Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!amigo
From: amigo@milton.u.washington.edu (The Friend)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Cable
Keywords: scanning..
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.044218.16908@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 04:42:18 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
Lines: 39



     I read an article on basic cable scanning - the "how they figure out
if you're getting pay channels for free"... It left me with a few questions
though - first I'll run down what it presented:

     1> Cable descramblers on the cable line are tuned to a FM sub-band
        (typically 106.5 Mhz) that carries programming instructions for
        it. If a pay-per-view or subscription change occurs, it runs down
        the line to your specific descramblers address (each is addressable).
        If you where to use the descrambler for a time without the 
        carrier (block it somehow) - either the cable company's computer would
        send a de-activation signal or it (by default) would shut down
        since it wasn't recieving a signal to resume from the cable company.

     2> The cable technician can walk around your house with a RF detector
        to find out where TVs are located (for multiple hookups & cable
        "leaks"). 

     In the above two, the questions arise - if you have a non-addressable
descrambler, filter, etc. what happens ? I mean those devices which don't
care about what's on the FM sub-band wouldn't be picked up by the cable
company's computer (they don't have addresses).. 
     Also in #2, can the technician actually see what channel a TV is on?
The spec sheet on a RF detector only says it can pick up "mid band TV" - 
meaning it (I think) finds only leakage (bad connections, extras, etc).
   

     NOTE: I'm not receiving anything I'm not authorized to... I'm just
           wondering how far into cable snooping they've got. I mean I
           know they have to find out who's cheating on their bills - but this
           appears to be a major challenge. 


-- 
                                      ///
       Scott Rowin                   ///  amigo@milton.u.washington.edu
       ***********                  /// 
 - SPACE OPEN FOR LEASE -      \-\_///    Amigas really do it better...