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steecoe
Last reply · posted in DIRECTV General Forum
Whats the average or max video bitrate that DIrecTV's HD is set at?
48 Replies · 8556 views
C
Wow great discussion!

Our local ABC affiliate packs Live Well HD alongside it's ABC HD feed. And I guess there's an ABC SD and LiveWell SD feed to. ABC looks washed out compared to other networks.

DirecTV doesn't carry LiveWell in SD or HD, but were not missing much. I can get it in ClearQAM from the cable feed and theres nothing to write home about. The one thing is that the 10:1 MPEG2 SD channels on the cable feed blow the SD channels on DirecTv out of the water. DirecTV's SD is very overcompressed. Some of the Cable's QAM SD looks so good that from a distance its hard to tell its not SD.
T
Wow great discussion!

Our local ABC affiliate packs Live Well HD alongside it's ABC HD feed. And I guess there's an ABC SD and LiveWell SD feed to. ABC looks washed out compared to other networks.

DirecTV doesn't carry LiveWell in SD or HD, but were not missing much. I can get it in ClearQAM from the cable feed and theres nothing to write home about. The one thing is that the 10:1 MPEG2 SD channels on the cable feed blow the SD channels on DirecTv out of the water. DirecTV's SD is very overcompressed. Some of the Cable's QAM SD looks so good that from a distance its hard to tell its not SD.

With all those subchannels, no wonder ABC PQ is poor.

DireCTv's SD channels, particularly the locals, are very poor. DirecTv reduces the resolution of the SD channels to get more into the available bandwidth.
Some cable systems are almost as bad, probably the best SD quality comes from FIOS.
goaliebob99
With all those subchannels, no wonder ABC PQ is poor.

DireCTv's SD channels, particularly the locals, are very poor. DirecTv reduces the resolution of the SD channels to get more into the available bandwidth.
Some cable systems are almost as bad, probably the best SD quality comes from FIOS.

SD channels are going away soon. Expect them to be gone in a few years, as HD is the new standard.

It may not be because of how many subchannels the station is carrying. If the feed to Directv is fiber, it most likely is a full bandwidth signal. If it's ota, then probably not.

Most likely via OTA. Could be ASI depending on the market and station, even then some stations package their OTA feed on their ASI signal. So the benefit of full bandwidth may not be there. It all depends on how they have their ASI signal packaged, how many streams are on it. The real benefit of having an ASI signal is that if the station goes down for transmitter maintenance there is no downtime and there are also no weather conditions that could effect an asi signal. Fiber is only used in back haul cases from the LCF to the uplink and that is due to cost. It makes no sense to run an expensive fiber when the station can run a copper line locally. Yes while there are cases where fiber is ran, but that is very slim. Hawaii and Alaska are one of these rare cases due to the distance.

They send what they get. If the feed to them is crap, it is going to be crap when the customer watches.

I have heard that FiOS is pretty bad about screwing with PQ, by cramming the QAM's to max, then what Direct does. Now for granted that there are a couple of channels that are downscaled, but nothing like Verizon or Dish does.

Most of the time its the HD feed downresed and center cut. Especially for the local channels as there is no separate SD feed from an atsc signal unless the station provides it. The only time that I have seen an SD feed would be something on a subchannel and usually is completely different from their main content channel, so DirecTV takes the main HD and downgrades it to an SD feed.
T
K9sat - I don't think we are really disagreeing. The three main delivery mechanisms for the off-air stations are OTA (as we both agree, the most common), copper and fiber. You posted that fiber was not used but then you reversed that by saying fiber was RARELY used, used only where distance made it cost-effective and I am sure that's the case.
It's good to see a posting from someone who actually understands how all this works.

broe67 - other than being center-cut from the HD channel (which has its own issues) the "SD signal" could be pretty good quality, but DirecTV actually deliberately reduces the resolution so as to get more SD channels on each transponder.
I think your comments on FIOS are incorrect though. FIOS is the only provider that delivers HD locals in their full OTA resolution (in MPEG2) and you can't do better than that.
raoul5788
SD channels are going away soon. Expect them to be gone in a few years, as HD is the new standard.

Won't this require every sd sub to have their equipment switched out to hd (mpeg4)? If so, why hasn't Directv be doing this for years?
Hutch1814
Won't this require every sd sub to have their equipment switched out to hd (mpeg4)? If so, why hasn't Directv be doing this for years?

