Hack a cable box

Turns out the signal just needs something to bounce off of in order for the pvr or cable box to receive it. Sign up to receive my new blog posts in your inbox! I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp more information.

We respect your privacy. DIY Living Room. Your time is valuable, but everything else should be free, right? They are both a Federal crime, what's different? If being a goody 2 shoes means being honest and not stealing, I'll wear that badge with honor. As for it not hurting anyone, well I don't know of anybody going to the hospital, but theft hurts everyone no matter what the stolen product is.

It's called Capitalism, don't hate the game just because you can't play by the rules This didnt stop with the cable company who just happen to be the only service available in my whole state. So you're telling me you can't get satellite in your state? What planet do you live on anyway? Now doesn't that make you greedy too? You'd rather have it all sounds pretty greedy to me Don't listen to the cable guys hear fellaz, they are just afraid of it costing them their pathetic jobs.

I'm not afraid if costing me my job. I've been in the business over 21 years now, my job isn't going anywhere. My job may be pathetic in somebody else's opinion, but it's not so pathetic that I have to steal something because I can't afford it. Yes anything can be hacked You talk a big game, but the bottom line is nobody has provided any information on how to beat the system. What is with all these people that think they deserve free cable just because it's a little spendy, the reason it is more costly than it should be is because of people like them stealling it.

Just like in the local supermarket the honest people have to pay more because of the damn theivs. Posted on Saturday, March 10, - GMT I have insight cable and it has been disconnected for months now, only the company never came to pick up the box nor did it unhook my cable on the outside.

I still have my cable internet now a 10 meg connection and my basic digital cable, with local HD stations. Now, I realize that I have either slipped through some loophole here, or they just aren't very good at this stuff.

Previously I was with Comcast in another location, and if your cable was cancelled they could shut off your digital box and cable modem without unhooking from the outside. So what is to stop me from hacking this box, since it is obviously not communicating with the "headender? Posted on Tuesday, March 13, - GMT " So what is to stop me from hacking this box, since it is obviously not communicating with the "headender?

I tried reading through some of the posts on this thread and find my self more lost as I am a novice at this stuff and thats being polite to myself. Any ideas on how I can get the box I bought to give me a TV signal with the same channels I have on my "legal" box, or better yet some additional channels? Thanks VM. If you had you would not have posted, you would have known you purchased a nice shiny doorstop and not a set top box. Better luck next time, xvxvxvx. Actually this is the first thread I have ever read on this this topic but is there a way to flash the NV memory?

Just like a BIOS can be flashed. Perhaps by the debug port? What would you hope to accomplish? I'm getting and paying for digital cable, the box is a Motorola DCT I just bought a new 37" Sharp LCD. I hooked it up to the raw cable first, and all the analog channels were pretty crummy.

But now, hooked up using the cable box, the regular channels are fine, but the HD channels have dissapeared. Now, I wouldn't feel too guilty if I were to receive these HD channels, without paying extra to subscribe to my provider's "HD" tier, because I understand that these networks are providing of their prime-time programming in HD over the air.

And if these networks are providing HD in their regular programming, and I'm paying for these channels, why should the cable company have a right to rat-hole the HD from them, and resell it as part of a more expensive package?

Are they paying more when the networks broadcast HD over the air? I doubt it. I could, of course, just undo and reconnect the cables when I want to watch these four HD channels.

Anybody know of an easier way? Or am I a "thief" for wanting the HD from channels that I'm already paying for? I would gladly trade them back the shopping, Spanish, and Jesus channels that I don't want. I'm already kinda ticked off that this DCT doesn't support stereo sound.

Do I have to pay extra for that, too? Are they going to start charging us separately for color? Gee, I can't wait for them to raise my rates again, and justify it by giving me the Jehovah Witness channel, and maybe some Portuguese soap operas, too. Seriously, anybody know an easy way I can use these four HD channels?

Similar to cable modem pirating, bios, phones, etc. Except flashing they just have the chips programmed themselves. Another thing is it legal and would any cable companies actually allow a descrambler box like the one I posted?

Sorry for the amount of questions. Any answers are much appreciated. BTW - This is purely for educational purposes; I'm definitely not going to try any of this. Feed the other leg to your DCT Then you can set your TV to this input and watch the regular channels. You can swap between the two types of input using your remote.

Posted on Monday, April 09, - GMT Anon, The short answer is you could perform all the actions outlined in your lengthy reply to me but it would not achieve your goal. Two way communication is required and you would need to hack into the headend of the cable system itself, good luck with that. If there are decryption seed keys in the unit itself and the unit at some point must unscrambled the media. Also does the data get encrypted or scrambled again before it must go back to the company?

