC in particular will encrypt all of the digital channels. You need the cablecard or a box to apply the decryption. The exception is the local HD channels. The FCC has ruled that cable companies must provide these in unencrypted form (clear QAM). Thus, you can receive these on the TV tuner from the cable.

The only other ones generally available without a box are the old analog NTSC signals, usually on cable channels 2-36. These are generally lower quality and always standard definition. These are the channels that the cable companies are steadily eliminating. A cable operator can put several digital channels in a single analog slot so eliminating an analog channel in favor of 4-6 digital ones makes good business sense.

Cable systems differ greatly across the country, so YMMV. I have heard reports from some that their cable system will transmit the basic channels in clear QAM. Usually smaller systems. I have never heard of TWC sending any cable channel out unencrypted. In fact, there have been incidents where the local stations have been encrypted until the FCC stepped in and told them to cease and desist.

DarkJedi

May 4, 2011

OK, Jayn, I am a relative HD newbie. My cable box (HD/DVR) has several ways to connect to my TV, including HDMI, a regular coax cable type connection, and RCA type connections. So, are you saying that unless I use one of the HDMI connections, I won't see any HD TV and will only get the lower channels. To be clear, I am talking about connecting whichever from the box to the TV.

jayn_j

May 4, 2011

DarkJedi said:
OK, Jayn, I am a relative HD newbie. My cable box (HD/DVR) has several ways to connect to my TV, including HDMI, a regular coax cable type connection, and RCA type connections. So, are you saying that unless I use one of the HDMI connections, I won't see any HD TV and will only get the lower channels. To be clear, I am talking about connecting whichever from the box to the TV.

I guess I misunderstood the earlier post. I was under the impression that you wanted to eliminate the cable box entirely and hook the cable directly to the TV. My previous answers are based on that assumption.

However, with a HD capable cable box, you will receive all the signals authorized for that box. Now there is a different discussion. The RF connection from box to TV is the lowest resolution possible. It outputs a standard definition NTSC broadcast signal. The composite (yellow jack) is only slightly better and is still standard definition. You would still receive the high definition channels, but the cable box would convert them back to standard definition.

Your box may have component connections (red, green, blue) and these can provide a high definition signal to the TV. You would still need to connect the red and white audio connections.

HDMI is high definition as well, and by far the simplest. You plug in a single cable and get both audio and high definition video to the TV.

You may also need to set menus on both the DVR and the TV for 1080 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio in order to receive the proper high definition image.

Hope this helps.

DarkJedi

May 6, 2011

OK, so now that we got that out of the way, back to my original question about using the TV's menu. I'll probably actually have time to give this a try this weekend, but if I connect my tv to my cable box using a regular coax cable or by some other means besides HDMI, will I be able to scan for channels and use my TV to tune in the channels I want to watch, thereby avoiding the TWC "Navigator?" (Under this plan, if I wanted to watch HD I'd use the HDMI hookup.)

jayn_j

May 6, 2011

No, that puts us back to my response #9.

If you connect through the cable box, you do the channel select through the cable box with all that entails, including the navigator. The cable box becomes your TV tuner. The output is either one of the video ports, or it can be the RF (coax) one. If it is the RF one, you need to keep the TV tuned to channel 3 or 4 to receive the output.

If you bypass the cable box, you will only get the limited analog channels, unless you provide another decoder. That decoder could be a cablecard (but you don't have a slot in your TV) or a TIVO. Those really are your only options.

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klang

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply 3 minutes ago · posted in TV Shows

Rockford Files Reboot?

'Rockford Files' Reboot Gets NBC Pilot Order

I grow tired of all the reboots. Most I don't bother with but will depend on the actor chosen.

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osu1991

May 11, 2026

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYMwxTdjoXn/?igsh=MXU1czQyZnh0cnM3dA==

Premiere in January on nbc and peacock.

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klang

May 11, 2026

January? OK.

I'm sure I will check it out. Not getting my hopes up but I did enjoy the actor in SEAL Team. Never saw any of his earlier work.

long_time_Dish

May 12, 2026

Yeah, I'll check it out as well, but shan't be holding my breath...It'll be tough to equal James Garner in that role...

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harshness

May 12, 2026

long_time_DNC said:
...It'll be tough to equal James Garner in that role...

I can think of a few actors (including some females) who might fit the bill.

This will all depend on the storyline. I'm not sure how well it will translate. Modern TV hasn't been all that kind to PIs and even less kind to CIs (confidential informants).

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klang

3 minutes ago

Premier is Saturday, Jan 2nd. Moving to Thursday on the 7th.

