Hopper channel numbers

"Michael P" said:

I just noticed on the E* web site that some channel numbers differ from the "standard" receivers on the Hopper. This is especially true with the Muzak® & Sirius/XM audio channels, where the channel numbers look just like QAM channel numbers.

Why can't all the channel numbers stay the same? This just causes confusion.

Click to expand...

I am sure that gets confusing and takes time to get used to.

At least Dish offers the following for the Sirius XM channels if you want a reference to what channel they are on on the Hopper:
http://www.mydish.com/downloads/Channel-Lineup/SiriusChannelGuide.pdf

Aren't RSNs numbered this way, too?

RSNets, Sirius/XM and International channels are all part of the new collapsible guide format on the Hopper/Joey.

Yep ... and I am surprised that it isn't a bigger complaint about the receiver.

I remember when my local RSN was channel 429. Now it is 41219 ... and it takes five keypresses to jump to the channel by number instead of three.

James Long said:

Yep ... and I am surprised that it isn't a bigger complaint about the receiver.

I remember when my local RSN was channel 429. Now it is 41219 ... and it takes five keypresses to jump to the channel by number instead of three.

Click to expand...

What happens if you punch in just 429 and enter?

Michael P said:

What happens if you punch in just 429 and enter?

Click to expand...

The next closest available channel is chosen. (438-01 SD Big Ten Network on my receiver.)

What possible advantage could there be to this "collapsible guide format"? 3 and 4 digit channel numbers are bad enough.

Michael P said:

What possible advantage could there be to this "collapsible guide format"? 3 and 4 digit channel numbers are bad enough.

Click to expand...

For example, it allows access to Sirrius Music channels in the most used part of the guide without taking up a huge amount of room. Using favorites you can have the "expansion" show just the music channels that you want. Click on 99, it expands, click on 99 again, it collapses. It one heck of a lot more user friendly than going to the 4 digit channels. If it offends you, leave 99 out of your favorites list and do it the old way. If you have more than 100 channels, how can you have fewer that 3 digits? Dish uses mapping to make sure that you don't have to use 4 digits and the "collapsible guide format" improves on that.

patmurphey said:

If it offends you, leave 99 out of your favorites list and do it the old way.

Click to expand...

There is no such option. If you leave "99" out of your favorites list the 6000 channels do not magically reappear. If a channel is mapped to a "collapsible channel" on the Hopper/Joey it disappears from the normal position.

Picking 6001 vs 9901 is a wash if one knows the channel numbers. Picking 41219 vs 429 is a bigger change.

If you have more than 100 channels, how can you have fewer that 3 digits? Dish uses mapping to make sure that you don't have to use 4 digits and the "collapsible guide format" improves on that.

Click to expand...

There are still four digit channels in the guide. Some PIs and public test/temporary channels are there.

(DISH had the PI channels assigned as collapsible channels before the release of the Hopper/Joey but the mappings were removed.)