OK I work for Comcast

[Larry Comcast Cable Guy]

0K I work for Comcast in South Carolina. I am a level 4 tech and here is what I know for a FACT about cable.

Systems are different EVERYWHERE. Even in the same city you can have more than one system (due to more than one head in). This can be determined (as far as digital is concerned) by the box's SERIAL NUMBER. I seen mentioned earlier someone talking about digi boxes with GI serials. I work with 4 different systems in my area. 3 of which use GI boxes, DTC's and the like are on this system. ONE of the GI serialed systems uses NO TRAPS or FILTERS WHATSOEVER. If you are plugged directly into the tap (at the pole or ped) you recieve basic analog cable. If you want any premium service period you HAVE to have a box of some kind. EXAMPLE: You have basic cable but want HBO, you must have an addressable converter to recieve HBO or upgrade to digi (still need converter). If you have LIMITED BASIC (22 channels I believe) or LIMITED VALUE (local stations only) they issue a special converter that has those channels preprogrammed into the box. Trying to go to a channel you arent supposed to get displays a blank screen or the channel guide. WORKAROUND: in systems which use no TRAPS or FILTERS and you are subscribing to LIMITED BASIC or LIMITED VALUE, REMOVE the box and plug directly into your TV, now you have full basic cable (in this system its channels 2-55) ALso no VIDEO TRAPS are used so if you are INTERNET only in this system just split to a TV and boom basic cable for you.

The 2nd system I work in also uses GI serialed boxes BUT TRAPS, NOT FILTERS are used. If you susbscribe to digital cable NO TRAPS are used, LIMITED BASIC and LIMITED VALUE customers have what is called an RF SWITCH placed at the pole (if only one TV, or at the HOUSEBOX for more than 1 TV since the RF SWITCH DOES NOT work through a splitter) The RF SWITCH traps all channels NOT programmed in the box. WORKAROUND: If you are in a system which uses RF SWITCHWS you will know since either in your HOUSEBOX or on the pole (or ped) will be a 3 1/2 inch long silver cylinder witrh a chrome sticker with black lettering that says RF SWITCH on it. Remove this trap to recieve basic cable (also unhook your box and go straight to tv) DOWNSIDE: these systems MUST have the converter hooked up to recieve ANY PREMIUM CHANNEL i.e. HBO, SHO, MAX, TMC, PPV, etc.

The 3rd system I work in ALSO uses GI serialed boxes and uses POSITIVE TRAPS and TIER TRAPS. These traps are installed to GIVE YOU the pay channel you want i.e. HBO, SHO. MAX, etc EXCEPT PPV. You must have a converter of some kind to get PPV. In this particular system HBO is identified on the trap by its lettering at the bottom of the trap. EMD-H GIVES you SHO, EMD-A GIVES you MAX and EMD-G is HBO, EMD-B is TMC there are also POSITIVE TRAPS for adult chans as well. RF SWITCHES are NOT USED in this system, It uses LIFELINE TRAPS (for tierd services such as expanded basic etc) to give the user only LIMITED SERVICE The LIFELINE trap can be identified by its markings at the bottom of the trap it will say LIFELINE on it.

The 4th system I work in (the largest in my area) uses RF SWITCHES, VIDEO TRAPS, and NEGATIVE TRAPS ONLY. COnverter boxes are needed ONLY if you want SHO, MAX, TMC, PPV, and digi service. Notice I didnt say HBO. Thats because in this system HBO is on a lower chan so a trap must be used - ETN-D will TRAP HBO (called a D trap). VIDEO TRAPS are used for INTERNET only customers and will block EVERY and ALL VIDEO signal it will ONLY transmit channel 80 (the digi signal for internet in this system) it can be identified by its marking, it will say ETN-10MM or just 10MM depending on the age of the trap. Basic cable in this system is chans 2-78,72,76,92,99 ANYTHING higher is digital and REQUIRES a digi converter of somekind. Digi boxes in this system are serialed beginning with SA

The tagging method for ALL 4 systems i work in is the same. GREEN tags for disconnected customers, ORANGE tags for active customers (regardless of the type of service) and YELLOW tags for INTERNET customers. If the customer is INTERNET only then only a yellow tag will be present not an orange. ALSO NOTE most of the installers ARE LAZY BUMS and will forget or if the customer is some hot milf, will FORGET to put on traps, forget to correctly tag and or add positive traps (in systems that use it) Usually this is on purpose, obviously (for the MILFS) or if the installer is younger and goes to hook up cable for a customer who is also younger. EXAMPLE: I work alot in a college area where I hook up cable for a lot of college students, and this particular college is dominated by females so naturally to get a number to to get laid after work you hook the hottie up withsome service that she isnt supposed to get or if its guys and they offer beer installers will also hook you up. If your a richard cranium to your installer you can trust he will do things the way he is supposed to do them.