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osu1991

Pub Member / Supporter

10 minutes ago · posted in Movie Talk

The Man With The Bag (2026) Prime

View: https://youtu.be/PEVkJHLq4rQ?si=Cs2pQAy8FFngT9d1

December 2, 2026

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osu1991

Pub Member / Supporter

14 minutes ago · posted in Movie Talk

Bad Day - Netflix

View: https://youtu.be/zHSYXDLH4io?si=ii_fgehv2a3rOBkA

Dec 11, 2026 Netflix

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MorCowbell

Last reply 44 minutes ago · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Saved OTA list on Dish can't be appended

I have Dish with Hopper3. I choose to get local channels OTA and had a "guide list" established at my previous home. Having moved a few miles away, I wanted to update the list by appending a couple new stations via a rescan. As many would know, some stations come in with the UHF/VHF antenna aimed in one direction, while others come in better with a different direction.

Unfortunately, when a scan is done (bringing in 25-30 stations for that particular antenna aim), the dialog screen does not present the established guide list; it presents an empty field to the right that the scanned stations may be selected one by one and added to the empty guide. But because of antenna aim, some stations originally saved are missing, and would have to be retrieved with a different antenna aim. But as I explain, if a 2nd scan is done with a different antenna aim, the stations saved from the first scan are lost.

It troubles me that Dish didn't develop software that would allow a user to simply append only 1 or 2 channels to the established list.

Any thought on this? Has anyone experienced this or heard of this from others?

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dishstaller

Tuesday at 9:42 PM

I could very well be wrong....it has been a LOT of years but back when I had a 722K it seemed like when you went back to the scan screen that you could just scan again and it would ADD those channels to the previous list or you could delete the previous results and only add the channels from the new scan.

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n0qcu

Yesterday at 10:41 AM

dishstaller said:
I could very well be wrong....it has been a LOT of years but back when I had a 722K it seemed like when you went back to the scan screen that you could just scan again and it would ADD those channels to the previous list or you could delete the previous results and only add the channels from the new scan.

I am not sure about that but I do know that you could manually add additional channels just by entering the actual RF channel number and the older receivers would add the virtual channels to your list

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dishstaller

Yesterday at 11:11 AM

n0qcu said:
I am not sure about that but I do know that you could manually add additional channels just by entering the actual RF channel number and the older receivers would add the virtual channels to your list

Like I said.....that has been many years ago. Swapped my 722K for a Hopper in 2012.

It does seem like I remember having to delete the existing channels when we did a rescan. Back then our local stations KEPT monkeying around with things and it was non-stop complaints from customers about their channels not coming in. Got so bad that I stopped selling OR installing OTAs....something I had been doing since 1984 so you know it HAD to be pretty bad.

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MorCowbell

Today at 10:06 AM

You made one of my points for me with this comment, Dishstaller:

"... local stations KEPT monkeying around with things and it was non-stop complaints from customers about their channels not coming in ..."

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dennispap

Today at 4:08 PM

dishstaller said:
I could very well be wrong....it has been a LOT of years but back when I had a 722K it seemed like when you went back to the scan screen that you could just scan again and it would ADD those channels to the previous list or you could delete the previous results and only add the channels from the new scan.

I remember that also on my 722.

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dishstaller

45 minutes ago

dennispap said:
I remember that also on my 722.

Thanks.....has been too many years to remember clearly.

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Bobby

44 minutes ago

Keep in mind that the 722 had a built in OTA tuner and the 722K had a plug in module for OTA. The Hoppers and Wallys use an add on USB OTA dongle. I believe they are entirely different.

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Linus Tech Tips

51 minutes ago · posted in Linus Tech Tips

My F-You To Sam Altman

Time for another AWESOME video from Linus Tech Tips!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/spXuvLHTIs4

Direct YouTube Link - My F-You To Sam Altman
Linus on Facebook
The LTT Store

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TWiT Tech Podcast Network

51 minutes ago · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

watchOS 27.3 Beta - Siri Recap and Live Rewind Coming!

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MLSSmfls3w4

Direct YouTube Link - watchOS 27.3 Beta - Siri Recap and Live Rewind Coming!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

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osu1991

Pub Member / Supporter

Last reply Today at 3:41 PM · posted in TV Shows

Marvel Television’s VisionQuest

View: https://youtu.be/oSVTAUKyrL8?si=pF-pQQAJIiKjSqx6

Oct 14 Disney+

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osu1991

Oct 14, 2026

Finished the 2nd episode tonight. I'm really liking it so far.

Still hate weekly releases though, especially the way Disney and HBO do it waiting until 8pm to premiere it.

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Foxbat

Oct 28, 2026

Apparently I'm not a big enough nerd

since I did not read every Marvel Comic Book ever published. If I had, I might be comparing the comics' version of events compared to what's transpiring in "Visionquest". So, I am enjoying the series a lot, not weighed down by previous expectations, knowing only the Avengers MCU movies and the "Wandavision" / "Agatha All Along" TV series.

