HD Channel numbering

[Jason]

Does anyone know if it would be technically possible for this to work...?

Could BHN load the channel "maps" differently for SD and HD boxes, and use the same channel numbers for both? In other words, 8 would be NBC on both boxes, but the HD box would actually be tuning to 608, while being displayed as 8. It's like the channel aliases that are used on OTA digital channels.

I don't know why an HD subscriber would ever choose the SD channel over the HD channel when the programming is the same, unless they weren't aware that a particular channel was also broadcast in HD.

Hopefully, I've explained myself well enough. It just seems like it would be much simpler to default to the best quality picture, without having to re-learn a whole new set of channel numbers.

[skottey]

Does anyone know if it would be technically possible for this to work...?

Could BHN load the channel "maps" differently for SD and HD boxes, and use the same channel numbers for both? In other words, 8 would be NBC on both boxes, but the HD box would actually be tuning to 608, while being displayed as 8. It's like the channel aliases that are used on OTA digital channels.

I don't know why an HD subscriber would ever choose the SD channel over the HD channel when the programming is the same, unless they weren't aware that a particular channel was also broadcast in HD.

Hopefully, I've explained myself well enough. It just seems like it would be much simpler to default to the best quality picture, without having to re-learn a whole new set of channel numbers.

What a wonderful idea you have. It makes so much sense. So much sense that DirecTV and Dish have been doing it for ages. Actually.... with my DirecTV, I can see CNN/CNNHD right next to each other in the guide but they share a channel number. Entering in 202 takes me to the HD version of the channel. Further, it gives you the option (and I have elected to accept it) to "hide sd duplicates." So, standard def CNN no longer shows up in my guide. I love this feature.

Regarding who would rather watch an SD channel than HD.... I think it is a few things. 1- ignorance of how much better HD is (ding ding ding dummy, you bought the HD TV, get an HD picture), 2- ignorance in channel number (ding ding ding dummy, BHN has A&E HD in the 700s, go find it), 3- ignorance about new adds.... unless you look or read these boards, you won't know about new HD adds with BHN, since they are so stealth about adding the channels. Most subscribers fall for this. I'll bet if you took a poll, 97%-98% of HD subscribers of BHN in Tampa wouldn't know we just got FXHD and LMNHD. Nobody bothered to tell them. For me, I have always been obsessed with getting new channels. I remember the days, growing up in Michigan with Cablevision, checking the high end of the channels (high 30's when I was a kid) to see if anything new was added. They got all the way up to the 70's after I left and then came along digital. I remember watching "ha!" before it merged with "Comedy Channel" to form "Comedy Central". Many people watched the lower 30 and that was it. People resist change. That is why it is so damn hard to launch a new cable channel. Personally, I am always looking for new channels. This time I happened to find FXHD and LMNHD before I read it on these message boards and this board actually beat sat guys to the punch this time. I think I made the announcement over there. With the last round of adds for BHN, I read it here first. But in both cases, I didn't hear about it from BHN.

[Jason]

I figured someone had to be doing it...I knew my idea was anything but original :)

I like the DTV idea of filtering out duplicate channels between SD and HD in the grid. Maybe (??) that can be a wish-list item in the new Bright House interface, whenever that finally hits homes.

I was one of those people who didn't know about the new channels until I stumbled on them...when I hit the bottom of the HD list, and realized that FAMHD was no longer the bottom. A quick check of the BHN site shows that they now finally announce the new channels, but what would be so hard about an E-Mail update to subscribers on the day of launch? These days, text alerts are the in-thing...why not offer that?

I should stop thinking now...it only gets me in trouble.

[bdraw]

That's another thing I love about Vista Media Center, with my CableCARD tuners I can make the channels numbers whatever I want them to be.

The funny thing is when even the analog channels aren't right, like 28, which told me they want to be as low in the lineup as possible.

As for why some use the analogs when they have digital, maybe you want to record a show that isn't presented in HD, so why waste the disk space on an upconvert?

[SomeRandomIdiot]

Could BHN load the channel "maps" differently for SD and HD boxes, and use the same channel numbers for both? In other words, 8 would be NBC on both boxes, but the HD box would actually be tuning to 608, while being displayed as 8. It's like the channel aliases that are used on OTA digital channels.


to a certain extent, BHN is already to this, though not to the extent you are suggesting. Cablecards use analog for the single and double digit channels while the BHN STBs use the digital feed.


The funny thing is when even the analog channels aren't right, like 28, which told me they want to be as low in the lineup as possible.


its because of their "lifeline" service where they pass NTSC channels 2-13. 28 is a Cable Qam channel and not a NTSC channel so, yes, they wanted them lower on the physical dial.

[pilotbob]

I don't know why an HD subscriber would ever choose the SD channel over the HD channel when the programming is the same, unless they weren't aware that a particular channel was also broadcast in HD.


I have heard some people with DVRs say that they record the SD versions rather than the HD because they cable DVRs just don't have enough space to keep a decent amount of shows. But, to me, whats the point of HD if you aren't watching HD... I rarely watch live. This is the main reason I got a Tivo, cause I could expand it.

BOb

[skottey]

I have heard some people with DVRs say that they record the SD versions rather than the HD because they cable DVRs just don't have enough space to keep a decent amount of shows. But, to me, whats the point of HD if you aren't watching HD... I rarely watch live. This is the main reason I got a Tivo, cause I could expand it.

BOb

I've never heard of anybody doing this with an HD program. However, if you have HBO HD and HBO and the movie is not broadcast in 16x9 or HD, you might record it on the SD channel to save space, but even upconverted SD stuff looks better on the HD channels, so I would NEVER do this.