Channel Management

 

Use the Channel Management dialog to manage all digital TV and data channels for the currently selected service. All channels are listed in the Channel list, where they can be edited, deleted or tested for signal reception. Use Search and Scan to automatically update the entire Channel list as well as TV4PC's program listings.

Search and Scan

Rather than updating channels manually, Search and Scan automatically updates all of the programs on TV4PC's program listings and updates the entire Channel list, beginning at Start Frequency (the frequency of the first channel) and ending at End Frequency (the frequency of the last channel). To perform a Search and Scan:

  1. Verify signal reception for the currently selected cabelnet. Return to the Cable Settings tab and click Channel Management.
  2. Under the Search and Scan section, use the default values or enter: the frequency of the first channel at Start Frequency, the frequency of the last channel at End Frequency, the Frequency Step Size, the Symbol Rate, and the Modulation.
  3. Click the Search and Scan button and monitor scan progress indicators.



  4. When Search and Scan is complete, the Channel list will reflect newly updated or added digital TV and data channels and TV4PC's program listing will automatically be updated.
  5. Click Close to exit the Channel Management dialog.

Search and Scan Textboxes and Progress Indicators

Start Frequency, End Frequency, and Step Size

The Start Frequency is the frequency of the first channel on the service (or you can enter an arbitrary frequency that marks the beginning of the scan). The End Frequency is the frequency of the last channel on the service (or you can enter an arbitrary frequency marking the endpoint of the scan). Step Size is the scan increment. Search and Scan will scan every increment between the Start Frequency and the End Frequency.

If you do not wish to use default values, consult your service provider. Find the highest and lowest channel frequencies for your service and enter them as the Start Frequency and End Frequency.

Symbol Rate

The Symbol Rate indicates the speed of the channel's signal. If you do not wish to use default values, consult your service provider.

Modulation

Modulation is the process of converting digital information into a channel signal. This can be done many ways: select the method used by your service provider.

Scan Progress Indicators

After Search and Scan is clicked, the Scanning Status textbox describes the events of the scan as they happen in terms of a channel's PIDs (packet ID codes) or updating tables such as the NIT (network information table), PAT (program association table), PMT (program management table) or CAT (conditional access table). The Scan Progress bar displays the progress of the entire scan. The Channel Progress bar displays the progress of the scan relative to the single channel currently being scanned.

Manually Adding, Editing, or Deleting an Individual channel

Any individual channel can be tested for signal reception by clicking Edit on the Channel Management dialog. New channels can be tuned and manually be added to the Channel list.

To manually add a channel to the list or to edit an existing channel, you will need to know the frequency, symbol rate, and modulation of the channel that you want to add. (If you do not have these settings, use Search and Scan.)

  1. On the Channel Management dialog, highlight the desired channel on the Channel list.
  2. To delete the channel, click Delete.
  3. Click Add or Edit to launch the Add channel or Edit Channel dialog, which appears with the selected satellite's name in the greyed Cable Provider drop-down list.



  4. Under Channel Settings enter signal parameter values to tune the tuner to the selected channel; obtain these values from your service provider or use the default values.
  5. Click Tune and monitor the Lock Status indicator.
  6. When Lock Status is green, click OK to return to the Channel Management dialog. The new channel now appears on the Channel list.
  7. Click Close to exit the Channel Management dialog.

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