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From: brian@sdcc3.UUCP (Brian Kantor)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Cable ready TV, etc.
Message-ID: <2640@sdcc3.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Jan-85 08:15:19 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc3.2640
Posted: Fri Jan 18 08:15:19 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jan-85 04:30:03 EST
References: <293@mhuxm.UUCP> <248@terak.UUCP> <282@lsuc.UUCP> <1597@ittvax.UUCP> <712@cbosgd.UUCP>
Organization: UCSD wombat breeding society
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> if you can buy a cable tuner from Jerrold (the same ones
> the cable company rents you) why is an unscrambler box any different?

More and more cable companies (especially those serving hi-tech areas
like silicon valley and the like) are going to descramblers which are
digitally addressable.  These are individually numbered and can be
individually turned on or off for each scrambled channel by the cable
company.  Thus buying a descrambler from a legit manufacturer would gain
you nothing (except saving the monthly rental, if any) because you would
still have to get the cable company to enable it for each scrambled
channel you wanted to watch.

Of course, a pirate descrambler could be built that ignores the on-off
codes - probably would be cheaper that way too.  I haven't seen any at
our local swap meets, but its probably just a matter of time.

	Brian Kantor	UC San Diego

	decvax\ 	brian@ucsd.arpa
	akgua  >---  sdcsvax  --- brian
	ucbvax/		Kantor@Nosc 

``You unlock this door with the key of imagination...''