🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Apr12.>, 2frlclover@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
>Hi all,
>
>I am thinking of building a CABLE TV descramble Kit but I am not sure whether
>it will worth my money. I am also interested in knowing the quality of the
>picture. Lastly, is it legal in Kansas.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Mike
>

Mike, 

Is it worth your money?  This is a personal question which only you
can answer.  First, you didn't say how much of your money was involved =-)
Secondly, if you learn something about RF, IF and AF circuits during
the process, then try to equate your money to paying tuition for an
electronics course in your local community college.  Not to mention the
personal satisfaction of gaining that additional knowledge.  How much
is you personal time worth?

Is it legal in Kansas?  Don't know but in general:  If you descramble and
receive a "premium" channel (like HBO, etc...), YES that's illegal.  If
you descramble an otherwise free channel (some cable services scramble
everything above channel 13) then it's probably OK.

Legally, you can build, attach and descramble any signal as long as you
advise the local cable company that you are doing so, pay for the services
you receive and don't add any interference into the system that might
degrade the signal out to other customers.  The intent here is to allow
the public to not be required to pay the sometimes outrageous "rental"
charges for descrambler/converter boxes offered by cable service companies.



Based on what I have seen in trade magazines (Radio Electronics, etc...)
descramblers are a dime-a-dozen.  RE mag alone has about a dozen vendors
each month.

As for the quality of the picture?  If you build it correctly, it should
be as good as a picture that was not scrambled originally ;-)


-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gantt Edmiston                         =  o     |
QA Host Systems, V416 x6091         =  _ /- _   |  "The fewer the facts,
SASnet: <sasbge@ant.unx.sas.com>   =  (_)> (_)  |   the stronger the opinion!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------