Destiny warns cable TV set-top boxes not foolproof

Cable service provider Global Destiny Cable (GDC) has warned that plans to impose the use of addressable set-top boxes among cable TV subscribers to curb signal piracy may not work since the technology is not "foolproof."

GDC president Philip Chien noted that incidences of signal piracy still persist in countries such as China and Australia, where cable service companies encrypt their signals to subscribers for decryption by set-top box.

GDC is the third biggest cable TV provider next to Sky Cable and Home Cable. The merged Sky-Home has announced plans to introduce digital addressable set-top boxes before year-end in order to put a stop to signal piracy.

Some cable TV companies in the provinces have also introduced the cheaper analog boxes to their subscribers. The boxes allow the provider to go into tiering of programs, the number of programs available depending on the tier subscribed for which can be basic, advance, international, among others, as well as more pay-per-view offerings.

"Currently, the set-top box is not foolproof despite the recent radical advancements in the technology. Of course, the presumption with every technology is that it will continue to improve. That is, until something else come along to render it archaic. In the case of the set-top box technology, it is still a long way off from being either being perfected or rendered archaic," Chien said.

He added that there are simple ways to get around the set-top box technology, especially the latest ones that require the so-called ‘smart card’ that is much like the cellular telephone SIM card and protects the device from general access by putting security protocols such as a PIN or personal identification number.