textfiles/hacking/CABLE/catvprt3.txt

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	  PIRATING CABLE T.V.
		  #3

		 COMPOSED BY:

			     LOGIC GOD

	 ***CABLE CONVERTERS***
	       01/06/86  <-HAPPY NY!

	   (FORMATTED IN 40 COLS.
	    ON AN APPLE II+.)

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  FIRST, A PLEA.  I NEED A <REAL> RECIPE FOR NITROUS OXIDE.  (LAUGHING GAS.)
IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE I CAN GET ONE, OR HAS A FILE ON "HOW TO", !PLEASE!  CON-
TACT ME AT K.A.O.S.-215- 465-3593, OR LEAVE IT ON A FEW OF THE MORE POPULAR AE
LINES.	THANK YOU.

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CABLE CONVERTERS:REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE.
------------------------------------

  1.  MOST SCRAMBLED CABLE CHANNELS ARE TRANSMITTED EITHER BETWEEN CHANNEL 13
AND CHANNEL 14 ('MIDBAND' TRANSMIT- TING) OR BELOW CHANNEL 2 ('SUPERBAND'
TRANSMITTING.  THUS, IF YOU RECIEVE THE CUT RATE BOTTOM OF THE LINE CABLE SER-
VICE (SUCH AS THE 3 NETWORKS AND A FEW COMMUNITY STATIONS) YOU MAY NEVER EVEN
GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE SCRAMBLED CHAN- NELS, LET ALONE TRY TO UNSCRAMBLE THEM.
HENCE, WE USHER IN THE <<CABLE CONVER- TER>>.  THESE ARE NOTHING NEW OR IL-
LEGAL, MIND YOU, THEY CAN BE PURCHASED AT RADIO SHACK.	THEY WERE ORIGINALLY
INTENDED FOR THE VIDEO CASSETTE RECOR- DER OWNER (THAT IS, THE ONES THAT ARE
SOLD ON THE OPEN MARKET.) HIS RENTED CABLE CONVERTER AND UNSCRAMBLER, USU- ALLY
COMBINED IN THE SAME TVTOP BOX, WERE BUSY FAITHFULLY UNSCRAMBLING AND CONVERTING
TO CHANNEL 3 THE PROG- RAM HE WAS CURRENTLY WATCHING.  HOWEVER, IF HE WANTED TO
TAPE SOMETHING ON AN !UN!SCRAMBLED CHANNEL THAT WAS TRANSMITTED IN THE MIDBAND
OR SUPERBAND MODE, HE WAS UP SHIT CREEK, BECAUSE HE HAD NO WAY TO GET THE SIGNAL
DOWN TO A FREQUENCY HIS TV OR VCR COULD RECIEVE.  BUT IF HE HOOKED UP HIS LITTLE
RADIO SHACK CONVERTER, PRESTO!	HE WAS SET.


  2.  NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO MAKE CLEAR AN IMPORTANT POINT.  CABLE CONVERTERS DO
!NOT!  UNSCRAMBLE A SCRAMBLED SIGNAL, THEY MERELY MOVE IT TO A FREQUENCY THE
TV/UNSCRAMBLER/VCR/WHATEVER CAN GET A HOLD OF IT.  THERE IS LOTS OF SPACE BET-
WEEN CHANNELS 13 AND 14-IT IS THE DIV- IDING LINE BETWEEN VHF AND UHF.	THERE
ARE PLACES IN THERE YOUR TV JUST CAN'T GET TO.

  3.  HERE COMES ANOTHER POINT:  THOSE OF YOU WITH 'CABLE READY' TVS THINK
YOU'RE HOME FREE NOW, EH?  NO.  WHILE A CABLE READY TV WILL LET YOU VIEW ANY MID
AND SUPERBAND CHANNELS THAT YOU MAY UNKNOWINGLY RECIEVE, THE SCRAMBLED ONES ARE
STILL SCRAMBLED.  SO WHAT DO YOU NEED NOW?  AN UNSCRAMBLER, OF COURSE.