I'm just trying to understand the process. It seems there is very little about details online. Especially when people are just talking about how something works. Why do we build bridges over water when boats are readily available? Why does a rock fall up and not down? Because the cable company must read a hard encoded serial number designation from your box. Allow me to anticipate your response: Couldn't I just spoof that serial number?

Eventually your time will outweigh the value of your effort. Just like this thread Your useless just like this forum. Great White Post Number: Registered: Nov Dreamboxes are legally for sale in stores. Kudelski chief executive Andre Kudelski told the paper that the group's 'nagravision' encryption system, which has been around for six years, has also come under attack: 'We are dealing with an attack on the first generation of digital systems using this encryption '. Kudelski and Cablecom intend to sue individuals breaking the law in this manner; currently four cases of criminal proceedings are pending in Switzerland.

Posted on Monday, April 30, - GMT i fond a comcast motorola digital cable box i want to use it but i dont kno how when i hooked it up the screen is just black is there a way to use it or should i just toss it First, would this actually work? Let's assume the person currently subscribes to basic cable, but does not have digital cable. I was wondering if someone else's programmed digital box would give the person who borrows the box digital cable since the digital cable box is already programmed.

Mainly if you and your buddy have the same cable provider, but also how far you are from your buddys house. Sometimes, even if the box is registered to an address across town, it will work, i have taken mine to work 2. To sum this up, if the box lives elsewhere in your neighborhood, there is a excellent chance it will work.

If it lives across town, there is a fair chance. If it is from another town, there is little or no chance it will work. And if it from a different cable system it will absolutely NOT work i. Good Luck! Now, I gave this advice to someone who I believe actually wants to share digital cable and the bill with their buddy and it is agreed to both parties just so you know that Comcast, or other cable providers, would not agree with you doing this.

As for the bloodsucking lowlife parasite that reads this and gets the idea to go and steal an STB from someones house and use it yourself, it wont work loser. As soon as the victim reports the theft to the police, or the cable company it will no longer work and you will have committed a nice little set of FELONIES and you will have a Motorola boat anchor. Plus you will get caught and go to jail. Posted on Monday, July 02, - GMT I really don't care too much about hacking, thought it intrigues me what people can do.

I was just wondering, I have a motorolla dct and have hbo and cinemax channels paid for at my house. About a year ago, I moved out from my parents, sad but true with a couple of friends.

They had the same comcast cable and same boxes, and had no hbo, no cinemax, but they did have starz and showtime. After a year of living there nothing has changed, channels are still the same for me, hbo and cinemax. So I guess each box has a card programmed in it I am an UNhacker I just thought it was interesting when it happened Anyway let me know of anything that some intermediate comp users like myself can do for these cable boxes.

Posted on Saturday, July 07, - GMT Well Josh, you are more right than wrong there, the cable into the house has nothing to do with the channels you get for digital cable anyways. You got lucky and your STB worked at a different location, and should continue to do so. You see when you subscribe to a channel the cable company sends a signal out of band to your boxes to authorize that channel, the signal is sent throughout the entire network, but only the box that it is aimed at by serial will respond to it.

So your box is still receiving the channels that it would at your parents house, because it still 'sees' the signals from the headend, and as long as your parents don't take it off their account it will work fine. But my box is located in S. Florida and I was wanting to use it at college in Alabama. We have comcast extended and highspeed internet already in alabama Is there a way to get it to work?

Public New member Username: Jqp One of those, too. The more cun Post Number: 1 Registered: Jul Engineer or not, you have no clue. As mentioned above, you can't say in one breath that ROM is read only, then in another say that it is used to temporarily store movie order information. You can't have it both ways.

There are other kinds of "non-volatile" memory, but they aren't called ROM. So read a book or something before you try to teach others, okay? I have been a computer technician probably since before you got out of elementary school, and it is obvious from your postings that you don't know squat. You claim to be good, but if you are even typical of the quality of engineer the cable companies hire, then it is no wonder they feel they have a privacy problem.

There is another issue that nobody has addressed here: that of the cable companies' own breaking of the law. You talk about the companies polling their equipment for info about ordered movies. Well, folks, guess what? That means not just cable companies, but police too. Polling my cable box is a violation of this law. So if you are going to complain about people breaking laws, you had better pull your head out of your own rear, and look at the laws your own companies are violating FIRST!

But anybody out there, tell me: does your cable contract specifically state, even in the fine print, that you give them permission to conduct electronic surveillance of your home? Then they are breaking the law. Scooby Doo, you need to both get an education, and clean up your own house before you start pissing on those of others.

