Channels missing in EPG

[snoop244]

When I set up my source for Rogers Cable, all of the channels show up - but only in setup. I enable all channels and the green dot appears next to all 900 or so channels. After completing setup, I go to the EPG and many of my channels don't show - including most of my HD channels. I've had this problem for a while. I completely wiped my machine after Windows died on me, and just set up Sage again. Same problem.

Any ideas?

[wayner]

I use Rogers and I haven't really had any problems like that. Maybe try setting up the source again with a different city - I believe Rogers uses pretty much the same lineup in all areas in the digital range. For example, if you are in Toronto try entering a Scarborough postal code since Scarb has a slightly different lienup as it was Shaw territory once upon a time.

[smdl]

I'm having this exact problem right now. Just wondering if you found the issue?

Just as you have described, I have set up all of my channels in my two sources (one PVR-500 internal cable tuner, one Hauppauge HD-PVR), but Sage doesn't recognize a bunch of channels in Live TV (everything between 38 and 105, for example). I am also on Rogers, in the Newmarket, ON area.

This is definitely a problem with Sage, as I have a TiVo box that is quite happy to tune to those channels without issue. Also, on the STB running through the HD-PVR, if I manually tune the box to a channel in the missing block, the change occurs, and programming is displayed/recorded without incident. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for your help!

Shaun

[Opus4]

If channels are enabled in Channel Setup, they should be listed in the Program Guide, unless you have a customization installed that hides them.

See the note at the bottom of p. 46 of the v6.4 PDF manual, for the Program Guide section in chapter 3: duplicate station names on multiple tuners are merged in the guide.

- Andy

[wayner]

Originally Posted by smdl

Just as you have described, I have set up all of my channels in my two sources (one PVR-500 internal cable tuner, one Hauppauge HD-PVR), but Sage doesn't recognize a bunch of channels in Live TV (everything between 38 and 105, for example). I am also on Rogers, in the Newmarket, ON area.

Are you sure that those channels are not displayed only in the upper digital ranges of the EPG? Sage will only show a channel at one place in the guide even though Rogers assigns it to 2 or 3 channels. For example, Treehouse TV (the preschool kids' channel) is something like channels 65 and 221. But on the Sage EPG it will only show up in one of those two places even if it comes from multiple sources. This is one of the things that I found most confusing with Sage.

[mibsy]

That explains the problem, now all I need to do is figure out how to fix it the way I want.

Since I have HD-HVR on the DISH STB, it is mapping all the commonly named channels to my Cox Cable guide. However, I need to keep them separate so that the televisions with HD100/HD200 can watch the digital channels, while the televisions with MVP's can use the analog Cox signals. So setting the tuner preference high for the HD-HVR won't help as my televisions on MVP's wouldn't be able to display the HD-HVR channels.

If I could rename the channels in the DISH line-up to CMT-SAT, CNN-SAT that might do the trick and leave the separate but I don't see a way to do that.

[smdl]

Thanks for the information!

No, I don't have any customizations installed yet.

The channels are the same in both tuners, with the exception that the PVR-500 runs only 2-105, whereas the STB/HD-PVR combo runs 2-9xx.

Looking at the HD-PVR channel setup, I think I may see the "problem" All of the missing channels also have matching channels in the higher ranges, and I am assuming that the Sage EPG is simply rolling these up to the higher channel numbers? For example, here is how one channel is listed in the two channel setups:

PVR-500: 40 - BRAVOC
HD-PVR: 40 - BRAVOC [272]

In the EPG, this channel only shows up under 272, so I am assuming that Sage is purposely doing this, and that if it needs this channel when the HD-PVR is already busy, it will automatically tune to channel 40 on the PVR-500 (because channel 272 isn't available on that tuner)? This makes sense, in a warped kind of way, but I wonder why Sage wouldn't just consolidate on channel 40 (instead of 272) as that channel is actually available on both tuners.

