Can I completely change the DirecTV guide?

[fustercluck]

I've been liking DirecTV ok, but I don't like the DirecTV guide. It's hard/confusing to browse. If I'm just browsing for something to watch, the guide is slow and shows an endless amount of channels I don't even get or want to see. I have to dig through all of the channels I don't like to find channels that I do like. It can be hard to tell which channels are which since it only shows the abbreviated name for each channel. It's easy to tell what some channels are (like NBC/CNN), but I don't know the abbreviated name for every channel. All of the channels I like seem so far apart too, it will take forever to memorize all these channels.

If I have the guide set to display only "Channels I get" it still displays a ton of channels that I don't actually get. Also, the guide seems real sluggish and unresponsive. If I got a different receiver, would there be a different/faster guide? Or am I stuck with this DirecTV guide? Can I hack it or anything?

I know I could make up my own favorites list, which would solve some of my problems, but I still wouldn't like the guide. It's so dang slow. Do I need to have a receiver from DirecTV to use direct TV?

Overall I'm liking DirecTV alright though, but just alright.

 

[shocksyde]

You can setup favorites so that only the channels you enjoy are listed in the guide, and all the fluff crap is gone.

You can even setup several different favorite lineups. For example, one of mine is all the sports channels, just for when I'm in a sporting mood.

 

[Tremulant]

I've noticed that the program guide on the HD DirecTV box scrolls channels much slower than the normal DirecTV box.

 

[Queasy]

You can change the "Channels you receive" to show only the channels you receive in the settings. You can also edit your Favorites list.

Your only option for DirecTV receivers now are DirecTV receivers. They used to have different manufacturers but not anymore. You can probably find older SD receivers (and the HD DirecTivo) box on eBay or by asking DirecTV if they have any refurbs.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I just memorize sets of channels and manually browse. Sometimes the guide is wrong when the networks change their programming....but it's only occasionally.

I just do this: 249 is Comedy Central. I browse from there back to 229, which is HGTV. That covers TBS, TNT, FX, and USA....as well as Food Network, Fine Living, and DIY Network. on the HGTV end.

333 is where I start and go backwards to MTV, Nickelodeon, and all of the Discovery and History channels.

Movie Channels are 501 up.

I usually just change channels and scan the info bar.

Oops....NFL Sunday ticket is the 700s
208 is the ESPN & CNN area

 

[fustercluck]

When I put the list to "Channels I get" It still shows about a million channels I don't get or am not subscribed to. Plus it's annoying going through all of their 'XM Radio' channels or whatever. I guess the favorites list is the best thing I can do for now. But I can't get a different/faster guide using DirecTV no matter which receivers i use? W

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Adaman
When I put the list to "Channels I get" It still shows about a million channels I don't get or am not subscribed to. Plus it's annoying going through all of their 'XM Radio' channels or whatever. I guess the favorites list is the best thing I can do for now. But I can't get a different/faster guide using DirecTV no matter which receivers i use? W

You have to go into the receiver settings and deselect the channels you don't receive. It's like another layer of Favorites.