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From: wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI)
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re:  Satellite Signal Scrambling
Message-ID: <8603141633.AA05684@seismo.CSS.GOV>
Date: Fri, 14-Mar-86 11:07:46 EST
Article-I.D.: seismo.8603141633.AA05684
Posted: Fri Mar 14 11:07:46 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 21:24:40 EST
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I seem to be gathering this impression from this discussion -- that there
will be a single "code word", to be changed each month, which is to be
punched into everybody's home top-of-set descrambler to decode HBO. If this
is true, I can't see how this will ever be workable. There is now a problem
with BBS's and other info sources (bathroom walls, etc.) contining
charge card numbers and calling-card numbers, which are used fraudulently
by some people. If there is one nation-wide "special code number" each month
for HBO, I predict confidently that, within 4 hours of its being given out
to the first paying customer, that code number will be posted on BBS's,
college and office bulletin boards, scribbled on scraps of paper passed
among co-workers and friends and neighbors, and relayed via phone calls all
over the nation and to any other areas the satellite footprint reaches.

Surely there must be more to the descrambling than just expecting
everyone to honestly pay each month for getting this code-word? 

Will