Social Feed

BH2K

Last reply Jan 28, 2009 · posted in Free To Air (FTA) Discussion

Legality of owning a possibly hacked reciever?

I hope this is not considered a "hack" question, but What is the sattelite industry doing about illegal dish boxes? Im thinking of buying a used HD box that has been possibly compromised but will only used for BUD FTA use only. I think I can get it for like half the price of a new one. What is the legality of owning such a thing?

12 Replies · 2515 views

Load Replies (12) Reply Legacy View

Lone Cloud

Jan 28, 2009

guapoharry asked:

-------

On the face of it, what you'all said looks appropriate for someone being careful, (*) but I would like to know a legal answer to the OP's question.

Is it a problem to posess hacked firmware, or a receiver that has hacked firmware on it?

--------

I don't think it's technically illegal to own the receiver(even with suspect add-ons) , to have the downloads on your computer, or even load the updates into your receiver.

It is illegal to use all of that to RECEIVE scrambled broadcasts. But there is a very big caveat or warning on this. Even though it is not technically illegal to have a receiver with the suspicious things installed, what other reason would you have them for? If there is no other reason , then those acts, while not illegal themselves, are EVIDENCE of your intent to break the law.

Having a module installed that only enables the reception of scrambled broadcasts is evidence of your illegal intent - which I assure you would be used against you. Having a download installed that has no other purpose but receiving scrambled broadcasts likewise.

Many of us have used some of these downloads successfully to resolve some issue with the factory firmware.

If you need to try to install these downloads, like above discussed, install old ones.

Swamp_Rat

Jan 28, 2009

Even though it has "upgraded" firmware chances are pretty good that by the time you got it it was not functioning the way the firmware was intended. Reflash it with the factory bin and forget about it.

mbarnes

Jan 28, 2009

IANAL, however, TMK there are few laws regarding the possession or owning much of anything except illegal drugs and assault weapons. However, USING them is a whole different story. I know many hams who have modified their ham radios to operate on non-ham (i.e. Public Safety) frequencies. There is technically nothing illegal about that (except in Kentucky) until you transmit. Then you have broken the law.

I think the general opinion is you can hack the box all you want, but unless you are viewing subscription channels without paying for them, you are not doing anything illegal.

My $.0002

gillham

Jan 28, 2009

Lone Cloud said:
Having a module installed that only enables the reception of scrambled broadcasts is evidence of your illegal intent - which I assure you would be used against you. Having a download installed that has no other purpose but receiving scrambled broadcasts likewise.

FWIW the turbo 8PSK demodulator isn't involved in the decryption. It can be used to get ITC turbo 8PSK. I'm guessing LyngSat is wrong, but it still shows that EchoStar 5 has an 8PSK transponder with FTA channels. I'm assuming that is turbo, or gone, as I have never locked it with my normal 8PSK receiver.

So the turbo 8PSK hardware & software can be used for legal FTA/ITC reception.

Personally I wish the 3rd parties would release clean firmware without the eyepatch crap, but with all the features & bugfixes that the manufacturer never provides.

cracklincrotch

Jan 28, 2009

gillham said:
FWIW the turbo 8PSK demodulator isn't involved in the decryption. It can be used to get ITC turbo 8PSK. I'm guessing LyngSat is wrong, but it still shows that EchoStar 5 has an 8PSK transponder with FTA channels. I'm assuming that is turbo, or gone, as I have never locked it with my normal 8PSK receiver.

Lyngsat is correct about those channels that you're referring to being FTA, at the moment.

View all replies (12)

klang

Pub Member / Supporter Lifetime Supporter

Last reply 3 minutes ago · posted in TV Shows

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Paramount+

Season 2 order already in hand:

'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Renewed for Season 2, Tatiana Maslany to Guest Star in Season 1

I've not been optimistic about this show based on what I've read so far. Seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Interesting though that Tatiana Maslany will have some sort of role.

