Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ames!pacbell!pbhyc!rms
From: rms@PacBell.COM (Rob Santello)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Cable TV Descramblers - general questions
Message-ID: <1753@pbhyc.PacBell.COM>
Date: 16 Jan 90 18:30:04 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Lines: 24

Sorry if this is an old topic...
I have a couple of general questions about the 'standard' cable box. After
removing the cover of mine to look inside, I noticed an interlock switch
which sure enough was tripped when opened. When re-assembled and powered
up, it displayed an error of 'E9' and wouldn't pass any signal to the TV.
I ended up calling the cable company and they sent some kind of reset
signal to the box. Now it receives only the standard stations such as
NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX. It still will not decode stations such as CNN,
MTV and ESPN. Also my premium channels HBO and ShowTime won't work. Once
before when the box had been disconnected for an extended period of time,
it required some time on its own to resume working again. It seemed as
though it was necessary for it to receive a decoding signal which was
periodically occuring on the cable. It would then automatically start
to function on its own. I was thinking this is the case now at this time
but after several hours - nothing. I guess I will have to call again.
So - is that interlock really some kind of anti-tampering switch? Is
there anyway to reset the box locally from the keypad? Are there really
periodic decoding signals inter-mixed with the signal? Does the cable
company have any way of receiving info from the box or is it xmit only?

Thanks for any help....
                                                -Rob-

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