*************************************** PIRATING CABLE T.V. #3 COMPOSED BY: LOGIC GOD ***CABLE CONVERTERS*** 01/06/86 <-HAPPY NY! (FORMATTED IN 40 COLS. ON AN APPLE II+.) *************************************** FIRST, A PLEA. I NEED A 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. ************************************** 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 <>. 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. *************************************** 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. *************************************** 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. *************************************** 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) ************************************** 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! *************************************** NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'M GOING TO KICK BACK AND SMOKE A MARLBORO. -=> GOOD LUCK. <=-