80 Replies · 3140 views

Load Replies (80) Reply Legacy View

Reactions: MikeD-C05, TheKrell and Foxbat

klang

Jul 28, 2025

I'm sure I will watch at least the first episode but I am not optimistic.

Reactions: MikeD-C05, Keith Brannen, long_time_Dish and 1 other person

klang

Oct 11, 2026

klang said:
I'm sure I will watch at least the first episode but I am not optimistic.

Here i am over a year later and just finished season 1. Not great but not as bad as I was expecting. Did not care for the barefoot captain stuff but overall ok. Actually looking forward to see what they did for season 2.

Reactions: MikeD-C05

MikeD-C05

Oct 11, 2026

klang said:
Here i am over a year later and just finished season 1. Not great but not as bad as I was expecting. Did not care for the barefoot captain stuff but overall ok. Actually looking forward to see what they did for season 2.

Yeah, the foot stuff was just nasty. I kept thinking of how dirty her feet would get traipsing around shoe-less. Funny, I love being shoe less at home and never wear shoes indoors in my home for long, but seeing her laying on all her furniture with her bare feet hanging out just kind of grossed me out.

Reactions: long_time_Dish

harshness

Tuesday at 11:28 AM

MikeD-C05 said:
I kept thinking of how dirty her feet would get traipsing around shoe-less.

Where would this "dirt" come from? Dead skin and dandruff?

MikeD-C05

Today at 12:51 PM

harshness said:
Where would this "dirt" come from? Dead skin and dandruff?

There would still be dirt ,dust in the future I am sure. So walking around the station like she did she would get stuff on her feet. I am sure the robot vacuum is still going to miss stuff, with all those different alien species running around there.

harshness

3 minutes ago

MikeD-C05 said:
There would still be dirt ,dust in the future I am sure.

Where is it going to come from -- specifically?

Why do you think cleaning technology won't improve in the next few hundred years? HEPA filtration was invented as part of the Manhattan Project.

View all replies (80)

JohnGalt1234

Last reply 14 minutes ago · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

H3 EHD lists upcoming airings instead of recordings on EHD and often won't recognize EHD is connected after reboot

This started a couple months ago. I have 2 H3s on one network, both with 2 EHD identical 3 TB seperately powered so all recordings are accessible by all 4k & J4s (8 of them).

On one H3 (not the main one that controls the MOCA network), after it reboots, it doesn't recognize it has two EHDs plugged into it. Rebooting the EHD by their power source doesn't fix it. Resetting the network doesn't. Software h3 reset doesn't fix it. Rebooting MOCA h3 doesn't fix it but so far, after 3+ cold boots (unplug pwr to H3 with unrecognized EHDs), it finally it figures out they are plugged into it. BUT.... Then when you open a program it only partially shows series and episodes, but instead of showing recordings, it only shows upcoming airings. HELP!!!!

25 Replies · 402 views

Load Replies (25) Reply Legacy View

navychop

Yesterday at 3:40 PM

It'll only see two EHDs at a time.

Reactions: Bobby and charlesrshell

Almighty1

Yesterday at 7:18 PM

JohnGalt1234 - So you basically have 2 Hopper 3's. The CasinoH3 is the one that is Hopper 3 only while Master Bedroom is a Hopper 3 with Hopper Plus setup.
Master Bedroom uses Android TV (ATV) software so the DISH part is actually a app and will behave differently as you can probably tell the Guide's are different on the Master Bedroom which will resemble the same guide used on other ATV devices such as the Joey 4 and Wireless Joey 4. If I am correct, the CasinoH3 is the one with the problem since you did say the one dated 09/05/2026 is the naughty one while 08/15/2026 named Master Bedroom is the nice one. Usually I would expect the CasinoH3 to be the one without the problem because it's Hopper 3 only and Master Bedroom would be the one with problems because it has the Hopper Plus involved. That is why they behave differently because CasinoH3 is running the native Hopper 3 software while Master Bedroom is running the Android TV software and also it runs a app called DISH known as package com.dish.atv.launcher, the version for mines is P15403 2026100917 so it's probably the same version as the Hopper Plus software version with the date of October 9, 2026, not sure what the 17 means except maybe revision 17?