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  4.  IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN YOUR BOXES
THAT YOU RENT FROM THE CABLE CO.  THUS:  ----- IF YOU HAVE BOTHERED TO PAY EXTRA
FOR ANY SCRAMBLED CHANNELS, YOU ARE GIVEN AN UNSCRAMBLER AND CONVERTER BY THE
CABLE CO.  FOR WHICH YOU GLADLY PAY RENT IN ADDITION TO YOUR CABLE FEE.  THIS IS
USUALLY A BROWN BOX THAT COMES IN SEVERAL STYLES, EXPOUNDED UPON BELOW:

  DIGITAL WITH REMOTE:	A SMALL BOX UPON YOUR TV, WITH A DIGITAL DISPLAY OF THE
CHANNEL YOU ARE WATCHING.  YOU HAVE A TRUSTY REMOTE, AND ZAP AWAY AT WILL.

  KNOB STYLE:  A BOX OR NON-WIRELESS REM- OTE WITH A LARGE KNOB ON IT.	IT, OF
COURSE, SELECTS WHAT CHANNEL YOU ARE WATCHING.

  SWITCHBOARD STYLE:  A 9" X 5" (OR SO) BOARD WITH SEVERAL 3 POSITION VERTIC-
ALLY MOVING SWITCHES.  WHAT THE HELL DO THESE DO?  YOU'LL NEVER GUESS.

  THE KIND WITHOUT ANY SWITCHES:  (NOW HOW WILL I OPERATE MY DIGITAL WATCH?)
THIS IS CALLED A BLOCK CONVERTER.  MORE ON THESE LATER.

  ***************************************

  WHAT IS GOING ON:  AHHH, THE GOOD PART.  WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS THIS:  NOW
MATTER WHAT SYSTEM YOU HAVE (EXCEPT FOR THE LAST- IGNORE THAT FOR NOW.) IN SOME
WAY YOU SELECT A CHANNEL.  THE CABLE CONVERTER RUNS OFF, FINDS THIS CHAN- NEL,
AND YANKS IT DOWN TO CHANNEL 3 (OR 2, OR 4, WHATEVER YOUR CABLE CO.  USES.)
WHERE YOUR TV IS WAITING FOR IT.  (YES, THATS WHY YOU PUT YOUR TV ON THE SAME
CHANNEL AND CHANGE CHANNELS WITH THE KNOB, REMOTE, OR WHATEVER.) NOW, IF IT'S A
SCRAMBLED CHANNEL, AND YO ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECIEVE IT, THE SIGNAL IS REROUTED
THROUGH A SMALL UN- SCRAMBLER.	(A NOTE:  CABLE SCRAMBLING METHODS ARE PIDDLY
LITTLE HINDRANCES; FOR A REAL BITCH OF A SCRAMBLER SEE THE SSAVI SYSTEM,
EXPLAINED IN PART 2.) THE SIGNAL IS AGAIN SPAT OUT AT CHANNEL 3, AND YOUR TV
GLOWS HAPPILY AWAY, DIS- PLAYING YOUR MID OR SUPERBAND CHANNEL.


  5.  AT THIS POINT, A QUESTION MAY BY NUDGING AROUND YOUR TEMPORAL LOBES NOW.
SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF " HOW DO I GET CABLE TV WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT,
DAMMIT??" WELL, HERE WE GO.  YOU LOOK UP THAT PLACE I MENTIONED IN PART II.
(ADDRESS & PHONE# AT END) JUST FORK OVER YOUR $30 (OR SOMEONE ELSE'S CREDIT
CARD) AND GET ONE OF THESE NIFTY LITTLE UNSCRAMBLERS.  NOW, MIND YOU, THE CABLE
CO.  WANTS IT'S (YOUR?) MONEY MORE THAN YOU THINK, AND WILL BE RATHER UPSET IF
THEY FIND YOU DOING ANY OF THIS SHIT, SO TAKE CARE.  HERE'S HOW TO HOOK UP YOUR
UN- SCRAMBLER:

  FIRST, ADJUST THE UNSCRAMBLER TO REC- IEVE THE CHANNEL YOUR TV IS SET ON TO
RECIEVE A SIGNAL FRON THE CABLE BOX.  NEXT, SEND THE OUTPUT OF THE REAL BOX TO
THE UNSCRAMBLER, AND THE OUTPUT OF THE UNSCRAMBLER TO THE TV.  YOU'RE ALL SET!
JUST SIT BACK AND WATCH THOSE PORN FLICKS POUR IN.

