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Old 8th November 2000 | 22:20
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Depends lots on the TV system and whether it's analogue or digital. The hotel will have a SMATV (Simultaneous Multi Access TV) configuration which will be either -tm (transmodulated) of -if (intermediate frequency). Most are -if and have a professional IRD (set top box). -tm is like a cable headend set up.

They also access different conditional access systems depending what part of the world you're in and what channel you're watching. The CA is like a firewall between you and the satellite transponder. Only one digital CA system I am aware of has been compromised, probably mainly due to the MPEG compression systems and encryption they use. Analogue systems were much easier to crack.

Basically - if the hotel has been upgraded to digital forget it. If they still have analogue you can spend half the night trying to circumnavigate - or you can spend the money before you miss the film!