This explains it better than I can. Sorry, had to take all the ads out.

Reactions: charlesrshell

JohnGalt1234

Yesterday at 9:02 PM

Almighty1 said:
JohnGalt1234 - So you basically have 2 Hopper 3's. The CasinoH3 is the one that is Hopper 3 only while Master Bedroom is a Hopper 3 with Hopper Plus setup.
Master Bedroom uses Android TV (ATV) software so the DISH part is actually a app and will behave differently as you can probably tell the Guide's are different on the Master Bedroom which will resemble the same guide used on other ATV devices such as the Joey 4 and Wireless Joey 4. If I am correct, the CasinoH3 is the one with the problem since you did say the one dated 09/05/2026 is the naughty one while 08/15/2026 named Master Bedroom is the nice one. Usually I would expect the CasinoH3 to be the one without the problem because it's Hopper 3 only and Master Bedroom would be the one with problems because it has the Hopper Plus involved. That is why they behave differently because CasinoH3 is running the native Hopper 3 software while Master Bedroom is running the Android TV software and also it runs a app called DISH known as package com.dish.atv.launcher, the version for mines is P15403 2026100917 so it's probably the same version as the Hopper Plus software version with the date of October 9, 2026, not sure what the 17 means except maybe revision 17?

This explains it better than I can. Sorry, had to take all the ads out.

View attachment 194857

As I understand it, the android is just the display signal from the hopper+. I can disconnect the H+ and plug the hdmi directly into the master hopper3.

Reactions: charlesrshell

Almighty1

Today at 12:02 AM

JohnGalt1234 said:
As I understand it, the android is just the display signal from the hopper+. I can disconnect the H+ and plug the hdmi directly into the master hopper3.

It is not just a display signal as explained above. When you have the Hopper+ connected, it uses Android TV for pretty much everything except for the satellite signal which is why it uses the DISH app for the standard Hopper 3 functions. But that should not matter because in your case, CasinoH3 is the Hopper 3 with the EHD which is what you call the naughty one based on the dates you mentioned and Master Bedroom which has the Hopper Plus connected to the Hopper 3 that does not have the problem. So one way to test the theory is disconnect the Hopper Plus from that Hopper 3 and then use the EHD's connected to CasinoH3 currently to see if the same issue exists. That way you will know if the problem is there without a Hopper Plus connected or if CasinoH3 is just a bad hopper to begin with.

Normally when you disconnect the Hopper Plus, it will be 30 minutes or more before you can use the Hopper 3 again.

What you want to do is:
hold the POWER button in, not the red reset button, for about 45 seconds or so while disconnecting the power to the Plus and moving the HDMI cable and it will reboot to the normal Hopper only immediately.

Reactions: charlesrshell

bookworm370

22 minutes ago

navychop said:
It'll only see two EHDs at a time.

Yes, I have only two online at a time.
One comes online, the other one consistently will not come online

Reactions: charlesrshell

bookworm370

14 minutes ago

bookworm370 said:
Yes, I have only two online at a time.
One comes online; the other consistently won't. Also, when I connect the EHD, the USB Detected status light on the EHD itself changes from Red to Green. But the Hopper (713) does not start the EHD read process. The light changes to indicate that the EHD has detected a valid USB cable, but the Hopper does not recognize it.

View all replies (25)

iJustine

51 minutes ago · posted in iJustine

Microsoft Surface ultra unboxing

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uJiZVGQC3Gc

Direct YouTube Link - Microsoft Surface ultra unboxing
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

0 Replies · 4 views

Replies Reply Legacy View

TWiT Tech Podcast Network

51 minutes ago · posted in TWiT Tech Podcast Network

OpenAI Sued by 8 U.S. States

Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bs1MNA6jlm4

Direct YouTube Link - OpenAI Sued by 8 U.S. States
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed

0 Replies · 5 views

Replies Reply Legacy View

Peter Parker

Supporting Founder Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 1:01 PM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

DISH Hopper 3 Software Version 713 Is Out

No idea what improvements might be involved.

