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From: lipinski@hpisla.UUCP (Greg Lipinski)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: Cable and scrambling
Message-ID: <56100003@hpislb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Dec-85 16:48:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpislb.56100003
Posted: Thu Dec 26 16:48:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jan-86 07:10:23 EST
References: <201@hoqam.UUCP>
Organization: HP Instrument Systems Lab - Loveland, CO
Lines: 28


re: cable companies and cable-ready tuners.

I believe our cable company (Scripps-Howard owned in Loveland,CO)
built their system with cable-ready tuners in mind. The primary
premium channels (HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime) aren't scrambled
at all. Instead they put a hi-Q notch filter in the distribution
box for each home and each channel that aren't paid for. Thus, the
entire channel is filtered out. This means that the only way to
steal the channels is to break into their distribution boxes. There
is no signal for pirate decoders to decode. When you pay for a channel
the filter is removed, and you can tune it the same as the basic
channels (which aren't scrambled either). In fact they give you a $2
discount per month if you don't need a converter box. I assume this is
a more costly protection scheme since most people will only subscribe
to one (if any) of these premium channels. Maybe they got a great deal
on notch filters.

The less-premium channels (Disney, HTN, and Playboy) are protected with
a carrier injected into the signal just below the audio. This messes up
the audio and video enough to make you not want to watch it. When you
purchase one of these channels, they now add a hi-Q notch filter in the
distribution box which removes the extra carrier, and allows the program
to be viewed normally. So again a cable ready TV/VCR can receive them.

                                        Lucky in Loveland,
                                        Greg Lipinski
                                        ihnp4!hpfcla!hpisla!lipinski