I've just done a quick test, and the results seem to support my hypothesis, but confirmation would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help.
Shaun

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by smdl

I've just done a quick test, and the results seem to support my hypothesis, but confirmation would be appreciated.

Confirmation is already stated in the manual reference I posted.

If you want certain logical channel numbers used, remap the logical numbers in Channel Setup.

- Andy

[smdl]

Thanks, Andy. I did read the manual -- it's just a bit of and abstract concept and wanted to make sure I understood it properly. wayner's post, which I didn't see until after I posted, also provides confirmation. Thanks to all.

Shaun

[wayner]

Originally Posted by smdl

Looking at the HD-PVR channel setup, I think I may see the "problem" All of the missing channels also have matching channels in the higher ranges, and I am assuming that the Sage EPG is simply rolling these up to the higher channel numbers? For example, here is how one channel is listed in the two channel setups:

PVR-500: 40 - BRAVOC
HD-PVR: 40 - BRAVOC [272]

In the EPG, this channel only shows up under 272, so I am assuming that Sage is purposely doing this, and that if it needs this channel when the HD-PVR is already busy, it will automatically tune to channel 40 on the PVR-500 (because channel 272 isn't available on that tuner)? This makes sense, in a warped kind of way, but I wonder why Sage wouldn't just consolidate on channel 40 (instead of 272) as that channel is actually available on both tuners.

If you go into Channel setup and disable channel 272 for the HD-PVR then it should show up as 40 for both tuners.

It seems that what Sage calls a channel number is very arbitrary. What is important is the channel name -i.e. BRAVOC. As long as Sage keeps track of what channel to tune for BRAVOC on which source then you should be okay and it kind of doesn't matter where it shows up in the EPG. In fact, you could do your own totally custom lineup if you wanted where all channel numbers were totally different from the actual Rogers assigned channel.

We have a similar setup except my analog tuner is a PVR-150 and I have it connected to a Rogers SD box (I also have an OTA tuner to get the Buffalo OTA channels plus CBC-Toronto). I have disabled all of the lower channels below 100 and kept them enabled in the digital range since the digital range is somewhat more logical with channels grouped into themes like sports in the 400s, etc.

For my HD-PVR I have disabled all of the non-HD channels since I don't want SD channels recorded in H.264 as they seem so much harder to work with than MPEG-2 channels. That means that I can only record 1 SD channel + 1 HD channel at once but that is okay (plus the OTA channel if desired). I just bought a second HD-PVR (Boxing Day sale at ncix - $199) and an additional Rogers box (4250 for $99 at FS) so I will soon be able to record 2 HD channels at once.

[smdl]

Thanks again, wayner -- great info. I have had Sage for awhile, but really only as a sideline, and I am still learning as I go.

I, too, have just purchased another HD-PVR, and am hoping that Rogers might accept the Shaw Motorola DCT6200 that I brought with me when I moved from BC. If not, I'll have to get another STB, and will be kicking myself that I missed the sweet FS and BB deal that you got on yours.

Cheers,
Shaun

[wayner]

The Moto box won't work as Rogers only uses SA(aka Cisco) boxes in Ontario. If you check the FS or BB websites you still might be able to buy some. BB sold out very quickly on the 24th but they had something like 185 available today - I think they add inventory to give you a chance if you missed out when the sale first began.

[smdl]

FS had Rogers DCT6200s on their website up to a few weeks ago. Not sure what the deal was on those, but they definitely did indicate that they were for Rogers. That's what made me think that they might just accept the Shaw Moto box. I may give their programming people a call just to check.

With regard to the SA box that you just bought, I already checked both FS and BB and they were both sold out. *sigh* I'll keep watching, though.

Thanks,
Shaun

[wayner]

Rogers in Atlantic Canada uses Moto boxes so that is why you would have seen that FS ad.

[smdl]

That makes sense. Oh well, I'll just keep watching for a deal on a new HD box then.

Thanks,
Shaun