DirecTV Stream (previously known as AT&T TV) is one of the most popular live TV streaming services, providing users with a vast choice of channels and an efficient PVR. However, with the app-like approach to navigation, users cannot help but ask whether the service features channel numbers as it is a cable/satellite service. In this article, we will try to focus on whether DirecTV Stream has channel numbers and if it is possible to view them.
What Are Channel Numbers?
Let us first define what is meant by “channel numbers”. In cable or satellite pay-TV services, channels are assigned numbers that reflect their position in the list. For instance, ESPN is usually 206, Fox News is 360, and so on, Channel numbers facilitate those viewers who wish to switch from one channel to the other or set their set to a particular station.
Subscription-based video-on-demand platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ do not have channel numbers. Their interfaces are based on personalized recommendations, search, and browsing of the content categories. But, when one asks if DirecTV Stream has channel numbers, the real question being asked is, is this more like pay TV or is it more like streaming?
Does DirecTV Stream Have Channel Numbers?
The answer is yes. Even though the interface and design of the DirecTV Stream are close to streaming services, there are traditional numerical channel numbers involved. What this means is that you can still browse through channels, just as you would when you had cable or satellite television.
While using DirecTV Stream, you can open the channel guide and sort the stations by their respective numbers. You can also go directly to specific channels by just typing the number on your television remote control. This means that DirecTV Stream has a kind of a mix of streaming and traditional pay TV in its offering.
How to Check Channel Numbers on DirecTV Stream?
If you’re wondering how to find and use channel numbers on DirecTV Stream, here are the key things to know:
Channel Guide
To view channel assignments, go to the extended channel list. You can do this either by pressing the Guide button on the DirecTV Stream remote or by going to the Guide option on the TV menu. This will list out all the available channels in the numeracy form to make it easier to proceed with the ordering process.
Channel Up/Down Controls
By holding the Channel Up/Down button on your remote, you are also able to go through the numbers in order as you do in standard television. This lets you “surf” through the channels without ever bringing up the full list.
Direct Channel Entry
If you want to go directly to a particular channel, you can use the Number Pad to input the channel number. Then press the enter key to receive the auto-tune. For instance, to navigate to ESPN, enter 206. This is the fastest way to get to the channels you use most often.
Therefore, to answer the question in the title— yes, DirecTV Stream does assign channel numbers. You access them in all the usual ways: using the guide, the channel up/down buttons, or by entering the specific channel number. This makes the DirecTV Stream slightly closer to the traditional television experience than most streaming services.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Channel Numbers on DirecTV Stream
Having learned that DirecTV Stream provides channel numbers, is that good or bad? Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros
• Comfortable feeling if one is accustomed to cable/satellite
• Allows ‘’channel hopping” with the guide or channel up/down buttons
• Offers the opportunity to switch and set to particular frequencies fast
Cons
• It is possible to find an interface too busy with a long list of numeric channel lines.
• Numbers are look[=sounds] dated in a clean, contemporary streaming app
• The fact that the channel recall feature also helps minimize the need for numbers.
Therefore, whether channel numbers are required will largely depend on the way one spends their time watching TV. Some will view them as unnecessary or intrusive to the overall flow of the experience. Others will like the familiarity they bring.
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