# Where are these '500' channels?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 25, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311 "2004-03-25T08:20:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lithium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lithium)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/1 "2004-03-25T08:20:17Z")
I often hear people say they have 500-700 channels, but both DirectTV and Dishnetwork only offer like 230 each. So where are these mystical companies that offer these giant packages?
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### Author:  [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/2 "2004-03-25T08:55:16Z")
perhaps they are including the music and pay-per-view channels? the music channels just happen to be located on channels in the 500 range, which made the title to this OP fairly amusing.
‘where are the 500 channels?’
‘well, there’s 501, 502, …’
anyway, that’s what i thought at first…
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### Author:  [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/3 "2004-03-25T12:11:29Z")
My parents subscribe to the Super-duper Deluxe Golden Platinum Uranium satellite service and they really do get something like 500 channels. They get all fifteen channels for every movie network, around 40-50 music channels, and God knows what else. They get the _Rural Channel_ for God’s sakes. I’ve watched it. I can’t believe my parents are paying those prices to watch cattle auctions.
The answer seems to be that there are 500 channels, but it depends on what level of service you choose to subscribe to.
Robin
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### Author:  [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/4 "2004-03-25T12:32:49Z")
Plus, there are lots of duplicates. Four Showtimes for each time-zone, and so on.
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### Author:  [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/5 "2004-03-25T12:36:01Z")
Normally not all channels are filled in all ranges so for example there may be no channels in the range 425-499.
So it could be that 500 channels seems a reasonable estimate for someone who hasn’t actaully counted, or they haven’t checked and do believe there is a channel on every number.
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### Author:  [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/6 "2004-03-25T15:25:58Z")
In order to fill up these 500 channels, the media needs to set up cameras at various locations. Put one at Walmart so we can see who’s there and what they are buying, or at the local funeral home for those of us into that.
We need balance too. Some don’t like the Food network, so how about the Fasting Channel or perhaps a webcam at the meat plant.
Channel 500 should be reserved as the Personal channel. Setup your camera pointing to your chair or sofa. When nothing else good is on, turn to 500 so you can watch you watching channel 500.
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### Author:  [@Lambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lambo)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/7 "2004-03-25T17:32:22Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#):
>
> They get the _Rural Channel_ for God’s sakes. I’ve watched it. I can’t believe my parents are paying those prices to watch cattle auctions.
>
> Robin
Right on. To truly appreciate the modern-day cattle auctions, with the nuanced performances by the auctioneers, and the olfactory…surprises, one must attend in person. I, personally, get the season pass. In the box seats, of course.
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### Author:  [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/8 "2004-03-25T17:36:12Z")
DirectTV OFFERS upwards of 800 channels, but like already mentioned it depends on what package you have and what part of the country you’re in.
From memory:
2-99 = local programming
100-199 = Pay Per View previews/channels
200-399 = Regular programming
400-499 = Foreign Language programming
500-599 = movie channels
600-799 = sports channels/packages
800+ = music channels
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/9 "2004-03-25T18:14:08Z")
The thought of 500 cable channels wasn’t a reality at the time it was proposed, but a dazzling prospect being dangled in front of the eyes of those who hadn’t yet bought into cable. Remember that even a decade ago, less than half the households in the U.S. were subscribing to cable, and the companies were growing increasingly desperate.
First back to [1998](http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/1998/12/07/newscolumn4.html):
[quote]
EchoStar Communications Corp. is the latest to predict a 500-channel universe, but the question is, will it be the first to deliver such a cornucopia of programming?
and then farther, to [1995](http://bcn.boulder.co.us/business/BCBR/1995/april/cable2.april.html):
[quote]
Instead of dazzling consumers with promises of 500 channels, the cable industry is getting back to basics.
Probably John Malone of TCI was the first to propose this:
[http://www.fiberopticsupply.com/PR\_DenverPost\_981212.html](http://www.fiberopticsupply.com/PR_DenverPost_981212.html)
> [@](#):
>
> "When the John Malones (of TCI) were talking about 500 channels, we all knew we didn’t have the infrastructure to do 500,’’ said Watson, who has worked for cable companies in the past. Optical fiber, however, offers a technology that can handle the traffic.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [March 25, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-these-500-channels/236311/10 "2004-03-25T18:20:03Z")
Fixing the coding. I must be sicker than I thought.
The thought of 500 cable channels wasn’t a reality at the time it was proposed, but a dazzling prospect being dangled in front of the eyes of those who hadn’t yet bought into cable. Remember that even a decade ago, less than half the households in the U.S. were subscribing to cable, and the companies were growing increasingly desperate.
First back to [1998](http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/1998/12/07/newscolumn4.html):
> [@](#):
>
> EchoStar Communications Corp. is the latest to predict a 500-channel universe, but the question is, will it be the first to deliver such a cornucopia of programming?
and then farther, to [1995](http://bcn.boulder.co.us/business/BCBR/1995/april/cable2.april.html):
> [@](#):
>
> Instead of dazzling consumers with promises of 500 channels, the cable industry is getting back to basics.
Probably John Malone of TCI was the first to propose this:
[http://www.fiberopticsupply.com/PR\_DenverPost\_981212.html](http://www.fiberopticsupply.com/PR_DenverPost_981212.html)
> [@](#):
>
> "When the John Malones (of TCI) were talking about 500 channels, we all knew we didn’t have the infrastructure to do 500,’’ said Watson, who has worked for cable companies in the past. Optical fiber, however, offers a technology that can handle the traffic.