MovieChat Forums > I Love the '80s (2002) Discussion > Cable Box Scramblers?

Cable Box Scramblers?

posted 20 years ago by Xotic
4 replies | jump to latest

In 1980 or 1981 they mentioned cable tv and scramble box that when u put in a code you can get new channels is this real and does this still work?

Since I aint got any bullets I'll just look mean at you

[–] loveDetroit 20 years ago

HMMM did not see the episode, but yeah I remember the "Cable Descramble" box. It was very illegal and black market so you would have to buy one off the back of some guys van in a dimly lit parking lot (lol)...and they are still around today. I don't know exactly how they worked, but you would screw it in, or insert it on the back of your TV and you would get all the scrambled channels (like HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc) for free.

[–] mcfly-31 19 years ago

Ohhhh man, stealing cable back in the day. Sooo much easier than now, all digitized and with satellite too. But back then, sure there were descramblers for like 300 bucks through mail order, but even the dumb cable companies helped. They're boxes were so chintzy, for like a turn-dial box, some channels would unscramble in mid turn of the dial. So we lodged two playing cards in the dial and made it stick between channel numbers. Bang, free HBO :)

[–] skippydmb 19 years ago

I wouldn't try using one today simply because the cable companies watch the lines very close. For example, a Time Warner van came thtough my neighborhood last week and spent a good amount ot time checking things out. I do agree with others though. Back in the day it was so easy. My older bothers would open up the caple box, yes the one with a 30 foot cable and the little slide thing with humbers on it to change channels (god that thing was ugly) and poof!!! Free channels. However they always broke that thing and had to take it back for another one. Good times.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]