Are we as safe from being traced on the cable feed as we think

[alf55]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel the cable companies can and will fight back even more so this coming year

here is a thought for the techy guys, if you are on a minimal cable service, and the original installed box which will have talkback, is disconnected and a Eurovox or any other stb is substituted surely the cable operator can try to contact their stb electronically over the cable, and if they cant but cable activity is present to the premises surely this could cause suspicion and possibly maybe instigate an un announced visit maybe it would be better to connect the orginal stb from the cable company and piggy back the starviewbox so if the cable company try to communicate with their box they will get a response i welcome comments back on this theory from the techy experts on here I eally think this is feasable as a method of trac
many thanks in advance

[Devilfish]

Most people will agree with you on that one.

Always use a splitter and connect the subbed stb in a bedroom or even at the same location as your aftermarket box. Then it will always talkback.

And I also advice that you pay at least the minimum sub, we don't want VM going down the same road as OnDigital (ITV Digital).

With regards to if you are safe or not? You are breaking the law...you are never safe! The risk is yours!

[alf55]

Ideas on how to piggy back the STB

Thanks for comments at least I am not being paranoid about being traced

it may be a good idea for the techy guys on here to suggest correct cabling ideas, diagrams , etc as to how to piggy back the two STB on to the cable feed for discussion purposes only

[Devilfish]

Go to your local Maplin and get a splitter.



Or you can get them on ebay complete with cabling and connectors for a few quid.

[wooper]

As Devilfish says, split the cable and plug it in your VM box. Mine is stuck behind the TV.

Get min sub too, they dont do this for free.

[segaman40]

Big Brother

This is an interesting theory, it occured to me too that this might well be a consideration, lets face it, cable aren't stupid, they're aware of the activity. When I connected their original box, one or two channels were missing, so if they monitor reception, I suppose they might remove some channels and wait to see if there is a response. I'm not so sure about the 'unscheduled visit' though. The splitter is a simple, but positive idea, thanks.

[wooper]

I can see your theory. They remove BBC1 and you dont complain.

But then I dont watch too much TV, and would not be concerned at this.

Just the footy really for me.

So if I had a knock at the door from some VM guy saying I had not watched Eastenders for 2 months and why.

Well, what would you say!!!!

[alf55]

hi all thanks for all the usefull replies .

i spent 13 years as a tv service engineer for a large tv rental chain, and if we wanted to gain access to a property to check our equipment,and our customers were not bing cooperative the easiest way was to call unnounced to a house and if no one was not home , a service engineer would put a very small pin into the aeriel cable where it entered the house usually under the window it was a 10 second operation and killed all tv reception to that house, then just sit back and wait forthe customer to call in and book a service call, and when we were on the service call we wold discreetly remove the pin. on a similar tactic the cable operators would only have to reduce or limit service and sit back and wait for a service enquiry

Just a thought guys we are not dealing with idiots here

[rob1]

hi all thanks for all the usefull replies .

i spent 13 years as a tv service engineer for a large tv rental chain, and if we wanted to gain access to a property to check our equipment,and our customers were not bing cooperative the easiest way was to call unnounced to a house and if no one was not home , a service engineer would put a very small pin into the aeriel cable where it entered the house usually under the window it was a 10 second operation and killed all tv reception to that house, then just sit back and wait forthe customer to call in and book a service call, and when we were on the service call we wold discreetly remove the pin. on a similar tactic the cable operators would only have to reduce or limit service and sit back and wait for a service enquiry

Just a thought guys we are not dealing with idiots here

Obviously they are not idiots but I have to say if i was going to call VM out for a service call me not being a idiot also would remove my box and all they would see was my VM box which I have kept on a splitter in to the conservatory for a long time so the wife has got something to watch cus she doesnt like 24 / 7 football and boxing and rugby and NFL.

[alf55]

busy people and we get caught on the basics

h m8

i would also do the same but i bet their is as many that would forget or leave a clue lying around, anway i was pointing out the techniques used for customer assisted entry nothing more.

[nkw59]

I was working away once and the broadband played upfor the other half.they came out moved the dbox to the side fitted an attenuator and left,never bothered about the d box.The engineers probably dont care as long as they get paid every week.

[Devilfish]

The frequencies of channels are moved frequently!

Your subbed box knows about this because the cable company tell it about the change so you don't see any missing channels. If it's been disconnected for a while, it won't know about the channel changes and that's why you have missing channels. After using it for a while the box will update itself, maybe after a reboot, and they will come back.

Think how many times you need to rescan your box for channels?

[Boydy]

I was actually looking through the menus on my VM box.

Scarily I found a section that logs all activity on the box, from when it was last rebooted, any changes made by calling customer services ... EVERYTHING !!!

If Virgin are smart they can see that boxes offline are rebooted hours/days after the signal fix has been done. Think I'll deffo be keeping both boxes online via a splitter form now on.

[tony the pony]

just ordered a splitter at ?3 i might as well

[thedon6915]

what is the purpose of a splitter?