stealing cable

[MisterW]

I did a search and couldn't find anything applicable to this situation...

My sister's roommate moved out a couple months ago and left behind a Motorola digital cable box (Charter is the cable TV provider in her area). She plugged it in and it gets the regular channels (2 through 77, no movie or digital channels) very clearly with no static.

I am worried that she might get in trouble from the cable company for using this since she's only paying for internet through Charter. I'm sure there's a filter on her cable line since she only has internet through Charter and the regular TV channels are fuzzed out when you try to connect cable directly to the TV without the cable box.

My question - will she get in trouble for this? Is there any way for the cable company to know she has a digital cable box?

Thanks,

MisterW

[guids]

there isnt a filter on the line, thats why she is getting free cable, no, she wont get caught, they cant really detect it, i climbed hte pole and took the filter off, before I got satteilite. But cable companies have no way to stop you from getting basica cable, if you have internet, unless the lineman remembers to put a filter on there (which they rarely do)

[MisterW]

The reason I am pretty sure there is a filter on her line is because when you plug the cable directly into the TV, all the channels are nothing but static. When you use the cable box, the channels come in perfectly clearly, making me think that the channels are digitally broadcast through the cable line at roughly the same frequency as her internet, and thus, are not filtered out.

[guids]

oh, i didnt read teh digital part, ya, im not too sure, tell you teh truth, on normal cable, if you plug diredtly into the tv, and its fuzzy, yes, there is a filter, but digital, they might have to put a different filter to block digi/analog, and they didnt do so, or its possible they cant actually block the digital cable at all.

[inishowen]

I've been basically stealing cable for 12 years. The cable co never turned it off from previous owner. Can't help with the technical questions but I my guess is that the chance of her getting caught is remote. Just don't let her respond to any cable company promotions as seen on the channel listings page.

[private joker]

She's fine. I doubt the cable co. will ever figure it out, and if they do -- she can't get caught very badly. The worst they'll do is take the box away.

When I moved into my apt. 7 yrs ago, the cable line was hooked up and I noticed I was getting free basic. Then a few months later the cable guy came by, and all I did was grease him with $50, and he left it on for a year, then came back again.

Eventually I got TiVo and satellite, so I pay legally now. But it's not a big deal and I wouldn't worry if I were her.

Now: pics of the sister and/or roommate please?

[JasonK]

When I lived in El Paso at my first apartment I got free electricity for 6 months cause of a broken meter. They tried to backcharge me for estimated usage but I told them to piss off and just started paying for what they actually metered.

And when AT&T first came out with digital phone service I signed up and somehow got that free for a few months till I stupidly called to complain about being charged a couple dollars too much for long distance and they figured it out. Didn't have to pay any backcharges then either.

It's their fault, they can eat it.

[goodsamaritan]

[ QUOTE ]

It's their fault, they can eat it.

[/ QUOTE ]

What the OP is doing and what you did is stealing. I don't give a sh1t, but don't try to rationalize it being someone else's fault. If somebody left their wallet at your house, would you say its okay to take it because it's their fault for leaving it? Just call a spade a spade.

[MisterW]

I did some searching around and apparently these digital cable boxes are activated by the cable company remotely. How the one she has is working is somewhat of a curiosity, but as long as they can't detect it remotely, she should be fine - but that is the main question; can they detect it remotely?

[JasonK]

If it was somebody I didn't like then yeah, I'd keep the wallet they neglected. Finders keepers...