PAY-TV

[MISAP]

I know there are ways to circumnavigate the PAY-TV systems at most hotels. Anyone got an idea on how to do it?

[DeBaas]

Yes ;)

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De Baas

Luchtvaartforum (http://fly.to/luchtvaartforum)

[MISAP]

Thanks, went there, but - stupid as I am - couldn´t locate it, can you give me some guidelines on where in th site I can find it?

[speedtape king]

I tried the website above too but no success - surely someone out there got round the system ??

[speedtape king]

come on everyone - 20000members and no one wants to spill the beans ????

[traveler]

There are some remote controls out there with which you can re-program the menu of your converter box. (store=target, usa) It will allow you to watch any pay site that is being watched by anyone in the hotel. But than you're still restricted to other peoples viewing times. Not perfect but the only one I've heard of. (no $$ on your or other persons bill).

[Background Noise]

Tried a couple of variations and got into www.luchtvaartforum.nl (http://www.luchtvaartforum.nl)

Pretty similar to prune but I can't help with the lingo! Neither, it seems, can he help with pay TV.

[DeBaas]

I'm sorry if I made some of you to believe that the awnser was on that page. It's just my own Dutch pprune and the URL is in my sig. I just awnsered the question that was asked with yes :) But there is not one way to circumnavigate the pay system in every hotel. It just comes down to trying it out. The ones that I know about involve the manipulation of plugs and such on the back or side of the TV set. Fiddle around with it and find out the next day at check-out time if it worked :) If it didn't work, take it like a man and pay and try something else the next time around. It's the sport of finding the trick that makes it fun.

[MISAP]

I know there are also ways of using the remotecontrol to "fool the system" Anyone got an idea?

[AffirmBrest]

yes!

;)

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...proceeding below Decision Height WITH CAUTION...

[MISAP]

OK, thanks. Can you please tell us how???

[AffirmBrest]

It's a mystical secret, handed down from Engineer to Captain through the mists of time (well, AMS on a autumn early rotation) - you just gotta wait to fly with the right guy!

(If you need it that bad, just act like a man and pay for it!) :) :)

I wish you every success in your quest...

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...proceeding below Decision Height WITH CAUTION...

[Readability5]

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!

[Benny]

The Skean Dhu hotel in Aberdeen used to have set-top boxes that, with the use of a swiss army knife, you could open. Inside was a "clicker wheel" with your room number selected. All you had to do was change the number to someone elses room (preferably not one of you own crews !), press "confirm" and you got free movies !! This was quite a few years ago and I think the system was upgraded to stop this sort of thing. Oh how I miss ABZ night-stops !!!!!

Oh yes, then there was the "kettle lead" trick at the hotel in EDI (Post House I think...?) but that's another story !

[MISAP]

AffirmBrest, chances are slim I´ll ever get to fly with ya, since I do not know who you are, so can you please give me a hint on how to do it?

[Secret Squirrel]

Ask any air Uk crew and they should be able to tell you.

This is how I did it:

1)Turn on T.V. to a non pay channel.
2)Select a pay channel and then turn the T.V. Off again quickly.
3)Turn the T.V. on again by selecting the same pay channel and keep the button pressed down.
4)You will see the red L.E.D. Flash. When it stops release the button and press it down again or you will have to repeat steps 1-3.

Some sort of wedge is handy to keep the button pressed down other wise your finger gets tired.

You Perverts all of you!

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Very funny, Scotty. Now beam up my clothes!

[AffirmBrest]

MISAP, put your e-mail on display - I will be checking PPRuNe every day this week (leave!) and will drop ya a line..

Get that w*nking hand warmed up!

:)

PS that's not your WINKING hand, BTW

[Bubbette]

It's called theft people. What's the matter with you?

[MISAP]

AffirmBrest!
Thanks!

[WeeWillyWinky]

Are you guys really that desparate to save a few shillings that you want to resort to theft? Sorry but I prefer to be honest.

[MISAP]

To Weewillywinky and Bubette:
You are damn right! I never thought of it that way. Thanks!
Let´s close the thread.

[Devils Advocate]

I believe that in Law theft is defined as:
The dishonest appropriation of another's property with the intent to deprive him or her of it permanently.

Thus (in)appropriately flicking a few TV buttons which results in the TV just happening to allow you to view some 'gentlemans relish' and, as the owners have not been deprived of it permanentlty, would suggest (using my simplistic logic) that it ain't theft !

