Newbie Local Channel Question(s)

We have a DirecTV with Tivo, and it gets our local channels on 2, 8, 11
and 13 - that's how they are numbered in the channel guide. We have an
older DirectTV receiver, and it also gets the local channels on some
other channel numbers in the guide (can't remember now exactly what
they are - 94x?).

Question 1: Whay are those channels numbered differently?

We will be going to HD some time after Christmas, and have ordered an
HR10-250, along with a new dish.

Question 2: What will be the status of local channels then? Will we
continue to get those off the satellite?

We also have an OTA antenna we can use to get analog local channels.
We live out in the country, however, and channel 2 (NBC) is problematic
(virtually non-watchable).

Question 3: We can still cancel our outstanding Direct TV orders
without prejudice. Are there other caveats that I should be aware of,
as they pertain to local channels?

Thanks!

david.f.jenkins RemoveThis @usa.net wrote:
> We have a DirecTV with Tivo, and it gets our local channels
> on 2, 8, 11 and 13 - that's how they are numbered in the
> channel guide. We have an older DirecTV receiver, and it
> also gets the local channels on some other channel numbers
> in the guide (can't remember now exactly what they are - 94x?).
>
> Question 1: Whay are those channels numbered differently?

The local channels are actually broadcast in the 800-900 range.
The older receivers only know them by those numbers.
The newer receivers have a translation table, so that it can
display the channels numbers the public is familiar with.

> We will be going to HD some time after Christmas, and have ordered an
> HR10-250, along with a new dish.
>
> Question 2: What will be the status of local channels then? Will we
> continue to get those off the satellite?

Yes. In the San Francisco Bay Area, my HR10-250 does this:

Listed DirecTV OTA ATSC
------ --- --------
2 KTVU FOX = 884
2-1 KTVU-DT = 56.1 HD
4 KRON IND = 885
4-1 KRONDT = 57.1 HD
5 KPIX CBS = 886
5-1 KPIX-DT = 29.1 HD
7 KGO ABC = 887
7-1 KGO-HD = 24.1 HD
7-2 KGO-DT2 = 24.2 SD
9 KQED PBS = 888
9-1 KQEDDT = 30.1 HD, prime-time only
9-2 KQEDDT2 = 30.2 SD, 24 hours
9-3 KQEDDT3 = 30.3 SD, non-primetime
9-4 KQEDDT4 = 30.4 SD, non-primetime
9-5 KQEDDT5 = 30.5 SD, non-primetime
11 KNTV NBC = 889
11.1 KNTVDT = 12.1 HD
11.2 KNTVDT2 = 12.2 SD Weather Plus
etc.

> Question 3: We can still cancel our outstanding Direct TV orders
> without prejudice. Are there other caveats that I should be aware of,
> as they pertain to local channels?

Yes; don't cancel.

The HR10-250 has two logical tuners, each one composed of a DirecTV
tuner and an OTA tuner. If you have only one of the satellite inputs
enabled, then only one logical tuner is enabled, which prevents
the recording of two OTA channels simultaneously. Enabling the
second satellite input enables the second OTA tuner.

Canceling DirecTV service disables all tuners; you cannot receive
local OTA channels without an active DirecTV subscription.

Most of the DirecTV HD channels (ESPN, ESPN2, UHD, DISC-HD,
HD-Net Movies, HD-Net) are activated when you sign up for the HD
Package ($10.99/month). The other two HD channels (HBO-HD and
SHO-HD) obviously require Premium subscriptions.

-Joe