SageTV & new DirecTV HD channels

[phelme]

OK, I just noticed today that some of the new DirectTV HD channels are showing up in the SageTV program guide. Specifically SciFiHD and USAHD. Thing is, they have the same channel numbers as the standard def versions and so can't tune them in ( yes, I have an H20 MPEG4 receiver ). They are up on Zap2It too. Anyone know if they're real or not? Off to AVSForum to see what's up...

[phelme]

OK, the HD is there whew. Wow, they got a lot of the HD channels up. So the question now is, how do I get SageTV and/or the DirectTV receiver to select the right version of the channel? Hmmm this requires some investigation...

[ke6guj]

I thought I remembered somebody having to go into the setup menu of the receiver to show the HD and SD channels separately.

[phelme]

I thought I remembered somebody having to go into the setup menu of the receiver to show the HD and SD channels separately.

I'll look into that.

According to DBSTalk.com, the software in the H20 receivers currently ALWAYS tunes into the SD channel first when tuning by digits, no matter what. you have to use the DirecTV guide to select the HD channel OR Channel Up once the SD channel is tuned. That is certainly what I'm seeing. so no SageTV happiness for the moment.

A new software rollout due later in the year will fix it.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=103825

[BFisher]

How would you use the HD channel with Sage anyways? My STBs are connected to Sage via svideo connection so I don't get to take advantage of the HD channels. I keep hoping the DTV PC card will come out and I can start getting some of these other HD channels into Sage.

[Apap]

Originally Posted by BFisher

How would you use the HD channel with Sage anyways? My STBs are connected to Sage via svideo connection so I don't get to take advantage of the HD channels. I keep hoping the DTV PC card will come out and I can start getting some of these other HD channels into Sage.

I just edited out the HD channels in the program guide.

I dont hold our much hope that we would ever be able to use the rumored DTV PC card with Sage.
If it ever comes out it will most likely follow the same path as the cablecard tuners and only be available in prebuilt systems running Vista.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by BFisher

How would you use the HD channel with Sage anyways? My STBs are connected to Sage via svideo connection so I don't get to take advantage of the HD channels. I keep hoping the DTV PC card will come out and I can start getting some of these other HD channels into Sage.

Well, you can tune the channels, just not get all the HD goodness. It's not REAL HD, but at least you get widescreen and a few more pixels to work with since there is no more letterboxing over the HD channel. I'd rather have down-rezzed analog pseudo HD than none at all. I've been doing this for ages with HBO HD, HDNet, etc.

I fear you're right about the PC card. If DirecTV does start to allow sharing streams between future receivers themselves as rumors claim they will, I'd sadly probably give up on Sage.

[robk]

I'm facing the same issue, using a PVR250 fed by a DTV D-10 (under serial tuning control) via SVideo to watch TV in my office with SAGE for the past few years without problems - all of a sudden tons of HD channels are showing up in the SAGE program guide, but I obviously can't tune to them. Is there any other way to get them off the guide without editing them one by one? It looks like it will only get worse as time goes on, and I'm not ready for HD and won't be for quite a while. And, some of the new HD stations don't have "HD" in the channel name, like "SMTH" - What on earth is that?
Thanks for any ideas!
Rob