I recently signed up for digital cable after having analog cable for a number of years. When I had analog cable, I had no problem receiving HBO and Cinemax (but not Showtime) though I did not subscribe to the services. When Comcast ditched HBO and Cinemax on analog, I decided to upgrade to digital.

I now have 2 digital boxes (Motorola nonHD, no DVR) that I got from Comcast and activated as instructed. One digital box works fine, On Demand works and the box blocks channels I haven't subscribed to. The other box (which is attached to a cable booster because of all of the splitting) gives me all non PPV channels (included all HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. channels), but I get a communications error whenever I try to use On Demand. I have not attempted to hack the boxes in any way.

Has anyone had this happen to them? Is it a temporary thing?

I now have 2 digital boxes (Motorola nonHD, no DVR) that I got from Comcast and activated as instructed. One digital box works fine, On Demand works and the box blocks channels I haven't subscribed to. The other box (which is attached to a cable booster because of all of the splitting) gives me all non PPV channels (included all HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. channels), but I get a communications error whenever I try to use On Demand. I have not attempted to hack the boxes in any way. Has anyone had this happen to them? Is it a temporary thing?Yes, it is a temporary thing. Generally, boxes are either initialized with full service (that was more common in the past) or with limited service (that is more common these days). Within a few hours or days, the box should receive a full update with regard to the services the specific customer has purchased and its offerings should reflect that.


I recently signed up for digital cable after having analog cable for a number of years. When I had analog cable, I had no problem receiving HBO and Cinemax (but not Showtime) though I did not subscribe to the services. When Comcast ditched HBO and Cinemax on analog, I decided to upgrade to digital.What you've admitted to is past cable theft. While it is unlikely anyone here will track you down and report you, it still isn't a smart idea to admit to a crime online.

Thank you for the response. I don't consider receiving the analog HBO and Cinemax as cable theft. I connected my TVs directly to the cable jacks in my wall after the Comcast techs came and installed my cable. I didn't do anything (like us an illegal box) to get those 2 channels.

Cable theft is the illegal interception of cable programming services without the express authorization of, or payment to, a cable company. Active Theft occurs when someone knowingly and intentionally makes an illegal physical connection to the cable system in their area for the purpose of receiving cable service in their home or business.

Premium Theft or "Pay Theft" occurs when someone knowingly and intentionally attaches equipment (i.e., black boxes, cheater box, cube, descramblers, decoders, etc.) for the unauthorized receipt of premium or pay cable services such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, or Pay Per View movies and special events (wrestling/boxing).

Passive Theft means having active cable service in your residence without notifying the cable operator. (Example: You move into a new apartment that has active service but you do not notify the cable operator.) So, cable theft has nothing to do with whether or not the cable company set it up that way versus whether you did something deliberate to bring it about -- simply knowingly not paying for the service without "express" authorization is sufficient.

Don't sweat it -- it's past history -- and like I said I doubt anyone is going to track you down now. I'm just relaying some friendly advice about sharing such information online.

You know, cable companies should really police their own systems better if passive theft is occurring. I mean, I understand you should pay for their service, but if they're continuing to pipe in programming to a place whose paying customer has long since vanished, then they have a real problem with their system.

I get the same communications error on mine as well, and i've had digital cable 2 years. The on demand works on all the tv's except for mine.
I recently signed up for digital cable after having analog cable for a number of years. When I had analog cable, I had no problem receiving HBO and Cinemax (but not Showtime) though I did not subscribe to the services. When Comcast ditched HBO and Cinemax on analog, I decided to upgrade to digital.

I now have 2 digital boxes (Motorola nonHD, no DVR) that I got from Comcast and activated as instructed. One digital box works fine, On Demand works and the box blocks channels I haven't subscribed to. The other box (which is attached to a cable booster because of all of the splitting) gives me all non PPV channels (included all HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. channels), but I get a communications error whenever I try to use On Demand. I have not attempted to hack the boxes in any way.

Has anyone had this happen to them? Is it a temporary thing?

The other box (which is attached to a cable booster because of all of the splitting) gives me all non PPV channels (included all HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. channels), but I get a communications error whenever I try to use On Demand

On demand requires two way communication, your 'booster amp' is most likely blocking the return communications path.
Try a two way amp, or remove it and rearrange your 'splits.

bicker...is just way off base.

According to the example from the cabletheft web site text, I did not commit passive theft. When I moved in, I signed up for Comcast expanded basic service and have been paying for it every month ever since. It's not my fault Comcast can't seem to filter the channels properly. The point is moot because the free HBO/Cinemax only worked on analog cable and is no longer available.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I have a Motorola cable amplifier because I had to put in a 3-way splitter for my PC TV tuner card, cable modem and bedroom tv. The booster is in the wall so I would prefer not to have to disconnect it. It's not a big deal to me to not have the On Demand service in the bedroom. Without the premium channels, there's not much to the On Demand service.

You know, cable companies should really police their own systems better if passive theft is occurring.Absolutely. It is important to note, though, that preventing passive theft does cost money AND results in limitations placed on all customers. It's the price we pay for living in a society with people who aren't as honest.

According to the example from the cabletheft web site text, I did not commit passive theft.We'll have to agree to disagree about the point I made, which was that it wasn't a smart idea to write what you wrote on a public forum.

The point is moot because the free HBO/Cinemax only worked on analog cable and is no longer available.I agree completely. That's what I meant by "Don't sweat it -- it's past history".

