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From: terry2@ihlpm.UUCP (Nelson)
Newsgroups: net.video,net.politics
Subject: Re: Satellite Signal Scrambling
Message-ID: <733@ihlpm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 16:43:21 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpm.733
Posted: Tue Feb 25 16:43:21 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Feb-86 05:29:18 EST
References: <156@jc3b21.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 73
Xref: lsuc net.video:775 net.politics:3415


  Emery Mandel writes:
> Earlier this year, HBO and Cinemax started
> scrambling their satellite signals. They said that
> they were losing millions because people were able
> to get their signal and not pay for it through
> "relatively inexpensive" backyard satellite
> dishes.
> 
> Did they think about how much satellite dish sales
> would go down?

  (mild dish flame on)

Why should HBO care about sagging dish sales?  Those once
flourishing dish sales were literally at HBO's expense.  Who do you
think is paying indirectly for HBO's losses?  I'll bet I'm paying
more for HBO because of those lost revenues from satellite dishes.

> Did they think about how people
> might turn to home video rather than cable and
> satellite programming?

What people?  You mean the people who paid $2000+ for a satellite
dish knowing they would get HBO (and others) free?  What about MOST
HBO viewers who regularly pay for the service through their cable
company?  Sounds like Mr. Mandel is a satellite dish owner who has
enjoyed HBO "free" and is now upset that he'll have to pay for it
like most people.  Note that the $2000+ paid for the dish and the
electronics does not pay for, or contribute to, the programming that
dish owners receive.  Furthermore they all knew that when they
paid for them..

> Did they think about
> signal distortion because of the additional
> scrambling and descrambling taking place?

I have not notice ANY audio or video degradation on my cable
since the scrambling started.

> Did they think about how customers they had on
> CABLE might have discontinued service because of
> disgust with the greedy attitude of HBO?

Greedy?  Hmmm.. Just who is being greedy here?  HBO is just trying
to get everyone who watches it to pay for it.  Doesn't sound too
greedy to me.  However, dish-owners who get upset because they
can't get HBO free anymore........

> How about the black market for satellite signal
> descramblers? They probably didn't think much
> of that, either.

Oh yes they did.  As previously described on the net the
scrambling method is fairly sophisticated (read not cheap).
(flame off)

> ...
> Emery Mandel

A personal retraction to Mr. Mandel IF he is not a dish owner
otherwise it stands.

> "Gee, sure is warm down here in Florida..."

I wish I could say the same for Illinois!!
-- 

..ihnp4!ihlpm!terry2   =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   "All this is
                       |      Terry Nelson      |   because of me
      Keep             | AT&T Bell Laboratories |   and not my
       It              |  Naperville, Illinois  |   employer!"
        Warm           =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-