Procedure for forcing a digital host channel

[videobruce]

Would someone explain exactly how trying to do a Vertical Blanking Interval' test on a ATSC digital channel that has no VBI suppose to work?? 
Or is what Genstar called VBI Channel Search just a name for searching for TVGOS data that is somewhere in the TS of a digital channel?

[frank70]

Yes, the nomenclature VBI is a holdover from the analog world, but it's convenient for them (Macrovision) to continue to call it that, even though they mean the TVGOS data stream that is carried within the MPEG data stream modulated via 8VSB or QAM onto the RF carrier. Only NTSC (also PAL/SECAM) analog data formats actually have such a thing as a VBI; digital channels only have bits that get to your TV via 8VSB or QAM modulation, and are then interpreted as per the ATSC standard which supports several ways for data previously carried within the VBI to be included.

[mabuttra]

...even though they mean the TVGOS data stream that is carried within the MPEG data stream modulated via 8VSB or QAM onto the RF carrier.

VBI is much easier to say  .

Mark

[TGGT]

My first post here.  I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area and I receive OTA only - I dumped Comcast several years ago, which was why I bought the Sony DVR so could record HD OTA.  Apparently the local PBS station (Ch 9) discontinued the TVGOS data broadcast a couple of weeks ago.  My DVR gradually ended up with No Listing for all of the TV Guide.  Before looking on the Internet, I decided to unplug the DVR and plug it back in to reset it, in hopes that it would automatically start downloading TVGOS.  Bad move - all it did was reset the clock to be off by about 18 minutes, making manual recording also a headache.  No TV Guide.

Following the wonderful instructions here, I was able to change the VBI channel to the local CBS channel (5.1).  The first time I tried it didn't seem to work, but upon trying again, I noticed that during the G* test that the clock reset itself to the correct time!  I turned the DVR off overnight and the next day I had about half of the listings, although they were randomly scrambled across various channels and across all but the 8th day which had no listings.  After leaving the DVR off a second night, I found the TV Guide fully populated this morning. 

Like lynxxs above, my 753... service information still shows a blank Host chan, but it does show a VBI chan of 0:5-1.  It seems to be working great in spite of the blank Host chan.   

Kudos to the contibutors that have worked out the techniques necessary to keep the Sony DVR alive after the digital changeover and to Spiff for maintaining this great resource site.

[spiff72]

Just to clarify, the VBI channel reported is the channel you were tuned to when you entered the 753... menu.

Jeff

[gomberg]

Spiff72:   Thank you so much for your post, KQED (Analog 9) gave up the data about 3/10 and by 3/16 I was shot, so I got your instructions and am now getting updated via KPIX (Digital 5.1).   I did find a few things slightly different from what you posted.   If you understand what I am saying in my changes and agree they are generally applicable, you might want to modify your post:


0(a).  Run G* Factory Test from your desired digital guide channel.
Tune to desired digital guide channel.
(Press menu(btn) -> screen mode(btn) -> then the following numbers
9012.  Make sure to select the G* test correctly.
(TV GUIDE-> 1.2.09 -> G* Factory Test)

0(b).  Note how long VBI packet count takes to start incrementing
(Takes ~10-20 seconds for me, took about 20" the first time for gomberg,
took 2-3" the second).  If the VBI packets don't increment
don't do the procedure (cancel by turning of DVR).
08.01.42   20" to start incrementing   1023:65533  for vbi and atsc

0(c). Exit and Tune to a different channel (channel up button).

1. Tune to your digital host channel, and then bring up the TV Guide
listings.

2. Push the "CH" (PAGE) up button one or more times until the
highlighted line is all the way up in the menu bar on "LISTINGS".

3. Push the right arrow on the menu navigation circle twice to
"SETUP".

4. Push the down arrow on the menu navigation circle once to "Change
System Settings".

5. You may need to push "INFO".  The white box will contain some jabber about
zipcodes, etc.

6. Enter the following number:  963214785

7. The white box should now say "VBI Search Current Channel".

8. Wait the time it took in step 0(b) to acquire VBI packets and
then power off the DVR.

9. Do nothing until the next morning.   Actually, gomberg had some
listings after six hours.

10.  The next morning, turn on the unit and bring up the TV Guide
listings.   At this point gomberg had almost full listings.

