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From: ags@pucc-i (Seaman)
Newsgroups: net.video,net.tv
Subject: Re: Cable Ready TV/VCR
Message-ID: <166@pucc-i>
Date: Fri, 27-Jan-84 10:35:57 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-i.166
Posted: Fri Jan 27 10:35:57 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 7-Feb-84 06:27:04 EST
References: <667@eisx.UUCP> <283@ihuxt.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 20

A cable-ready set may or may not be able to pick up premium channels
such as HBO -- it depends on how your cable company chooses to
transmit these channels.

It used to be that my cable-ready TV and VCR could pick up the
premium channels HBO and SPOTLIGHT without any converter at all (I took
my converter back and turned it in, since I didn't need it -- but I was
still paying for the service).  The company relied on filters in the line
to keep the premium channels from reaching non-paying customers.

Recently when new channels were added, all of the premium channels were 
scrambled.  The company distributed a new kind of converter/descrambler 
to all customers.  Even if you have a cable-ready set, you still need the 
descrambler to watch the premium channels.  If you have another set tapped 
into the line ahead of the converter, you can watch only non-scrambled channels.
Possibly you may still be able to watch some of the cable channels with numbers
higher than 13 (examples might be things like ESPN, Cable News Network,
or other channels which your cable company chooses to make available
at no extra charge).  The remaining channels (HBO, etc.) will not be
viewable on your remote set unless you get a second converter.