Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site olivee.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!cygnet!olivee!gnome From: gnome@olivee.UUCP (Gary Traveis) Newsgroups: net.video,net.politics Subject: Re: Satellite Signal Scrambling (FLAME!) Message-ID: <728@olivee.UUCP> Date: Wed, 12-Mar-86 16:35:50 EST Article-I.D.: olivee.728 Posted: Wed Mar 12 16:35:50 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 08:26:04 EST References: <156@jc3b21.UUCP> <733@ihlpm.UUCP> <529@tekcbi.UUCP> Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, Ca Lines: 88 Xref: watmath net.video:2142 net.politics:13908 > > Why should HBO care about sagging dish sales? 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. > I agree. HBO (and other programmers) should not care what happens to > dish sales as that is not the market they are interested in. They are > in the business of supplying programming for cable viewers. That programming > costs money and that money must come from somewhere. Owners of satellite > dishes do not possess any "rights" to view that programming without paying, > contrary to their belief and any laws which have been passed. However, I > doubt that you are paying more for HBO because of lost revenues. > And besides, HBO has publicly stated that they are not after the individual > dish owner. They are after the bars, taverns, hotels, and motels - the ones > who use one dish to feed many people without paying. > WRONG. True, programming does cost money, but you will find that the cost of HBO to customers has been steadily rising. This trend was well on its way long before the general public had access to the "inexpensive dish" technology. It's called "what the market will bear". Also wrong is the line that states that HBO is not after the individuals with dishes. HBO's standard policy is to use a firm that hires local geeks (for minimum wage) to drive around neighborhoods taking pictures of any antennas that look suspicious. How do I know this? Because I got the chance to see that pictorial list that they carry. If an antenna looks like one of the drawings on the list -- CLICK. The photos and addresses are forwarded to a discount trash-bin legal office that sends out hundreds of letters threatening criminal prosecution to those who don't settle-up, take down the antennas, and subscribe. Many HAMs in my area (myself included) have run into this problem because the mobile zombies can't tell the difference between a microwave dish for amateur use and a dish used to watch commercial broadcasts. > >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? That avoids the question! As compared to one (1) satellite receiver store in this immediate area, there are no less than 9 videotape rental shops within a one mile radius around where I work (in Cupertino). Why pay HBO's extreme prices for random garbage on at wierd hours when you can watch what you want, when you want, for $1-$3 ? Yes, the reason why HBO is getting less subscribers is the same reason why tape rental places are doing so well. > They even use the argument that it was american taxpayers > who paid to put up the satellite and therefore the american people should be > able to watch anything that is up there. > Happily, there are also many dish owners who do not agree to any of this > crazy logic. >... > Basically, If I have a dish and happen to see something up there, then I > see it. If that program supplier doesn't want me to see it, he will > scramble it. Fine. No problem. Most of the stuff will be eventually > scrambled. I am not worried... Unfortunately, sat' movie companies (HBO in particular), and cellular telephone companies have the idea that (instead of scrambling) they can push (or buy) the lawmakers into making receiving equipment illegal. The signals that they claim as their own go through your property (and you) 24 hours a day and, like erecting a drive-in in your back yard, if they don't want you to watch, they should either scramble the signal or block your "view". Companies like HBO (or their thugs, I should say), would rather spend their money on lawyers instead of scramblng equipment. In the long run, they usually end up doing both. I personally don't care about HBO, most of their programming if crap. I DO care about idiot corporate fools trying to make the airwaves ILLEGAL to receive! Under fire are dishes (microwave), scanners (because of their ability to receive in the cellular telephone bands), and general coverage receivers (because they can pick up cordless phones). There are existing laws about reception for profit and disclosure or rebroadcast. These older laws are much less hysterical than the laws that are being pushed-for recently. Unfortunately, companies like HBO tend to be technologically lazy and legally topheavy. --->> Amateur Radio from DC to Blue light! --->> Gary (The usual disclaimers about employers and such...)