cable decoders (for FTA channels)

Can anyone tell me whether they're legal to use for free to air
channels (not the premium stuff - I know there are hacks, but they
simply don't interest me)

I don't have a Virgin contract, but there's a cable in-situ from the
previous owner that I could use...

If it isn't "legal", can anyone direct me to the chapter and verse on
it why you can't use it for FTA channels ?

ISTR there may have been a government directive where they had to
continue to offer the standard terrestrial channels without charge
even if the customer cancelled the contract - possibly in response to
many cases where installers cut existing aerial connections, damaging
a customers' own equipment to make it hard for them to go "back" to a
standard aerial...

"Colin Wilson"
o.uk wrote in
message
...
Can anyone tell me whether they're legal to use for free to air
channels (not the premium stuff - I know there are hacks, but
they
simply don't interest me)

I don't have a Virgin contract, but there's a cable in-situ
from the
previous owner that I could use...

If it isn't "legal", can anyone direct me to the chapter and
verse on
it why you can't use it for FTA channels ?

ISTR there may have been a government directive where they had
to
continue to offer the standard terrestrial channels without
charge
even if the customer cancelled the contract - possibly in
response to
many cases where installers cut existing aerial connections,
damaging
a customers' own equipment to make it hard for them to go
"back" to a
standard aerial...


If you connect to the cable you will not get any VM channels as -
if it is a digital feed - they are encoded on sub-carriers.
However as you note some of the disparate systems of which VM is
comprised from its (part) former NTL days did carry analogue TV
so you have nothing to loose by connecting and doing a search.
Certainly was the case here in beautiful downtown Harrogate.



--
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 01:45:43 +0100, Colin Wilson
o.uk wrote:

Can anyone tell me whether they're legal to use for free to air
channels (not the premium stuff - I know there are hacks, but they
simply don't interest me)

Can't comment on the legality, but I presume that as it's there
unencrypted, they're probably happy for you to use it.

I don't have a Virgin contract, but there's a cable in-situ from the
previous owner that I could use...

Note that AFAIAA only the five terrestrial *analogue* are supplied in
this manner. You need a cable with an F-Connector at the wall end and
a 'standard' Belling connector at the TV end, which I suspect you'll
have to make up yourself.

Unless things have changed, the *digital* equivalents are not
available, and I've not heard of plans that they will be. Further, if
they were to become so, I'm not sure where one could legally get a
digital cable tuner - the boxes supplied by the companies belong to
them and are supposed to be returned to them if the account is
terminated. I remember seeing some early LCD TVs a while back with
cable tuners, but I'm not sure whether they were digital or analogue,
and I think some models of Dreambox have a digital cable (rather than
a digital satellite or digital terrestrial) tuner as an option, but
apart from those, it's not something I recall seeing around the shops.

ISTR there may have been a government directive where they had to
continue to offer the standard terrestrial channels without charge
even if the customer cancelled the contract - possibly in response to
many cases where installers cut existing aerial connections, damaging
a customers' own equipment to make it hard for them to go "back" to a
standard aerial...

I thought it was so that those living in areas of high urban clutter
blocking local transmitters could have an alternative source of the
then five 'standard' terrestrial channels, but I'm not sure I've
actually seen a definite pronouncement on why the five analogue
channels are supplied as they are.

======================================

Please always reply to news group as the email address in
this post's header does not exist. Alternatively, use one of the
contact addresses at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message ...
Can anyone tell me whether they're legal to use for free to air
channels (not the premium stuff - I know there are hacks, but they
simply don't interest me)

I don't have a Virgin contract, but there's a cable in-situ from the
previous owner that I could use...


Connect an analogue TV with a Hyperband tuner and tune
100 to 800MHz
You should find many encrypted analogue channels
and maybe a few in the clear

Steve Terry

As far as I'm aware many of the networks have been reworked and no longer
have any analogue signals on them. The angle the company takes these days is
that part of the cost is the distribution cost and so its not legal to tap
in, which is of course not possible on digital.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________


"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message ...
Can anyone tell me whether they're legal to use for free to air
channels (not the premium stuff - I know there are hacks, but they
simply don't interest me)

I don't have a Virgin contract, but there's a cable in-situ from the
previous owner that I could use...

If it isn't "legal", can anyone direct me to the chapter and verse on
it why you can't use it for FTA channels ?

ISTR there may have been a government directive where they had to
continue to offer the standard terrestrial channels without charge
even if the customer cancelled the contract - possibly in response to
many cases where installers cut existing aerial connections, damaging
a customers' own equipment to make it hard for them to go "back" to a
standard aerial...

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:49:03 +0100, Java Jive wrote:

I'm not sure where one could legally get a digital cable tuner

What about all the DVB-c PCI cards and USB adapters which are sold?

For example the Terratec DVB-c PCI card

http://www.terratec.NET/en/products/tv/dvbc.html

or the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid USB adapter stick

http://store.apple.COM/uk/product/TS588ZM/A

True, though I was in fairness thinking in terms of TVs or STBs

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:38:37 +0200, J G Miller
wrote:

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:49:03 +0100, Java Jive wrote:

What about all the DVB-c PCI cards and USB adapters which are sold?

======================================

Please always reply to news group as the email address in
this post's header does not exist. Alternatively, use one of the
contact addresses at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html

Since the networks are in a huge ring then it's possible that you could tune
into non-scrambled frequencys that others on the same ring as you are
currently watching tho.
I think everything that vm shows is encrypted so picking off the stream and
watching it would still not be possible.


"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
om...
As far as I'm aware many of the networks have been reworked and no longer
have any analogue signals on them. The angle the company takes these days
is
that part of the cost is the distribution cost and so its not legal to tap
in, which is of course not possible on digital.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:56:48 +0100, Java Jive wrote:

True, though I was in fairness thinking in terms of TVs or STBs

How about this STB then, which is on sale

http://www.dreambox-500c.co.UK/DreamBox-DM500C.html

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:50:59 +0200, J G Miller
wrote:

How about this STB then, which is on sale

http://www.dreambox-500c.co.UK/DreamBox-DM500C.html

That'll almost certainly be a counterfeit one:
http://www.satstore.co.uk/alert.htm

I mentioned Dreamboxes in my original post, but you won't find many of
them in shops. By and large, they tend to be a niche market, bought
by hobbyists from specialist satellite stores or via the
manufacturer's website.

Or via counterfeiters. It's an interesting coincidence ...

A few years ago, NDS (Sky owned company) were widely reported to have
shafted some their main opposition by breaking their encryption and
posting cracks on the web. It was the subject of a court case ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...media.citynews
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3078546/

Also a few years ago, they were complaining that Dreamboxes were
hackers' machines that ought not be allowed to be sold in Europe.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=278412

Now suddenly there are Dreambox clones all over Europe.

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellit...box-500-s.html
http://www.dream-multimedia-tv.de/english/news.php

Coincidence, or just too much coincidence?

======================================

Please always reply to news group as the email address in
this post's header does not exist. Alternatively, use one of the
contact addresses at:
http://www.macfh.co.uk/JavaJive/JavaJive.html
http://www.macfh.co.uk/Macfarlane/Macfarlane.html