Switched Digital Video (SDV) now being used by TWC

[Skaggs]

In September 2006, Albany Time Warner Cable started using Switched Digital Video.

Here are some instructions to tell what channels are using Switched Digital Video:

1. Get into the cable box's diagnostic menu by holding the "+" or "SELECT" button ON THE BOX in for a few seconds until the mail light begins flashing. (The "+" button in the center of the up, down, left, right arrow buttons.) Press the INFO button.

You can page through the informational screens by using the left & right arrow buttons. You can see the TV picture by pressing the "+" button...once will make the diagnostic info about 50% opaque and twice will make it about 20%. A third time will bring you back to 100%.

2. Go to the last page in the diagnostic menu (page 39)

3. Look at the SamSvcid/Type. It will show a number and "/Switched" if the cahnnel you are tuned to is SDV (if it is not switched it will show "Broadcast")

4. The SDV Freq: will show a number depending on the SDV pool that gets assigned.

5. Change the channels and look to see what appears in the SamSvcid/Type location.

[Skaggs]

The following channels are known to be SDV on Albany TWC:

1 TWC information
2 C-SPAN
7 Time Warner Television
20 ION Television
21 Home Shopping Network
22 Quality Value Convenience
34 The Disney Channel - East
44 Shop NBC
52 C-SPAN 2
58 Turner Classic Movies
61 Eternal Word TV Network
62 Univision - TV
68 Discovery Health Channel
110 The Disney Channel - East
215 Discovery Health Channel
375 EWTN: Eternal Word TV Network
434 TCM: Turner Classic Movies
551 FOX Business
570 C-SPAN: Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network
575 C-SPAN 2
675 NHL Channel (requires subscription to Sports Tier)
708 HBO West
709 HBO Premium West
710 HBO Signature West
711 HBO Family West
712 HBO Comedy West
713 HBO Zone West
714 HBO Latino West
725 Cinemax West
726 More Max West
727 ActionMax West
728 ThrillerMax West
746 Showtime West
747 Showtime 2 West
748 Showtime 3 West
749 Showtime Extreme West
750 Showtime Beyond West
754 Showtime Next West
755 Showtime Family Zone West
756 Showtime Women West
763 The Movie Channel West
764 The Movie Channel 2 West
776 Starz West
777 Starz Cinema West
788 Encore West
901 Univision - TV
921 HBO Latino West
1107 TWTV-MP
1109 QVC: Quality Value Convenience Network
1115 Home Shopping Network
1120 Shop NBC
1805 TBS HD
1822 QVC HD
1823 Weather Channel HD
1825 Science Channel HD
1826 Biography HD
1829 FX HD
1831 Toon Disney HD
1832 Cartoon Network HD
1833 ABC Family HD
1834 Disney Channel HD
1835 Animal Planet HD
1836 Discovery Channel HD
1838 A&E HD
1839 History Channel HD
1841 HGTV HD
1842 Food Network HD
1843 Travel HD
1844 TLC HD
1846 CNN HD
1851 Fox Business News HD
1852 MGM HD (included in TWC's HD Tier at $3.95 per month)
1859 NY1 HD
1860 Universal HD (included in TWC's HD Tier at $3.95 per month)
1861 Hallmark Movie HD (included in TWC's HD Tier at $3.95 per month)
1864 Lifetime Movie Network HD
1865 Golf HD
1868 Tennis HD (requires subscription to Sports Tier)
1871 ESPNU HD
1872 ESPNews HD
1873 Golf/Versus HD
1874 Outdoor HD (requires subscription to Sports Tier)
1875 NHL HD (requires subscription to Sports Tier)
1876 National Geographic HD
1877 Speed HD (requires subscription to Sports Tier)
1882 HBO West HD (requires subscription)
1883 Cinemax East HD (requires subscription)
1884 Cinemax West HD (requires subscription)
1886 Showtime West HD (requires subscription)
1887 Showtime2 HD (requires subscription)
1888 Movie Channel HD (requires subscription)
1890 Starz HD (requires subscription)
1891 Starz West HD (requires subscription)
1892 Starz Comedy HD (requires subscription)
1893 Starz Kids and Family HD (requires subscription)
1894 Starz Edge HD (requires subscription)
1909 Team HD
1910 NBA League Pass Preview (requires subscription)
1911 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1912 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1913 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1914 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1915 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1916 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1917 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1918 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1919 NBA League Pass (requires subscription)
1929 Game HD
1930 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1931 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1932 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1933 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1934 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1935 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1936 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1937 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1938 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1939 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1940 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1941 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1942 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1943 NHL Center Ice / MLB Extra Innings (requires subscription)
1950 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1951 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1952 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1953 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1954 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1955 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)
1956 ESPN Game Plan (requires subscription)

The diagnostic menu posts a value of 121 SDV channels.