Directv has started rippling out mpeg4 markets. It's a huge under taking to say the least. Lots of man power and resources are used. I don't see directv going away from SD in the next several years though. Takes too much money, and too many man hours to switch a market over once their is 18X20's and round 18's up everywhere
raoul5788
I would venture a very small percentage. In the years since 99 and 103 have been used, I remember maybe two or three posters saying they can get 101, but not 99 or 103.
Hutch1814
I would venture a very small percentage. In the years since 99 and 103 have been used, I remember maybe two or three posters saying they can get 101, but not 99 or 103.
It actually happens more times than some people think. It's not a super common thing but we do get it enough for I to be an issue if we was to go full HD
raoul5788
I'm not saying they would have to use 99 and 103 for hd. They can switch the channels on 101 to mpeg4, saving a lot of bandwidth. Of course every sd customer would have to have mpeg4 boxes.
goaliebob99
K9sat - I don't think we are really disagreeing. The three main delivery mechanisms for the off-air stations are OTA (as we both agree, the most common), copper and fiber. You posted that fiber was not used but then you reversed that by saying fiber was RARELY used, used only where distance made it cost-effective and I am sure that's the case.
It's good to see a posting from someone who actually understands how all this works.

broe67 - other than being center-cut from the HD channel (which has its own issues) the "SD signal" could be pretty good quality, but DirecTV actually deliberately reduces the resolution so as to get more SD channels on each transponder.
I think your comments on FIOS are incorrect though. FIOS is the only provider that delivers HD locals in their full OTA resolution (in MPEG2) and you can't do better than that.

Yea sorry if I made that confusing. When I wrote the first post I forgot about our friends in AK, and HI. Porto Rico falls under the same, but I think that might be under the Latin America umbrella. Yes as far as I knew from talking with a few engineer friends over at Fios, fios try's to pass everything as uncompressed as fesable. That doesn't mean that compression isn't happening, they are just more liberal on how much they don't compress.
goaliebob99
Won't this require every sd sub to have their equipment switched out to hd (mpeg4)? If so, why hasn't Directv be doing this for years?

Eventually yes, there is a cost factor there. Directv is waiting for all of those RCA SD boxes to die off that never seem to die. There is a point where the numbers makes the transition feasible. With upgrades and people now having 3-4 HD sets in a house the SD only box is dwindling, to include MPG4 markets where everyone is given an HD receiver regardless if they have HD or not. There comes a point in time where the bandwidth gained from the 101 slot going HD and customer upgrades makes it worth while to swap out the remaining SD only boxes. If you have seen the new directv protection plan premier which gives you a free upgrade every two years at no additional cost, could be apart of the master plan at moving forward. So not only is every electronic device covered, you also get upgrades free, granted you are paying more for the plan. When you add the cost of the plan over the time span with the upgrade, the upgrade is nearly paid for, leaving the cost of the upgrade dramatically reduced, thus lowering the cost of the transition an all HD system and making the upgrades fesable at the same time.
goaliebob99
Directv has started rippling out mpeg4 markets. It's a huge under taking to say the least. Lots of man power and resources are used. I don't see directv going away from SD in the next several years though. Takes too much money, and too many man hours to switch a market over once their is 18X20's and round 18's up everywhere

This has already been factored in, and in the end its all about the numbers. There is a point coming up where the numbers say that it is possible to do it. You have to factor in customer upgrades currently and as older sd boxes die, the upgrades that happens then. Also, the new Premier protection plan will help with those upgrades. You also have to factor how many people had Directv and never took down their dish. While it may seem like there are more upgrades out there than what there really is. Directv is closer than what you think to when it comes to starting the sd to hd transition. I would expect to hear more about it in the next few years when it begins.
Anony55
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
For quite a while now, people with a VIP211k have been losing their recordings on their activated external HDDs... even when there's nothing physically wrong with HDD. I believe this is an intentional and underhanded tactic that Dish is pulling in an attempt to force users away from the VIP211k.

They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.

Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.

On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.

It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.

