Prevue Emulation:Configuration File

The configuration file (Config.dat) is the cached version of the F-command of the ESQ software, which carries configurations to the software via serial.

These are the internal settings found in the Config.dat file on Prevue's disk.

2C010808GNAE01NNNNNNL2906YYY233606015100YNYCŽ8NNNNN1

Variables From ESQ	Character	Effect
%01ld	2	The hold-time for the grid to stop before continuing. It ranges from 0 to 4 seconds.
%01lc	c	Grid source channel order. "C" means it will use the six-letter channel name, while "S" used the source ID of the channel.
%01ld	0	(MR Review in F Setting - 0 for No, 1 for Yes)
%01ld	1	The frequency on how many times the SBS (SumBySource [Summary By Source]) will be displayed after every listing cycle. In the config.dat on the 9.0.4, the frequency is set to "1", which means the movie summary (known as "Summary for [channel name] channel [channel number]") will appear after one listing cycle. The frequency can be ranged from "0" (means after every listing cycle) to "9" (after nine listing cycles).
%02ld	08
%02ld	08
%01lc	G	"G" for grid, "S" for scroll. The 7.8.3 supports both "G" and "S", while the 9.0.2 supports only "G"
%01lc	N	Insertion for Advue. It is still unknown what "Advue" functions for.
%01lc	A	(Unknown Effect)
%01lc	E	Language for the guide. "E" is English by default. There are other languages used for the guide include "F" for French (mostly for the Quebec [Canada] Prevue), "S" for Spanish (for Prevue Latino/Canal TV Guide in Latin America) and "G" for German.
%01ld	0	Primetime summary. Same as the frequency on SBS (SumBySource).
%01ld	1	Sports summary. Titled as "Sports on [channel name] channel [channel number]". Same as the frequency on SBS (SumBySource).
%01lc	N	SumBySource "roll and hold". Stops on every synopsis on each channel labeled using "SumBySource".
%01lc	N	Movie recap "roll and hold".
%01lc	N	Primetime summary "roll and hold".
%01lc	N	Sports summary "roll and hold".
%01lc	N	Grid "roll and hold". Disabling this continues the scroll, while changing it to "Y" stops it every three listings.
%01lc	N	VideoVue insertion. Maybe local insertions for cable providers to insert local video ads.
%01lc	L	Laserdisc insertion type.
%02ld	29	Primetime starting slot. "29" represents 7:00 p.m., which is the start of primetime TV in the United States. "01" begins at 5:00 a.m.; the numbering is similar to the timeslots used in the curday.dat using the Central Time fornat (Tulsa).
%02ld	06	Primetime Look Ahead. "06" represents 3 hours, while "01" represent 1 1/2 hours.
%01lc	Y	Cycle summary info.
%01lc	Y	Grid synopsis. Used to show movie synopsis, including the actors (mostly two) and a short summary of the film and the length. Disabling it to "N" cuts off the synopsis, and only shows the title of the movie and the ratings, similar to the ones used in the real Prevue from 1993 to 1995.
%01lc	Y	Locks the listing for an estimated 2 seconds when a grid listing shows a synopsis of a film. Disabling it will continue the scroll even the listing contains a film.
%02ld	23	Primetime promotion timeslot start. "23" represents 4 p.m.; similar to the primetime starting slot.
%02ld	36	Primetime promotion timeslot end. "36" represents 10 p.m.; similar to the primetime starting slot.
%02ld	06	The length of the "look ahead" of the sports summary. Similar to the primetime look ahead.
%03ld	015	Displays how many minutes PPV information can be displayed after the start of a movie or program. "015" represents 15 minutes. This one ranges from "000" to "999" (16.65 hours after the film has begun).
%01ld	1	Frequency of a summary cycle. "1" represents summary after one cycle listing. Similar to the frequency of SBSSource, but ranges to other summaries like sports etc.
%2.2s	00
%01lc	Y	Weather "roll and hold". Used on the "Prevue Weather" segments from 1993 to 1998, when Prevue rebranded and introduced weather forecasts as a segment on "Prevue News and Weather".
%01lc	N	Military time. "N" mean 12-hours, "Y" means 24-hours.
%01lc	Y	Cleans up unused logos.
%01c	C	Display length setting. "C" means custom in the 9.0.2, which means the grid can shrink using the 110-baud CTRL data during the sports segments (when they would decrease it from 3 to 2 listings, before returing back to 3 once the segment ends.) "H" is half-screen, while "F" is full-screen, which is used during the EPG years.
%01c	Ž	[HEX CODE = 8E , Decimal 142]
%01d	8	Number of color palettes.
%01c	N	Text ad source. "N" means none, "S" means satellite/serial, "L" means local (will enable localized ad editing using keyboard), and "R" for remote.
%01c	N	PC disk support.
%01c	N	(Unknown effect)
%01c	N	listings has N)
%01c	N	(Unknown Effect)
%01c	1	(ClockCmd in F Setting) (can't be 0 or can't exceed 2, will default to 1)