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EPG Reshuffle?
Mark-Scott
Posts: 360 Forum Member
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I think its about time Sky did a complete overhaul of the EPG as it is getting very crowded and has lost some of its order from the past.
How about:
100's = Free To view entertainment channels:
001 = BBC1
002 = BBC2
003 = BBC3
004 = BBC4
011 = ITV1
012 = ITV2
013 = ITV3?
021 = C4
022 = E4
023 = E4+1
031 = C5
plus any other channels which do not need a sky sub to watch
100's = Entertainment
200's = Kids
300's = Movies
400's = Sport
500's = News and Docs
600's = Music and Radio
700's = Shopping
800's = PPV
900's = Foreign / Adult
I would then have each channel either subsequent or on every other number to allow for additions. I would put a default adult lock on 900's which would cut off foreign too (easy to remove from services)
You would then know exactly what channel is in what section it the 1xx channels will be entertainment.
I know there are some flaws in this system IE QVC being FTV etc but I think its a start, what do you all think?
How about:
100's = Free To view entertainment channels:
001 = BBC1
002 = BBC2
003 = BBC3
004 = BBC4
011 = ITV1
012 = ITV2
013 = ITV3?
021 = C4
022 = E4
023 = E4+1
031 = C5
plus any other channels which do not need a sky sub to watch
100's = Entertainment
200's = Kids
300's = Movies
400's = Sport
500's = News and Docs
600's = Music and Radio
700's = Shopping
800's = PPV
900's = Foreign / Adult
I would then have each channel either subsequent or on every other number to allow for additions. I would put a default adult lock on 900's which would cut off foreign too (easy to remove from services)
You would then know exactly what channel is in what section it the 1xx channels will be entertainment.
I know there are some flaws in this system IE QVC being FTV etc but I think its a start, what do you all think?
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Comments
But yes, it is a mess.
Apart from not being able to hide channels you don't subscribe to. Or not being able to change channel numbers yourself. Or not being able to allocate a channel number to any channel that is broadcast.
It's a bit stupid that TCM is tucked behind all the Sky movie channels on the EPG if you can only watch TCM, is it not? My mum didn't even realise she could get TCM until I pointed it out.
And it's a bit silly that you can't replace 103 with the ITV region that you want, not what your postcode says you should get.
And even though the EDTV channels are broadcasting at 28.2, you can't allocate them a channel number yourself, on a box that you own?
Rag
Really, I'd have £26.50:D
Seriously, get a decent receiver get motorised and forget about SKY, I have and I dont miss it.
the channels you did not have would not show up!
So, when you where channel surfing, you did not get the anonyance of a blank screen telling you to upgrade!
But then then changed the analog boxes and it show them again! Worst thing!
Why cant sky do this? Do sky really think that if you dont subscribe to a channel, seeing a blue screen with a telephone number is really going to make you dash for the phone, tripping over the cat or dog, and subscribe?
Well, I dont! and it does not work for me
(as i skip over all the movie and sports channels)!
They really need to do some more uptodate market research
(dont all us sky digi have a method to do it already??)
The idea was once said on here someware
"let us use channels 001 - 100 for our own setup"
Bravo, I would love this feature!
This way everyone would be happy, We could all have our channels on whatever number we like and everyone else who wouldn't have a clue how to tune in channels could keep their normal EPG!!
BTW. Just wondering, When we had analouge Telewest I remember them promising the new digital boxes would allow you to number your own channels. Is this not the cases now?
BTW. If anyone has FTV Sky did you know that if you turn your box on with the card upside down then the EPG will only show FTA channels. OK the downside is you'll lose ITV C4 C5 and BBC until June (and for some strange reason Chart Show TV) but it saves twalling endless blue screens!!
The EPG takes up the bottom half of the screen when u press TV Guide. The top left containing information that appears when you press i and the top right contains the channel feed itself. saves ducking in and out of the EPG if the channel is showing crap.....
I think this is technically impossible, at least on existing Sky boxes. The TV Guide is basically another channel and therefore to have both the TV Guide and a channel onscreen at the same time would require two recievers.
Maybe it's possible with the Sky+ boxes??
the USA satalite network called i think the "Dish Network" not sure about the name anyways my sister has this in the USA and it is very simailar to what you described i love that setup but unfortunatly they have no style over there and it looks terrible!!! the colour scheme is crap!! but im sure us British can make it look better not sure how they made this feature possible?? good idea though...
Noooo!!!! That would be like ntl have now and the low memory on the boxes means that there is only a 3 day epg (it was seven but it was so slow as to be unusable).
If you're worried about missing something, just dip into the EPG during the adverts.
Afraid not mate. Apparently this used to be so but not any more.
If there is no card in the box then the box will boot up with the full range of channels. Something to do with one of Sky's recent software upgrades. It's a bit annoying that Chart Show TV disapears though cos my g/friend is FTV and it would be really handy to cut the crap out of the ch. line up but with only 3 music channels FTA, 1 is too much too lose.
Does anyone know why CSTV disappears like this when all the other FTA's remain?
Wouldnt like the original suggestion, 001 bbc 1 002 bbc 2 003 bbc 3 and so..on..
they should group the channels.. in a similar way.. 001 -5 terrestial 010 + rest of bbc channels.. and other.. things like that..
On a Freeview DTT box if you just type "1", it waits and switches to BBC1, if you hit "1" twice, it realises you want "11" and goes there. Why couldn't Sky make the boxes change channel that way? They could then keep the 3 digit code, but let "1" - "20" select from the favourites list...
DP
They are running out of space with the 100's of shopping channels
dpg
Yes, that would be very useful, and would probably put an end to a lot of the "wouldn't the EPG be better if..." discussions.
Telewest had a system for a short time where you could number your own channels but then they changed it to a system like skys with sections depending on genre, which i might add is in as good an order as sky and nothing like NTL's order.
One thing i like about Telewest is that you dont get any black screens when you dont sunscribe to a channel because they take it off the EPG . Good work Telewest
-Chris
Someting needs to be done about this end of the EPG. One option is to move the religious channels up higher so there is more room for shopping.