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Why would a converter box change channels?

V

vchimpanzee

I always change converter box no. 1 (with a combination TV/VHS) from channel 48 to channel 51 on Sundays because it's the only way to tape Andy Rooney--VHS hooked up to cable is committed to "America's Funniest Home Videos" (though I'm generally watching that) while TiVo hooked up to cable has both tuners on "Animation Domination", one just so I can manually tape whatever's there, the other on specific shows that might air there. Then I have to remember to change back to 48, but if I hit the button too many times I'll end up on 45.

Now I tape reruns of "The Simpsons" every day (nearly all of them these days I have seen), but one day I turned on the TV with converter box no. 2, always kept on channel 8 (with a combination TV/VHS--though it is on Fox for the Sunday programming, the antenna isn't reliable), and just saw static. At least with my units, if the power goes out they don't come back on. So I turned both back on. I discovered no. 1 was on 45. But I rewound the tape past the static and determined that, yes, I did tape "The Simpsons". I would not have switched it to 45.

What could have happened?
 
EAS. Most newer boxes (including TiVos with Cablecard) are required to switch to a channel airing an EAS alert.

This means that every Amber Alert (what, is the kid possibly hiding under my sofa?), Thunderstorm four counties over, or Required Annoying Monthly Test will change your channel for you.

Just be glad they haven't found a way to make it turn on the TV if you have it off.
 
Pab Sungenis said:
Just be glad they haven't found a way to make it turn on the TV if you have it off.
Click to expand...

To this day, I'm still afraid of the EAS. I don't know what I'll do if my TV turns on at 3am and airs the alert at loud volume... :eek:
 
Pab Sungenis said:
This means that every Amber Alert (what, is the kid possibly hiding under my sofa?), Thunderstorm four counties over, or Required Annoying Monthly Test will change your channel for you.

Just be glad they haven't found a way to make it turn on the TV if you have it off.
Click to expand...

I remember seeing one of those "Amber Alerts" before. The "Required Annoying Monthly Test" I've seen multiple times, but I never saw how these kind of alerts looked before. It came on last year during the two-hour sixth season premiere of House. It looked about the same as the "Monthly Tests", but it sure sounded much spookier than the usual alerts. The audio quality was noticeably different from the usual computer-voiced monthly alerts.

Isn't odd that when the "Monthly Test" alerts are on, half the channels tune to PBS? Maybe it only happens with the Charter cable in my area.
 
Your PBS may be the regional hub for EAS in your area. They relay the RMT to other stations, so they will trigger first.

What I hate is that RMT's and all alerts, even Amber Alerts, trigger the two-tone "attention signal." As a child in the 1970's, I came to associate that particular sound with flaming death from above. I wish they'd come up with a less obtrusive tone for RMT's, Amber Alerts, and weather alerts beneath tornado warnings.
 
Many go to HSN or QVC...ours just display the alert.

But by some odd reason we get the test alerts from and for the Tucson market. We've received alerts from KNST and KRQQ (which we shouldn't). The first time I noticed one of these it had a Charlie Van Dyke test tape!
 
BlueWanderer said:
Isn't odd that when the "Monthly Test" alerts are on, half the channels tune to PBS? Maybe it only happens with the Charter cable in my area.
Click to expand...
You think THAT is strange, Comcast/Xfinity here in Denver defaults to KTVD 20 (MyNetwork TV) on Cable Channel 5 for EAS Alerts. Before KTVD was moved there from Channel 3 when KCDO 3 (RetroTV) was made available, Channel 5 was the home of Comcast's own COMCAST ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION which doesn't even have a news department or access to one.

I'd rather get my news from either KRMA 6 or KBDI 12 rather than CET.

Good thing KTVD is now owned by Gannett & its news is produced by Big Brother KUSA 9 (NBC). I'd hate to see an EAS Alert that's NOT a drill without some kind of information following it because the channel my box defaults to doesn't have a news department or access to one.

Cheers :D
 
Pab Sungenis said:
Your PBS may be the regional hub for EAS in your area. They relay the RMT to other stations, so they will trigger first.
Click to expand...

That's probably the case. I haven't seen a RMT in a while, but then again I did go through a recent phase of not watching cable. Two and a half weeks past before I got sick of listening to FM-AM radio yet again and return back to cable.

I forgot to mention that sometimes a few channels won't flip over to RMT or PBS. I don't remember which ones since I was channel surfing through them all during the last RMT I've seen.
 
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