Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site pertec.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!scgvaxd!pertec!bytebug From: bytebug@pertec.UUCP (roger long) Newsgroups: net.tv,net.legal Subject: Re: Illegal satellite dish cleanup in San Francisco area? Message-ID: <183@pertec.UUCP> Date: Wed, 8-Aug-84 23:12:37 EDT Article-I.D.: pertec.183 Posted: Wed Aug 8 23:12:37 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 12-Aug-84 01:20:56 EDT References: <645@ucla-cs.ARPA> <939@pyuxa.UUCP> Organization: Pertec Computer Corp., Irvine, CA Lines: 42 > In answer to one of your questions, it is very easy to determine > whether or not you are watching HBO or any other channel. There > are certain pieces of equipment which can be mounted in a van > and driven down a street which will record the channel to which > you have your tv tuned. They have been using this little device > for some years now to gather ratings information. If you are > receiving illegal HBO or Showtime or whatever, it can be determined > by simply driving up to your house and recording your channel > selections. Now don't start flaming, this is a legal operation > since the FCC saya anyone can receive. We may not like it, but > ho-hum, so what. Hmmm... it's okay for them to listen in on my "broadcasts" (the oscillator in my TV), but I get in trouble for watching theirs? Seems like they're invading my home twice - first in broadcasting their silly signal, and again to figure out if I'm receiving their silly signal. I think the "laws" that prohibit me from receiving their signal should be thrown out. If they don't want me to watch, then do something to the signal that makes it significantly more difficult to watch, like the DES encryption stuff that HBO and others are finally going to with their satellite feeds. I liken it to parking my car in downtown LA and leaving it unlocked with the keys in the ignition. Certainly it would be against the law for someone to get in and drive off in my car, but what do *you* think is going to be the policeman's reaction when I inform him what I did? Silly me. -- roger long pertec computer corp {ucbvax!unisoft | scgvaxd | trwrb | felix}!pertec!bytebug p.s. I might as well add a disclaimer that while I feel that anyone should be free to use any electronic signal that enters their home in any way that pleases them, I have chosen to go the more conventional route to pay my $$$ and get said services legitimately. All that anyone who cares to go poking around the outside of my home with some electronic signal sniffer is likely to find is an earfull of RFI from my IMSAI.