a way to hide channels?

[robotX]

I just got set up for Dish with the 811 receiver. Is there a way to set the option to hide channels? For example I pretty much never want to see the shopping networks. I don't even want to go throught the effort of going pass them to get to a channel I want to see. Possible?

Also: I just switched from analog cable and my one gripe is the amount of time it take to change the channel. The three or four second delay between channels really kills the fun of channel surfing. My question: is this something I will always have to deal with? Does the receiver itself make a difference? Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[charper1]

Setup a new list and call it something like "home". Then add all the chnls you want and SAVE that. When you press the guide btn you will see which guide is active "ALL CHNL", "SUB CHNL", or your new "HOME CHNL". If you ever manually type in a chnl number not saved in your "home" list it will auto revert to "All Chnl"

 

[mikew]

Regarding your question on channel surfing, you'll have to adjust your surfing to guide surfing. The amount of time to change channels is typical on all satellite receivers as there are many more complex things happening to get you from one channel to the next.

 

[GaryPen]

Setup a new list and call it something like "home". Then add all the chnls you want and SAVE that. When you press the guide btn you will see which guide is active "ALL CHNL", "SUB CHNL", or your new "HOME CHNL". If you ever manually type in a chnl number not saved in your "home" list it will auto revert to "All Chnl"

That would be a bad idea with the 811, as it has a limit to how many channels you can add to your "favorites". A much better solution, now that they've activated the "hide locked" feature, is to lock out all of the crap channels, such as shopping, public interest, religious, etc. It's easy.

Menu-Locks-Channel Locks-choose the channels to lock-Save. Then, Hide Locked. Then, Lock Channels. It will ask you to enter a 4 digit password. Just use something like 1234, if you don't have to worry about kids. It's easy to remember.

 

[charper1]

i find the favs has plenty of room. if one is concerned about the limit they would simply stay in the sub guide. inserting a pswd is just another added annoyance.

 

[GaryPen]

If someone was looking to remove the garbage channels, then the 811's favorite limits would prevent creating a Favorites list with the remaining channels. I believe it's only something like 96 channels.

As for the password, the only time it's necessary is during the creation or modification of the locked channels list. It is no more annoying or time consuming than setting up a favorites list. Actually, it's less time consuming, because you are selecting channels to remove, which would be fewer than the number you would add to one big favorites list. (if the 811 didn't have a limit, that is.)

The big advantage of "Hide Locked" is that the garbage channels don't show up on any channel lists, not even ALL CHAN or ALL SUB. So, basically, no Favorites are even necessary, and it doesn't matter if you hit the Guide button by accident, and end up in ALL CHAN.
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[BFG]

Gary you just keep coming with the funnies cracking me up lol

 

[robotX]

the locking channels sounds like what I'm looking for. Thanks!

One thing I'm getting that I didn't expect was all my local channels repeated. They start at 002 and again in the 800's. Dish offered me a second dish for free that could pick up a couple more channels of pbs and telemundo. Is this also picking up the same local's.

 

[SimpleSimon]

robotX: No - it's just the dual-mapping feature (yeah, really). The channels are actually up in the 8000's - they just show up in the low numbers to make it easier on some people's brains.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

the locking channels sounds like what I'm looking for. Thanks!

One thing I'm getting that I didn't expect was all my local channels repeated. They start at 002 and again in the 800's. Dish offered me a second dish for free that could pick up a couple more channels of pbs and telemundo. Is this also picking up the same local's.

Locals are actually mapped to a few locations for convience.

 

[robotX]

I went to the lock menu, locked the channels I didn't want to see, but I don't see anywhere to hide the locked channels. I don't see anywhere else this option would be. Do I need to update my box?

 

[GaryPen]

It's a new feature of software P269. It just started rolling out, so you may not have it yet. Turn your 811's power off, whenever you're not using it, and it should update some point soon. Then, you'll see the "hide locked" option.

 

[new_to_hdtv]

If you ever manually type in a chnl number not saved in your "home" list it will auto revert to "All Chnl"

It's never worked that way on my 811. Prior to 269, if would go to that channel but stay in the "fav" list that was active. Now after 269 it won't go to a channel that's not in the active "fav" list.
In that regard, I liked 268 better........

 

[BobMurdoch]

Why not set up multiple favorites lists? Broadcast Channels (Including Superstations), PayTV Movie Channels, etc. Break it into 6 chunks and divide from there.... I didn't realize the 811 had limits. My 921 doesn't have any limits on the number of channels in a favs list.....

 

[GaryPen]

The 811 has a limit on the TOTAL number of channels. Breaking it up wouldn't help. And, personally, I would hate having so many lists. I used to do that years ago. But, now I find that one streamlined list, devoid of shopping, barker, public interest, religious, international, ppv, most music and Sirius, plus all unsubcribed channels, works the best. I never have to worry about being in the wrong guide, or toggling thorugh different guides. It's easy. One guide fits all.

 

[Stargazer]

With favorite lists you have an average of 30 channels per favorite list that you can have. That is a total of 120 channels that can be divided up between the four favorite lists available. For example you can have 70 in one list and 50 in another which would leave you with nothing for the third or fourth favorite list. Another example is having 60 for one, 40 for the second one, and 10 for the third and fourth for a total of 120. The 721 and DishPlayer (7100, 7200)has an unlimited amount of channels that you can have on the favorite list.