Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnewsj!ramos From: ramos@cbnewsj.att.com (richard.ramos) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Universal Descrambler Summary: What do these things descramble? Message-ID: <1991Mar29.235910.21230@cbnewsj.att.com> Date: 29 Mar 91 23:59:10 GMT References: Distribution: na Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 27 In article , coorswol@alchemy.tcnet.ithaca.ny.us (Curt Coulter) writes: > I have seen several mentions of this. > Where does one get plans for this from? > Thanks, > -Curt > coorswol@alchemy.tcnet.ithaca.ny.us I'd like to take this question several steps further. What do these things descramble? Do they descramble cable TV signals, satellite signals, some other signals that I don't know about, or all of the above? I've heard that cable companies offer boxes that are addressable from their networks. Are these descramblers detectable by cable companies. What kind of equipment do you need (other that a TV) to receive these signals. I was under the impression that different transmission formats were used by different companies requiring different types of receivers in front of the TV to decode the signals. Morever, I have a hard time believing that there are so few encoding (scrambling) schemes being used that a single box can desramble them all. If you're getting the impression that I know nothing about TV transmission you're right. I'd appreciate any information as to available literature on this subject as well as hearing about people's experiences in building these boxes. Rich Ramos 908-957-6267