Cable Card users cannot tune SDV channels.

If you find other SDV channels, please post them in this thread.

[hurnik]

It would be nice if stupid TW would post which channels can't be received via Cable Card. Of course, it would also be nice if they quit jacking up the cable rates and gave us more HD channels.

[Skaggs]

I found the following letter from Albany TWC to Cable Card users posted on another website. Here's the text from the letter:

August 21, 2006

Dear Valued Customer,

We would like to thank you for choosing Time Warner Cable to provide your cable services as we are proud to bring you cutting edge, state-of-the-art video as well as voice and data products.

As you are aware, the current CableCARD technology enables access only to our "one-way" programming services. In order to receive "two-way" programming services such as On Demand programming, the Interactive Program Guide, and more, you must have a digital set-top box. For your review, we have enclosed a brochure that describes the differences in the capabilities of CableCARD-enabled devices and digital cable boxes.

As part of our ongoing upgrade to digital programming, Time Warner Cable will be moving "alternate time zone" channels of our premium feeds to a two-way, switched digital technology. Premium programming services like HBO, Showtime and Starz often offer multiple channels that show the same programming in different time zones. In the future, those alternative time zone channels will be available only to customers with two-way digital boxes.

Please note that as early as September 15, 2006, the following channels will no longer be available:

Channel # Channel Name Channel # Channel Name
115 Disney West
708 HBO West
709 HBO Premium West
710 HBO Signature West
711 HBO Family West
712 HBO Comedy West
713 HBO Zone West
714 HBO Latino West
725 Cinemax West
726 MoreMax West
727 ActionMax West
728 ThrillerMax West
746 Showtime West
747 Showtime 2 West
748 Showtime 3 West
749 Showtime Extreme West
750 Showtime Beyond West
754 Showtime Next West
755 Showtime Family West
756 Showtime Women West
763 The Movie Channel West
764 The Movie Channel 2 West
776 Starz West
777 Starz 5 Cinema West
788 Encore West

If you would like to continue to receive alternative time zone or any of the other digital "two-way" channels or services we offer after September 15, 2006, please contact us at 1.866.321.CABLE. We will be able to provide you with a digital cable box that will give you access to all of Time Warner Cable's programming and features.

We thank you again for choosing Time Warner Cable.

[Skaggs]

It appears that some of the channels listed in the letter are not SDV (yet).

See the second post in this thread for a complete list.

[mattbanks]

I came home from the weekend to find the guide on my 8300hd not showing anything for every west coast feed on all movie channels. I had to unplug/reboot the box to get them to show up. Looks like they might have moved a lot more stuff to SDV?

[Skaggs]

Channel 551 (FOX Business) added to the SDV list in post #2.

[hurnik]

Did I mention I hate TW?

[dkennedy]

I just had a TWC tech house call today to install another cable card. SDV is here. I have digital cable, HBO with the free 12 months of cinemax (by the way thank you skaggs), HD Tier, Sports Tier and Encore Tier.

I am not receiving the following channels because of SDV on all my CC HDTV's:

551 FOX Business Channel
708 HBO West
709 HBO Premium West
710 HBO Signature West
711 HBO Family West
712 HBO Comedy West
713 HBO Zone West
714 HBO Latino West
1875 NHL HD

It is interesting to note that I have the Sports and HD Tier's but wont be receiving NHL HD unless I pick up a STB.

[Skaggs]

dkennedy said:

I am not receiving the following channels because of SDV on all my CC HDTV's:

551 FOX Business Channel
708 HBO West
709 HBO Premium West
710 HBO Signature West
711 HBO Family West
712 HBO Comedy West
713 HBO Zone West
714 HBO Latino West
1875 NHL HD

I updated the 2nd post to include the new HBO channels and NHL HD that are SDV. Two weeks ago, only a few of these HBO were SDV.

Still no official word from Albany TWC about their plans for SDV. I've emailed "ask Mike" about 5 times and VP for Public Affairs Peter Taubkin and have yet to receive a response.

[Skaggs]

A few weeks ago on page 37 of the diagnostic menu, it stated there were 44 SDV channels. Today, it listed 52 SDV channels.

[adam]

Skaggs, I looked yesterday and only had 18.

[dkennedy]

I can receive HBO Latino West on channel 921 with CC.

[dkennedy]

726 More Max West has finally gone to the land of SDV. I can't tune it anymore via cable card.


Admin Note: Channel added to 2nd post in this thread.

[dkennedy]

Add the NHL 675 channel to the list of SDV only channels. I can't tune this channel with Cable Card.

Admin Note: NHL channel on 675 added to the list.