lodgenet hackable???

[luckyhorse]

i stayed in a hotel last night and they had a system hooked up to the tv that was called lodge net it offered movies that were still current in theateres as well as ppv movies and porn are they pulling this signal from satellite or some other way and if so could we test this???

[smilingjack]

Never heard of it get some more information

[norton]

they had this at the hotel i stayed at in canada, theres a little box on the back that connects you to the "server". I'm assuming this is how they track purchases....easiest way to hack prolly would be go grab someone elses box if you got the chance :) maybe the cleaning staff would leave a door ungarded for a few minutes? i played with it a bit, i unplugged the box and went straight into the tv you could get regular channels, but the lodgenet interactive stuff wouldnt come up.

[caper76]

there is a board and chip that is in the tv. It is connected to vcr's in the hotel each one has a seperate movie. It is an old system, most hotels are going with a new satalite system.

[JT]

Turns out they have a website.

http://www.lodgenet.com/products/index.html

This does not sound like something that is hackable as we think of it. Without seeing how it works I can only guess though.

[seaboard18]

Turns out they have a website.

http://www.lodgenet.com/products/index.html

This does not sound like something that is hackable as we think of it. Without seeing how it works I can only guess though.


JT - Not a great deal of information is available at there web site, except that they show a block diagram of how it works. The information is available at this address:
[http://www.lodgenet.com/investors/Annual%20Meeting%20Slides%2051105%20Final.pdf] Page 25. Depending on the encryption that is used would decide if it is hackable. It seems that it is a secure IP based encryption that unlocks the software that runs this system from the main computer at Lodgenet. Find out which satellite they use and see what encryption they use in their stream. That would be the first step. I doubt that it is N2, but it could be a Dave thing.

I'm not sure where they obtain the stream, although the picture diagram assumes that they re-generate the stream along with the extra ppv movies that are streamed from their facility. I have seen this system work in real time in my visits to some of these hotels. Never gave it any thought at all until today.

[AFineMess]

IF IF IF there is a "service mode" for the TV then it may be possible....I checked into this some time ago and could not find the model number listed anywhere on their servicers website. All Zenith's ( past 10 years ) have service code capability. It may be possible to set this TV into a "TEST" mode. Good Luck :)

[seaboard18]

IF IF IF there is a "service mode" for the TV then it may be possible....I checked into this some time ago and could not find the model number listed anywhere on their servicers website. All Zenith's ( past 10 years ) have service code capability. It may be possible to set this TV into a "TEST" mode. Good Luck :)


I don't think that the system cares about the TV. In the hotel, the main computer controls the signal to the TV and billing of the ppv movies that are passed from the Lodgenet remote control back to the hotel's computer via an interface. The computer in the hotel controls the handshake to lodgenet for all the rooms. Basically if the room is rented, the TV works and if the guest decides to buy a movie, the computer bills the guest. The hotel part is simple.

At best the main computer in the hotel may use emulation software such as we use now. I could be wrong though, they. the hotel, may use an access card.

[caper76]

well i guess the circut board and chip that i change in the tv's in the hotel when people can't access must be something they just put in there. For something not important they work 99% of the time. And the computer is just to show the charges when the vcr trips.

[mikeee]

lodgenet=DAVE

[Hack@d]

I was staying at a hotel in Philli and was having problems with my unit and one of the staff came in and punched in a 4 digit code and a special menu came up and he gave me free movies and porn for the week I was there.

[anarke]

Not sure about the rest of you all, but this would be interesting to try and test from the satellite. I mean, getting free movies from the hotel room is one thing, but being able to view the stream they are sending to hotel operators would be awesome. Anyone with motel/hotel contacts and a FTA box willing to try and get some info about this?