TV Guide On Screen fake channel numbers

The Dish Network DTVPal and TR-40 CRA digital-to-analog converter boxes have a special TV Guide On Screen (TVGOS) mode that allows a TV or VCR with TV Guide On Screen or Guide Plus to control the converter box.

When the converter box is in TVGOS mode, it responds to infrared commands for a Scientific Atlanta cable box. The converter box accepts fake channel numbers from 1 to 4 digits. This document describes how the converter box responds to each range of fake channel numbers, and how to convert digital channel numbers to fake channel numbers.

Notes

These responses were observed on my TR-40 CRA, software version F105TCGH-N.
div is integer division. mod is the remainder after division.

Fake channel responses

Fake channel numbers	Response
0	Does nothing.
1	Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
2 - 69	Interprets the fake channel number as an RF channel and checks if any digital channels are known on that RF channel. If any digital channels are known on that RF channel, then it tunes to the highest one. If no digital channels are known on that RF channel, then it shows a black screen.
70 - 99	Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
100 - 999	Calculates a major and minor channel number from the fake channel as follows: `major` = (`fake` − 100) div 10 `minor` = (`fake` − 100) mod 10 `major` will be 0 to 89. `minor` will be 0 to 9. If `minor` is 0, then it interprets `major` as a fake channel number from 0 to 89 and responds as listed above. If `minor` is 1 to 9, then it checks if the digital channel `major`.`minor` is known. If the digital channel is known, then it tunes to it. If the digital channel isn't known, then it will prompt to scan or cancel.
1000 - 9009	Calculates a major and minor channel number from the fake channel as follows: `major` = (`fake` − 1000) div 90 + 1 `minor` = (`fake` − 1000) mod 90 + 10 `major` will be 1 to 89. `minor` will be 10 to 99. If digital channel `major`.`minor` is known, then it tunes to it. If digital channel `major`.`minor` isn't known, then it will prompt to scan or cancel.
9010 - 9999	Calculates a major and minor channel number from the fake channel as follows: `major` = (`fake` − 9010) div 99 + 90 `minor` = (`fake` − 9010) mod 99 + 1 `major` will be 90 to 99. `minor` will be 1 to 99. If digital channel `major`.`minor` is known, then it tunes to it. If digital channel `major`.`minor` isn't known, then it will prompt to scan or cancel.

Fake channel calculations

Here are the calculations to find out what fake channel number to use for a particular digital channel.

Major channel	Minor channel	Fake channel calculation	`fake` will be
0 - 89	0 - 9	`fake` = `major` × 10 + `minor` + 100	100 - 999
1 - 89	10 - 99	`fake` = (`major` − 1) × 90 + (`minor` − 10) + 1000	1000 - 9009
90 - 99	1 - 99	`fake` = (`major` − 90) × 99 + (`minor` − 1) + 9010	9010 - 9999

Examples

For the examples below, assume the converter box knows about the following digital channels. (These are a few of the channels available in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area.)

Digital channel	RF channel	Channel name	Network
4.1	35	KDFW	Fox
8.1	8	WFAA	ABC
8.2	8	WFAA
8.3	8	WFAA	This TV
13.1	14	KERA	PBS
13.2	14	KERA	PBS World

Here are some example fake channels, the major and minor values that are calculated, and the converter box's response.

Fake channel	`major`	`minor`	Response
0			Does nothing.
100	0	0	Does nothing.
101	0	1	Prompts to scan for channel 0.1
109	0	9	Prompts to scan for channel 0.9
1			Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
110	1	0	Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
111	1	1	Prompts to scan for channel 1.1
119	1	9	Prompts to scan for channel 1.9
1000	1	10	Prompts to scan for channel 1.10
1089	1	99	Prompts to scan for channel 1.99
35			Tunes to 4.1
4			Shows a black screen.
450	35	0	Tunes to 4.1
140	4	0	Shows a black screen.
141	4	1	Tunes to 4.1
142	4	2	Prompts to scan for channel 4.2
149	4	9	Prompts to scan for channel 4.9
1270	4	10	Prompts to scan for channel 4.10
1359	4	99	Prompts to scan for channel 4.99
8			Tunes to 8.3
180	8	0	Tunes to 8.3
181	8	1	Tunes to 8.1
182	8	2	Tunes to 8.2
183	8	3	Tunes to 8.3
184	8	4	Prompts to scan for channel 8.4
189	8	9	Prompts to scan for channel 8.9
1630	8	10	Prompts to scan for channel 8.10
1719	8	99	Prompts to scan for channel 8.99
14			Tunes to 13.2
13			Shows a black screen.
240	14	0	Tunes to 13.2
230	13	0	Shows a black screen.
231	13	1	Tunes to 13.1
232	13	2	Tunes to 13.2
233	13	3	Prompts to scan for channel 13.3
239	13	9	Prompts to scan for channel 13.9
2080	13	10	Prompts to scan for channel 13.10
2169	13	99	Prompts to scan for channel 13.99
85			Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
950	85	0	Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
951	85	1	Prompts to scan for channel 85.1
959	85	9	Prompts to scan for channel 85.9
8560	85	10	Prompts to scan for channel 85.10
8649	85	99	Prompts to scan for channel 85.99
9505	95	1	Prompts to scan for channel 95.1
9603	95	99	Prompts to scan for channel 95.99

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Robert Hart
Posted Dec. 13, 2009