Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pucc-i Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!CS-Mordred!Pucc-H:Pucc-I:ags 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.