How to Hide all SD Channels

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@texasnexus wrote:

I found a way to hide standard definition channels from the guide one by one, but it is tedius to setup. Any tips to hide all of the non HD channel lineup? Why does Uverse insist on displaying standard definition channels anyway, when I am paying for High Definition service?

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Not everyone wants to pay for or can afford the high definition service that U-Verse provides. In addition, not everyone owns or can afford a high definition television. There is no reason to leave those people without any means of watching television.

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texasnexus - If you just want an abbreviated guide there are a couple of choices -

For all HD - Menu - Shortcuts - HD - OK

For just designated favorites - Add each channel as you watch it with ENTER (bottom right) - Add to favorites

To bring up favorites guide MENU - Favorites - OK

These do take more clicks to bring up the guide, but the favorites guide is worth it.

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@texasnexus wrote:

I found a way to hide standard definition channels from the guide one by one, but it is tedius to setup. Any tips to hide all of the non HD channel lineup? Why does Uverse insist on displaying standard definition channels anyway, when I am paying for High Definition service?

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I can think of two reasons.

First, not all channels have an HD version.  For example, U-Verse does not have C-SPAN HD.

Second, if you live somewhere that supports 4 incoming channels, but only 3 can be HD, then there might be a time when you want to record 4 channels at once and you're stuck with choosing an SD one (this has happened to me).

Meanwhile, don't expect changes to how U-Verse works to happen immediately.  Some of us have been asking for years for slow-motion and frame-advance playback.  Unfortunately, TiVo does not work with U-Verse (pretty much the only "advantage" I can think of for Comcast over U-Verse), so that's not an option.

I hear you. I wish Uverse would let me turn off SD channels completely. The app keeps tricking me into recording SD content when I do it too quickly. Especially misleading is the HD button that removes SD from the guide, but not search results.

Agree. One thing I didn't notice mentioned is that the spectrum of SD channels 1-999 are also taking up valuable bandwidth. This requires AT&T to compress the picture too much. If those channles were eliminated, that would free up bandwidth for better PQ & new 4K channels.

TV has evolved to a level where it is absurd to charge customers extra for HD. You realize that most over the air network channels are in HD AND UNCOMPRESSED. The PQ is better OTA than with any wired or Satellite service. 

Finally, the Guide gyrations required to eliminate SD channels forever are annoying. Modern HD Tvs display great HD pictures but do a very poor job with SD programs - the old tube TVs did that job very well but their time is gone. I won't watch an SD program because the blurriness & artifacts hurt my eyes to watch.

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@bsquare wrote:

Agree. One thing I didn't notice mentioned is that the spectrum of SD channels 1-999 are also taking up valuable bandwidth. This requires AT&T to compress the picture too much. If those channles were eliminated, that would free up bandwidth for better PQ & new 4K channels.

This assertion is not at all true.  First, SD channels take a third of what an HD channel takes, so you'd have to kill three of them to give you an HD channel's bandwith (at the current HD compression).  Second (and most importantly), only the channels that you are actively watching or recording enter your home over your line.  Thus the bandwidth required by channels you are not using have absolutely zero impact on those you do use.  Nada.  Zilch.  The main problem with 4K at this moment is the lack of it from content providers... oh, and the cost of the sets.

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@bsquare wrote:

TV has evolved to a level where it is absurd to charge customers extra for HD. You realize that most over the air network channels are in HD AND UNCOMPRESSED. The PQ is better OTA than with any wired or Satellite service. 

Actually, OTA signals are compressed.  Some may be compressed more than you would think, due to multiple subchannels.  In general they are compressed less than cable or satillite, but this may or may not be noticible depending on what you're watching and what you're watching it on and how far away you're watching it from.

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@bsquare wrote:

Finally, the Guide gyrations required to eliminate SD channels forever are annoying.

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Yeah, hiding channels is a bit of a pain, but 10 minutes and you're done.

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@bsquare wrote:
Modern HD Tvs display great HD pictures but do a very poor job with SD programs - the old tube TVs did that job very well but their time is gone. I won't watch an SD program because the blurriness & artifacts hurt my eyes to watch.