16 Replies · 697 views

Load Replies (16) Reply Legacy View

Reactions: LQQK and reubenray

bookworm370

Yesterday at 3:17 PM

Has anyone noticed an FF stutter with 713? I used to be able to hit FF a few times and skip smoothly. After 713 (maybe 712), when I skip forward, there is a definite stutter for as many times as I have pressed FF.

Can anyone check on this and report back? Recorded programs and then press skip forward a few times to see if it's smooth? Normally, it just jumps to the right place after the skips.

Reactions: charlesrshell

reubenray

Yesterday at 6:40 PM

I got the 713 update yesterday.

Reactions: charlesrshell

naptime

Today at 1:05 AM

I'm getting fabulous picture on Ch. 148 4k, but zero audio with H713. This is with a recorded show (Notre Dame game). Anyone else have this? Audio is fine on every other channel.

Reactions: charlesrshell

reubenray

Today at 6:14 AM

bookworm370 said:
Has anyone noticed an FF stutter with 713? I used to be able to hit FF a few times and skip smoothly. After 713 (maybe 712), when I skip forward, there is a definite stutter for as many times as I have pressed FF.

Can anyone check on this and report back? Recorded programs and then press skip forward a few times to see if it's smooth? Normally, it just jumps to the right place after the skips.

My wife mentioned that her remote is acting strange this morning. She hit FF and it went to 15x FF.

Reactions: charlesrshell

Bobby

Today at 10:32 AM

naptime said:
I'm getting fabulous picture on Ch. 148 4k, but zero audio with H713. This is with a recorded show (Notre Dame game). Anyone else have this? Audio is fine on every other channel.

This has been an ongoing issue. A fix is coming, probably in the next software version.

Reactions: charlesrshell

dishstaller

Today at 1:01 PM

reubenray said:
My wife mentioned that her remote is acting strange this morning.

Had a customer call recently saying their remote was really acting up, some buttons no longer functioned. Told them to reboot the Hopper....problem fixed.
Wife bought me a t-shirt that has "have you tried turning it off and on again?"

https://www.amazon.com/Have-Tried-Turning-Again-T-Shirt/dp/B07G1ZV9W9/ref=sr_1_11?crid=3NNRAEED195WV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.86TxUTPcw48CRYlDcLntwpMxbPDBfjiLu4wMZGX3VN6ajG_cFCuoDBJT7pS9CW2mjThKlke5Z6dlXH8bJKkQF4s892wGVU1ca_00S0BQz6F15V30_4szIdWeycvw3_zoVtsULQASM8bGcgvsKms930xApC43y_-YBVN0Q8Xsf_csSqXcmhWpresARdXHfx2VazllrXI8asduvrbnk9S3CGnzjqnVTkjzFSpSQLdQKA6Dx_7UfbQIBBJsqAmQwwtDGqM0YKVIkjV4ARgVJvJ69vLPhxV0m8pkJQd_2w_QX_A.-jSy9OqrqWdxPBsgZGia1hHMbvDAKxxhRn9kK1EBdCc&dib_tag=se&keywords=have%2Byou%2Btried%2Bturning%2Bit%2Boff%2Band%2Bon%2Bagain&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1792342839&sprefix=have%2Byou%2Btried%2B%2Caps%2C265&sr=8-11&customId=B0752XJYNL&customizationToken=MC_Assembly_1%23B0752XJYNL&th=1&psc=1

Reactions: charlesrshell

View all replies (16)

telebiker

Last reply Today at 12:54 PM · posted in DISH Network Support Forum

Dish Hopper and Dish Hopper Plus No Alexa in settings

I have Dish Hopper and Hopper Plus and also have Alexa Echo. I link the Alex skill to Dish and it asks me to enter the pairing code shown on the TV. I go into Dish Settings and there is no Alexa shown. Not sure what to do.

