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- ****************************************
- cable tv pirating
-
- part 1
-
- composed by:
-
- logic god
-
- ****************************************
-
- today i will cover the most commonly used method of cable scrambling, that of
- inband gated sync. for the more comatose of you, i will now present a brief
- discription of how it works and why it is so commonly used.
-
- the simplest first: it is often used because the boxes are so damn cheap. the
- gated sync unscramblers do not even require a tuner, the whole process is done
- semi-passively and requires no internal connections to the tv. hence, an easy
- way out for the cable companies who insult you by thinking all its sub-
- scribers are average dolts, not requiring thier attention. (hmm...ma bell
- must have thought that way once <koff koff> chuckle...)
-
- the basic workings of the gated sync are as follows: first, i must define a
- sync pulse. it is a part of the tv's video signal which lines the signal up,
- causing it to come out all nice and neat so you see a good picture. what gated
- sync does is to remove that portion of the signal, and transmit it on a
- subcarrier with the rest of the signal. this results in the scrambled mess you
- see when you desperate ones try to watch the playboy channel and your
- parents haven't subscribed to it. now, keep in mind, the sync portion of the
- signal is not distorted at all, but merely transmitted on a slightly diverted
- frequency. thus, it remains in time with the rest of the signal, and needs only
- to be recombined with the rest of the signal. this is much simpler than it may
- seem. all the circuit must be able to do is to recieve the sync pulses, and
- retransmit them on the original frequency, where they will be lined up pro-
- perly. "but" you may say, "isn't that rather difficult?" not at all, my friends.
- think of your video modulator: it must transmit the entire signal, and it is
- only about 2"*1"*1". the recieving is simple: the reciever doesn't need to be
- able to change channels-the cable companies need only have thier unscramblers
- set for the channel the box recieves on, because that is the only one it will
- be necessary to unscramble. will be using.
-
- how to figure out if you have gated sync
- ----------------------------------------
-
- scrambling:
- -----------
-
- this method of scrambling is characterized by correct sound, and a picture
- that is allllmoooost normal, if you could just get the vertical hold to work a
- little more. if you want to be 100% sure, call up your cable co's customer help
- line and ask. i know this sounds ridiculous, but i called century cable in
- calif. for the pope, and it worked for me. just play it cool and say "what
- kind of scrambling method are you using?" and i they should give it to you.
- incidentally, century cable does use gated sync, for anyone in california who
- happens to read this.
-
- places to get gated sync units:
- -------------------------------
-
- well, the best place to look is in the back of electronics magazines- not the
- idiot ones like popular electronics (does it even still exist?) but the
- dedicated electronics ones- like radio-electronics (best) or 73, the amateur
- radio technical journal.
-
- here is an address which i got out of radio electronics, august 1985, p.110:
-
- gated sync: kit form, all parts, instructions, very good, $39. write to: j&w
- electronics, inc. p.o. box 800 mansfield, ma. 02048 fone: 1 800 227 8529
- (orders) 617 339 5372 (tech. info)
-
- ***************************************
-
- look for part ii soon,
- covering over-the-air pay
- tv.
-
- later on,
- logic god.
-
- call k.a.o.s.: 215 465 3593
-
- ---==>>have fun!<<==--
-
-