I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
164 Replies · 7274 views
Nebugeater
Got a 211k that works fine, and I no longer need it if someone wants to throw me a few bucks and pay shipping. Not tied to my account as of last week. Used with a tailgater and got a wally
Former member 208119
lovin my hopper 3 and my wireless joey i can roll the tv all over the house if i wanted to :oops: 🤔
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Former member 208119
Class action.
a hopper 3 with 6 firesticks and or if you wanna spend even more money apple tv's
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T
Got a 211k that works fine, and I no longer need it if someone wants to throw me a few bucks and pay shipping. Not tied to my account as of last week. Used with a tailgater and got a wally
Is the 211k still available? If so, I'm interested.
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Nebugeater
Is the 211k still available? If so, I'm interested.


Actually, it is. A couple of people PMed me when I posted this, and when I asked for an address, they never responded. Then I just sort of let it go. Send me a PM to continue the discussion
Anony55
Well, after nine months of being on pause, I finally figured out that I was wasting $5 a month. So I cancelled. For the first time since 2010, I no longer have a Dish account.

I do have to say that I did appreciate the account pause option. That just gives a person some time to see what the fallout of cancelling will be... without having to go all the way over the cliff first.

Since I never once had an "oh shoot, I need Dish Network for..." moment, the decision was a lot easier.

Funny enough, when I called to cancel (for real, not playing the pricing game), all of a sudden, they were offering me deals that I was told before that I couldn't get without changing out my VIP211k. Now, I could have had those specials with them just sending me a new card for the receiver. LOL!

Of course, my mind was already made up because of having not missed the service while on pause. That, and the fact that I bet the 211k still kills recordings.

All in all, I'm glad that I had Dish for all those years. I just outgrew the need, and they pressed the issue by deleting recordings. I would have eventually went this route without the deleted recordings issue. But, for sure, that did hasten the outcome.

I'll still pop in at this site from time to time. Believe it or not, I still have a C/Ku BUD that I intend on playing with again if life ever slows down.
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Scott Greczkowski
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
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....
68493 Replies · 2670147 views
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harshness
Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution - AC/DC
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Bobby
Kiss - The Art Of Noise
long_time_Dish
Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond
sdfntx
White Noise - Jessie Baylin
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dishstaller
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
dfergie
Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU!
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
Hard getting used to the new younger Gibbs, Mark Harmons son had the right look but I understand he didn't want the role.
Still I'm enjoying, pretty good job with Franks.
63 Replies · 4176 views
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KAB
KAB
Mark Harmon is coming back as Gibbs in Origins, for the full season. Just saw, Dinozzo too, on NCIS . That will be an interesting writing project.
dfergie
Really good one with OG Gibbs bookending it...
R
Really good one with OG Gibbs bookending it...
Will the OG Gibbs be on NCIS or will Tony be on NCIS Origins?
dfergie
Tony was there at the end of the episode with Gibbs.
Ramy
Supporting Founder
Last reply · posted in The Sports Section
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
136 Replies · 1299 views
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Y
24 team playoff seems to be real close.

Are we really that far from a 64-team tournament?

The benefit of the 24 team playoff:
  • All the cartel teams that cartels want in playoff are in playoff
    • Independent of record too! Bonus.
  • MONEY!!!!! for the cartels.
  • I'm out of ideas.
Cons
  • Regular season really doesn't matter now other than the rivalry games
    • Top cartel teams can lose three games and still make the playoff
  • Going to start resting players?
    • The playoff is going to be *checks notes* several games!
    • Resting players could make games dumb.
    • Maybe even restrict NIL players from games played.
  • How much are streaming sub costs going up a month to pay for this?!
osu1991
AZ.
AZ.
24 team playoff seems to be real close.

Are we really that far from a 64-team tournament?

The benefit of the 24 team playoff:
  • All the cartel teams that cartels want in playoff are in playoff
    • Independent of record too! Bonus.
  • MONEY!!!!! for the cartels.
  • I'm out of ideas.
Cons
  • Regular season really doesn't matter now other than the rivalry games
    • Top cartel teams can lose three games and still make the playoff
  • Going to start resting players?
    • The playoff is going to be *checks notes* several games!
    • Resting players could make games dumb.
    • Maybe even restrict NIL players from games played.
  • How much are streaming sub costs going up a month to pay for this?!
One of the pro's I see is in a year with so many undefeated teams they have a good chance of an opening. Few years back you had lower divisions that didnt get a shot. I love collage football and I have no problem with that addition.

We are in what week 5 now? Been two real good ranked games to watch.....Other than that top 25 teams are playing nothing.
Jimbo
24 team playoff seems to be real close.

Are we really that far from a 64-team tournament?

