For instance, the vs/gf channels is on both 9468 and 398. What is the point and how does dish benefit from that?
What is the point of mirror channels?
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Convenience for the customer really. It allows the provider to give every channel a unique number and show them in the duide inn terms of similar channels and all HD.
They do not take up more bandwidth. they are only broadcast once.
It's not DISH that benefits, it's the viewers.
Viewers that have been around a while know that the HD channels are up in the 9000s. But ever since they started doing mapdowns, there may be people who don't know to look way up there in the 9000s.
And since Voom left, there were only a few channels (9?) that didn't have mapdown numbers. Rather than leave them orphaned up there, someone decided to mirror them down to a channel range that most people already flip through.
In this particular case, it is now very close to the SD Golf Channel.
Plus 398 is much easier to remember than 9468.
It's just a convenience. I personally have now locked all the 9000 level HD channels. They are a mess up there now- the order makes no sense.
Viewers that have been around a while know that the HD channels are up in the 9000s. But ever since they started doing mapdowns, there may be people who don't know to look way up there in the 9000s.
And since Voom left, there were only a few channels (9?) that didn't have mapdown numbers. Rather than leave them orphaned up there, someone decided to mirror them down to a channel range that most people already flip through.
In this particular case, it is now very close to the SD Golf Channel.
Plus 398 is much easier to remember than 9468.
It's just a convenience. I personally have now locked all the 9000 level HD channels. They are a mess up there now- the order makes no sense.
I've no doubt, and Dish probably has studies to back this up hence the reason they added the map-downs, but certain customers likely tuned to ch 140 (ESPN) on their HDTV / HD set top and watched the HD programming (or so they thought) .... ESPN does have an HD channel, after all, so it's magically HD on their setup.
A couple posts have alluded to this with the mapdown statement, but I think it's worth noting the channels are not actually mirrored. Your receiver gets a channel list, and will tune to the same channel whether you hit 398 or 9468.
As others have said, the reason to have multiple channel numbers for the same channel is to make them human-friendly for channel grouping. (ie, all HD in 9400, but all category based in the 200/300/400 range)
As others have said, the reason to have multiple channel numbers for the same channel is to make them human-friendly for channel grouping. (ie, all HD in 9400, but all category based in the 200/300/400 range)
i had a similar question. why does dish add the HD channels twice? int he 9400 range and the 5300 range for dish latino. why cant they just keep the ones in the 9400 range and turn them on for dish latino.
They could but this way subs to DIsh latino can see the cahnnels in one list. BTW what is WRONG with mirroring it in 3 or 4 places?
By the way, "mirror channels" are a different thing - you are referring to "mapdown channels".
Mirror channels are channels that are broadcast by two different satellites in two different positions in the sky, so that customers on the East Coast or West Coast have a viable option.
Mirror channels are channels that are broadcast by two different satellites in two different positions in the sky, so that customers on the East Coast or West Coast have a viable option.
ummmm no mirror channels are the same uplinked source mapped to multiple channel locations. No additional bandwidth is required (just like a map down) A mapdown is created by software in the receiver (ie locals)
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So what do you call "channels that are broadcast by two different satellites in two different positions in the sky" like all of the HD channels that are on both 129 and 61.5?
Talon Dancer
Channels have to have a specific channel assignment on the system so that receivers know where to find them. Logically, two separate channels can not occupy the same physical number. That means that DISH can't uplink the HD version of ESPN on the same number as the original SD version of ESPN. So, they have to place ESPN on its own channel assignment. They can add a map that tells the receiver to tune the actual channel when someone goes to a specific number. So they can tell an HD receiver to prefer the HD version of ESPN when a user types in 140 and so logically when you go to 140, you're actually being taken to 94XX.
If not for this system, many users might habitually go to the SD version of ESPN by typing in 140 instead of learning the new channel number where the HD version is actually located. The mapdown helps ensure all users are finding their channel where they are accustomed to searching for it.
If not for this system, many users might habitually go to the SD version of ESPN by typing in 140 instead of learning the new channel number where the HD version is actually located. The mapdown helps ensure all users are finding their channel where they are accustomed to searching for it.
I don't think the mapdown is quite as simple as people are saying. I get NESNHD which is on 5434 and 434 (SD is also on 434). NESNHD really only shows the red sox games and shows a "tune in for your favorite teams" banner when the sox are not playing. I've noticed that occasionally, when I try to record the sox on 5434, I get nothing but the banner. However, when I go to watch 434 (HD), I see that the game is being broadcast. So clearly this is not a simply "mirror" or "mapdown". In addition, the recording on 5434 is strange in that I can't fast forward it more than a few minutes before the FF time freezes. When I press play at this point, the "banner music" I normally hear is not playing...almost like the playback is frozen but I can't tell because the banner is static to begin with.
I'm still trying to figure out how to setup an automatic timer to record the sox games in HD and not the other pre/post game stuff. I originally setup a timer for "red sox" on 5434 which worked to target the HD games but had the issue I described above. When I setup a timer for "red sox" on 434 only in HD, the timer does not find anything...not sure why. If I setup a timer for "red sox" on 434 and tell it to prefer HD, I get the HD games but I also get all the other pre/post game stuff on the SD channel. For now, I'm manually scheduling the HD games to record. Any advice here?
EDIT: BTW, I have a 622 receiver.
I'm still trying to figure out how to setup an automatic timer to record the sox games in HD and not the other pre/post game stuff. I originally setup a timer for "red sox" on 5434 which worked to target the HD games but had the issue I described above. When I setup a timer for "red sox" on 434 only in HD, the timer does not find anything...not sure why. If I setup a timer for "red sox" on 434 and tell it to prefer HD, I get the HD games but I also get all the other pre/post game stuff on the SD channel. For now, I'm manually scheduling the HD games to record. Any advice here?
EDIT: BTW, I have a 622 receiver.
I too locked out any that are 100% mirrored or those SD that are 100% simulcast in HD. I find it annoying flipping through many channels 2 or more times!
Now I don't think all 9000 level channels fall into this category though (and someone noted as I have noticed that the RSN's aren't all simulcast, some show games only on the SD version). So I'm not sure you want to lock all 9000 channels.
I wish Dish had an option to not show those that are 100% mirrored or simulcast!
Speak for yourself. When HGTV and Food Network got mirroed, we got stretch-o-vision from hell.
I find it strange that one and only one HD only channel didn't get the map down from the 9400's to the 300's. HDNet Movies.
I am not counting the few HD channels that are never on.
I wonder if the Vooms were mapped down like this if they may had done better. Oh well, too little, too late.
I am not counting the few HD channels that are never on.
I wonder if the Vooms were mapped down like this if they may had done better. Oh well, too little, too late.
