Some info via cable box setup

[andak]

This is neat info that my cousin(cable guy)who work for comcast showed me. Got my box or cable hook up where the VCR act as a high pass filter(don't know about this tell later on the forum). Been ordering PPV for sometimes and all of sudden it was not working(zap). Guess that mama tried to call(poll) daughter, daughter did not answer and next step is zap. Called cuz' and he drop by, started pushing remote(black) and some data info shows on TV screen. It not the same as the diagnostic. Asked him to show me how and what's in it. He said that it will show PPV data(movie title, date/time ordered, etc.). He replace zap box and show me the difference. Some of those PPV data are empty. Ask him again on some of those other data, he said they are technical and I supposed not to know of this thing at the first place. So I butt out and the guy has to protect company secret, right. Perhaps you guys could find out more than I do and he also mention programming is by mpeg method(does not ring bell). Here' how:
1. Press MENU then look for SETUP then select.
2. On setup look for Cable Box Setup then select.
3. Scroll to Configuration then select.
4. On this screen will show review configuration.
5. Press FAV to go to next screen and so on.
6. Press Exit to exit

[patsfan]

nice info on the menu. never knew about that one. as for the vcr blocking uplink, most of them due because their tuners aren't designed for anything under 50Mhz. to be on the safe side i would still bypass the uplink on the dct to be sure.

[adrianbv6]

interesting i didnt know about that menu either i am sure there is a secret menu to set up channels when u plug in a TV pass card

DID he use a pass card to activate your channels or he did it from remote no pass card

[adrianbv6]

also in my area when you order 1 HBO you get the whole packege not just one HBO

same thing with MAX Starz Encore all those are separate channel packeges

lets say u want HBO u get hbo hbo2 hbo east west whatever

starz starz-edg starz black family

so it cant be hard no offense to you cousin but this cable installers are not smart it has to be easy to do

[usbbdm]

Very nice feature. Thank you andak.

[patsfan]

adidcn said:

also in my area when you order 1 HBO you get the whole packege not just one HBO

same thing with MAX Starz Encore all those are separate channel packeges

lets say u want HBO u get hbo hbo2 hbo east west whatever

starz starz-edg starz black family

so it cant be hard no offense to you cousin but this cable installers are not smart it has to be easy to do

they must be giving them out as a package deal. our tmn (canadian version of hbo) is sold as a package but the cable company can turn in any one channel they want. it's al ldone through computer. we have never used the tvpass card slot for anything.

[patsfan]

low945 said:

what can EXACTLY can be accomplished with this menu, erase PPV, add channels, change channel packages. sorry I am trying to understand this.thanx
thanks for the cool menu info too!!

well most of us just found out about it yesterday. but it appears to be an info screen only. i doubt you can do anything with it other read the info.

[andak]

notice that when he put the new box all channel was open, no pass card. he use his nextel phone to call the company(no voice) and the same time going to the info and start keying info back to comcast. then my box fix again with my paid subscription, no free premium channel. you guys thinking that i must be smokin something but i'm good observer specially if i got some purpose. speculate everyone, some of those info maybe for authorization purposes.

[patsfan]

by your description all he did was call an automated system and key in your box to reactivate it. ours are done by wireless laptop but we can use phone or call someone. box number is keyed into phone and info goes to DAC to re-auth box.

[DCTGoddess]

adidcn said:

interesting i didnt know about that menu either i am sure there is a secret menu to set up channels when u plug in a TV pass card.

No secret menue for that, & if you remove the cover, you'll find nothing in there. It's a device bay reserved for future use, but, I doubt it will ever be utilized.

[DCTGoddess]

andak said:

1. Press MENU then look for SETUP then select.
2. On setup look for Cable Box Setup then select.
3. Scroll to Configuration then select.
4. On this screen will show review configuration.
5. Press FAV to go to next screen and so on.
6. Press Exit to exit

;D After watching the the cable guy set up my DCT, that's one of the first things I did after he left. I was absolutely mesmerized, but, had no idea what I was looking at. I was just thrilled to have found it!

[DCTGoddess]

That was over a year ago!

[todd557]

Interesting thing happened.....

Got home and went into this "new" menu.....
all of a sudden my IPPV is "disabled" (phone in only) and my OnDemand doesn't work.

Keep in mind I have only backed up my firmware and nvram about a month ago and cleared a few PPV with no problem.

So, instead of calling the cable Co. I decided to reflash the nvram with my old backup and it worked. I am now able to get OnDemand but PPV is still "phone only"

Thoughts?

[adrianbv6]

man this guy pluged in a pass card on a dct2500 and had all the channels even ppv he took the pass out afther a day they disconnected it black screen and i cant temper with dct2500 since is jtag and diferent software

[adrianbv6]

i have one nonph box with all channels enabled same thing was done with a pass card that guy that i bought the box from he told me the CABLEGUY took the slot cover out and pluged in something in the back then used the remote

[patsfan]

i haven't even seen the card that goes in that slot. we have never used them here. all channels are turned off and on through the billing system software.

[DCTGoddess]

patsfan said:

i haven't even seen the card that goes in that slot. we have never used them here. all channels are turned off and on through the billing system software.

Same here. In all the 2000s I've seen, the card reader bay was empty, w/ a cover closing it up. Cable cos. are notoriously miserly. Thay don't use all of the security features that are provided for their boxes & systems. The card reader might be one extra layer of security one cable co. was willing to spend money for.

[geekygizmo]

The “passcard” was originally designed to replace the onboard XC chip should it ever be compromised. Since it directly sits in the buss with the XC chip and CPU there is no reason its can’t be used for installation tasks too. It’s primary propose is to bypass the XC so turning on all the channels with a alt XC that has been pre-authorized for all channels is no trick at all. I would expect to see a XC and a small processor on the card, I bet they are kept track of tightly.

Sorta think of it as a master key in a digital programmable door lock system, good for everything as long as they keep it authorized.

BUT,

From what I see of the cable company’s security, I could see lost passcards floating around that will still work. They must be used on exactly the same system and the category keys must not have been changed. For all you that are getting prems and ppv, that only works because they (the cable co) have not rotated the category key (yet), I guess they are just plain lazy.


Com’on all, please donate to the tsop bank! More work needs done on what is possible in the nvram and many like I can’t proceed without many examples to compare.

usbbdm.proboards44.com/index.cgi?board=DCTTesting&action=display&thread=1119407970

GG

[patsfan]

i would say the majority of cable companies don't use the passcards. i've had 3 different companies where is live in the last 10 years and none of them have used the passcard. as you said GG there is to much of a chance to have cards floating around in the wrong hands.