What's Channel 34 now? +digital/satellite rant

[Hack&Lube]

I'm on regular Shaw cable - I can't stand digital or satellite.

Anyway, Chan 34 used to be Fox, then MSNBC, now it seems to be some kind of movie channel. Anyone know what it is? It's not showing up on my guideplus - I think the system is getting outdated and not updated as frequently anymore.

I am afraid of the day where I'll be forced to switch to digital or satellite with it's hundreds of impossible to navigate, delayed, and replicated repeated, and useless channels. I can't stand the stuff when I goto other people's houses. Those menus and channel guides are impossible to navigate and they take so long to load that you never know what you're going to watch. I wish they simply had the video previewed in the corner like on guideplus.

[calf]

Basically, it's a movie channel

CNBC has been moved to 100-something, which can be accessed by those with a digital terminal...

oh, and Shaw Digital now has the video preview in the guide menu...

[evman150]

If it's the same change as out here, which it probably is, then it is a movie channel called Encore Avenue, showing movies from the 70s, 80s, and 90s commercial free. Really not a bad channel, beats the hell out of CNBC.

[Calgary Flames]

Originally Posted by calf

Basically, it's a movie channel

CNBC has been moved to 100-something, which can be accessed by those with a digital terminal...

oh, and Shaw Digital now has the video preview in the guide menu...

No it doesn't... Just on the HD boxes

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by evman150

If it's the same change as out here, which it probably is, then it is a movie channel called Encore Avenue, showing movies from the 70s, 80s, and 90s commercial free. Really not a bad channel, beats the hell out of CNBC.

Its also a Movie Central channel, so I wouldnt be surprised if this is just a free preview of it before they make you pay.

CNBC went all digital, probably because not enough people cared about it to keep it on extended cable. Let the people that want it pay for it.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Calgary Flames

No it doesn't... Just on the HD boxes

um, no the video preview is on any of the 2500 DCT's, which almost all new Shaw customers are given for a rental. and with those models and ones above them there is no delay in loading the menu or navigating the guide. i really find it impossible to watch TV now without the digital box

[Dirty Mr. Clean]

In the next 5 years you should see a scaling back of the old analog channels and the movement to an all digital network with a ton of HD content. I wouldn't be even suprised if you end up seeing more shows orderable on demand like system to compete with iTunes.

[Prototype]

34 Is now the same as 64, permanently. It's an Encore Avenue channel. So far it basically repeating Superman, the Gremlins movies, Rocky 3 and some other movies. I thought it would have more of a expanded selection, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I think I'm having the same problem on my non-Shaw PVR with the OnScreen TV Guide. It hasn't updated since I got it, which means that Turner Classic Movies isn't available for listings, nor this latest change with Movie Central. I've even called all the companies involved, and no one wants to take responsibility. It's ****ing me off.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

34 Is now the same as 64, permanently. It's an Encore Avenue channel. So far it basically repeating Superman, the Gremlins movies, Rocky 3 and some other movies. I thought it would have more of a expanded selection, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I think I'm having the same problem on my non-Shaw PVR with the OnScreen TV Guide. It hasn't updated since I got it, which means that Turner Classic Movies isn't available for listings, nor this latest change with Movie Central. I've even called all the companies involved, and no one wants to take responsibility. It's ****ing me off.

Yes, it's a shame the old analog guide systems aren't updating. They just don't seem to give a damn about them anymore.

[TurnedTheCorner]

On screen guides for Bell ExpressVu are easy as pie to navigate. Get with the 20th century! You can set your preferences so there is a corner video display while you peruse the channels or not.

[greasesuck]

I used to work for a satellite company if you can type messages on Calgarypuck.com, you can navigate easily in satellite menu's. Its not rocket science.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by greasesuck

I used to work for a satellite company if you can type messages on Calgarypuck.com, you can navigate easily in satellite menu's. Its not rocket science.

I can navigate...it's just a hellish experience since the system is so clumsy and unintuitive and poorly organized. I've tried other people's Shaw Digital and BellexpressVu. It's just so clunky and slow compared to similar guide/navigation services on analog. And my experience was that you had to wait a good 5-8 seconds for an image to load on the preview otherwise it was just pure black. And is there a way to organize channels so the ones you cannot watch are simply not on the list? Or you can take off all those hundreds of music only channels as well? Group by network? Genre?

I just see absolutely no benefit from moving off analog to digital. The picture quality is the same despite the lies they will tell you on commercials. Unless you are some kind of crazy HDTVphile.

