The channel scan page should show both the virtual and actual channels. For example in my area:
11-1 (50) WINK
20-1 (15) WBBH
26-1 (41) WZVN
36-1 (35) WFTX
This would help when people are seeing duplicated virtual channels due to nearby repeaters.
Thank you for posting. What you write is very sensible.
Some people would point out, not unreasonably, that for some users the simplest possible user interface is the best. So I would invite Tablo to consider a variant. Offer a check box in the user interface configuration – to show the RF channels if the box is checked, or to conceal the RF channels if the box is unchecked. Or a button to click that would bring up a more detailed diagnostic report with RF channel numbers and two significant digits of signal strength.
The other reason this is useful is when trying to improve antenna performance. Antennas are designed to receive specific frequencies. You need the actual channel info to know what frequency the signal is on. Virtual channels don’t help.
There are some channels in my area that are on two broadcast towers, one that is 45+ miles away and one that is half that distance. I would like to see this feature too so that I can choose which tower to get my signal from.
What do we have to do more strongly encourage the company to provide this capability?
I believe I am up against a transmitting frequency discrepancy with a channel that has been moved. I need to know what freq Tablo is seeing it in order to try and better tune my system for that channel.
At the same time it would also be useful if instead of providing green circles, to print out the signal strength or SNR being detected.
CH VCH CALL SNR
11-1 (50) WINK 20db
20-1 (15) WBBH 12db
26-1 (41) WZVN 18 db
36-1 (35) WFTX 22 db
In Boulder CO we have both UHF/VHF options for ABC & NBC off of Lookout Mountain and PBS on repeaters close to us. Fortunately NBC chose 9.1/9.4 for the VHF(9)/UHF(19) NBC. Unfortunately PBS 12.1, PBS 6.1, and ABC 7.1 do not have different sub channels for their different RF transmitters.
The rescanned channel list hides the unique “channel-nnnnn” numbers in the web form, so 7.1 is channel-23613 for VHF RF(7) and channel-23623 for UFH RF(17). I searched for “KMGH” in the rescan list as the rescan was running, 23613 popped up first so it was the VHF channel number. For KMGH, the VHF channel appears above the UHF channel in the “add to guide” listing. If we knew that duplicate channels in the rescan list are sorted by RF channel, we would have a clue. At a MINIMUM, we need to know if we are selecting a VHF or UHF channel when there are duplicate entries.
I’ll sniff the ethernet wire during a rescan to see if I can figure out PBS and ABC.
I have a separate VHF antenna, so I can disconnect the VHF antenna from the combiner to identify VHF vs. UHF… but these channel numbers are hidden from the normal end user.
EDIT: It turns out that the channel-nnnnnn numbers are not the same when I do a “rescan”. However, for my KMGH-TV 7.1 example, the RF(7) is appearing above/before the RF(17) entry for “7-1”. Tablo could change this behavior, or it may be by luck that I’m seeing the rescan list in this order.
With the re-pack of the channel spectrum going on (since the FCC auction) many channels are migrating to different RF frequencies. We desperately need the actual RF channel number in addition to the virtual channel. Just last week we lost the signal on WNBC New York 4-1 (RF ch28), but after re-scanning found it on 4-3 (RF 36). Of course, the Tablo program guide was unable to give us the program information on 4-3, but that’s a different issue. I had to use my laptop computer with a tuner card to actually find out that I was getting the channel on RF 36, not RF 28. I also learned that WNBC will share the RF channel with their partner Telemundo, as they auctioned off their primary spectrum for over $200 million. In this area we also have about 8 new 33.x channels transmitting on RF 3 (low band VHF --terrible!) which would require a different antenna for most people.
In addition to having the actual RF channel displayed, I’d like to see a diagnostic mode that would allow me to see the strength of the channel to help point and adjust the antenna. A number of stations are moving their transmitters to One World Trade which will mean re-pointing the antenna.
Please add me to the list of people who would like to see the broadcast channel in addition to the virtual channel. I use a Tablo in an RV, often moving from location to location with a whole different list of stations. I have a Winegard SensarPro meter to help me properly aim my antenna, but by default it shows the signal strength for the strongest channel available. If I know what broadcast frequency a desired station uses, I can change the settings to see the signal strength for that frequency instead. But don’t have that readily available. I would prefer to not have to go to other apps, such as TVFool.
I can understand the desire to keep the screens as simple as possible, and most people will have no use for this information. So I agree with the earlier post that suggested a check box for those who would like to see it.
On rare occasions I can see the same virtual channel repeating. In some cases, there is variation in the signal strength shown on Tablo list. In other cases, the signal strength is the same.