Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles; site trsvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!trsvax!mikey From: mikey@trsvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Re: decoding subscription TV - legality - (nf) Message-ID: <55100048@trsvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 11-Aug-84 10:34:00 EDT Article-I.D.: trsvax.55100048 Posted: Sat Aug 11 10:34:00 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 14-Aug-84 01:02:47 EDT References: <21100003@ucbcad.UUCP> Lines: 29 Nf-ID: #R:ucbcad:-2110000300:trsvax:55100048:000:1391 Nf-From: trsvax!mikey Aug 11 09:34:00 1984 #R:ucbcad:-2110000300:trsvax:55100048:000:1391 trsvax!mikey Aug 11 09:34:00 1984 In some localities, the deciding factor on descrambling seems to be if you intercepted the signal ahead of the box. I read of a case in Wisconson (I think) where the receiver was connected ahead of the cable company provided tuner box. More and more cable companies are starting to set there boxes up so that they cannot be disconnected from the line without cutting the cable or having a special tool. I think that this was originally so that neighbors couldn't share boxes. There has been a lot of argument as to at what point interception becomes illegal. From my OWN point of view, anything that is piped into my house or broadcast that I can pick up, I feel that I can do with it as I please, as long as I do so for personal use. I just won't tamper with their equipment, but if I already split and distribute the signal through my house before the converter box, it's MINE! There are some gottchas. If it was broadcast and you record it, it may be illegal due to the clause in the communications act of 1934 that says that you can't divulge anything that you receive or other such laws that really apply only by accident. Personally, I just dropped my local cable. I felt that it was too expensive. They took WOR-9 (NYC) off the cable and I don't like subsidizing garbage like MTV and some of the other FREEBIES that are wasted cable space. mikey at trsvax