Well, and with that.....Videocipher has faded into technological oblivion....31 years since satellite TV viewers first heard of the existence of the system when HBO announced that they were going to be using the system to encode their analog feeds, and 28.5 years since they carried out their threat. (and nearly 30 years since CBS announced they would encrypt their satellite feeds with the Videocipher I that HBO rejected due to cost)
Hard to believe how satellite television has come in nearly four decades since somebody at HBO got the bright idea that you could get a better reach of viewers if you go satellite. One has to wonder how much longer we have before C-SPAN and QVC kill their analog and go all digital. Shepard's Chapel will probably be analog forever....or until Pastor Murray gets called home. :-D
You look at all the big names that were there 30 years ago....Oak Orion, BMAC, Videocipher I/II, Leitch......all faded off into the sunset with the VCII the last one standing.