I found the Mr Know-it-All channel from his discussion about "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and he's been gleefully picking these episodes apart, referencing the Marvel comics from the 1939 on. Turns out A.I. has been around since before World War II, at least in the comics. (Robots before that, yes, yes.) This show is going back into the archives.

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Foxbat

Today at 1:32 PM

I'm expecting the finale to basically bring Vision into play for the Doomsday movie next month.

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osu1991

Today at 2:06 PM

annoying they went with single episodes for the last two after releasing two a week for the first 3 weeks

Foxbat

Today at 3:41 PM

osu1991 said:
annoying they went with single episodes for the last two after releasing two a week for the first 3 weeks

I thought they were effectively releasing a longer episode 7 and 8 instead of shorter episodes 7 & 8 this week and 9 & 10 next week. It felt like they were packing more into this episode.

edit: But you're right, the run time of the first three pairs of episodes was 100 minutes on average. Episode 7 clocks in at 65 minutes.

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 3:33 PM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne

Get it?

An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....

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harshness

Today at 11:36 AM

I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

gms49ers

Today at 1:11 PM

Shooz - Styx

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dishstaller

Today at 1:54 PM

Too Much Time on My Hands - Styx

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sdfntx

Today at 3:17 PM

Time Has Come Today - The Chambers Brothers

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long_time_Dish

Today at 3:33 PM

No Time - The Guess Who

Reactions: dishstaller, FTA4PA and RaiderPower

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Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 2:51 PM · posted in DIRECTV General Forum

New Gemini Box

The following is from Reddit. -
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/s/orzHBkmqQW

There appears to be a new DIRECTV Gemini OTT box, the C81KW-650.

The FCC listing is partially available, and a Geekbench entry confirms it uses an Amlogic S905X5, a solid SoC for a set-top box.

I also see 4GB of RAM, and the manufacturer is SEI Robotics.

DIRECTV C81KW OTT Box - Android TV Guide

Ok found a picture of the Box too on Reddit:

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/DirectvStream/comments/1twlex0/comment/opzeqi1/

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Scott Greczkowski

Oct 23, 2026

I know a few people who have gotten one and I am told like most modern streaming boxes this one also has HDR on all the time.

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Tom Speer

Oct 23, 2026

Scott Greczkowski said:
I know a few people who have gotten one and I am told like most modern streaming boxes this one also has HDR on all the time.

I only noticed that as a problem on TVs that handle HDR poorly. They don't have enough peak brightness or enough dimming zones. For instance, TCL makes three lines of TV, sort of like the old Sears model of Good, Better, Best. On my 4 or 5 year end low price model, HDR looked awful (My neighbor likes the TV now). The midrange model from the next model year ithat I have at my Lake home now looks pretty good in HDR all the time. The midrange TCL QM7 model from last year at my other home looks spectacular, as I remember. I haven't seen it for 6 months.

If I had a TV that does HDR poorly, I would configure the Gemini to disable all HDR.

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b4pjoe

Oct 23, 2026

Tom Speer said:
I only noticed that as a problem on TVs that handle HDR poorly. They don't have enough peak brightness or enough dimming zones. For instance, TCL makes three lines of TV, sort of like the old Sears model of Good, Better, Best. On my 4 or 5 year end low price mode, HDR looked awful (My neighbor likes the TV now). The midrannge model from the next model year ithat I have at my Lake home now looks pretty good in HDR all the time. The midrange TCL QM7 model from last year at my other home looks spectacular, as I remember. I haven't seen it for 6 months.

If I had a TV that does HDR poorly, I would configure the Gemini to disble all HDR.

I agree with that. The 2 LGs that we have Gemini's on looks far better with HDR enabled then it does with HDR off.

robjlevin

Oct 24, 2026

Scott Greczkowski said:
I know a few people who have gotten one and I am told like most modern streaming boxes this one also has HDR on all the time.

That would be a deal-breaker for me. The Rokus default to having it on all the time but it's easy enough to change that to native. If the content is HDR it goes on. Otherwise, no.

Redbullsnation

Today at 2:43 PM

I don't mind HDR being on as long as its adaptive. I don't need HDR on non-HDR content

Also, God only knows how much it'll cost to get this per month. 10 bucks a month for 3 TVs in my apartment is not worth it if I can just use my android boxes and appletv to watch

b4pjoe

Today at 2:51 PM

Redbullsnation said:
I don't mind HDR being on as long as its adaptive. I don't need HDR on non-HDR content

Also, God only knows how much it'll cost to get this per month. 10 bucks a month for 3 TVs in my apartment is not worth it if I can just use my android boxes and appletv to watch

It is not adaptive. HDR is either always on or off. No in between. However with my Gemini on satellite everything looks much better with HDR on.