Between-channel feeds on Eastlink (Clear QAM)

[firesign]

I'm the proud owner of a new Philips 26PFS5321D LCD HD-capable tv. One thing I noticed, once I had done a channel scan, is that it found scads of "in-between" decimal-point channels stuck in-between the conventional integer channels.

As we don't subscribe to the Digital Pack, (just the full tier of analog offerings), I was surprised to see these channels in the clear. They seem to be the digital equivalents to the analog set--just a slightly cleaner picture than the regular integer channels. I took an hour or so to compile a list, which I printed out and laminated. This list does not include the audio channels, most of which I blocked out.

I mentioned that these channels are, from what I can tell, digital equivalents of the full-tier analog set, with some exceptions: I can get CITY-TV Toronto sometimes on 71.1, WGN Chicago on 66.2, and Country Canada on 66.8. I can also get several different versions of Eastlink's Halifax channel guide.

I'm listing these feeds below, and if anyone has others that they have found, I'd appreciate knowing about them. I've searched online for an "official" list, but have found almost nothing.

65.1 TSN
65.2 Rogers Sportsnet
65.10 Rogers Sportsnet
66.2 WGN Chicago
66.8 Country Canada
66.21 Classical Music
71.1 CITY Toronto
71.10 CLT Alberta
90.2 NFL
100.1 Boston (ABC)
100.2 WBZ Boston (CBS)
100.3 WHDH Boston
100.4 FOX
100.5 CTV
100.6 CTV ASN
100.7 CBC Halifax
100.8 Global
101.13 TV Guide
101.15 TV Guide
101.16 Voiceprint Eastlink Information
101.17 News/Weather/Information
101.19 PBS Detroit
101.20 Weather Channel
102.1 Comedy
102.2 CTV Newsnet
102.3 Vision
102.4 OLN
102.5 Children’s
102.6 Bravo
102.7 Slice
102.8 TVTropolis
102.9 Space
102.10 StarTV
102.11 W
102.12 Country Music
102.13 MUCH
103.14 YTV
103.16 CPAC
103.17 Discovery
103.18 TSN
103.19 APTN
103.20 CH Global
104.1 Showcase
104.2 CBC Newsworld
104.3 HGTV
104.4 The Score
104.5 History Channel
104.6 Teletoon
104.7 Family
104.8 French
104.9 French
104.10 TVH
104.11 Much More Music
105.12 CNN
105.13 TLC
105.14 A&E
105.15 Spike
105.16 TBS Atlanta
105.18 Golf
105.19 CNN Headline
105.20 Radio-Canada
105.21 WGBH PBS Boston

[leaffan1967]

I have a normal analog television, I get a b+w snowy picture on Channel 78, I can see stuff, but not enough to make things out......Still very interesting about those channels on yours, built in tuner on your TV you say?

[smallmj]

Ahh, you've got a QAM tuner in your HD set. I've been playing with one for my mythtv htpc, but I haven't put it into production yet. Its interesting that Halifax has an all digital lineup being broadcast right now. I do periodic scans and there is no sign of that happening yet here in Oxford.

There are two things that are keeping me from using a QAM tuner for my htpc.

(1) There is no notice of a change in the channel map (which stations are on which channel/subchannel). If I go on a two week vacation starting monday, and the channel map changes tuesday, I might record the wrong shows.

(2) There is nothing stopping Eastlink from deciding to encrypt ALL of the digital channels. Right now they don't encrypt anything that is included with basic digital cable. My guess is that it makes the logistics slightly easier for them. Once QAM tuners become common, and people start talking a lot about what they can receive without paying the digital cable surcharge, I expect encryption to come hard and fast. Its a lot cheaper than than having techs putting filters on the poles. In other words, "shhhhh."

Mark

[eme43sap]

I am about to get a HDTV plasma tv with an integrated clear QAM tuner and subscribe to the full analog package from Eastlink here in Dartmouth. I was wondering if I should expect to get these HD channels on my TV? Otherwise, I will get the wheels in motion to upgrade to the digital package with a HD box.

Looking forward to your feedback.

[57]

You may get them, or you may not. You may also not have them for long - Rogers (and Shaw) recently encrypted almost all their QAM channels.

See: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=32271

See also: More information.

[eme43sap]

Thanks - will give it a shot when I get the TV up and running and keep my fingers crossed as I do not want any additional channels, just better reception.

[smallmj]

Here in Oxford, Eastlinks HD channels are all encrypted.

Mark

[eme43sap]

Thanks Mark.

In the case it does not work here in Dartmouth, what do you recommend as the minimum package and equipment to receive as much as possible of the full-tier cable in HD? Would the digital box with HDTV and the "Digital Starter" be sufficient?

eme43sap

[smallmj]

The HDTV package with digital starter would get you all of the available HD channels except The Movie Network and National Geographic. Once you pay for HD, you get the HD version of any channel that you already receive.

I'm the wrong person to ask about HD though. The only TV in my house just had its 20th birthday, and its a 20" set. Remember Candle? They used to be available at Consumers Distributing.

Mark

[eme43sap]

Thans Mark - indeed I remember Candle and Consumer Distributing. I could not wait to get the catalogue.

eme43sap

[classicsat]

Well, Candle was sold other places too. Their parent company was Jutan International, and based in Toronto. Back in the 1970s/1980s, they basically job imported electronics from South Korea (basically the China of the day, for mid-low end consumer electronics).

[eme43sap]

Got things up and running this weekend. I also get these "in-between" digital channels. The reception is marginally better. The HD version seem to be encrypted.

By the way... I got mixed up in terminology... digital vs. HD. I understand the difference now.