 

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That's your choice.  Some of us still watch the SD channels, and find it very convenient that more of them fit on our DVR than their HD equivalents.  Further, when watching on a non-huge TV from a respectable distance, the difference is negligible.

Hiding the SD channels would be fine if it was a one-time occurrence, but it's a weekly effort to keep them down. I tried it for awhile but they kept coming and eventually I gave up. Now I have about 80 cluttering up my guide. They're like weeds...really persistent, awful weeds.

SD looks horrendous no matter how far you are from the TV. It's 4:3 and blurry.

And, yes, it is our choice. SD is the past and I'm done with it. If there is a channel that is only SD there is a 100% probabliltiy I don't want to watch anything on it. 100%, I say!

It's time for U-Verse to give us a checkbox we can select that allows those of us who don't watch SD to remove it from our lives. If you want to selectively record SD shows to optimize your DVR space and whatever other reasons, more power to you but don't begrudge me the choice of getting rid of them entirely. 

--Brian

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@MrSchmidt wrote:

 

Hiding the SD channels would be fine if it was a one-time occurrence, but it's a weekly effort to keep them down. I tried it for awhile but they kept coming and eventually I gave up. Now I have about 80 cluttering up my guide. They're like weeds...really persistent, awful weeds. 

 

--Brian

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Huh?

@MrSchmidt   If the DVR functions are still not working, try a Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery.

Unplug the power cord of the DVR from the wall or from the back of the box and wait ten seconds. Plug the DVR back in.

When three white dots appear on the screen, unplug the DVR again. Repeat this process two more times.

Plug the DVR back in on the third time and leave in. Three white dots appear followed by a gear with a status bar at the bottom of the screen.

If the Disaster Recovery screen does not appear, repeat the steps above. If the Disaster Recovery screen appears, wait until completion.

If the Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery does not work, follow the steps for a Force Disaster Recovery

Re-downloads all the software. Will not erase recordings, takes a bit of time or so.  Hopefully this will keep your SD channels hidden as mine are. Good luck 😉

Chris
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Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(billing and all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

What are you confused about?

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@mibrnsurg wrote:

@MrSchmidt   If the DVR functions are still not working, try a Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery.

Unplug the power cord of the DVR from the wall or from the back of the box and wait ten seconds. Plug the DVR back in.

When three white dots appear on the screen, unplug the DVR again. Repeat this process two more times.

Plug the DVR back in on the third time and leave in. Three white dots appear followed by a gear with a status bar at the bottom of the screen.

If the Disaster Recovery screen does not appear, repeat the steps above. If the Disaster Recovery screen appears, wait until completion.

If the Non-Destructive Disaster Recovery does not work, follow the steps for a Force Disaster Recovery

Re-downloads all the software. Will not erase recordings, takes a bit of time or so.  Hopefully this will keep your SD channels hidden as mine are. Good luck 😉

 

My SD channels *do* stay hidden after I hide them. The trouble is that new SD channels are introduced every week and the new ones need to be hidden, too. 

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@MrSchmidt wrote:

What are you confused about?

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If you're havng to hide SD channels on a weekly basis, you're doing it wrong.

 Once you hide a channel, it stays hidden...for all eternity....or until you un-hide it.

If you're havng to hide SD channels on a weekly basis, you're doing it wrong.

 Once you hide a channel, it stays hidden...for all eternity....or until you un-hide it.

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@skeeterintexas wrote:

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@MrSchmidt wrote:

What are you confused about?

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If you're havng to hide SD channels on a weekly basis, you're doing it wrong.

 

 Once you hide a channel, it stays hidden...for all eternity....or until you un-hide it.

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I see why you are confused. When I hide a channel, it does stay hidden. It's the constant onslaught of new channels that need to be hidden on an ongoing basis. 

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My SD channels *do* stay hidden after I hide them. The trouble is that new SD channels are introduced every week and the new ones need to be hidden, too.  

  

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So 80 new unique SD channels have been added to your Guide over the last year?

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@texasguy37 wrote:

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My SD channels *do* stay hidden after I hide them. The trouble is that new SD channels are introduced every week and the new ones need to be hidden, too.  

  

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So 80 new unique SD channels have been added to your Guide over the last year?

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Yep...I think that sounds about right. If it's not 80, it feels like it.