The benefit of the 24 team playoff:
  • All the cartel teams that cartels want in playoff are in playoff
    • Independent of record too! Bonus.
  • MONEY!!!!! for the cartels.
  • I'm out of ideas.
Cons
  • Regular season really doesn't matter now other than the rivalry games
    • Top cartel teams can lose three games and still make the playoff
  • Going to start resting players?
    • The playoff is going to be *checks notes* several games!
    • Resting players could make games dumb.
    • Maybe even restrict NIL players from games played.
  • How much are streaming sub costs going up a month to pay for this?!
This will be a SAD DAY when this passes ....

They complained the last year that we had a bunch of Blow Outs in the Playoffs ... heres an idea, lets Double the amount of teams and hope for Closer games ... ya right.

This never should have went past 8 teams, 10 at the most.

Now, I have heard that play in games are being talked about, such as #13 plays #24 and so forth, to cut the field down (why cut it down, just don't expand it.)
I'm not sure exactly how thats going to work out or if it was just someone talking.

They were also talking about starting the Season earlier ...

I really don't like the National Championship game being the end of January ... if the Semi Finals are over New Years, thats fine with the Championship game the next week.
Jimbo
One of the pro's I see is in a year with so many undefeated teams they have a good chance of an opening. Few years back you had lower divisions that didnt get a shot. I love collage football and I have no problem with that addition.

We are in what week 5 now? Been two real good ranked games to watch.....Other than that top 25 teams are playing nothing.
There are 68 Power 4 teams, so eventually they will get there I wouldn't imagine ...
dishstaller
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Chit Chat Club
Can't help but wonder if a worker overlooked checking the harness. I rarely ride a roller coaster anymore but when I do I check the harness myself pretty aggressively.
Can't imagine what the son is going through.

24 Replies · 192 views
Jimbo
dishstaller
Had no idea there were that many redundancies built into those restraints.
Jimbo
Had no idea there were that many redundancies built into those restraints.
It makes sense, however, I would want more types of restraints, so if one doesn't work, the other does ... the restraints coming over the shoulder I would have expected ... with a Seat belt as last resort.

Fwiw, I inquired with what they use on Coasters at Cedar Point, various Coasters, different restraints according to what the car and track requires ...

NONE of the Coasters at CP use THAT particular system :)
I'm glad to see ...
dishstaller
with a Seat belt as last resort.
According to the article, when you see a seat belt on a ride like this, it is basically used as a way of making sure the rider isn't too large/fat to safely ride the ride.
Jimbo
According to the article, when you see a seat belt on a ride like this, it is basically used as a way of making sure the rider isn't too large/fat to safely ride the ride.
Well, the over the shoulder support is better, but would require reconfiguring the cars.
Jimbo
Heres an article from the Akron Beacon ... seeing Six Flags has bought Cedar Point and Kings Island, they are included ...
I said earlier that Cedar Point doesn't use this type of seat restraint ... well, it does use it, But the difference is, the ones up here ALSO have the Over the shoulder restraint as well ... like I was suggesting that they should have used with the Goliath.

One of the new(er) one at Cedar point the Gate Keeper, uses the Clam shell .. I have rode it many times and have Mostly felt secure, that ride will stop you part way on the ride and you just hang, till the ride is ready to continue ... I typically ride the Front Car ... when its getting ready, you ARE hanging, in the car, looking down .... it would require 2 separate restraint systems to unlock at the same time to possibly get out of it.

meStevo
Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in The Sports Section
Schedule drops tomorrow. Mandatory mini camps in June. Hall of Fame game August 6th.
108 Replies · 1556 views
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Y
Selfish Drake Maye holds back on giving the ball to Bills unlike Jags game, gets the win on the road.
zippyfrog
That image is so true - especially after that Giants/Commanders game yesterday.
dfergie
Some tight games that went to the wire...
Y
Selfish Drake Maye holds back on giving the ball to Bills unlike Jags game, gets the win on the road.
A big win for the Patriots, and they are now 3-2.

