Procedure for forcing a digital host channel

[spiff72]

(Credit for this info goes to WhatHappend and frank70 in the AVS forum)

Force Digital Host procedure...


The theory of the new procedure is to fix the issue when you have done a G* test and the VBI channel in the TVGOS diags menu is an invalid number (this invalid number happens in other cases like when surfing the guide with the video window unlocked and then press exit, the viewing channel and the VBI channel can get out of sync). When the VBI search starts with an invalid number the host channel either reverts to analog or goes to a blank channel. Running the G* test first aids users like me that the VBI packets count is fine on the digital host but the counting doesn't start until the VBI test is marked failed. This, G* VBI test failure, seems to interfere with the DVR choosing that channel as the host channel.


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

0(b). Note how long VBI packet count takes to start incrementing (Takes ~10-20 seconds for me). If the VBI packets don't increment don't do the procedure (cancel by turning of DVR).

0(c). 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. 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.

10. The next morning, turn on the unit and bring up the TV Guide 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.

CABLE CARD USERS:
16b. For cable card users, the cable digital host channel will be 1:0-(digital host channel number). For OTA is will be 0:#-#.

[frank70]

I believe there is a minor typo in the above procedure. I don't use a cable card (nor cable) so I can't verify first hand, but in 16b, shouldn't:

   "the cable digital host channel will be 0:0-(digital host..."

be:

   "the cable digital host channel will be 1:0-(digital host..."

? Spiff, if you edit the original post, just delete this one.

[spiff72]

I believe you are correct, frank.  I made the correction (and gave you credit at the beginning of the post too)...

Thanks!

[w3t]

I live in the Dallas area and currently have two Sony DVRs (one 250 and one 500). I am OTA only. Based on the info I have gotten on this forum, I decided to do some experimation. On the 250, I performed the Force Digital Host to CBS 11.1 and at the same time went into the <MENU> <Preferences> <CH+/-List> to turn off the turn off the analog host channel (PBS channel 13). The next morning it had picked up the eighth day of programming and the host channel was CBS digital 11.1. This box has kept the digital host channel for over a month and works perfectly. Success.

Based on the above success, I decided to try something even simpler on the 500 box. Without forcing the host, I just turned off the analog host channel 13 thru the <MENU> <Preferences><CH +/- List> to see what would happen. Without doing anything else to the box, I left it turned off overnight. The next morning the eighth day data had been downloaded and the host channel had found the digital channel 11.1 on its own. This box has been running a week with the digital host channel. Success.

Conclusion: In the Dallas area the CBS digital 11.1 is broadcasting the TVGOS data and all that is necessary to receive digital Guide data OTA is to turn off the analog PBS channel 13. It would appear that everyone should be able to receive Guide data post 2/2009, but if you are in Dallas or another area with a digital station broadcasting TVGOS, why wait until Feb. Thanks for all the info from this forum.     

[frank70]

That's strange from my perspective, because in the Philly area I've had analog 12 (WHYY PBS) turned off in the CH+/- list for months, and while I can force 3.1 (KYW CBS) to be the host channel for periods of anywhere from a day to a month it will eventually revert to 12 analog. My theory on the reversion is that the CBS channel inadvertently stops broadcasting TVGOS data for a day or so until they realize there's a problem and fix it; in the meantime the Sony goes off in search of another and finds 12 analog.

But the anomaly is that 12 is disabled in the list, yet it still finds it on its own. Perhaps in your case, the Sony finds them both but prefers the digital channel because it has a stronger signal. In my case 12 analog is every bit as strong, if not stronger, than 3.1, which may explain why it prefers that.

[w3t]

Frank70, I certainly can't explain the difference in the Dallas area & Philly area behavior. Perhaps digital CBS 11.1 is stronger than analog PBS 13 in Dallas. I will continue to monitor both of my DVRs and if either/both revert back to analog, I'll post that info.

[bm4wood]

Warner Robins, GA (CBS Station - WMAZ, Macon)
My Sony set the host channel to 4-0 on its own - without having to "force" it to that channel.
It automatically switched from the analog PBS channel 29 to the digital 4-0.  WMAZ is the strongest OTA signal in our area, so that may have had something to do with it.  Current TVGOS version is 8.06.44.  I went through a few days where the PVR had no listings, then when it came back to having listings the host channel had changed to the digital.  I verified with the station today that they are indeed broadcasting the digital TVGOS on that frequency.

[frank70]

bm4wood... that's interesting... the subchannel designation 4-0 is certainly an unusual one - do you actually punch in 4.0 to tune that station? The OTA subchannels all start with 1 around here. Other than that, I must agree I'm beginning to think the Sony is always searching for the "strongest" TVGOS host channel in its sleep and you got lucky (digital stations are typically less than 1/4 the power of their analog counterparts because the digital bits pack more punch per watt than the analog signals, so finding one that is "stronger" than a local analog host channel is a bit unusual, depending on how one evaluates signal "strength".)

