Where is voom's OTA memory?

[voombot]

Is the RF channel scan memory stored in the OTA tuner module or is it in the motorolla receiver?

 

[Sean Mota]

I believe it is in the receiver... the OTA tuner module is just a tuner.

 

[voombot]

if i pull a tuner from an unactivated reciever, put it in my recevier and scan local channels and put it back into the old receiver it will not save the locals?

 

[madpoet]

Nope. Nice try though

-MP

 

[voombot]

how bout firmware upgrade on non activated unit? possible?

 

[madpoet]

Hehe, not a chance. Firmware updates come through the bird.

 

[jnardone]

How about if a customer who owns their own equipment puts their access card into a non-activated receiver? Will the receiver work or does VOOM have to activate it? Will they?

 

[madpoet]

Not sure on that one... I don't know how they tie them together. But really, you're straying into the area of box hacking and that's going to get this thread shut down. I understand the intent, but this probably isn't the place.

 

[Ilya]

As far as I understand the activation is based on the serial number of the STB, not just the smart card.

DO NOT BUY VOOM STBs on EBAY! They are useless!

 

[madpoet]

Ilya... to be fair, your statement of:

"DO NOT BUY VOOM STBs on EBAY! They are useless!"

Is not completely correct. If you would like to know why, PM me. I don't think it's something that should be discussed on the open forum. A more correct statement would be:

"DO NOT BUY VOOM STBs on EBAY! They are PROBABLY useless!"

 

[Ilya]

...is not completely correct. If you would like to know why, PM me. I don't think it's something that should be discussed on the open forum.

Sounds like an invitation to something illegal or unethical. If so, I am not interested.
If what you are trying to suggest is both legal and ethical, then why not post it here?

 

[madpoet]

I don't know the legal implications, which is why I didn't post it. But the fact is that if you are a box owner, your Voom receiver can continue to receive OTA after you disconnect the Voom service.

 

[voombot]

My box can be disconnected and since it has the latest firmware i can go to another zip code (ie visiting relatvies) and use it to scan receive OTA. I did pay 600 bucks for the box, why shouldn't i be able to use OTA after disconnecting service. how is that illegal or unethical?

 

[Ilya]

But the fact is that if you are a box owner, your Voom receiver can continue to receive OTA after you disconnect the Voom service.

This might be true, although in the older software versions this wasn't the case. Are you sure it won't stop working one day?
Ok, I will take the word "useless" back. Still, I do not recommend buying VOOM STBs on EBAY! Spend a bit more and get a "normal" OTA receiver, if that's what you want...

 

[madpoet]

I've given it some thought, and I can't see anything wrong with posting this. If it is, delete it. But here goes:

Your Voom receiver can continue to fuinction as an OTA receiver only if you disconnect it from the satellite dish prior to calling and cancelling your service. The card never receives the kill signal, so it will allow you to continue getting OTA. There are some obvious drawbacks. You will have no PG info. You will not get any firmware updates. And if you ever plug it back into the dish your card will get zapped within a matter of hours.

So... there it is. Not exactly hacking (especially since this only benefits box owners aand not renters) but complicated and a bit of a pain. It at least gives them minimal value. I ran over a month and a half like this, so I don't think it would somehow stop.

-MP

 

[jnardone]

As a box owner - if my box stops working after the warranty expires in less than year can I buy another box on ebay and switch my card into it and have VOOM activate it?

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

Hey madpoet,

This info was posted some time ago either here or on VOOM/Yahoo and noone has been "zapped" yet. Think you are safe but....

Still watching HDTV under cloudy Seattle skies, Gill

 

[Ilya]

I've given it some thought, and I can't see anything wrong with posting this...

I am not an attorney, but I don't see anything wrong with this either. If you own the box you should be allowed to use it as an OTA tuner after you disconnect the satellite service, I think. What I don't know, though, is whether it will work for a long time or not. In older versions of the software, the OTA tuner would only work until unplugged from the power outlet. This is no longer the case, but I don't know if there is any other "expiration" mechanism built in. I hope there is none, but I am not positive.

 

[madpoet]

If there was another mechanism I'd think I would have hit it as long as I ran, but I guess you never know. It was really only useful when all my other OTA tuners were occupied and I had to check a different channel .