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 numbersResponse
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 channelMinor channelFake channel calculationfake 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 channelRF channelChannel nameNetwork
4.135KDFWFox
8.18WFAAABC
8.28WFAA
8.38WFAAThis TV
13.114KERAPBS
13.214KERAPBS World

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

Fake channelmajorminorResponse
0Does nothing.
10000Does nothing.
10101Prompts to scan for channel 0.1
10909Prompts to scan for channel 0.9
1Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
11010Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
11111Prompts to scan for channel 1.1
11919Prompts to scan for channel 1.9
1000110Prompts to scan for channel 1.10
1089199Prompts to scan for channel 1.99
35Tunes to 4.1
4Shows a black screen.
450350Tunes to 4.1
14040Shows a black screen.
14141Tunes to 4.1
14242Prompts to scan for channel 4.2
14949Prompts to scan for channel 4.9
1270410Prompts to scan for channel 4.10
1359499Prompts to scan for channel 4.99
8Tunes to 8.3
18080Tunes to 8.3
18181Tunes to 8.1
18282Tunes to 8.2
18383Tunes to 8.3
18484Prompts to scan for channel 8.4
18989Prompts to scan for channel 8.9
1630810Prompts to scan for channel 8.10
1719899Prompts to scan for channel 8.99
14Tunes to 13.2
13Shows a black screen.
240140Tunes to 13.2
230130Shows a black screen.
231131Tunes to 13.1
232132Tunes to 13.2
233133Prompts to scan for channel 13.3
239139Prompts to scan for channel 13.9
20801310Prompts to scan for channel 13.10
21691399Prompts to scan for channel 13.99
85Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
950850Shows a black screen for a moment, then returns to the previously tuned channel.
951851Prompts to scan for channel 85.1
959859Prompts to scan for channel 85.9
85608510Prompts to scan for channel 85.10
86498599Prompts to scan for channel 85.99
9505951Prompts to scan for channel 95.1
96039599Prompts to scan for channel 95.99

Home > Articles > TV Guide On Screen fake channel numbers

Robert Hart
Posted Dec. 13, 2009