Edit: Oh, now I see, the station is really 13.1 but you may not have that scanned or turned on, so it picked the equivalent RF channel. Locally in Philly, most of the RF channels will come in with subchannel 3 (e.g.: 12.1 can also be tuned as 50.3.) I've also seen subchannel 1 used for this, but never 0.

[jpheg]

I also live in the Dallas area, about 30 miles north, but unlike w3t, my host channel is still PBS channel 13 even though I have had channel 13 turned off in the CH +/- list for quite some time.  I assume that the PBS analog channel is stronger than the CBS digital channel where I'm at and that is why it is still the host.  Apparently, that is not true for w3t though, so there must be some other factors to consider.

[bm4wood]

Frank...Yes, I thought that was odd as well (a .0 hd channel designation).  BTW...Our PBS analog is waaay less strong than the CBS station. That's why I contacted the station directly to confirm the tvgos hd transmission.  I had both my PBS analog channel 29 and the CBS station hd 13.1 in my channel list...but I did not do ANYTHING as far as channel listings for 4.0.  I just knew that the FREQUENCY for 13.1 was 4.  So I verified with the station and they confirmed using 4 as the transmitter.  CBS has 13.1, 13.2, and 13.3...but for some "unknown" reason, even though I did not specifically have 4.0 as a channel...that is the channel to which the "host" turned.  I assume (and you know how much assumptions are worth) that the PVR located that frequency due to 13.1 being on a frequency of 4.  Hmmmmmmm.....

Here's another oddity...The last few days I have shown no "host" channel (blank).  However, my Guide is full completely through the next week.  For instance, today is Tuesday.  Tuesday, one week from today is full all the way up to the midnight hour.  Yesterday, Monday, is also full; but I had no host channel listed yesterday either.  So...either that's a fluke (sp?) or it's still uploading data with no actual host channel listed.  It might "know" what the host channel is...but it does not physically display a number in the 753159852 menu.  I'm going to check again tomorrow, because I know that the listing ended one week from today.

Update...Wednesday...I now have Guide listings through next week Wednesday, and still showing no "host" channel in the menu.

[SteveGoTex]

Just wanted to add my results to this. I live in Richardson TX (Dallas Area). I have a unit connected to Cable, with no CableCard.


I checked local CBS affiliate (11-1) and found the VBI packets. I then turned off the local PBS analog affiliate (13), and did the VBI Search Current Channel function in the Guide, with the box tuned to 11-1 (cable). The next day, the host channel showed up as 11-1, and the guide was updating properly.

The following days, the guide has continued to update properly, but the host channel now shows as 1:104.:228. I was puzzeled, until I checked the actual cable rf frequency of 11-1. It turns out to be rf channel 104. I assume the choice of subchannel designation 228 is some setup done by TWC in their multiplexors. On QAM tuners without cable cards, the displayed channel number is 11-1. However, all seems to be well.

Just thought that tidbit would be helpful.

Thanks for all the good info on this site.

[bozo]

What is a G test and how do you do it?

Thanks Bozo

[Bill C]

What is a G test and how do you do it?

Thanks Bozo

The G* (Gemstar) test shows VBI packet reception, necessary for populating the guide.

How to do it:  http://www.spiffspace.com/forum/index.php?topic=18.msg19#msg19

[pepe]

Hello,

I followed the steps in this thread to set the digital channel several time without success. I am not using a cable, just off-air signal. The host channel was always empty after following those steps.

In the last try I accidentally hit the "G* Factory Default" for the TV Guide and lost all the TV Guide info and now I cannot get any more info, not even from the analog host channel.

I am in San Francisco area and the analog channel is 9 and the digital channel seems to be 5.1 but I cannot get either one to work and my TV-Guide list is empty. I have tried what I can for 3 days in a row and don't know what else to do.

Can anyone please help ?

[spiff72]

OK - I am looking for someone out there using a cablecard, and who believes that they are getting a digital host channel...

I recently disconnected the antenna I had attached to my DVR, and left it with only cable to find its host channel.  I thought that the local CBS affiliate was sending the guide data digitally (they don't "pass" the G* test, but the VBI packet count starts incrementing immediately after it says "fail").

It set the clock with I did the G* test on this channel (channel 782 with cablecard).

I left it alone overnight, and did nothing else (no forcing of host channels).  As it turns out, the guide appears to be still populating (even 3 days later, no missing data), and I went in to look at the host channel, expecting it to be 1:0-782, but it actually says 1:106-0.  I tuned to channel 106, and get nothing (message says "no program available on this channel").  The my cable lineup actually doesn't include channel 106.  I DO know that the digital CBS channel is on clear QAM channel 106-7.  (Perhaps this is where the 106 is coming from?)...

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

Thanks,
Jeff