FreeEPG Which channels to keep + Brisbane guide setup advice

bbboy · **11th February 2008, 01:56 PM**

Hi,

I've actually had my HTPC awhile now, but I'm just wondering which different channels have different content!

At present, I have:

1. TEN HD
2. ABC1 (Blocked)
3. SBS (Blocked)

7. 7 Digital (Blocked)

9. NINE DIGITAL (Blocked)
10. TEN Digital (Blocked)

12. TEN HD

20. ABC HD
21. ABC1 (Blocked)
22. ABC2
23. ABC3

30. SBS HD
31. SBS 2
33. SBS News

70. 7 HD Digital
71. 7 Digital 1 (Blocked)
72. 7 Digital 2 (Blocked)
73. 7 Digital 3 (Blocked)

77. 7 Guide (Blocked)

90. Nine High Definition

99. Nine Guide (Blocked)

Sorry about the length of that, I just want to give everyone the information... I'm going to use OZTivo for my listings.

My questions are this:

1) Have I blocked anything that will mean I'm missing out on content?
2) Is there anything I HAVEN'T blocked that isn't adding content?
3) What guide listings should I use for which channels... eg What should 1. Ten HD be and what should 12. Ten HD be? Are these identical channels, or is one the HD broadcast of the SD channel?

Thanks for your help, I hope this isn't confusing!

By the way, Free*EPG/OZ Tivo rock!

scotto74 · **11th February 2008, 02:30 PM**

Hi bbboy,

Each of the commercial broadcasters (7, 9 & 10) each have one SD channel and one HD channel. For 7 & 10, their HD channels are not 100% simulcast (ie. sometimes they broadcast different content on SD & HD at the same time. Channel 9 is still simulcast (so the same content is always on both); but they too are expecting to launch their dedicated HD offering in March.

All 3 also have a "VPG" (video program guide) channel; but I believe these are on the way out now that the commercial networks have a 7 day EPG in the broadcast stream (and the VPG chews up bandwidth that they can otherwise use for HD).

For SBS & ABC, both have 2 x SD channels, and one HD channel. ABC has ABC1 (SD), ABC2 (SD) and ABC HD (with ABC3 coming in the future). SBS has SBS (SD), SBS News (SD) and SBS HD.

Where you see things like "7 Digital 1", "7 Digital 2", "7 Digital 3"; these are just the SD streams, so you're not missing anything by blocking those.

Hope this helps.

bbboy · **11th February 2008, 02:39 PM**

Thanks for the quick reply..

From your post I take it:

- I should unblock ABC1 as it is broadcasting different content to ABC HD?
- Does the same go for SBS? Should I have SBS (SD), SBS (HD), SBS 2 (SD) and SBS News (SD) all available for maximal viewing?
- Why does channel Ten have two HD channels? Are they identical? Should I have Ten HD and Ten Digital (SD) both available, but not the second Ten HD?
- Should I have 7 High Definition and 7 Digital both available?

I had always thought that the following applied with regards to content...

Ten Digital = Ten HD
7 Digital = 7 High Definition
ABC 1 = ABC HD
SBS = SBS HD

Was I wrong all this time?

So I should have open:

1. TEN HD
2. ABC1
3. SBS

7. 7 Digital

10. TEN Digital (Blocked)

20. ABC HD
21. ABC1
22. ABC2
23. ABC3

30. SBS HD
31. SBS 2
33. SBS News

70. 7 HD Digital

90. Nine High Definition

???

scotto74 · **11th February 2008, 02:52 PM**

ABC1 does have the same content as ABC HD (with one exception...see below); it's just that ABC1 is broadcast in SD (576i) and ABC HD is in 720p.

The ABC HD exception is the 7:00pm news. As ABC doesn't do local content insertion, and only it's Sydney facility has the necessary HD upconverters; they don't broadcast the 7pm news in HD (you just get a VPG for those 30 minutes). Aside from this, whatever is shown on ABC1 will be what is shown on ABC HD.