Of course you are free to claim I don't know what I am saying, as you have with others before, but dude, you are going to have to start backing up your accusations with verifiable facts. So far you have not done so. It is pretty easy to tell from the postings of others that you have no credibility here, and that is the way it should be.

It is your own fault for spouting "corporate hard-line" misinformation. And if you want cable companies to stop getting ripped off, maybe you could do something to keep them from ripping off others, FIRST. That is called "Karma"! Reply all you want, but I will not respond. I have read plenty of your postings already, and you have nothing to say to me that I do not already know more about than you do.

Posted on Wednesday, July 11, - GMT "There is another issue that nobody has addressed here: that of the cable companies' own breaking of the law. I guess its illegal for the water company to monitor your water usage? The electric company to monitor your electrical usage inside your home, the phone company to keep track of the numbers you call and the charges incurred?

Its hilarious that someone will actually quote a federal law in a thread about stealing cable.. Pal, you can do whatever you feel like at the privacy of your home. Very soon you'll get cable service via satellite. Be patient it will be freedom from hooking it to utility line. Then you can hack as much as you want.

Hottest hack today is satellite. Public New member Username: Jqp Some city, somewhere. Go USA! Post Number: 2 Registered: Jul Posted on Wednesday, July 11, - GMT Cable Tool: No, it is not illegal for the water company to monitor your water usage, because you have state laws and local ordinances that allow them to do so. For example, the water company usually has an easement, by law, to enter your yard and read the meter.

Cable companies have no such laws going for them. And yes, that includes the cable movies you have ordered. The key word here is "any". The ONLY exceptions are prior permission, and a judicial warrant. And this is a Federal law, not subject to local ordinances or state law. Does your cable agreement contain a clause allowing them to electronically monitor your home? Mine sure as heck does not. And that means they are breaking the law.

You do not know anything about me. Calling me an idiot does not make me one. Look up the laws yourself. Most people might not know about it, and some cable companies ignore it, but that does not mean that it does not exist. The law does exist, and there are some very, very good reasons behind it. Post Number: 3 Registered: Jul I understand your reasoning, but what you say above is simply false. Unless you sign a waiver saying that they can access the cable box, they are indeed breaking the law.

I am aware that this seems to violate common sense, from the point of view of the cable company. However, the law came about because of privacy concerns. Corporate profit motive does not trump privacy concerns -- or privacy laws. The consumer has legitimate privacy concerns. For example, what if I admit that at this time the idea is silly Would the consumer want to know about it?

And know when they were being viewed? Obviously that is not being done, but you get the idea. The courts decided that the line should be drawn at "any". ANY electronic monitoring of what I do in my home. And once again, if you don't believe that, you are welcome to look it up. Post Number: 4 Registered: Jul Posted on Thursday, July 12, - GMT I should have added: If a cable company wants to poll a box in someone's home, all they have to do, in order to comply with the law, is to have the customer sign a piece of paper that gives them permission to do so.

Some cable companies include this in the "fine print" on the back of their cable agreement. It only takes a sentence or two. But most that I know of do not.

My local cable company does not. As others have mentioned there is no such Federal law you describe, if you think it exists link to it in your next dumb message. As far as my posts about ROM and polling your movie data you are picking and choosing different respones to different questions. The reason you are a tech is because you have no understandg of how electronic design really works. I taught engineering at BC for 18 years and have never worked for a cable company.

I then worked for Raytheon and was the project engineer for the Patriot missile system. I doubt your credentials exceed opening the back of a TV and blowing out the dust. Get your info correct or go trolling elsewhere. Post Number: 5 Registered: Jul My apologies. That is why it is not usable for temporary storage, such as movies viewed. Newer machines use flash memory, which does retain its contents with no power applied, but that is still not ROM.

There is no doubt that CableGuy was wrong about his details, which is what that was all about. Accidentally attributing the statement to you, though, was just a simple mistake; it does not mean I am "trolling". Having stated that, I will also say that you know nothing about my expertise or lack thereof. Yes, I am a certified "tech" because I took the necessary exams to get certified, and then further earned the title at work. But that is not all I am; I make my money as a software engineer.

Before you go around calling people idiots, you should find out something about them. Otherwise you could end up looking like an idiot yourself.

We wouldn't want that now, would we? As for the other thing: it is easy enough to say someone is wrong, harder to back it up. Being an engineer OR a cable company employee does not make you an expert in law.

Nor does being a software engineer, but I had cause to research this particular subject a few years ago. Have you done the same? When I stated that CableGuy was wrong, I backed it up a few paragraphs ago with factual statements about what ROM really is, and is not.

