Cable Forum - View Single Post - VOD Does this PPV trick still work for VM staff & others?

RichardCoulter · 15-03-2021, 01:26

A former VM member of staff from about 20 years ago recently told me that it wasn't possible for anyone to tamper with an (open) cabinet to obtain free PPV.

He went on to say that, though it may have changed now with newer technology, back then every cable box had a unique address so when you added a PPV movie it would only authorise it on that box.

You could, however, take your box to someone else's house in the same area and carry on watching! He did this a number of times when he visited friends as he was on a staff discount package so got cheaper PPV.

Does each box still have a unique address (I would assume so now that they are connected to the internet). Is it still possible to take your box to a friends to watch a paid for PPV?

I think that when you paid for a PPV, you had access to it for so long (24 hours?) so if a film/sporting event was good, you could take it to a friends to share. If you were VM staff on a discount, you could pay for it at your home & lend your box to a friend in order for them to benefit from your discount (obviously they would have to reimburse what you had paid).

Would the system behave as though you were at home if you used your box on someone else's connection?

15-03-2021, 01:26	#1
RichardCoulter cf.mega poster Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 10,719	Does this PPV trick still work for VM staff & others? A former VM member of staff from about 20 years ago recently told me that it wasn't possible for anyone to tamper with an (open) cabinet to obtain free PPV. He went on to say that, though it may have changed now with newer technology, back then every cable box had a unique address so when you added a PPV movie it would only authorise it on that box. You could, however, take your box to someone else's house in the same area and carry on watching! He did this a number of times when he visited friends as he was on a staff discount package so got cheaper PPV. Does each box still have a unique address (I would assume so now that they are connected to the internet). Is it still possible to take your box to a friends to watch a paid for PPV? I think that when you paid for a PPV, you had access to it for so long (24 hours?) so if a film/sporting event was good, you could take it to a friends to share. If you were VM staff on a discount, you could pay for it at your home & lend your box to a friend in order for them to benefit from your discount (obviously they would have to reimburse what you had paid). Would the system behave as though you were at home if you used your box on someone else's connection?