According to the example from the cabletheft web site text, I did not commit passive theft. When I moved in, I signed up for Comcast expanded basic service and have been paying for it every month ever since. It's not my fault Comcast can't seem to filter the channels properly. The point is moot because the free HBO/Cinemax only worked on analog cable and is no longer available.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I have a Motorola cable amplifier because I had to put in a 3-way splitter for my PC TV tuner card, cable modem and bedroom tv. The booster is in the wall so I would prefer not to have to disconnect it. It's not a big deal to me to not have the On Demand service in the bedroom. Without the premium channels, there's not much to the On Demand service.

It doesn't really matter that you don't care about VOD. If the STB box can't talk back to the system, sooner or later you will be getting a call, letter, or visit because one of your boxes is not communicating.

For example, I am on the Charter system. I was rearranging the gear in my bedroom system and had the STB unhooked for a while - probably was a week or two. I got a letter in the mail from Charter saying they were not detecting the STB on the system and to give them a call for troubleshooting assistance.

About the booster itself, a 3-way split is not that big of a deal. IMO, if you need a booster on only a 3-way split there is a larger problem like crappy wiring or really low signal from Comcast. I rewired my girlfriend's house because it was a cobbled mess of 6 or 7 splits using mostly RG-59 cable and dimestore splitters. The "cable guy" gave me all the stuff to do it myself and it works just fine without an amplifier although I did cut the number of splits by one - down to a mere 5 or 6...

It's the price we pay for living in a society with people who aren't as honest.

Irony ++

Absolutely. It is important to note, though, that preventing passive theft does cost money AND results in limitations placed on all customers. It's the price we pay for living in a society with people who aren't as honest.

I understand that, but I believe it's still the cable company's problem. Yes, they'll pass the costs along, but the person receiving it should be under no pressure to tell the cable company about their problem unless they themselves feel obligated. I guess I disagree with the term "theft."

I understand that, but I believe it's still the cable company's problem. And as you pointed out, they have every right to share that problem with us. Which makes it our problem.

I guess I disagree with the term "theft."We really shouldn't let ourselves get caught up in words. This is a simple matter of right and wrong. Getting something of value without paying for it, regardless of how, isn't honorable. We can disagree about whether being honorable matters, of course.

And as you pointed out, they have every right to share that problem with us. Which makes it our problem.

Then you have other choices. If a company has that much of a problem with passive theft and it's resulting in huge costs, then I question whether that company is worth staying with.


Getting something of value without paying for it, regardless of how, isn't honorable.

I guess you have a problem with getting gifts. ;) Yes, I'm aware cable companies don't gift service.

I agree that a cable company would consider it theft, but to me, if they're having a problem with passive theft, then it's something they need to correct more than we do. Active theft, on the other hand, is not their fault and should be actively discouraged and reported.

Then you have other choices. If a company has that much of a problem with passive theft and it's resulting in huge costs, then I question whether that company is worth staying with.It surely can raise the question, but if all the companies are doing it (you cannot get ANYTHING without authorization from satellite services! and THEY won't provide any means of separable authorization -- they insist on you using their boxes now), then the real problem is society's, not the companies'.

I agree that a cable company would consider it theftIt's not a matter of what the cable company considers it, but rather what society considers it, if brought to our legal system. It it in the public interest to punish passive theft the same as active theft.

but to me, if they're having a problem with passive theft, then it's something they need to correct more than we do.We only need to correct our own deliberate actions or inactions. As long as we're not committing passive theft, then we can feel that we're satisfying our society's reasonable expectations for behavior in this regard. However, the issue here isn't whether individuals should take action against passive theft, but rather whether or not someone should reveal their own transgressions online.

The OP's "booster amp" is blocking two way communications from the cable box, because of this, bicker has determined that he's stealing cable.

The OP's "booster amp" is blocking two way communications from the cable box, because of this, bicker has determined that he's stealing cable.

Its neither here not there but the OP stated he is getting analog HBO and MAX.. this has nothing to do with the booster.
The reception of those two channels without alerting his provider to their presence is what bicker1 is going on about.


As far as the issue, if it is a crap amp it can not only block the reverse, but also the forward data stream which prevents the box from being activated. If this is the case your box will cease working altogether in about 24-48 hrs usually.

My personal ethics are such that I don't find anything wrong with receiving the extra channels from Comcast. It is not my responsibility to alert Comcast to problems with their own network. I don't work for Comcast. If they want to do something to prevent me from viewing the channels, they can certainly do so.

As for the booster amp, it's a Motorola amp I bought from Circuit City and the reviews were positive.

It's been more than a week and nothing has changed. There is no more analog HBO and MAX.

"Personal" ethics: How convenient. :rolleyes:

Its neither here not there but the OP stated he is getting analog HBO and MAX.. this has nothing to do with the booster.


But it has everything to do with his inability to get on demand from the second box, which is what I was addresing.

The other box (which is attached to a cable booster because of all of the splitting) gives me all non PPV channels (included all HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. channels), but I get a communications error whenever I try to use On Demand.

can i use splitters on comcast digital cable? If yes, would it be still digital or analog cable?

can i use splitters on comcast digital cable? If yes, would it be still digital or analog cable?
You can. If fact if you see a comcast truck the tech will give you one. A digital signal remains digital after passing a splitter.

It is ethical to split the signal after you get it. ;)

In our system, and a few others I've seen, when we migrated from trapped HBO/Starz/Max to scrambled, AT&T went around and removed all of the traps on everyones line. Temporarily until real subscribers were all issued converter boxes, they had to keep broadcasting these channels so paying customers wouldn't be shafted. On the other hand, nonpaying customers benefited from HBO, Starz, and Max free for a few months until the node was switched over from the old 450 MHz trunk to a 750 MHz capable fiber.

They did set up a phone number where if you were insulted from the language or scenes on HBO/Starz or Max, you could be put on a list to keep the trap on the line. It would take some time to remove though after the lineup was changed, but you would only end up trapping out public access or independent OTA channels after the switch.