Where are your facts to back up your position? Do you have any? I was just pointing something out as a matter of courtesy. You can disbelieve it all you want. I am under no obligation to prove it to you. And why should I, when you have already called me an idiot without bothering to look it up yourself? That's the way it works in the rest of the civilized world. Why should you be any different? But then again, I'm not entirely sure which act you're referring to.

Not intercepted. In this case, it does say that no one has the right to intentionally receive electronic data from a device without the consent of the primary user. However, nowhere does it specify that the consent must be received in written form. In fact, it doesn't specify a required means of receiving that consent, and I imagine that's for the courts to determine. Any precedent? I think cable providers are completely in the right, because all the data they are receiving can reasonably be assumed to have been sent with the user's consent.

After all, if you order a PPV and you are aware that it's going to cost you i. It's not a reasonable conclusion, it's a necessary one. Now, if they were monitoring how much of every channel you watch or at what times you watch each channel and they receive that data in a form that can be directly linked to you, then they're at fault, because you can't reasonably assume the layman would know that's going on.

The webcam example would no doubt be illegal too, but not because of its ability to monitor tampering so much as its ability to monitor everything else in its line of sight. Pretend there was something built in that could monitor only tampering. Of course, with a reasonably small error It has to be a device that was clearly designed exclusively for that purpose. So long as the STB is labeled such that the user ought to know they're not authorized to tamper with it, then tampering falls outside of what's considered normal use of the STB, and since the Act only protects "users," well, guess what?

Of course, we can't argue unless we're talking about the same thing. So if you're referring to some other Act, let us know specifically what it is. Maybe link to the exact verbiage. And for all the "moral" cable employees out there, I don't understand why anyone ever attempts to call someone else immoral. By your moral code, yes, their method of cable procurement sorry, necessarily avoiding loaded verbiage Only psychopaths are admittedly immoral.

Everyone else is Stealing a few pennies from the rich guy. After all, they can benefit from that service a lot more than the already wealthy company can from their subscription fee, right?

It's justified to them in a utilitarian world. Of course, you'll probably be quick to point out that legally, there is a clear-cut answer, but I think most people try to tackle this from a moral perspective. Unless, they're a bit over-ambitious. Unfortunately for you cable people, from the individual perspective, morality trumps legality.

Let's be honest, though. Any cable worker that's out there snipping people's illegal hookups is not doing it on account of their moral beliefs. They're doing it for personal gain it's their job! Therefore, it's no wonder that their morality is consistent with their actions. It's called cognitive dissonance.

Would you feel the same way if you had never worked for the cable company? Maybe, maybe not. As to the possibility of whether cable can be hacked Why are we arguing about this? Of course it can. Anything can, and as far as I've seen everyone agrees with that. The real question is, is it practical to do so?

In almost all areas, there's more to it than just fiddling with the STB or the cable line. We're talking investing in possibly expensive equipment and with very few exceptions, the answer seems to be no. Can we all agree on that? Finally, all those flames and not just from Scooby Doo If you're trying to convince someone of something, why call them an idiot?

Imagine if an attorney addressed the jury as "idiots. But does the converse hold? That's all. Post Number: 6 Registered: Jul I did indeed confuse the two acts. Kudos for bothering to look it up. You are correct that consent could be given in any form. But even though a verbal agreement is a legal contract, paper constitutes concrete evidence of that contract.

Anyone who wants to cover their butt is sure to get it on paper. I hardly think it is cut-and-dried that the cable company is in the right here. You use "reasonable" and "assume" but I do not necessarily agree.

Yes, you send a request to the cable company for a movie. But that is a direct request As you say, it is reasonable to think that this would be legitimate. That is "surveillance", and it is a completely different matter.

One interesting bit about this build is that [Erkki] found it completely broken one day. Figuring this was a problem with the microcontroller, he first fried the ATMega with 9 volts — the reasons escape us, however — and started work on programming a new chip. After looking at different ports on his NTP server with a microcontroller, [Erkki] realized he had reset his network switch recently, meaning the previous microcontroller was working perfectly.

This one is especially interesting as it uses a single remote to control the system but rolls in lots of extras. Looking at the receiver itself the white plastic dome of the PIR sensor should raise an eyebrow.

Since the cable box takes a while to turn on [Ivan] included the motion sensor to switch that component on when you walk into the room. Of course the board has its own receiver to listen for the remote control commands. The remote buttons have been mapped a bit differently than originally intended.

All of these features are demonstrated in the clip after the break. This is a nearly perfect base setup. He figured out a method to give everyone control of the TV channel in one form or another. This give the Arduino the ability to send remote control commands to the TV box.

The two arcade buttons on the front will switch the channel up or down.