Same for SBS (ie. SBS = SBS HD).

I have mine setup as follows (and this is just my personal preference):

1 = SBS HD
2 = ABC HD
3 = ABC 2
4 = SBS News
7 = 7 HD
9 = Nine HD
10 = Ten HD
11 = SBS 1
12 = ABC1
17 = 7 Digital
19 = Nine Digital
20 = Ten Digital
27 = 7 Guide
29 = 9 Guide
30 = 10 Guide

This means that I have all of the HD channels (plus the multicast ABC2 & SBS News) appearing in a single screen when I bring up the guide.

The second guide screen shows me all of the SD channels, and the VPG channels.

bbboy · **11th February 2008, 08:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotto74

ABC1 does have the same content as ABC HD (with one exception...see below); it's just that ABC1 is broadcast in SD (576i) and ABC HD is in 720p.

The ABC HD exception is the 7:00pm news. As ABC doesn't do local content insertion, and only it's Sydney facility has the necessary HD upconverters; they don't broadcast the 7pm news in HD (you just get a VPG for those 30 minutes). Aside from this, whatever is shown on ABC1 will be what is shown on ABC HD.

Same for SBS (ie. SBS = SBS HD).

I have mine setup as follows (and this is just my personal preference):

1 = SBS HD
2 = ABC HD
3 = ABC 2
4 = SBS News
7 = 7 HD
9 = Nine HD
10 = Ten HD
11 = SBS 1
12 = ABC1
17 = 7 Digital
19 = Nine Digital
20 = Ten Digital
27 = 7 Guide
29 = 9 Guide
30 = 10 Guide

This means that I have all of the HD channels (plus the multicast ABC2 & SBS News) appearing in a single screen when I bring up the guide.

The second guide screen shows me all of the SD channels, and the VPG channels.

So no need for SBS 1 as it's the same as SBS HD?

Why don't you have SBS 2? I have SBS 1, 2 and SBS News + SBS HD as options. I also have ABC 1, 2, 3 and HD.

What about the two Ten HD channels? Why are there two??? Which should I use or are they identical?

Sorry for being so daft...

scotto74 · **11th February 2008, 08:49 PM**

Hey bbboy,

No need to be sorry...that's what we're here for

Yes, SBS1 = SBS HD, in the sense that SBS1 is the SD version (576i) and SBS HD is the HD version (720p). At any given time, the same programming is shown on both.

Not sure about SBS2, but presumably it is just a duplicate of SBS1 (in the same way that 7 Digital 1/2/3 are all the same as 7 Digital).

Same goes for Ten HD....both channel 1 and channel 12 are effectively the same thing.

In November last year, Ten changed from using channel 1 for SD (same as channel 10) to using it for HD (same as channel 12). The reason presumably is that as more people get TV's, Set-top Boxes, PC's etc. with HD tuners; they want to promote the HD programming more than the SD stuff (which suits me just fine

Refer to this post for more details on the Ten changes.

The reason why I started my first reply by stating what each of the broadcasters send out is because it can get confusing when you see all of these different frequencies, channel call signs, numbers & names picked up by your channel scan.

If you start by getting your head around what the broadcasters are actually transmitting, then it becomes easier to map this against what your tuner is telling you it can pickup.

bbboy · **13th February 2008, 08:56 PM**

In my FreeEPG/OZTivo guide options though, there is a Ten HD (SD) which I presumed was the HD broadcast of the SD channel (if that makes sense...)

Have they done away with this? I was hoping it was either 1 or 12, but from what you're saying, they are simulcast?

What on earth is the "Ten HD (SD)" option for in that case?

I guess I can do away with SBS 2 and ABC 3 for the time being...

Keep the advice coming please!

GaryD · **18th February 2008, 02:25 PM**

Mine is exactly the same in Brisbane, except I have Channel 1 blocked (exactly the same as 12 afaik) and 7 unblocked (sometimes 7 and 70 have different programming).