16 Replies · 700 views

Load Replies (16) Reply Legacy View

Reactions: tanman

HipKat

Mar 15, 2026

Guys,
Android is Google. Google is Android. Android OS and Google TV are the same thing.
The Hopper+ and Joey 4's run Android TV, which is Google's television version of Android.
That means under the hood, you have:

Linux kernel
Android framework
Google TV / Android TV interface
Google Play Store for TV apps

Alexa is the competition. Google is not going to host their competition.
The old Hopper Carbon UI is NOT Google so that's why Alexa was on there.

Reactions: KAB, tanman, Cold Irons and 2 others

Harryhaggle

Mar 18, 2026

Understood. But here's the rub - Google Assistant setup is ALSO missing from the Hopper Plus setup. I'm a paraplegic.and need to use voice controls as much as possible but I can't press a button on the remote to activate Google Assistant. I prefer ALEXA (or ALEXA+) but I have one older google device and will go that route IF they make it available. BTW calling Dish Customer Service is no help- they just say they have no info on if/when there will be an update.

Reactions: navychop and charlesrshell

navychop

Mar 18, 2026

Ungood.

Reactions: charlesrshell

reubenray

Today at 10:17 AM

What is the purpose of connecting Alexa and the H3?

Reactions: charlesrshell

navychop

Today at 12:54 PM

Tell Alexa verbally what to do.

Reactions: reubenray and charlesrshell

View all replies (16)

Ham Radio 2.0

Today at 12:42 PM · posted in Ham Radio 2.0

Does a SATCOM Antenna Work for GMRS? | RigExpert Test

Time for another AWESOME video from Ham Radio 2.0!

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6jvyve8sFr4

Direct YouTube Link - Does a SATCOM Antenna Work for GMRS? | RigExpert Test
Ham Radio 2.0 Website
Ham Radio 2.0 on Facebook

0 Replies · 7 views

Replies Reply Legacy View

iJustine

Today at 12:42 PM · posted in iJustine

Will Microsoft Surface Ultra's replace MacBooks?

Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03evrI39YH8

Direct YouTube Link - Will Microsoft Surface Ultra's replace MacBooks?
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!

0 Replies · 9 views

Replies Reply Legacy View

meStevo

Lifetime Supporter

Last reply Today at 12:39 PM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

AI thread

A continuation of a thread from the pub, just general discussion of AI.

Brief 60 minute clip about next gem autonomous fighters - not remote controlled, but rather collaborating with controllers and aircraft in the theater.

View: https://youtu.be/DRm0mbp_n1k

We've literally got a movie already about this

View: https://youtu.be/a2PW7a9ViDc

64 Replies · 1094 views

Load Replies (64) Reply Legacy View

meStevo

Oct 9, 2026

Agreed, it mostly regurgitates known solutions. That's the point. Nobody needs an innovative fix for a driver error or a creative way to format a report. Let it handle the solved problems so people can spend their time on the ones that aren't.

harshness

Oct 9, 2026

meStevo said:
Agreed, it mostly regurgitates known solutions. That's the point.

That's the point at which innovation ends, and there's no longer any point to software engineering other than swatting bugs that result from misapplication.

meStevo

Oct 9, 2026

harshness said:
That's the point at which innovation ends, and there's no longer any point to software engineering other than swatting bugs that result from misapplication.

Addressed by what you didn't quote. This cycle is as old as computing: compilers, libraries, frameworks each automated the tedious part, and the human work moved up a level. Innovation didn't end; it shifted. And people still make new compilers, libraries or frameworks.

Nobody's forced to hand anything off. Anyone who wants to keep doing it by hand still can, and people who couldn't do it at all now can.

harshness

Oct 9, 2026

meStevo said:
... and people who couldn't do it at all now can.

Misapplication isn't something that the casual coder can identify. They can only discover, the hard way, that it doesn't work at some point.

meStevo

Oct 9, 2026

harshness said:
Misapplication isn't something that the casual coder can identify. They can only discover, the hard way, that it doesn't work at some point.