  6.  IF YOU CHANGE CHANNELS WITH YOUR TV SET, AND YOU DON'T HAVE A BOX, GET A
CABLE CONVERTER AND AN UNSCRAM- BLER.  YOUR SERVICE IS TOO BASIC TO RATE A
CONVERTER, SO YOU HAVE TO GET ONE.  JUST MAKE SURE IT HAS SOME SORT OF CHANNEL
SELECTOR ON IT-ALL SELECTED CHANNELS MUST BE OUTPUT ON THE SAME CHANNEL SO THE
UNSCRAMBLER CAN UNSCRA- MBLE THEM.  SORRY.

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  7.  HOW TO MAKE THIS MUCH EASIER ON YOURSELF:  THERE IS A MUCH EASIER WAY TO
DO ALL OF THIS SHIT, BUT YOU SACRIFICE EASE FOR LEGALITY.  THAT IS, EVEN THOUGH
WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IF I WASN'T TELLING YOU THIS WAS ILLEGAL, THIS IS MORE
ILLEGAL.  BUT LET'S BE REALISTIC- DOES ANYONE GIVE A SHIT OF ANY SIZE
WHATSOEVER?  NO.  OF COURSE NOT.  THEREFORE:  ----------

  BEATING THE CABLE CO.  AT THIER OWN GAME IS EASIER THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
FIRSTLY, CALL UP YOUR CABLE CO.'S CUSTOMER (HEE HEE) SERVICE NUMBER, AND TELL
THEM WHAT OPTIONAL CHANNELS YOU CURRENTLY SUBSCRIBE TO, AND ASK THEM IF YOU
WOULD HAVE TO GET A NEW BOX IF YOU WANTED TO ADD SOME CHANNELS.  CHAN- CES ARE
THEY WILL SAY NO, BECAUSE MOST OF THE BOXES HAVE A SMALL COMPUTER IN THEM WHICH
CAN BE TOLD OVER THE CABLE WHAT YOU ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECIEVE, (NEAT, HUH?).
THIS IS THE SAME COMPUT- ER WHICH DECIDES WETHER THE CHANNEL YOU WANT TO WATCH
GETS SENT TO THE UNSCR- AMBLER PORTION OF THE BOX OR NOT.  SO IF THEY SAY NO,
YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.  IF THEY SAY YES, YOU ARE IN A LITTLE BIT BETTER SHAPE
THAN IF THEY SAY NO.  IF THEY SAY NO, THIS MEANS THEY CHANGE YOUR AUTHORIZATIONS
INSIDE THE BOX BY CHANGING HARDWARE- THAT IS, CONNECTING SETS OF WIRES.

  HOW TO CHANGE YOUR AUTHORIZATIONS:(YAY) FIRST, THE HARDWARE BOXES-THEY'RE
EASIER.  ACCORDING TO SOME PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO, THE CABLE COMPANIES GET HIGHLY
(VERY) PISSED OFF IF YOU PLAY WITH THIER BOXES, SO YOU HAVE TO GET HOLD OF ONE
THEY DON'T KNOW YOU HAVE- REMEMBER, THEY WILL WANT YOUR RENTED BOX BACK WHEN YOU
MOVE AND WILL GET UNHAPPY IF YOU HAVE BEEN MONKEYING WITH IT.  GETTING A BOX:
A.  STEAL ONE.	B.  SAY SOMEBODY STOLE YOURS, YOUR DOG SHAT UPON IT, OR
WHATEVER.  C.  FIND SOME UNETHICAL PERSON (DRUGGIE) WHO WILL SELL HIS FOR A FEW
BUCKS.