In the first 3 systems I talked about the digi boxes are preprogrammed to get nothing but basic cable until the installer calls the serial in to dispatch who will in turn send a hit to the box to re program it to get the chans the customer subscribed to. In the last system I talked about is the exact opposite, the boxes are preprogrammed to get ALL CHANNELS except PPV until the box serial is called in which will then re program to deactivate the chans they do not subscribe to. SO the installers have a nice perk to take boxes home in the 4th system cause they can take a box off their truck home, hook it up and have all chans except PPV. (were not supposed to of course)

Internet in all 4 systems works the same. You must use the install cd or dl from the internal net when you hook the modem up and supply the account information before it will release you into the internet. this is done in 3 steps, 1st, you must call dispatch and give them the modem serial AND mac address BEFORE you hhok it up so the serial can be added to the account, 2nd after installing the cd it will perform a modem validation to make sure that modem is binded to an account, 3rd you must enter the account number and it must match the account number the modem is binded to or else you will be stuck at a "Account Info Not Found" screen forever. There is NO workaround for internet in any of my 4 systems. (this is called provisioning) Customers may own their own modem and the 4th system uses ONLY Scientific Atlanic boxes the other 3 use Motorolla and Jerrolds.

The 4th system has Digital, HD DVR and Phone service but only in certain NODES. The other 3 only offer digi service.

OTHER FACTS

INTERNET will NOT work through an RF SWITCH period. It blocks the internet channel (72 in system 1, 75 in systems 2 and 3 and 80 in system 4)

It is impossible to get a video signal through a VIDEO TRAP.

If you are in a system similar to system 4 above and have a digi box and have one trap on your pole, ped or house box then its a D-TRAP and is there to block HBO in the event you downgrade from digi to basic. the D_TRAP means nothing since the digi box can see past it since HBO is on a higher channel on digi versus basic (here HBO is 17 on basic and chans 301-312 on digi) They put it on 'just in case' you downgrade.

WORKAROUNDS:
If you are disconnected and notice they unplugged you from your house box (some houses dont have house boxes installed, the splitter and ground blocks are visible) and you see a silver thing on the ground block or on your splitter ports this is easy to defeat without a special tool. This device looks like an extender has a threaded end (the purpose is to keep you from getting cable and at the same time preserve the life of the connecter) unscrew the line from the terminater (its name) This device works like a "spinner" wheel the outside freely spins will the inside stays screwed to the groundblock or splitter ports until a special tool is inserted to make them spin together at the same time. Take a pair of needle nose pliers and stick one of the probes into the terminater and clamp it good and tight. Now twist to the LEFT and PULL at the same time. do this for about a turn or so, then you should be able to spin it off the rest of the way by hand. Then plug yourself back in.

If you have a house box, its not illegeal to open it. More than likely they will disconnect you at the house box if there is one cause its easier to do than climbing the pole and saves the installer about 15 per job especially if he knows he can lock your housebox up. Most houseboxes are locked 1 of 3 ways. With the terminater I was just talking about or with a tiestrap or not at all.

Climbing the pole however is illegeal and trust me tap audits are done VERY OFTEN especially after some kind of transaction has taken place i.e. if you get reconnected, disconnected, added or removed anything or had any servcie calls, there will be an audit of it by a QC team probably within a few days of the installer or service tech coming to your house so if you plan on recoonnecting yourself or removing or adding traps or splitting off a neighbor wait a few days b4 you do.

If you are in an apartment complex your box is located on the side or back of your building and its green or beige and can be of several different styles and have 1 of 3 different types of locks. if these boxes are locked the tools required to open them will run you about 85 to 200 depending on the tool. red ped key, black star key and medco vending machine style key (both star type and regular key)

ADVICE:
Be very friendly to your cable guy, offer him a beer or if your a girl offer him something else and youll be amazed at what he can hook you up with.

If ppl are interested I can provide pics of lockboxes, peds and pole taps and pics of traps that we use in the systems i work in.

NEAT TRICKS & INFO:
on Scientific Atlantic boxes if you hold the middle button between the vol and chan buttons on the box until the email light comes on then hit the info key you can get a nice config menu where you cansee some interesting info about the box and the node your on. use the vol +, - keys on the box to navigate theough the 14 different screens.

Explorer 8000HD DVR boxes have a maxtor 80 GB hd in them, not a 160 like they probably told you.

Any questions ask and I can probably answer. If I dont know the answer I can surley find out as I am friends with people at Comcast higher up on the totem pole than me like maint techs, service techs and office ppl.

[zen_q]

Is it possible to take one of the traps off of the pole and modify it in sone way to let the signal pass through it?  Can you unscrew it and clip some wires or something and stick it back up so that it looks like it is all still in tact to fool the auditers?  Is the subscription info marked on the pole somehow so that the auditors know what to look for.  I am wondering about climbing the pole, taking the traps down, modifying them to not work then putting them back to get full service in the house.  Can the cable company see if these traps are installed and working in any way besides physically looking at them?