11.  Push the "CH" (PAGE) up button one or more times until the
highlighted line is all the way up in the menu bar on "LISTINGS".

12.  Push the right arrow on the menu navigation circle twice to
"SETUP".

13.  Push the down arrow on the menu navigation circle once to
"Change System Settings".

14.  Enter the following number:  753159852

15.  Press the right arrow on the menu navigation circle once.  You
should see the "Host chan" listed a little way down the list.

NON-CABLECARD USERS:  16a.  The host channel will either be your
analog host channel in the form 0:0-# (or 1:0-# for cable) in which
case it didn't work; Or it will be your digital host channel in the
form 0:#-# (or 1:#-#) in which case it DID (hooray!) work.


Thanks again for the help.

[spiff72]

gomberg,

I am not sure what is different in your instructions.  Can you clarify?

[htownleo]

I, unsuccessfully, attempted the following procedure from our only host channel now here in Houston, Texas, CBS digital channel 11.1. Last week our local PBS station (KUHT, analog channel completely shut down their signal. I confirmed this with their station director and they replied and told me 11.1 would be handling host channel responsibilites. After they turned the signal off, my TVGOS listings went to "No Listing" for all channel line ups. This is why I'm trying to attempt to get my DHG-HDD500 to accept the new digital host channel. I, also, followed the instructions from frank70's "From TVGOS factory reset to up-and running, using a digital channel", but was still unsuccessful. I'm getting the clock and the two firmware upgrades worked fine, but still no TVGOS listings in guide. I'm not even getting the time slots for each 30 minute interval in guide with a "No Listing" designation. Can anyone help. Thanks!!!

[spiff72]

Email the engineering department at your host station and ask them too look into their GEMSTAR/TVGOS equipment and verify that it is working correctly.  I have found that this has helped for me in the past...

[MikeG]

Thanks for the great information on how to switch to a digital TVGuide source.

I completed the G* test and am receiving VBI packets from the local (Portland, Oregon) HD CBS transmission. 

But I am not getting the "VBI Search Current Channel" white box in step 6-7 when entering the 963214785 code.  Nothing happens.  I assume it's my error.  Any suggestions?

Thank you!
--Mike G

[MikeG]

I got this to work.  One types in the 963214785 code from the yellow highlighted Change Systems Settings bar, NOT from the INFO white page.  Then striking the Info button on the remote control the "VBI Search Current Channel" message appears.

--Mike

[MikeG]

Forum Members:

Using the instructions here I got the clock to set!  Yes!!!  Now at least I can accurately schedule recordings even if I have to find the TV schedule somewhere else and manually enter the data.  But that's not a big deal.  Getting the VBI input to set the clock was a breakthrough. 

I'll just keep it off over-night a couple more nights and see if I get the TV Guide listings.

This forum has been invaluable.

Thanks again,
Mike

[MikeG]

I'm getting TV Guide data now.  It just showed up 4-5 evenings after I first tested the VBI packets.  It appears both CBS local affiliate KOIN 6.1 and PBS local affiliate KOPB 10.3 are broadcasting digital TV Guide packets, but I can't be sure.  When I look at the units VBI and Host Chan fields I'm getting differing results, sometimes the 6.1, sometimes the 10.3.  Again, without knowing much about the unit's software, I'm not quite sure what's going on, but it works!!! Cool!

Thanks again to the forum here.

--Mike

[bleagan]

Just wanted to add my Thanks to the list for posting this information. It was very helpful, and I was not able to get my TVGOS to update any other way. (And I tried MANY.)

Much appreciated!

[Sony250Guy]

... I am wondering how the host channel is being shown for others with a digital host and a cablecard?

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff, when I used to force to digital channel I remember it did not display the cablecard number under 753 screen. The cablecard channel was 705 (CBS) but my display is showing 0:79 right now. There is no such channel but I was told this is the digital CBS channel before it moved to 5.1
Since it is working fine now I did not mess with it since.
-- Sony250Guy