# My new TV gets broadcast channel 1. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849 "2003-04-29T03:59:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/21 "2003-04-29T17:57:54Z")
I’m guessing you’ve got it set up for cable as **Tamex** says. In NYC cable channel 1 is a local news station. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/22 "2003-04-29T18:27:44Z")
Our Philips/Magnavox is channel 1 capable and it has nothing to do with the video input. It doesn’t work with the cable either, our cable provider only uses channel 1 for the digital signal. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/23 "2003-04-29T19:50:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeff Olsen \* > \*\*Our Philips/Magnavox is channel 1 capable and it has nothing to do with the video input. It doesn’t work with the cable either, our cable provider only uses channel 1 for the digital signal. \*\* Was your TV intended for use in other countries besides the U.S.? Which leads me to ask if channel 1 is used in other countries? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/24 "2003-04-29T20:04:33Z")
I bought it from Best Buy. If it’s grey market, I’ll eat my remote. 😃 Anyway, I’ve solved it. I’d inadvertently set it to cable tuning, instead of TV. :smack: When set to TV tuning, it refuses to accept channel 1, just like a good American set. ---
**Author:** ![bruntilda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@bruntilda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bruntilda)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/25 "2003-04-29T20:30:36Z")
My three year old tv gets channel 1, but there is nothing on it but static. It’s also a Zenith so it may be because of the japanese. ---
**Author:** ![Stormfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Stormfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormfield)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/26 "2003-04-30T01:42:17Z")
**Q.E.D.** , I think that the old channel 1 occupied 48-54 MHz, not 50-56 MHz. **Derleth** , IIRC, the VHF channel _frequencies_ are the same whether the set is in “cable tuning” mode or “TV tuning” mode. Which means that if you switch it to “cable tuning” mode and plug rabbit ears into the “cable in” connector, you would receive channel 1, if it were still in use as a TV broadcast channel. The only way that you would hear anything is if, while you were connected this way, a Ham radio operator were to transmit on 53.75 MHz. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/27 "2003-04-30T02:24:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stormfield \* > \*\*\*\*Q.E.D. **, I think that the old channel 1 occupied 48-54 MHz, not 50-56 MHz.** Well, we were both wrong: > [@](#): > > May 10, 1948. Broadcasting reports FCC orders into effect earlier proposal assigning TV ch. 1 (44-50 mc) to nongovernmental fixed and mobile services, denying FM spokesmen’s pleas for that channel for use in FM network relaying; gives FM stations in 44-50 mc band until end of year to move to 88-108 mc; issues proposed new expanded TV allocation table; calls hearing on feasibility of TV use of frequencies above 475 mc; proposes required minimum hours of TV station operation be scaled from 12 hours a week for first 18 months to 28 hours a week after 36 months. From [this page.](http://members.aol.com/jeff560/chronotv.html) ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849/28 "2003-04-30T02:27:44Z")
I have Channel 1 on my Magnavox, set to cable tuning. I get loud audio static and a heavily snowy image of what’s on Channel 5. But it has been used in the past, by one of the many cable companies that have paraded through San Francisco, for free previews of the premium channels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-tv-gets-broadcast-channel-1-why/171849.md?page=1)