[Badd Ass]

Is it possible to take one of the traps off of the pole and modify it in sone way to let the signal pass through it?  Can you unscrew it and clip some wires or something and stick it back up so that it looks like it is all still in tact to fool the auditers?  Is the subscription info marked on the pole somehow so that the auditors know what to look for.  I am wondering about climbing the pole, taking the traps down, modifying them to not work then putting them back to get full service in the house.  Can the cable company see if these traps are installed and working in any way besides physically looking at them?

Yeah it's possible to put a empty trap up there to make it look like its the real deal BUT next time they come out to install cable etc, they  might replace it, who knows but also be carefull that you dont get electrocuted!

As far as can they tell well short answer is yes, say you are not allowed to get ch x well ch x makes a unique signal that can be picked up from your box/TV etc.

This is only done tho for BIG PPVs etc,,, so no need to worry 99% of the time they cant tell unless they test trap at pole to see if its blocking...


Here is a story of a sad case


http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/july172004/i4.asp

[NewJack]

I am new here and this is my first post.  Great site.

Onto the goods.  I read the lengthy entry above (nice information) and have a question: 

the terminator described doesn't sound likie the one that I have on my block.  I live in an apartment complex and the ped is right outside my hosue.  On the block there seems to be a terminator, but it is made of aluminum and spins freely just as described.  Is there any ideas on this type?  I was thinking that I could insert a tool to remove it, but it doesn't look like the Gibson security sleeve I have sen before.  Help!

[Larry Comcast Cable Guy]

I am new here and this is my first post.  Great site.

Onto the goods.  I read the lengthy entry above (nice information) and have a question: 

the terminator described doesn't sound likie the one that I have on my block.  I live in an apartment complex and the ped is right outside my hosue.  On the block there seems to be a terminator, but it is made of aluminum and spins freely just as described.  Is there any ideas on this type?  I was thinking that I could insert a tool to remove it, but it doesn't look like the Gibson security sleeve I have sen before.  Help!

How ya doing.

Been a while since I last Posted, Here is a website where I have Bought many tools to open those bastards up.

http://www.icmcorp.net/CablePro_Wrenches.htm#Security_Wrenches

[buttman]

Thx Larry

Good site 

[cYbeRCabLe]

newjack just cut that sucker off then put a new cable spliced together backinside it.

Been working for me for over Ayear FREE 100% Cable BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[extreme tester]

Is it possible to take one of the traps off of the pole and modify it in sone way to let the signal pass through it?  Can you unscrew it and clip some wires or something and stick it back up so that it looks like it is all still in tact to fool the auditers?  Is the subscription info marked on the pole somehow so that the auditors know what to look for.  I am wondering about climbing the pole, taking the traps down, modifying them to not work then putting them back to get full service in the house.  Can the cable company see if these traps are installed and working in any way besides physically looking at them?

Yeah it's possible to put a empty trap up there to make it look like its the real deal BUT next time they come out to install cable etc, they  might replace it, who knows but also be carefull that you dont get electrocuted!

As far as can they tell well short answer is yes, say you are not allowed to get ch x well ch x makes a unique signal that can be picked up from your box/TV etc.

This is only done tho for BIG PPVs etc,,, so no need to worry 99% of the time they cant tell unless they test trap at pole to see if its blocking...
take the trap off the pole then use a bench vice to slide the outer sleeve off then you will see three screws on the inner cylinder connect the trap to your and turn each screw till you see that channel come in then carfuly put the trap back together and put back on the pole and even if they find it they cant prove that any tampering was done because everything is still intact unless someone see's you going up the pole and reports you whatever you decide be carefull

Here is a story of a sad case


http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/july172004/i4.asp

[curious]

i have comcast dct 3412/3416 hd boxes.. these boxes are used and will work for a while then boxes go dead.. these  are used outside of the usa.  they are connected thru the local cable provider but  after they provision and they start working  maybe 6 mths later they shut down pls advise.    i heard that the boxes have date stamps on the rom and have to be reprogrammed??   however if you buy the box from the provider  no problems..  obviously the used boxes are much cheaper   

[hd1a32b]

If I take out one of the filters (VIDEO TRAPS), clearly the tagging system is in place (green, orange , yellow).

the only chance of it being noticed, to my understanding, is if the neighbours disconnect their service in which a tech comes in and places a terminator, he will notice the mismatch of color coding and missing VIDEO TRAP of your line.

My question is:
is it possible to relabel the color coding, say to orange to avoid attention

and, what happens after the this discovery of mismatch. To my understanding, the technician will simply disconnect your service as well. is there any penalties, terminations, fees, violations etc involved?