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TV Channels: A Shorthand Code


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Old 18-02-2006, 23:24
Star Attraction
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Back in 1986, I fell into the habit of referring to the four terrestrial channels as follows:

B1 = BBC1
B2 = BBC2
I1 = ITV
I2 = Channel 4

My code for Channel 4 was I2 because to all intents and purposes, it was the ITV2 of the day for a number of reasons:
The ITV franchise holder had to pay a Fourth Channel Subscription to Channel 4 (or S4C in the case of HTV Wales)
On ITV they said "Starting on Channel 4", and on Channel 4 they said "Starting on ITV"
The fourth button on many TVs, which people used for Channel 4, was marked ITV2.

As we all know, it took until the digital age for the real ITV2 to appear.

By the early 90s my coding changed as follows:
B1 = BBC1
B2 = BBC2
I1 = ITV
C4 = Channel 4

When Channel 5 (now Five) started, I was able to add another code as follows:

C5 = Channel 5
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Old 18-02-2006, 23:44
aland1999
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As interesting as that is, I'll just stick with the following for references:
1 = BBC1
2 = BBC2
3 = ITV1
4 = Channel 4
5 = Five
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Old 19-02-2006, 02:46
nobbynolan
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Originally Posted by aland1999
As interesting as that is, I'll just stick with the following for references:
1 = BBC1
2 = BBC2
3 = ITV1
4 = Channel 4
5 = Five
classic response
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Old 19-02-2006, 10:25
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I know some people who refer to itv as BBC 3 saying"put it on bbc 3" long before bbc 3 was born they were refering to itv-channel 3 as in sequents you say bbc1 bbc 2 so bbc 3 bbc 4 naturally.
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Old 19-02-2006, 10:41
Star Attraction
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Since the launch of DTT, there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of channels available from a land-based mast through an aerial.

I have been able to assign further shorthand codes to many of them. Here's the list now, with the DTT channel number, my shorthand code (where possible), and name. N.B. Pay channels (Top Up TV or otherwise) are in italics.

1 B1 = BBC1
2 B2 = BBC2
3 I1 = ITV1
4 C4 = Channel 4
5 C5 = Five
6 I2 = ITV2
7 B3 = BBC3
9 B4 = BBC4
10 I3 = ITV3
11 S3 = Sky Three
15 a1 = abc1
16 Q1 = QVC
20 f1 = ftn
27 D1 = Discovery
28 D2 = Discovery Real Time
30 I4 = ITV4
70 B5 = CBBC Channel
71 B6 = CBeebies
75 I5 = CITV
80 B7 = BBC News 24
81 B8 = BBC Parliament
97 X1 = Television X

N.B. On cable and Sky, S1 = Sky One and S2 = Sky Two, but they aren't available on DTT. This is my reason for choosing S3 = Sky Three.

The rest of the TV channels on DTT I can't think of 2-character codes for. Any suggestions? Again, pay channels are shown in italics.
8 8
12 UKTV History
13 More 4
14 E4
17 UKTV Gold
18 The HITS
19 UKTV Bright Ideas
21 TMF
22 Ideal World
23 bid tv
24 price-drop tv
25 TCM
26 UKTV Style
29 UKTV Food
31 More 4+1
32 E4+1
33 Eurosport UK
34 SETANTA SPORTS
35 Men & Motors
36 Xtraview
37 Quiz Call
72 Cartoon Network
73 Boomerang
74 Toonami
82 Sky News
83 Sky Sports News
84 Bloomberg
87 Community
88 Teachers' TV
98 Red Hot
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Old 19-02-2006, 10:57
most_haunted
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Originally Posted by Star Attraction
14 E4
E4?
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Old 19-02-2006, 11:12
stuart62
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I'm obviously missing something here - I always refer to the channels by their actual names! Wierd, I know but there you go!
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Old 19-02-2006, 11:37
Star Attraction
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Do you not see the logic to my letter/number code?

BBC Channels
1 B1 = BBC1
2 B2 = BBC2
7 B3 = BBC3
9 B4 = BBC4
70 B5 = CBBC Channel
71 B6 = CBeebies
80 B7 = BBC News 24
81 B8 = BBC Parliament

ITV Channels
3 I1 = ITV1
6 I2 = ITV2
10 I3 = ITV3
30 I4 = ITV4
75 I5 = CITV

Channel 4 Television Channels
4 C4 = Channel 4
13 More 4
14 E4
31 More 4+1
32 E4+1

Channel 5 Broadcasting Channels
5 C5 = Five

Sky Channels
- S1 = Sky One (not on DTT)
- S2 = Sky Two (not on DTT)
11 S3 = Sky Three
82 Sky News
83 Sky Sports News
Plus others not on DTT (e.g. Movies range and Sports range)

UKTV Channels
12 UKTV History
17 UKTV Gold
19 UKTV Bright Ideas
26 UKTV Style
29 UKTV Food
Plus others not on DTT

