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From: sims@hou2b.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.tv,net.video
Subject: Re: cable ready TV/VCR
Message-ID: <202@hou2b.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Jan-84 16:02:38 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2b.202
Posted: Fri Jan 27 16:02:38 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 31-Jan-84 02:22:24 EST
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 19



I don't know how general this is, but I can tell you how my
cable-ready TV (19" RCA portable) works.  If the coax cable
is connected directly to the coax plug on the set, I can get
all of the standard cable channels EXCEPT for any pay
channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) which require unscrambling.
The selector box supplied by the cable company contains the
necessary filters for de-scrambling said pay channels.

An interesting sidelight - a co-worker who subscribes to basic
cable service recently purchased a VCR (don't know the brand).
Upon hooking it up she discovered, much to her surprise, that
she can now get Showtime.  Apparently the synch locking
electronics in the VCR happen to match (or override?) the
scrambling signal put on by the cable company.
-- 
                                    Jim
                            ..!houxm!hou2b!sims