Channels that do not show on the guide - what does that mean?

[TravelFan1]

I've posted my question on the appropriate Uplink activity report but I am afraid the question should be on its own thread.

When I select the option "All Channels" on my receiver, what exactly am I supposed to see? reason for the question: I can't see, for instance, any of the RSNs other than the ones I get being a NYC metro area subscriber - shouldn't I see them all? Or would I only see them in the guide if I were to subscribe to the Multi-Sport Pack?

My original question follows below:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-ne...6-11-11-2009-uplink-report-4.html#post2023291

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Greczkowski
Note there was a problem with the Uplink PC and thus the delay in the uplink report.

Sorry for the delay...

SatelliteGuys.US DishNetwork Uplink Activity Report - 11/11/2009 5:42pm - 32 changes
Uplink Comparison Range: 11/11/2009 11:00A - 11/11/2009 05:30P
...
597 - RCORD [MPEG2 SD] - EchoStar3 61.5W TP 18 ConUS beam changed package flags (A)

I have a question about the above. Until 11/11, 597, Record TV, was on preview mode and I was able to watch it. After this uplink, I can no longer watch it, which I was expecting if it was a one-week preview. But what I wasn't expecting is that ever since, I cannot "see" channel 597 not even when I select "All Channels" in the Guide Menu - does that mean that, for whatever reason, my satellite dishes that point to 61.5W can't "see" this ConUS?

 

[Jim S.]

Dish hides some channels from non-subscribers, others are visible. I don't know what the logic to it is, or even if there is in fact any logic. (Other than, obviously, hiding non-local locals so that the guide isn't thousands of channels long!)

 

[space86]

Did you try hitting the guide button again and
getting a list of all subscribed channels?

 

[TravelFan1]

Did you try hitting the guide button again and
getting a list of all subscribed channels?

Yes, I usually leave the guide on the option "All Sub". I changed to "All Channel" and, back to the channel 597 described in my original post, it doesn't show, it jumps from 596 to a channel in the 600s(I am not home, so I don't remember by heart to what channel it jumps to).
Ditto with the RSN - I can't see, for instance, Big Ten Net in HD, channel 9500, even when "AlL Channels" is selected.

 

[bschulte]

Yes, I usually leave the guide on the option "All Sub". I changed to "All Channel" and, back to the channel 597 described in my original post, it doesn't show, it jumps from 596 to a channel in the 600s(I am not home, so I don't remember by heart to what channel it jumps to).
Ditto with the RSN - I can't see, for instance, Big Ten Net in HD, channel 9500, even when "AlL Channels" is selected.

The RSNs will only show if you have them as local RSNs or you subscribe to the Multi-Sports Pack. Even then, if you don't live in certain areas, you won't be able to get SportSouth (437) and Comcast Sports TV New Orleans (421). So zip code also plays a part in what you do and do not see.

 

[DishSubLA]

I think, in your specific case with Record TV, you can no longer see it on the EPG probably because it was uplinked there (61.5) only for the duration of the free "preview." All internationals are now at 118 only. That is the home of all internationals, now.

There are A LOT of channels that Dish does not make visible on the EPG unless you subscribe to them. As pointed out in an earlier post, the out-of-market (region) RSN are only visible on the EPG if you subscribe to them. Many LIL's that may be on your spot beam or on a ConUS transponder WILL NOT be visible on the EPG if it is not supposed to be viewed in your city, but the data is in the stream going into your box (the signal is there, so to speak), but Dish won't allow the EPG to show it, and your box just discards that video/audio data.

Dish probably doesn't allow certain channels to be seen in the EPG because they probably don't want to deal with the high number of phone calls from people inquiring about them. I suspect all the RSN's are not shown on the EPG because legions of people would probably call Dish wanting to subscribe to the Multi-Sports Pack thinking they are gonna get all those out of market games listed, but CSR's would have to explain that they would not get them. In other words, it may serve to confuse more than drum up business.

Now, last I used a Direc TV system, it seems they really do show all the channels (not all the LIL's, however) on the stream on the EPG in the All Channels guide. However, I found this to be really annoying as it was not apparent which of those channels I could not get, anyway, and the box would leave the programming and display the error box saying I can't receive that channel, even ones that I know I would not qualify for. At least Dish has such channels in red and won't leave the programming you are tuned to if you try to change to that channel from the guide, unlike Direc TV.

 

[Awohar]

The reason for hiding channels is because there is a limit to the number of channels that the guide can display. If you overflow the table, subscribed channels might be lost from the EPG. So, DISH tries not to hit this maximum by hiding channels so as not to lose data for subscribed channels.

 

[DishSubLA]

The reason for hiding channels is because there is a limit to the number of channels that the guide can display. If you overflow the table, subscribed channels might be lost from the EPG. So, DISH tries not to hit this maximum by hiding channels so as not to lose data for subscribed channels.

My understanding from Dish engineering to the limit of the table is that it is not merely the number of channels that can be displayed in the guide, but the number of channels that it can actually "receive, " meaning that there is a limit to the number of channels that can be mapped internally for "tuning," while EPG display is a related, but secondary issue.

However, this is a big problem with Legacy equipment, not the new stuff. Legacy can only see a maximum of 3 sats (I was told by Dish Engineering). I can't recall the exact number, but latest boxes such as DishPro--and ViP's even more-- have way more capacity on the "channel" table than currently being used by even 4 or 5 sat subscribers. The primary reason for hiding channels there is to avoid unescessry calls. Dish can, on post-legacy for sure-but even on legacy, easily display all the RSN's, but they choose not to so that they can avoid confusion. They display in red or green what they want so that sub can call and add those channels--or show the sub what he is missing.

Who, knows, maybe they will display all the RSN's at some point.

 

[TravelFan1]

To all of you that answer my question - thank you very much for clarifying this issue for me.

 

[T_N_T]

The RSNs will only show if you have them as local RSNs or you subscribe to the Multi-Sports Pack. Even then, if you don't live in certain areas, you won't be able to get SportSouth (437) and Comcast Sports TV New Orleans (421). So zip code also plays a part in what you do and do not see.

I have always wondered why I didn't get CST New Orleans when I have the multi-sports pack, is that channel on a spot beam? I'm not sure I understand why I don't get it.