Discovery Channels
27 D1 = Discovery
28 D2 = Discovery Real Time
Plus others not on DTT

Sit-Up TV Channels
23 bid tv
24 price-drop tv
Plus others not on DTT

Television X Channels
97 X1 = Television X
- X2 = Television X2 (not on DTT)
- X3 = Television X3 (not on DTT)

Other Channels
15 a1 = abc1
16 Q1 = QVC
20 f1 = ftn
18 The HITS
21 TMF
22 Ideal World
25 TCM
33 Eurosport UK
34 SETANTA SPORTS
35 Men & Motors
36 Xtraview
37 Quiz Call
72 Cartoon Network
73 Boomerang
74 Toonami
84 Bloomberg
87 Community
88 Teachers' TV
98 Red Hot

In each group, DTT pay channels are in italics. Many of the channels I still haven't devised suitable codes for. Any ideas?
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Old 19-02-2006, 11:42
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As if i hadnt woken up hung over and confused enough now im really blagged!

whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!

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Old 19-02-2006, 12:00
stuart62
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Originally Posted by Star Attraction
Do you not see the logic to my letter/number code?
no I don't, I'm afraid. Why do you need a code in the first place? Aren't the channel names descriptive enough?
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Old 19-02-2006, 18:30
KianD
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Isn't having a "code" for the channels just a little.... no, sorry, its completely and utterly obsessive.
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Old 19-02-2006, 18:31
BillKay
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Totally irrevelent thread
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Old 19-02-2006, 18:35
mr.ian
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Sometimes thoughts should remain in your head, don't post them on forums for sane people to ridicule you.
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Old 19-02-2006, 19:13
THE BORG
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One of the old TV listings mags did channels in code and also the guide was like the TV GUIDE you get in the usa something like this


06.00
SKY1 DJ KAT
SKY N Sunrise
SKY M Opens at 2pm
TCC Huva
SCR S Opens at 3pm
LI ST Opens at 9 am

or something like that

may it was 3 letter code not 4
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Old 19-02-2006, 20:30
Netizen
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I've got one for you:

OCD - Can anyone guess what that is shorthand for?
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Old 19-02-2006, 20:40
THE BORG
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Spoiler
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Old 19-02-2006, 20:41
THE BORG
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Originally Posted by Star Attraction
Back in 1986, I fell into the habit of referring to the four terrestrial channels as follows:

B1 = BBC1
B2 = BBC2
I1 = ITV
I2 = Channel 4

My code for Channel 4 was I2 because to all intents and purposes, it was the ITV2 of the day for a number of reasons:
The ITV franchise holder had to pay a Fourth Channel Subscription to Channel 4 (or S4C in the case of HTV Wales)
On ITV they said "Starting on Channel 4", and on Channel 4 they said "Starting on ITV"
The fourth button on many TVs, which people used for Channel 4, was marked ITV2.

As we all know, it took until the digital age for the real ITV2 to appear.

By the early 90s my coding changed as follows:
B1 = BBC1
B2 = BBC2
I1 = ITV
C4 = Channel 4

When Channel 5 (now Five) started, I was able to add another code as follows:

C5 = Channel 5

So BBC 4 is B4 that sounds like Data's long-lost brother
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Old 19-02-2006, 20:44
Netizen
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Originally Posted by THE BORG
Spoiler
Whoosh....
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Old 19-02-2006, 21:02
topuptvnow
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I think a good codename for Cartoon Network is CN.
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Old 20-02-2006, 10:00
kmusgrave
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Originally Posted by Star Attraction
Do you not see the logic to my letter/number code?
When do you use thes codes? In conversation? In print? Just curious
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Old 20-02-2006, 10:03
THE BORG
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Some of the older channels did use codes like

TLC-The Learning Channel
HVC-Home Video Channel
TCC-The Childrens Channel
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Old 20-02-2006, 12:33
most_haunted
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Interesting, but pointless - sorry. If you were talking to someone about BBC News 24 and called it B7, they would be confused and you would have to explain the whole code thing, whereas if you just called it BBC News 24 in the first place you wouldn't have to explain anything. The normal way is quicker! :P
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Old 20-02-2006, 21:57
dvboy
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I can understand in the days of analogue satellite and cable some channels would be referred to by 3 or 4 letter codes because you could tune them individually into a TV and many TVs had (and still have) the space to label the channel with a 4-character name. On analogue cable boxes the channels are still labelled in this way.
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Old 20-02-2006, 22:16
Aeneas
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Here's a novel idea -
BBC1 = BBC1
BBC2 = BBC2
ITV1 = ITV (fair enough)
C4 = Channel 4

And the rest...
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Old 20-02-2006, 22:18
stuart62
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I notice that the OP has never come back to explain himself. Maybe he thinks we're all nuts!
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