Get "FREE" Pay-per view channels! The Ultimate Remote Control Hack

  Here is an Instructable that I have succesfully done many times. But first a couple warning notes you may want to consider before attempting this yourself.  First, this can only be done with televisions that have pay per view channels running directly through the tv. In other words no external cable box (  hotel/motel rooms usually implement this). Secondly any damage that you may have on the T.V. , remote will most likely be charged to you. Use caution and the right tools, there should be no problems. I take no responsibility for charges that may incure by accesing these blocked channels.  The more that people expose this hack, the sooner it will somehow be blocked by management. THIS IS INTENDED FOR FUN ONLY!!!

Step 1 Things Needed....

  Things Needed are a T.V. with pay per view channels , A small philips , small flathead , a penny , and the remote control.  Remove the batteries and any small screws that may hold the remote together. Now very carefully using the flat head pop the two sides apart , exposing the back of the circuit board.

Comments

[Cenyu]

Absolute bull for many, including the previously mentioned, reasons. You may as well ask a friend to fetch you a bucket of steam, go to a hardware store and ask for a left handed monkey wrench, or direct an inquisitive tourist to leave through the front door of your store and walk around until they find the 'purple' door... I am curious how many have fallen for this. Nice troll if nothing else. ~Cenyu

[VadimS]

Totally worthless and dissembling the remote could damage it, coasting you money.

[timothymh]

All you do is take off the back cover. That leaves very little room for blunders to be made. Even if it did damage the remote, I would not imagine that the remote would coast money to you because it wouldn't have the kindest feelings towards you since you just damaged it.

[ArisenProdigy]

I was staying at a cheap hotel in Duluth, MN a couple days ago and noticed there was no cable box. They had pay-per-view options available and I remembered reading about this. I had to run up to the Menards and get a small screw set to undo the remote. I put it on a channel I wanted and started moving the penny on the back of the PCB and after a couple of seconds it worked! I screwed everything back together and enjoyed my movie. The next day as I was checking out of the hotel, they charged me twice for purchasing the same movie. So, I'm guessing it's the same effect as pressing the "purchase now" button. At any rate, I talked them down to charging me once, because I only wanted to watch that movie once. It was pretty interesting, but the dialogue wasn't all that great. Something called "Nailin Paylin" I think...

[zack247]

yeah, right. its a penny. the cable company allows you pay per view. and you have no choice but to PAY for it. the remote has absolutely no effect at all on channel blocking. this only voids your warranty so you cant get the remote replaced

[RedMeanie]

Awesome! Now my kids and I can watch all the latest Disney releases for free while on vacation!

[georion]

so ???????? how many have you watched!!!!!!!????????????????????

[DIY Dave]

If this did in fact work, it would be illegal.

[Decepticon]

If anyone believes this instructable.....you are the most gullible person on the net.   The remote has no impact on whether or not you are able to view pay-per-view channels.  And rubbing a penny on the bottom of a PCB will do NOTHING to the functionality of the remote.  That is unless you rub it on the other side and short some traces.  Then you will have a non-functioning remote.

[BytePilot]

I cannot see any method by which this would ever have worked.
The remote has no effect on whether a channel is or is not blocked, that is controlled by the distribution box which is firmly under the control of the hotel.

Even if it did, the stray capacitance effects induced by the penny rubbing on the blank side of the pcb would be unlikely to produce any change.

Your instructable doesn't appear to have been posted on april 1st.

Have you used this technique with any degree of success ?

[mrmath]

There is a difference between "STEALING" and "FREE".

[Soksume]

hmmm very interesting do you know why, or could you explain why this works ?

[masterochicken]

Interesting. 5 stars.