hacktv:analogcable:start

Analog cable TV (UK)

I'm working on using HackTV to generate signals which an old UK Analog cable box can receive and decode.

This turned out to be relatively easy, for clear (unencrypted) channels:

  • GI Addressable Control Computer (ACC-2000, ACC-3000, ACC-4000, AH-1, etc) software, hardware or documentation
    • This would have run on a DEC Prioris or Compaq ML350 Gen1 server, under SCO UNIX.
  • Analog cable headend equipment, software disks, and similar – especially:
    • General Instrument, Jerrold or Motorola:
      • ACC Addressable Control Computer (software, disks, backup tapes, hard drive, parts, or full system)
      • ACS series headend controller (software, disks, backup tapes, hard drive, parts, or full system)
      • MVP-II Video scrambler hardware
      • Manuals
    • Other manufacturers – anything
  • Recordings of the control channel (106.5MHz, 122.7MHz, etc) from any GI or Jerrold cable system (but especially UK systems like MK Cable or NTL Analog).
    • These might have been included with tools like Magiclog or Comm Tool.
  • Software used to monitor or send data in Jerrold format, especially ones which can handle channel maps, e.g.:
    • Magicboxes Jerrold Logger (ideally the registered version!), aka Magiclog, Magiclog.zip, Magicboot
    • RS232 Comm Tool by “¢hav£¡rø” / chaveiro (RS232TOOL.zip, super2-rs232.zip, rs232-ttl.gif)
    • Test Bench Pro
  • Manuals, documentation (especially service manuals)
    • Any manufacturer but especially GI/Jerrold/Motorola
  • Cable boxes
    • UK models only, any model
    • General Instrument / Jerrold / Motorola – any, preferably older than the CFT-2100

If you have any of these, please contact me.

  • General Instrument CFT-2100 boxes:
    • Generate valid FSK data to unlock the MK Cable box (requires figuring out or reprogramming the Sitecode and possibly Group Serial Number)
    • Figure out how the scrambling works (may require finding and borrowing old discarded headend equipment)
    • Implement scrambling in HackTV
  • GI ACC-4000 Addressable Controller manual – the headend controller used in many systems which used GI/Jerrold set-top boxes. Gives a good idea what can be configured.
    • Wanted: ACC-4000, OSD Edit or Message Editor System software and other documentation
  • Phrack 52-13 – summary of the capabilities of the ACC-4000, list of supporting equipment
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  • Last modified: 2023/08/24 08:25
  • by philpem