From: Ophir Ronen (Rho) <a-ophirr@microsoft.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 94 16:32:36 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Little known facts about the infohigh....
Message-ID: <9404142232.AA23385@netmail2.microsoft.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Greetings all,

This was forwarded to me from  rec.video.sat. Does anyone  know any
concrete details about the CC decoders installed in televisions?

			-Ophir
|  -------------------------------------------------------
|
| >   ...  Here is some
| > important information about the use of televisions.
| >
| > In an effort to gain access to the homes of millions of Americans,
| > the FBI, CIA, and NSA have collaborated on a scheme which will
| > finally bring to fruition George Orwell's nightmare scenario.
| >
| > American citizens will be the unwitting accomplices in this plan
| > as they purchase new televisions and bring them into their
| > livingrooms and *bedrooms*.  I'm speaking of the CC decoders that
| > have secretly been mandated by law.  These decoders supposedly
| > provide captions to TV shows for the hearing impaired, but in
| > fact they are also rebroadcasters which will allow the gov.
| > to spy on anyone they want.
| >
| > The television already comes with everything necessary to be
| > a spying apparatus.  Speakers are essentially no different than
| > microphones and therefore can be used to pick up sounds in the
| > room.  The infrared eye which detects the remote control
| > signal also receives an infrared picture of the room, especially
| > detecting heat sources like people.  Thus, all that is needed is
| > a way of gathering this information and relaying it to the government.
| > The little understood "Decoder" is the solution.
| >
| > The congress has recently passed a Law (in virtual secrecy)
| > that requires all new TV's to have the "Decoder."  This is
| > claimed to be for the benefit of deaf people but that is
| > obviously a smoke screen.
| >
| > How we know the congressional law mandating the "Decoder" is not
| > for the deaf:
| >         1) Legitimate CC decoders are already available for TV's.
| >         2) The law doesn't cover other things, like telephones,
| >            which are obviously in the same situation w.r.t. the deaf.
| >         3) There is no law requiring that shows even be broadcast with
| >            closed captions, only that the TV have the "Decoder".
| >
| > Clearly we see that there is no real justification for mandating
| > decoders other than for gathering intelligence.
| >
| > How to deal with the decoder:  simply removing the decoder will not
| > be an option because it will undoubtedly be integrated in such a way
| > that the television will not function without it.  Also, if you open
| > the TV to get at it, you will void the warrenty and then when you
| > get it fixed, they will just replace the "Decoder" without telling.
| >
| > The best way to avoid the "Decoder" is to avoid it by not buying any
| > new TV's.  This will be made difficult by the predictable introduc-
| > tion of High Definition Television soon after the "Decoders" are
| > on line.  In this way you will be forced to buy a new TV because the
| > old one will not get HDTV.  When HDTV is made a standard by the govern-
| > ment, the old style sugnal will not be allowed to be broadcast on the
| > grounds that it interferes with the HDTV.  This is all to force people
| > to buy new TV's with the "Decoder".
| >
| > When you find yourself with a TV equipped with the "Decoder" there
| > are several things you can do to protect yourself.  First, don't
| > put the TV in your bedroom, this is where the government is most
| > interested in spying.  When not watching, push the antennas all the
| > way in or disconnected the cable.  Unplugging the TV will not help
| > because the "Decoder" will use passive broadcasting to continue
| > sending its signal.  Also turn the volume down when not watching.
| > When you watch the TV, place a candle or other heat source to confuse
| > the infrared EYE.  Don't say anything secret or get undressed near
| > the TV.  Don't be seen smoking near the TV.
| >
|
|

________________________________________________________
Ophir Ronen <a-ophirr@microsoft.com>
(Myself != Microsoft)
E67065:66 57 94 27 D9 70 C5 B4  95 31 F6 41 FD 5C EB 1A