Browns lose a close one with... The Jets. That is a classic Browns loss (granted, any loss is a classic one it seems). 49'ers, Vikings, and Chiefs remain undefeated. The AFC north have a three way tie at 3-2 for second place. :eek:
osu1991
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M
Hopefully nowhere near a microphone.
dishstaller
Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in Internet Television (IPTV) Discussion Forum
Wasn't exactly sure where to post this. Just had a customer come in inquiring about internet. He has HughesNet and had heard good things about mine. He asked if we provided email addresses and it kinda caught me off guard. I said he should be able to keep whatever email he had been using....my sister in law is still using a BellSouth email addy and they haven't been around here for many years. He said he had gotten a letter from HughesNet stating that they had until Nov 16th to save, move, forward, whatever, their Hughesnet emails because they would lose them after that date.

I have never heard of a company simply mass-deleting email accounts (the customer still has his HughesNet service). From what I understand, in the past, the company who was ditching their email service simply sold the customer base to a company like Google.

Anyone else getting this letter. He said he would show it to me tomorrow when I go out there and set up his internet.
6 Replies · 93 views
Foxbat
Doing a Google of the HughesNet Email notice, it seems that HughesNet has been trying to eliminate hosting emails since 2019. And with HughesNet filing Chapter 11 back in August, it would be a smart move to switch to a more stable Email provider. Even AT&T farmed out their Email to Yahoo! years ago.

SpaceX's Starlink and the Cellular 5G Home Internet solutions have pretty much relegated HughesNet and its high latency, low bandwidth Internet service to History. If Earth had shorter days, maybe a Geostationary Internet Solution might have stood a fighting chance…
dishstaller
Well, I helped him set up a gmail acct....I actually wanted to see what the new process is for setting up a gmail acct since it had been years since I set mine up. Anyway, I showed him how to forward the emails he wanted to keep over.
navychop
If Earth had shorter days,

Wouldn't we then die of old age sooner?

🙄
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Foxbat
Wouldn't we then die of old age sooner?

🙄
Still the same number of years, just more Sunsets…😉
K
Even AT&T farmed out their Email to Yahoo! years ago.

I still have one of those although I've been trying to wean myself off it.
JSheridan
Among my many email accounts I still have a .netscape.net which AOL assimilated a while back.
TheRatPatrol
Last reply · posted in TV Shows
Anyone else watch this show? Any guesses as to what was in the box Gibbs gave to Abby that was on her desk? It look liked it was glowing.

I also heard that someone was leaving the show at the end of this season. Any guesses as to who thats going to be?
2130 Replies · 214632 views
Jimbo

Howard ...
You don't like Tony, or Tony as the Director (he's only been there for 30 seconds now) or you don't like NCIS ?
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Howard Simmons
Howard ...
You don't like Tony, or Tony as the Director (he's only been there for 30 seconds now) or you don't like NCIS ?
Tony as the director.🙄
Jimbo
Tony as the director.🙄
Would you rather have LaRoche ???
dfergie
I liked this episode and a toned down Tony...
H
Last reply · posted in FTA Receiver / Equipment Support
I just received 6 receiver 2 port mini Multiswitch and it work great, no external power need it, and you can connect 6 receiver instead of 4 on most Mini Multiswitches... If anyone is interested in where they can get one PM me....
IMG_1786.webp
3 Replies · 59 views
Titanium
Have you tested using external power? Over the years, have found unpowered polarity switching to be unreliable. Especially problematic when used with DiSEqC motors or switch stacking.
H
No I have not. I just got it the other day and it is connected to six receivers working just fine. What I do is non power mini multi-switches work best with LNBF's and with LNB's
H
It also has a IPS and a OPS switch on the side of it with a power led light showing when is on. It seems to be very nice build switch
Bobby
Supporting Founder Lifetime Supporter
Last reply · posted in DISH Network Support Forum
This is a thread that will keep you apprised of 4K events that will be showing on Dish channel 540. Keep looking here for information.

As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
761 Replies · 166976 views
Bobby
MLB, Brewers at Dodgers, Wednesday 10-14, 5PM PDT, Channel 148-02.
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Bobby
MLB, Brewers at Dodgers, Thursday 10-15, 6PM PDT, Channel 148-02.
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Bobby
CFB, Notre Dame at BYU, Saturday 10-27, 4:30PM PDT, Channel 148-03.
Bobby
NASCAR, Freeway Insurance 500, Sunday 10-18, 12PM PDT, Channel 148-04.
Bobby
CFB, Ohio State at Indiana, Saturday 10-17, 9AM PDT, Channel 148-01.
CFB, Arizona State at Texas Tech, Saturday 10-17, 12:30PM PDT, Channel 148-01.