I currently have Dish Network, and am contemplating a move to FIOS. One concern I have:
Right now, with Dish, CNN standard def is normally channel 200. CNN HD is in the 9400 range. However, if I configure my Dish DVR to "map down" the HD channels, I can get CNN HD on channel 200.
Same for my local stations. If my local CBS in standard def is channel 2, and my local CBS in HD is channel 8402, I can use the "map down" feature to tune to CBS HD when I visit channel 2.
So, my question is, does Verizon FIOS offer this as well in their DVR? Or will I need to visit channel 502 to see KCBS in HD while needing to go to channel 30 to see ION-TV since they don't have an HD signal with Verizon?
It's just a LOT cleaner to be able to have all the local stations combined in one area instead of some being in a standard def range and others in a high def range. Same with other channels -- I'd rather have CBS College Sports Network in the same range of channels as my HD sports channels.
Does that make sense? If a map down functionality is NOT available, how does everyone deal with the different channel ranges?
Robert
As matcarl already said, there is no ability to remap the channels.
How to handle the different ranges? Well, for me, easily.
On my DVR that has an HD TV attached: I created a Favorites list with all of the HD channels I cared at all about, then included the few SD-only channels that I cared about - a few PEGs in the 30s, the local weather channel, one ESPN channel, a few news channels, a few sports channels, and a few movie channels. I have never counted how many SD channels, but not very many, and I rarely want to watch them anyway, I have an HD TV, I want to watch HD channels.
On my SD STBs: can't watch the HD channels anyway, so just set up a Favorites list containing only the SD channels I want to watch.
I have my Favorites function set up so when I hit the Guide button I see only my Favorites list, and when I surf I see only my Favorites channels, so really it is pretty simple, took about a day to get used to it. And on those rare occasions when I want to surf the entire channel list, two pushes of one button gives me the full list, and two pushes of the same button takes me back to my Favorites. Of course you can set up two Favorites lists if you want instead of just one.
Hope this helps.
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Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248
ok.... that sucks, especially for movie channels. Essentially, I guess I'm figuring out that if I want to view Encore HD, I go to a channel in the 800 number range, but if I want to watch Encore Action I have to go to a channel in the 300 range. With Dish Network, on the other hand, I go to channel 340 for Encore HD, 341 for Encore West, 342 for Encore Action, etc.
I wonder why FIOS doesn't map down its HD channels like Dish and DirecTV both do?
Really it is not as bad as you might think. There are reasons to the format. Like CNN 100 and CNN HD 600. Fox News 117 Fox News HD 617. News channels are in the low 100s for SD and Low 600s for HD. But the mapping is the same for the channel. Locals like 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,...... and 503,504,506,507,508,509, etc. So they are easy to find. Look at the printable channel guides at this location. You can DL the lineup or just view the PDF or HTML for your area and see the logic.
http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSTV/ChannelLineup/ChannelLineup.htm
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