You're not wrong, but that's part of learning. Whether from others or our own mistakes, we've all learned that lesson one way or another.

harshness

Oct 9, 2026

meStevo said:
Whether from others or our own mistakes, we've all learned that lesson one way or another.

I'm not sure that the school of hard knocks is the quickest or surest education to find your way.

There are many examples in the headlines of people getting burned multiple times and not wavering in their pursuit of stupidity.

meStevo

Oct 9, 2026

harshness said:
I'm not sure that the school of hard knocks is the quickest or surest education to find your way.

Good thing not everyone will have to learn the hard way then. The same tools can explain why something broke.

harshness said:
There are many examples in the headlines of people getting burned multiple times and not wavering in their pursuit of stupidity.

This is true of literally anything, though.

Happy to agree to disagree, but I'm already enjoying the dividends personally and helping others at work and at home do the same.

Reactions: telstar_1

harshness

Oct 9, 2026

meStevo said:
This is true of literally anything, though.

Do you think that means we ought to be supporting it as the long-term solution?

Foxbat

Monday at 11:01 PM

Foxbat

Yesterday at 9:36 PM

Oops.

AI Agent Blamed for Deleting Entire Upcoming Season of TV Show

An AI agent reportedly deleted the entire final cut of the upcoming season of a Swedish reality competition show.

futurism.com

dishstaller

Today at 10:05 AM

Been reading this thread but not commenting much, primarily because there is so much "news" out there on this topic and it is hard to tell what is real and what is theater.
My biggest problem with AI is that these agents are taught...not necessarily programmed but taught. Well, there's an old saying "garbage in/garbage out". I remember a Joe Rogan show a while back when he had Elon Musk on and they talked about AI and Elon said one of the AIs (can't remember which one, sorry) was asked which was worse, Thermonuclear War or mis-gendering Kaitlyn Jenner and it came back with the answer that mis-gendering was worse. Now forget the politics involved with all the gender stuff we have been subjected to the past few years.....to say that mis-gendering is worse than the killing of hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of human beings.....Kaitlyn Jenner included.....is simply insane not to mention incredibly dangerous.

dishstaller

Today at 12:39 PM

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SIWG5-jHFC8?feature=share

View all replies (64)

Scott Greczkowski

Staff member HERE TO HELP YOU! Cutting Edge

Last reply Today at 12:33 PM · posted in The Chit Chat Club

Song Name Game Part 3!

Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!

So let the game continue!

The last song was added by Bobby who posted...

One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters

CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!

Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game

Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.

Example:

Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow

Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio

Another example:

Ride the Lightning -- Metallica

Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne

Get it?

An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....

68523 Replies · 2672256 views

Load Replies (68523) Reply Legacy View

Reactions: c-spand

FTA4PA

Today at 9:19 AM

Down On The Corner - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Reactions: dishstaller

dishstaller

Today at 9:56 AM

Mississippi Squirrel Revival - Ray Stevens

Reactions: FTA4PA

Bobby

Today at 10:25 AM

Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town - Charley Pride

Reactions: dishstaller and FTA4PA

harshness

Today at 11:29 AM

Delta Dawn - Tanya Tucker

Reactions: dishstaller and FTA4PA

dishstaller

Today at 12:33 PM

Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band

View all replies (68523)

Top

Back

Search

Search

Social Feed

Legality of owning a possibly hacked reciever?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy - Paramount+

H3 EHD lists upcoming airings instead of recordings on EHD and often won't recognize EHD is connected after reboot

Microsoft Surface ultra unboxing

OpenAI Sued by 8 U.S. States

DISH Hopper 3 Software Version 713 Is Out

Dish Hopper and Dish Hopper Plus No Alexa in settings

Does a SATCOM Antenna Work for GMRS? | RigExpert Test

Will Microsoft Surface Ultra's replace MacBooks?

AI thread

AI Agent Blamed for Deleting Entire Upcoming Season of TV Show

Song Name Game Part 3!