As for speciality programs/movies, etc. I can get what I need + more than what's available on satellite much easier via Shaw's other service that I'm paying for- the internet

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I can navigate...it's just a hellish experience since the system is so clumsy and unintuitive and poorly organized. I've tried other people's Shaw Digital and BellexpressVu. It's just so clunky and slow compared to similar guide/navigation services on analog. And my experience was that you had to wait a good 5-8 seconds for an image to load on the preview otherwise it was just pure black. And is there a way to organize channels so the ones you cannot watch are simply not on the list? Or you can take off all those hundreds of music only channels as well? Group by network? Genre?

I just see absolutely no benefit from moving off analog to digital. The picture quality is the same despite the lies they will tell you on commercials. Unless you are some kind of crazy HDTVphile.

As for speciality programs/movies, etc. I can get what I need + more than what's available on satellite much easier via Shaw's other service that I'm paying for- the internet

No waiting on my Bell receiver. I press a button and the info is instantly there and can be configured for favorites if I bothered. The menu goes up to 44 hrs in advance, and that may take a 15 secs delay if I want info more than 24hr ahead . What I like is setting the timer so I don't miss a favorite.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I can navigate...it's just a hellish experience since the system is so clumsy and unintuitive and poorly organized. I've tried other people's Shaw Digital and BellexpressVu. It's just so clunky and slow compared to similar guide/navigation services on analog. And my experience was that you had to wait a good 5-8 seconds for an image to load on the preview otherwise it was just pure black. And is there a way to organize channels so the ones you cannot watch are simply not on the list? Or you can take off all those hundreds of music only channels as well? Group by network? Genre?

I just see absolutely no benefit from moving off analog to digital. The picture quality is the same despite the lies they will tell you on commercials. Unless you are some kind of crazy HDTVphile.

As for speciality programs/movies, etc. I can get what I need + more than what's available on satellite much easier via Shaw's other service that I'm paying for- the internet

The old DCT 2000 has no video preview and is super slow, agreed. The 2500 model is super fast and has video preview. The guide is the same across all boxes. If you used it for a few days you'd like it. It's different than using analog, perhaps that's why you don't like it? It's the same reason why old people prefer to wait for their 6/49 numbers to show up on channel 4 rather than going the internet route. To them it's too slow, confusing and different. Is it?

I'd really miss a digital guide now, you can browse thru it while watching something else. Can't do that with analog. A 6412 PVR box has guide that goes 14 days ahead. That's super convenient.

Digital versus analog? Let's talk again when your old small CRT TV goes and you have to replace it. Once you have a big screen digital TV there is no going back to analog. The two just don't mix very well.

BTW, for those that may not have seen it, the 6412 PVR has a great analog tuner so analog channels are watchable and quite good actually. If you still have the 6208 or 5100 I'd recommend to upgrade. It's well worth it especially when your game is only broadcast on non HD S-net or TSN.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Red

The old DCT 2000 has no video preview and is super slow, agreed. The 2500 model is super fast and has video preview. The guide is the same across all boxes. If you used it for a few days you'd like it. It's different than using analog, perhaps that's why you don't like it? It's the same reason why old people prefer to wait for their 6/49 numbers to show up on channel 4 rather than going the internet route. To them it's too slow, confusing and different. Is it?

I'd really miss a digital guide now, you can browse thru it while watching something else. Can't do that with analog. A 6412 PVR box has guide that goes 14 days ahead. That's super convenient.

Digital versus analog? Let's talk again when your old small CRT TV goes and you have to replace it. Once you have a big screen digital TV there is no going back to analog. The two just don't mix very well.

BTW, for those that may not have seen it, the 6412 PVR has a great analog tuner so analog channels are watchable and quite good actually. If you still have the 6208 or 5100 I'd recommend to upgrade. It's well worth it especially when your game is only broadcast on non HD S-net or TSN.

The guideplus system on my 50" projection CRT on analog cable has an instanteous video preview in the top corner that you can go through while surfing through the channel list with arrow buttons on your remote that is just as programmable and navigable than any satellite system I've ever tried. It's just "faster" and "cleaner". You can see all the channels clearly, it's instantaneous, has video preview, easily scrollable, and there's a large section of text describing the program to you, star ratings, summary, episode title, everything! etc. and it does show a week ahead.

It's a better interface design for me personally that has made every digital cable or satellite interface I have tried feel like trying to navigate through Windows ME full of spyware. Slow, rubbish, and annoying. If you say the new ones are better, then maybe I'll take a look. My peeve is that since Shaw began switching the channels, guideplus isn't updating those channels anymore and it looks like certain channels are giving up providing programming schedules or writing up the summaries that used to be there for every single thing on TV.

But I do know what you mean by not being able to go back because analog on a plasma or LCD will just look horrible. Heck, it already does when I do PVR with my capturecard into my PC. But on a CRT, it looks just a clean and crisp to me.