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Just had passed on by someone that their security guy at work told them to warn drivers of Ford cars to be extra careful about security at the moment. The story goes that there's a chip in standard Ford car stereos that can be used to modify set-top boxes (The boxes used to receive digital TV here in the UK) so they can get premium channels for free. Hence, nefarious characters have been targeting Ford cars to steal their radios at the moment.
Sounds very ULish to me! Anyone heard anything similar?
Posts: 1710 | From: Newcastle, UK | Registered: Aug 2002
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I think its hogwash. Most digital set top boxes actually have a hard drive and processor. Software is required to "unscramble" the signal.
There are ways to hack this software, but I doubt anything you'd find in a Ford radio would help.
Posts: 23 | From: Fargo, ND | Registered: Jul 2006
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Electronics today are too complex, I find it highly unlikely that it will work unless it's a trivial component, in which case it could be bought from any electronic component seller for almost no money.
-------------------- /Troberg Posts: 4360 | From: Borlänge, Sweden | Registered: Nov 2005
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I suppose the point is not whether components from a Ford car radio actually can be used to modify a set-top box (which I too find unlikely.) It's more - do enough idiots who are inclined to try it believe it will work. If they do, they will still go around stealing Ford radios.
-------------------- "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what is commonly known as money. It comes in all sizes, colours, and denominations - like people." Posts: 997 | From: Maidstone, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Eddylizard: I suppose the point is not whether components from a Ford car radio actually can be used to modify a set-top box (which I too find unlikely.) It's more - do enough idiots who are inclined to try it believe it will work. If they do, they will still go around stealing Ford radios.
quote:It's more - do enough idiots who are inclined to try it believe it will work. If they do, they will still go around stealing Ford radios.
Apparently so:
'Urban myth' sparks stereo theft
Police have said 205 cars were hit by car stereo thefts in Cardiff over the weekend - four times the usual number.
Reports showed 95% of them were Ford models. The car firm believe this is in light of an "urban myth" that they can be used to decode digital TV boxes.
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