So I ordered the HDTV package with digital starter.

Thanks

eme43sap

[jmac698]

The qam channel and subchannel, the station name, or in () a description when channel was unknown. If it says audio, it's an audio only channel. No description means it was picked up, but silent/black - possibly encrypted.
A number is the equivalent channel number mapping on the digital box.
The channel map does change from time to time.
Most channels are 528x480 resolution (worse than DVD, and one of the lowest satellite standard resolutions).
Award for the worst channel: SpeedTV, at 352x480.
The best and only really good channel: 608, MHD - logo free, 1920x1080, and a bitrate averaging 15mbps, above other HD channels in the 9-11MBps range. Although, only some movies are 5.1.
Help me fill in the gaps if you can, I have a lot more info but it all has to be collated.
---
QAM eastlink Jan 28, 2008
about 167 channels
61.1 RDI
61.2 ArtTV
61.3 VIE
61.4 Series+
61.5 Z Télé
61.6 Vrak
61.7 Canal-D
61.8 Musique Plus
61.9 Music Max
61.10 Teletoon (FR)
62.1 MSVU
62.2 Global
62.3
62.4 City
63.1 i
63.2 Men TV
63.3 CBCW 269
63.4 G4 Tech TV
63.5 PunchMuch
63.6 TVLand
63.7 Drive-In Classics
63.8 FT
63.9 NHLTV 107
64.1 (classic rock)
64.2 (70s)
64.3 (new age)
64.4 (techno)
64.5 (country)
64.6 (country FR)
64.7 (rock FR)
64.8 (FR)
64.9 (pops)
64.10 (jazz)
64.11 (rock)
64.12 (70s)
64.13 (nature)
64.14 (classical)
64.15 (classical)
64.16 (rock)
64.17 (FR)
64.18 (classical)
64.19 (nature)
64.20 (rock)
64.21 BBC Kids
64.22 Fine Living
64.23 National Geographic 124
64.24 GSN
64.25 Action
64.26 Speed
64.27 Court TV
64.28 Scream
64.29 Discovery Kids
64.30 (audio FR)
65.1 SNETW 103
65.2 SNETP 104
65.3 Rogers Sportsnet (?)
65.4 Star!
65.5 Sportsnet E 52
65.6 Rogers Sportsnet (?)
65.7 PBSS 279
65.8 FOXS 278
65.9 NTV
66.1 (classical)
66.2 (new age)
66.3 (FR)
66.4 (big band)
66.5 (jazz)
66.6 (kids)
66.7 LTV (Real Estate)
66.8 (country)
66.9 (country)
66.10 (reggae)
66.11 (rock)
66.12 (rap)
66.13 (rap)
66.14 (classic rock)
66.15 (audio only-unidentified)
66.16 (80s)
66.17 (FR)
66.18 (80s)
66.19 (alternative)
66.20 (FR)
66.21 (jazz)
66.22 Biography
66.23 Fox Soccer
66.24 MuchVibe
66.25 Discovery Civilization
71.1 CLT
72.1 PPV Preview
72.2 BNN
72.3 Evening Magazine
72.4
72.5
77.1 (indian)
77.2 BPM:TV
77.3 BBC Canada
77.4 Diva
77.5 Razer
77.6 Xtreme Sports
77.7 BookTV
77.8 EWTN
77.9 Animal Planet
77.10 * check this exists
78.1 Movieola
78.2 Food
78.3 Discovery Health
78.4 IFC
78.5 Mystery
78.6 One
78.7 Dejaview
78.8 Lonestar
78.9 ESPN Classic 106
78.10 Travel+Escape
86.1
86.2
87.1
87.2
88.1
88.2
88.3 (audio)
89.1
90.1 NFL 105
90.2 CPAC FR 99
90.3 (talk)
90.4
90.5 (audio FR)
90.6 Fight 115
90.7 GolTV 117
90.8 Military
91.1 WFN
91.2
92.1 (80s)
92.2 (classical)
92.3 (industrial)
92.4 SL
100.1 CBC-CBHT 11
100.2 CTV 09
100.3 ASN 07
100.4 Global 06
100.5 ABC
100.6 CBS
100.7 NBC 12
100.8 Fox 36
101.1 TVGuide1 (high saturation)
101.2 TVGuide2 08
101.3 Eastlink Weather 03
101.4 Eastlink TV 10
101.5 The Weather Channel
102.1 Star
102.2 CTV Newsnet
102.3 Slice
102.4 W
102.5 VisionTV
102.6 OLN
102.7 Treehouse 26
102.8 TV Tropolis
102.9 Bravo
102.10 Space 47
102.11 Comedy 49
103.1 E!
103.2 YTV 27
104.1 Showcase
104.2 HGTV
104.3 The Score
104.4 History 46
104.5 Much More Music 19
104.6 Family 43
104.7 Teletoon 44
104.8 CBC Newsworld 29
104.9 Golf 54
105.1 TLC 21
105.2 CNN Headline News 41
105.3 Speed 111

[mikehhfx]

I'm new to this QAM stuff, I've looked through the Tuning on my TV, and under DTV I get no channels, Under CADTV I get the channels that you have listed here, They seem to be the channels I get with cable anyway, is this just the raw data coming from the cable system?

I have the Eastlink Digital cable box, and everything is there as it has always been. So I guess I just do not understand what the QAM is all about, as its' just remapped basic cable as far as I can see, no movie channels or any other content.

If anybody can shed some light here, i'd be greatfull!!

I do not see the 608 MHD as mentioned?

Cheers

[57]

Please see post 5 of this thread, which has been merged.