Is it normal for unsubbed channels to appear white in the guide?

[glen4cindy]

I've called DTV about this a couple of times without resolution.

There are random channels that appear in bright white, like the ones that I am subscribed to, in various places in the guide, even up in the 500's like 509, 512, 527...etc.

I'm in a grandfathered package, not that it should really matter, and the one thing that keeps me here is the Esquire Channel. It's in my package, and not in the XTRA package that I would move to.

At any rate, why would these random channels appear like they do, as if I can watch them? It does not usually cause a problem, but, there is a time or two when this has happened on other channels.

Thanks.

 

[fayrich]

I've seen that from time to time also with the premium movie channels. Normally they are grayed out instead of the bright white. Have thought that maybe someone had made a mistake and that the channel was live. But not the case. Guess it's just a bug in the system.

 

[scots]

Happens on mine too.

 

[dishrich]

Do a search here on CIG (channels I get) & you'll see it's ALWAYS been a problem...sometimes more worse than others, with no apparent resolution...

 

[NGeorge]

This has been an issue that D* ever since they released receivers that could show which channels are subscribed to or not. E* has always showed this info, and it is always right (I do believe they can also hide channels you don't get until you subscribe). My theory is that D*'s list of subscribed channels is merely a database that is shot to the receiver once and then rarely updated (when it should be with every lineup change, channel name change etc) whereas E* receivers actually check the data stream actively show show this information correctly. Again, this feature was tacked onto D* but E* has always had it - - I'm sure someone who understands this better can enlighten me. One thing I can say I like about the THR-22 is that it doesn't show this data - - but allows you to create your own list of channels you receive - - you can make it 'forget' whatever channels you want.

 

[Annie61]

Thanks for asking the question, I've been with Direct for a few years now and it has puzzled me also.

 

[glen4cindy]

Thanks for all the information. It's interesting the CSR's don't know this. I've called and asked.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Jimbo]

This has been an issue that D* ever since they released receivers that could show which channels are subscribed to or not. E* has always showed this info, and it is always right (I do believe they can also hide channels you don't get until you subscribe). My theory is that D*'s list of subscribed channels is merely a database that is shot to the receiver once and then rarely updated (when it should be with every lineup change, channel name change etc) whereas E* receivers actually check the data stream actively show show this information correctly. Again, this feature was tacked onto D* but E* has always had it - - I'm sure someone who understands this better can enlighten me. One thing I can say I like about the THR-22 is that it doesn't show this data - - but allows you to create your own list of channels you receive - - you can make it 'forget' whatever channels you want.

You have always been able to make Custom lists with D*.

Make up your list, select it and you don't see the rest of the channels.

 

[goober22]

I have a custom list but I leave the premium channels in it so they show up on free previews. I still have 3 white channels showing from the last Starz preview.