Wanting to know...

[hillsmi]

if receiving signals normally meant for E* / DTV customers via FTA equipment is actually legal?

A close family member was tired of paying DTV $200/mo for what he was getting, and someone at his workplace told him about the FTA. He purchased a FTA receiver, got hold of a Superdish, did his research, aimed it, and now is getting loads of programming without paying. Legal? Can he get caught?

What's the deal?

I'm sure one can throw in the moral flag, but are those that are purchasing FTA receivers, and downloading these files via computer and programming their FTA equipment performing an illegal act?

I know that the signals are just flying around out there in the air, and if one is able to use equipment to grab the signals, is it okay if they don't pay to decode the transmissions?

Look at FM signals...No one pays to capture and listen to FM waves that are flying all over.

Is it right, legally? Have people been discovered? I'm sure if one is caught, they're looking at the big house, right?

Can someone with experience shed some light on the subject?

Thanks.

 

[Lak7]

FM signals are not encrypted.

 

[Wescopc]

if receiving signals normally meant for E* / DTV customers via FTA equipment is actually legal?

A close family member was tired of paying DTV $200/mo for what he was getting, and someone at his workplace told him about the FTA. He purchased a FTA receiver, got hold of a Superdish, did his research, aimed it, and now is getting loads of programming without paying. Legal? Can he get caught?

What's the deal?

Is it right, legally? Have people been discovered? I'm sure if one is caught, they're looking at the big house, right?



Thanks.

It IS theft and dish network will prosecute those it finds stealing their signal. Dish is attempting to get the names of people that have purchased certain receivers that have been used for theft.

This forum does not condone theft, those who even talk about it are banned. It is simple if the signal is for a scrambled/subscription service, then receiving that signal and unscrambling it is against the law. People are serving time.

The FTA that is talked about on this forum is just that, we receive signals that are not scrambled and are legal to watch.
Bob

 

[lumpkin666]

It IS People are serving time.

I'd be curious to know more about this... as the only prosection of these cases that I've heard of are through civil cases - which only apply financial penalties.

 

[DishDigger]

I can't believe that he even asked that!

 

[Pismire]

I agree with a post in another thread. This topic sure has been coming up a lot lately.

 

[USDownlink]

I can't believe that he even asked that!

I can. Why? Check the language:

but are those that are purchasing FTA receivers, and downloading these files via computer and programming their FTA equipment performing an illegal act? ... if one is able to use equipment to grab the signals, is it okay if they don't pay to decode the transmissions? Look at FM signals...No one pays to capture and listen to FM

No act mentioned (first 4 bolds added) in itself is illegal. The reason I understand the question is the last bold: the word "decode". At least, I interpret that as a sort of an indeterminate munge of things being done to the signal in a receiver, as far as hillsmi is concerned.

One might see where I'm going with this - technical, accurate, and anal terminology:

Wanting to know... if receiving signals normally meant for E* / DTV customers via FTA equipment is actually legal?

Yes. Legal. Example: Dish broadcasts NASA unencrypted. You are perfectly free and it is perfectly legal to receive this 'signal' and view it. What is illegal, however, is defeating encryption. Therein lies the difference in these signals - FM isn't encrypted (In an analog sense, of course). Now as a practical matter, almost every television channel meant for customers is encrypted. If you decrypt those channels, you are breaking the law.

Wanting to know... if receiving signals normally meant for E* / DTV customers via FTA equipment is actually legal?

If we loosen the language standards a bit and absorb the technicalities - then no, it is illegal. There is some discussion above regarding criminal versus civil penalties, which I will happily stay away from. Rest assured though, if caught, there are penalties.

Lak7 stated the cold fact ever so perfectly and succinctly, as he is known to so frequently do. I hope my expansion on the theme is helpful, hillsmi.

 

[Wescopc]

Signal theft is a felony, see:
Man pleads guilty to theft of Dish signal : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News
and this from wikipedia:

One of the most severe sentences handed out for satellite TV piracy in the United States was to a Canadian businessman, Martin Clement MULLEN, widely known for over a decade in the satellite industry as "Marty" Mullen.

Mullen was sentenced to seven years prison with no parole and ordered to pay DirecTV and smart card provider NDS Ltd. US$24 million in restitution. He pled guilty in a Tampa, Florida court in September 2003 after being arrested when he entered the United States using a British passport in the name "Martin Paul Stewart".

 

[lumpkin666]

Signal theft is a felony, see:
Man pleads guilty to theft of Dish signal : Tech & Telecom : The Rocky Mountain News
and this from wikipedia:

That guy was not put in jail for signal theft, he was put into jail for selling equipment to hundreds of thousands of people to enable signal theft. I do not condone signal theft, and am very careful to steer clear of those who do, but I DO know that the US government does not go after end users for criminal prosecution of signal theft. The only prosecution that you'll see an end user face is civil prosecution. I'd challenge you to find a documented case of a single user being pursued and prosecuted criminally for a single case of signal theft, but won't bother because it doesn't exist.

I wish that the government would go after individual users for criminal charges for signal theft. I think if they were successful, they would curb a huge number of these hackers from doing their thing. AND, given the criminal nature, there would be a huge number of people who would rise up and fight the offense when charged for a crime that they are not committing - thus building awareness and a basis for defense against the illegitimate lawsuits being pursued against innocent TRUE FTA users caught up in the frenzy.

Edit:
After thinking about my "whining" above, I'm not trying to argue. I do see disinformation about this subject a lot, and it frustrates me at times. I suppose, as long as we keep the hackers leery of hacking, and the good people safe from fear of being lumped in with the bad crowd, I'm good with that.

Now back to the subject at hand, and enough of my sideline comments....