From: egurney@vcd.hp.com (Ed J. Gurney)
Subject: rec.video.cable-tv -- Let's get an FAQ going!!
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 23:44:15 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard VCD
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.8 PL6]
Followup-To: poster

I'm curious HOW people figure out how to modify cable TV converters. 
For instance, I was visiting a friend and he had a cable box which was
actually _modified_ -- it had a three position switch added on the back. 
They were labelled "Run Mode", "Ch.  Map" and the third position was a
momentary contact.  (I assumed it was for "Reset" or something.) 
Anyway, I want to know how people figure out how to modify cable boxes. 
Do they just take them apart and start looking at various places in the
circuit with a scope?  Or do they get a hold of schematics/repair info
somehow and figure it out that way? 

Someone must know about these things -- there are a LOT of companies
that sell after-market CATV products, and when you call some of them,
you'd swear you know more than they do.  Where do they get their
products from?  Is there some "mother" distributor that all these little
companies buy from? 

I'm very curious about all this.  Obviously there are people "in the
know", but how come no one on the net has put together a list of cable
converters, the scrambling technology used, known weaknesses,
modifications, etc.?  There is plenty of modification info on modifying
amateur radio gear, scanners, etc. available on the net.  How come
nothing on cable boxes?  Some of the scrambling techniques seem so
similar, I'm surprised no one has figured out a way to use an "XYZ
Converter" on an "ABC System" and vice-versa.  Obviously the addressing
techniques are different, but those can probably be eliminated since
we're not interested in addressing, right?  (Although details of how 
that works would also make a good read [HINT HINT]!)

I think it's time we start putting together some useful info for
rec.video.cable-tv.  Other topics (besides the ones I mentioned above)
might be:

  . The Universal Descrambler published in May, 1990 R-E -- fixes and
    comments. If you have one that works, what type of system is it 
    working on? (ie., how "universal" is this thing?)

  . List of good mail-order sources for CATV related products. 

  . "Test Chips" -- how do they work?  How easy are they to install? 
    Can they be detected?  What precautions need to be taken? 

  . Opening cable boxes -- sources for "tamper resistant" screwdriver
    bits, etc. 

  . Cable TV "bullets" -- myths and facts.

  . Digital music services via cable -- how it works, addressability
    issues, scrambling, etc. 

  . New scrambling technologies -- digital encryption, etc.  How long
    before something more complicated than SSAVI (like VideoCipher II+
    or DigiCipher?) makes its way to consumer cable products?  How about
    this new technology called "Chameleon"?  What kind of things will
    all the fiber upgrades bring with all its bandwidth? 

Let's get some info here.  If you know what type of scrambling is used
in your headend at your Cable Co., send me some e-mail with that info,
along with the type of equipment used by subscribers. If you have any 
experience with any of the above things I've mentioned, send me mail on 
those too!  I'll HOPEFULLY get enough response to put together an FAQ 
for this group. 

Regards,
Ed
<egurney@vcd.hp.com>

-- 
signature on vacation for the holidays.  8-) 
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv