tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI
edit:
August 23rd, @06:39PM
| Jail Inmates Watching Porn on Charter Cable
Check out this news article at:
»www.weau.com/home/headlines/9339281.html
The county jail in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin installed a new digital TV with a QAM tuner. It seems that an inmate discovered that doing a search on the Charter digital cable QAM channels enables access to the VOD streams that are sent in the clear. These streams include hard core porn that are being sent to Charter customers that share the same node with the Chippews County jail. Charter installed a trap to limit the jail's to channels no higher then 22.
I see some serious problems here. I have a TV with a QAM tuner here in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and have seen hard core porno on the VOD streams. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is a very conservative city. If a child some how views hard core porno on the VOD streams here in Eau Claire, I can envision someone calling the Eau Claire Police Department. The police could then raid Charter Communications, seize the VOD servers and possibly shut the headend down.
With this news story and more people getting new digital Tvs with QAM tuners, this could happen.
Tim |
|
sittin_tech
join:2004-04-13
Rochester, MN | that's why there are parental controls on tv's. should a parent call the police to seize the internet servers because a child finds a porn website? |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI | The problem is that many people don't know how to use the parental controls on their TV sets. I don't know if parental controls even work on the raw VOD feeds. |
|
charter_hsd
VIP
join:2001-08-07
Calera, AL
edit:
August 24th, @02:01PM
| reply to tzbear
Original post removed, because the information I had was incorrect. |
|
ihatejail
@charter.com | reply to tzbear
why the Frick do they have tv anyway? |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI
| reply to charter_hsd
said by charter_hsd  :Sounds like the VOD system is mis-configured. The VOD stream should be encrypted. If they aren't, it is likely just an oversight. In Charter's systems in Louisiana and Alabama, the VOD streams have been encrypted since the VOD systems were first installed. Regards. What is funny here is that Charter knows that the VOD streams are not encrypted. They also seem to be in the clear on other Charter systems and other large MSO systems.
Tim |
|
DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs: | reply to ihatejail
So they dont get bored and start riots or pick on smaller people and fight ect................................................................... |
|
Tech Geek
join:2006-07-29
Birmingham, AL
| reply to tzbear
Here's the deal with VOD streams.
Depending on what kind of system (Motorola or Scientific Atlanta) will depend on if the streams are encrypted or not. It has more to do with the DAC or DNCS (depending on which type of system)
Last i read S.A. had a implemented a fix for this issue with the exception of the newest VOD equipment called G-QAMS. SA is expected to release a firmware update for the GQAMs within the next couple of months.
Last i read there was no fix in the works for Motorola.
This issue has more to do with the vendors than with the cable companies. |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI
| said by Tech Geek :Here's the deal with VOD streams. Depending on what kind of system (Motorola or Scientific Atlanta) will depend on if the streams are encrypted or not. It has more to do with the DAC or DNCS (depending on which type of system) Last i read S.A. had a implemented a fix for this issue with the exception of the newest VOD equipment called G-QAMS. SA is expected to release a firmware update for the GQAMs within the next couple of months. Last i read there was no fix in the works for Motorola. This issue has more to do with the vendors than with the cable companies. Ah, We have a Motorola headend here! |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI | reply to tzbear
Jailhouse News Update:
Local TV news has reported that the Chippewa County Jail has also shut down the digital TV with a QAM tuner in addition to the traps installed by Charter to block the channels above CH 21.
Tim |
|
Moon1234
@charter.com | Shhhh. I like my fee VOD. It makes the cable almost worth paying for, unless someone hits the stop-pause-rewind button. Grrrrrr. |
|
Bamaman07
@scsnet.com | reply to tzbear
You get Porn in Alabama if you scan also. If you try to block it with parental control it still comes in. |
|
charter_hsd
VIP
join:2001-08-07
Calera, AL
| said by Bamaman07 :
You get Porn in Alabama if you scan also. If you try to block it with parental control it still comes in.
I think you are right.
It was brought to my attention last night that this issue can occur in systems fed from Motorola based Headends. (Some of the Charter systems in AL are Moto based systems.)
Regards. |
|
Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA
| reply to tzbear
Yeah its always fun watching someone elses VOD ...
I helped a buddy hook up his new Sony 42" LCD Projection TV to Charter a while back.
We started scanning channels, and of course found some random stuff, but did't realize it was VOD streams intended for other users a the time.
Later that night he and his wife were settling down to watch some TV, and found Broke Back Mountain playing on one of the channels (just started) so they decided to watch... despite the movies reputation.
Well I guess it got to the gay sex scene, and it played through, then all of a sudden it rewound and played again, and again, then in slow mo, stopping at each frame...
Needless to say his wife was quite PO'd and he was left wondering WTF was going on. Only after a while did it dawn on them they were watching someone else's stream! lol |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI
edit:
August 24th, @02:49PM
| reply to tzbear
Re: Jail Inmates Watching Porn on Charter Cable
Would it be possible to have Charter trap out the QAM channels carrying the VOD streams? I have also verified that TV parental controls can't block these feeds. This is not a concern to me as I like to surf the clear QAM channels including the VOD feeds. 
It is interesting how the local media covered the jailhouse porn story. The local TV station gave a relatively detailed explanation on how the inmates did it whereas the local newspaper buried the story and was vague about how it was done. Some Best Buy employees actually mention about the free hardcore porn you can get when you buy a new TV with a QAM tuner.
Exposing children to hard core porn is a felony in Wisconsin and most other states. I can still envision the police raiding Charter Communications here in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We have a very politically motivated district attorney and an aggressive police department. |
|
Moon1234
@charter.com
| I have never seen what I consider to be hardcore porn on Charter. They have a lot of softcore porn on the Video on Demand.
------------------------------------------------------
WARNING - POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE MATERIAL BELOW - WARNING
------------------------------------------------------
My definition of softcore:
Lots of boobies, moaning, moving around the room, kissing, etc. You never get to see any actual gonads or penetration.
My Definition of Hardcore Porn:
Shots of actual genetalia, penetration, group sex, BJ's, ejaculation, Use of Toys, Costumes, S&M, etc.
Sorry for being graphic, but I think that when many people say hardcore porn they have no clue what they are talking about. There are also different levels of what I consider hardcore. Analagous to the old X, XX or XXX ratings. The softcore is X. *Normal* sex, intercourse, one on one no freky stuff is XX. The true hardcore stuff I consider XXX.
Charter keeps all of the XX and XXX stuff restricted to TEN, Spice, Etc. There system is also not designed for people to be using clear QAM tuners. The reception of these channels is not intended by Charter and is not supported unless you use equipment not apporved by them, so I would assume that their liability would be limited.
Sort of like removing the keys from a car. Someone can always break in a hotwire the car, but the owner would not be liable becuase he did not leave the keys in the car. |
|
tzbear
join:2006-01-11
Eau Claire, WI
edit:
August 24th, @06:09PM
| said by Moon1234 :
I have never seen what I consider to be hardcore porn on Charter. They have a lot of softcore porn on the Video on Demand.
------------------------------------------------------
WARNING - POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE MATERIAL BELOW - WARNING
------------------------------------------------------
My definition of softcore:
Lots of boobies, moaning, moving around the room, kissing, etc. You never get to see any actual gonads or penetration.
My Definition of Hardcore Porn:
Shots of actual genetalia, penetration, group sex, BJ's, ejaculation, Use of Toys, Costumes, S&M, etc.
Sorry for being graphic, but I think that when many people say hardcore porn they have no clue what they are talking about. There are also different levels of what I consider hardcore. Analagous to the old X, XX or XXX ratings. The softcore is X. *Normal* sex, intercourse, one on one no freky stuff is XX. The true hardcore stuff I consider XXX.
Charter keeps all of the XX and XXX stuff restricted to TEN, Spice, Etc. There system is also not designed for people to be using clear QAM tuners. The reception of these channels is not intended by Charter and is not supported unless you use equipment not apporved by them, so I would assume that their liability would be limited.
Sort of like removing the keys from a car. Someone can always break in a hotwire the car, but the owner would not be liable becuase he did not leave the keys in the car.
WRONG!
You have not looked hard enough. I have seen full hardcore porn on the VOD feeds. Anyone doing a scan with a QAM tuner will pick up these channels and it is perfecly clear that Charter is sending out hard core porn unencrypted. |
|
sittin_tech
join:2004-04-13
Rochester, MN
| reply to tzbear
ok if the parental controls do not work, then remove the vod streams from the channel line up. I know that works. I've had to do it in restaurants where porn was accidentally passed while trying to find a hd ballgame. and yes if it comes down too it, there is a trap that will block out all the VOD streams. |
|
Flummoxed
Premium
join:2002-01-24
Saint Peters, MO | reply to tzbear
Umm, yeah we all need to stop talking about this "issue". If no one brings it up maybe the VOD streams wont disappear... |
|
IsdnWolf
Premium
join:2002-05-24
Cleveland, TN | reply to tzbear
I know in the Motorola systems we are in the process of turning on encryption. Scheduled in East TN markets in the next couple of weeks.
I can not speak for other markets.
John |
|