  CHANGING A HADWARE BOX:  1.  OPEN THE BOX WITHOUT DESTROY- ING IT.  THIS CAN
BE A REAL CH- ALLENGE SOMETIMES.  WHILE AT THE SHERATON WASHINGTON (WASH, D.C.)
ATTENDING THE MODEL UN LAST YEAR, I STOLE ONE FROM SOMEONE'S ROOM AND TRIED TO
GET IT APART FOR ABOUT AN HOUR SO WE COULD WATCH THE FLICKS THST NIGHT- I GAVE
UP, GOT DRUNK, AND THREW IT OUT OF A WINDOW-NO, IT DIDN'T BREAK.  (YES,
INCIDENTALLY, FOR ANY- ONE IN THE WASH, D.C.  AREA, THERE IS ONE IN EVERY ROOM
OF THE SHERATON WASHINGTON.  GOOD POINT- RITZY HOTELS ARE GREAT PLACES TO GET
THOSE BOXES.)

  2.  LOOK FOR A SMALL SET OF SOCK- ETS, SUCH AS AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT SOCKET
WITHOUT A CHIP IN IT.  IT WILL HAVE WIRES IN IT INSTEAD.  IF YOU CAN'T FIND ONE
OF THOSE, LOOK FOR A DIP SWITCH-THESE ARE THE SAME SIZE AS AN INTEGRATED
CIRCUIT, FIT IN AN IC SOCKET, AND HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF SWITCHES ON IT AS PINS
ON ONE SIDE OF THE IC SOCKET.

  3.  TRY TO CORRESPOND THE WIRES OR THE POSITIONS OF THE SWIT- CHES WITH THE
CHANNELS YOU PAY FOR.  THESE WIRES OR SWITCHES ARE HOW THE BOX IS PROGRAMMED-
TRY TURNING ALL OF THE SWITCH- ES ON, AND PUTTING ALL OF THE WIRES IN, AND SEE
IF YOU GET MORE CHANNELS.  CONVERSELY, TRY REMOVING WIRES AND TURNING SWITCHES
OFF.

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  CABLE PROGRAMMED BOXES:  -----------------------

  THESE ARE A BIT MORE DIFFICULT.  YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SEPERATE THE THREE
SECTIONS- COMPUTER, RECIEVER(CONVETER) AND UNSCRAMBLER.  WHEN YOU ISOLATE THE
COMPUTER SECTION, JUST BYPASS IT COM- PLETELY.	FIND THE OUTPUT OF THE CONVER-
TER AND THE INPUT OF THE UNSCRAMBLER AND JUST HOOK THEM TOGETHER.  AS YOU CAN
PROBABLY SEE, THIS JUST DOES NOT PERMIT THE COMPUTER TO HAVE A SAY IN WHAT GETS
UNSCRAMBLED-INCIDENTALLY, THIS WILL WORK FOR THE HARDWARE BOXES, BUT IT IS
USUALLY PRETTY EASY TO FIND THE LITTLE WIRING PANEL/SWITCHBOARD AND YOU DO NOT
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WHAT INSIDE THE UNSCRAMBLER.

  *************************************** WELL, I HOPE THIS HELPS, AND IF YOU
DESPERATELY NEED TO ASK A QUESTION, YOU CAN GET ME AT:	K.A.O.S.-215 465 3593
THE CHURCH AE-215 386 0350 PW ATARU AND I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER.

  *************************************** HERE'S THE ADDRESS I PROMISED:

	    UNSCRAMBLERS
	    ------------

  WARNING:  THIS UNSCRAMBLER WILL NOT WORK WITH THOSE CHANNELS THAT MAKE THAT
OBNOXIOUS BEEPING NOISE.  THIS IS A GATED SYNC UN- SCRAMBLER.  TO FIND OUT IF
THIS WILL WORK IN YOUR AREA, GET THAT GOOD 'OL CUST.SERVICE NUMBER AND CALL AND
ASK IF THEY USE SUPPR- ESSED HORIZONTAL SYNC AS THIER SCRAMBLING METHOD.  YES,
THEY WILL TELL YOU.

     J & W ELECTRONICS, INC.
     MANSFIELD, MA.
		 02048
     FONE:1 800 227 8529 (ORDERS)
	    617 339 5372 (TECH INFO)

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  WELL, THANK YOU FOR SITTING THR- OUGH 350 LINES OF MY RAVINGS.  IF YOU
DOWNLOAD THIS, PLEASE GIVE IT TO ALL.  UP WITH THE INDIVIDUAL!

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     NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'M GOING
     TO KICK BACK AND SMOKE A MARLBORO.

	  -=> GOOD LUCK. <=-