However if there is a theft, it's more than likely being commited by the hotel who are charging (on a vast scale) for viewing films and (more than likely) not passing on the royalties to the film producers !

[WeeWillyWinky]

Devils Advocate

If you consider the hotel film charges too expensive then it is quite easy not to avail yourself of the facility. I would be very suprised if the hotel film networks were not paying royalties but even if they were their lack of morals does not make me inclined to ignore mine.

I am far from perfect but was brought up to be truthful and honest. For all your admittedly clever interpretation of words I'm afraid that I still feel that taking a service with no intention of paying is morally questionable if not simply dishonest.

[AffirmBrest]

Oh, come off it mate! I suppose you don't read any of the newspapers provided for pax, then? Well done for being such a scrupulous young chap, but please keep your criticism to yourself!

Passing judgement on those discussing something which you obviously have no interest in is a bit unnecessary:

rearrange these word into a well known phrase or saying:

sin let he stone cast first without the!

:) sweet dreams y'all

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...proceeding below Decision Height WITH CAUTION...

[WeeWillyWinky]

I am not passing judgement on anybody. I just find it depressing that some amongst a group such as ourselves should actively seek ways of cheating, because that is what it is, to save a few pounds. I did not claim to be perfect now or in the past.

Would you find the thread acceptable if it was say your 14 year old son/daughter asking the question?

I will bow out now because I've said about all that I want to say and whatever your arguments I will always see it as dishonest.

[MACH07]

Secret squirrel,

the system did work, i presume you are referring to AMS.
Looks as though they have now cottoned on to this, and replaced the old remote (containing p1-4 buttons), i suppose the increasing number of flat batteries in the remotes was a dead give-away.
As far as i know, with the present system, going through the menu, or scrolling through the channnels, it isn't possible to fiddle the system in the same way.

Dublin has to be the worst rip off PAY-TV going. OK it is soft, like any other UK hotel, but even if you want to watch a normal film, it is approx £7 per film, as opposed to £7 for all channels for the night..

[Devils Advocate]

Err, actually WeeWillyWinky my 14 year old son thinks, having read your posts, that your a complete Barclays Banker !

That said, he's also a bit of a Billy Wiz on sussing out some truly inspirational web porno sites – yep, he's a young man who'll go far imho - hopefully with your daughter WeeWillyWinky.

As they say, “the meek will inherit the Earth, if that's ok with the rest of you ?!”

Ps. AffirmBrest, spot on mate, I'll bet WeeWilly (says it all really) is at home right now and 'bashing his bishop' over some sordid rag - either that or he's down at the church social club and helping out with the choir (say no more !)

[WeeWillyWinky]

Devils Advocate

You will notice in my posts that I refrained from personal attack or abuse.

I hope you feel better now.

[Old King Coal]

Nought wrong with a bit of 'personal abuse' imho, at least you always get a result !

[ACARS]

My company used a hotel in London near Gatwick. We had a scam going there where if you pressed channel 51 and then 52 quickly followed by holding the volume button, you had free movies.....Only draw back is that you had no volume. God knows how this was discovered in the first place!!!!

[Arkroyal]

Bubette, and Wee willy

I might have more sympathy for your views if these same hotels didn't charge £3 for a cr@p beer and £15 for a plate of dried up dog vomit pretending to be a chicken tikka mussalah.

Now that IS theft.

Tip, save fingers, take a dob of blutack.

[Capt Bean]

My thoughts exactly!

Everytime you go to a hotel you get ripped off. Where do they get off charging you £4 for a cup of coffee or £12 for a lousy sandwhich or £1.50 for a FREECALL!?!

As far as I am concerned, by the time you leave, you have paid for most of the furniture!

It is merely legalised robbery. I have zero sympathy for them.

[exeng]

Devils Advocate,

Your statement to WWW, <That said, he's also a bit of a Billy Wiz on sussing out some truly inspirational web porno sites – yep, he's a young man who'll go far imho - hopefully with your daughter WeeWillyWinky.>

Why do you feel the need to be so offensive? I admire WWW for showing such restraint.

[Sensible]

I don't think that Devils Advocate meant to be offensive, merely expressing a wish that his som makes it with somebody's daughter rather than somebody elses son! :)