TROOPER
09-29-2008, 03:42 PM
So i've been "testing" for a little over a year now. I know without a doubt, that without this site I could never have made it past day 1....however I feel that it's important for me to share what I've learned in this year, some from this site....some from others...and some just from trial & error/personal experience. I think that anyone considering purchasing fta stbs..or "testing" in any sense should be able to find a resource that clearly states the "status" and "climate" of FTA at that particular moment...in order to make the best decision possible at that point in time. I think that this post should continually be updated/changed as the FTA world changes so that users aren't forced to make decisions based on stagnant threads that have outdated information. So as of April 7th of 2008...I feel like these are the most important things anyone considering FTA should read. Before I begin...I don't want to give the impression that this is ALL anyone considering FTA should read, in fact as anyone who's been around for a while can tell you...the reading never stops! But for now, I think this is a good foundation to build from.
As you may or may not know, "testing" is just another word for "stealing". No matter how you look at it, you are recieving (illegally) something for free, that otherwise costs money. Regardless of your liability in this "theft", you must remember that you're still recieving something for FREE that you are not "entitled" to, nor should be getting without a paid subscription. Understanding this is the key to a successful and fulfilling "testing" experience. Upon grasping this concept, you can now move on to bigger and better issues in the "testing" world, such as what reciever to buy, how support works, etc.. (which have all been beautifully outlined for you throughout this site by members & mods/admins). Before you do move on however there are few things I feel you should know about the world or "fta" as it stands today.
1. The "Status" of FTA:
Now that you understand what "testing" means, you can easily understand that in most ways it's like a war (between you the "tester", and the provider (d*n/bev etc..). In this sense, the providers are trying to protect their product, while the "tester" is attempting to acquire that same product without paying for it. This cat-&-mouse game is the basis of 80% of the threads you will encounter on this site. Things like ECMs (Electronic Counter Measures), "Key Changes", and "Card Swaps" are all efforts by the providers to protect their product. Whereas "Bin files", "Keys" and "Coding" are all things done by "testers" to reverse the measures taken by Providers. That's as much detail as I will go into about those particular terms as the site is littered with terminology guides and explanations in which someone else has already taken the time to explain. So getting to where we stand today (4/7/08)....
The two major providers you will encounter while "testing" are Bev/D*N (if you don't know what those are...Don't worry!). These providers have recently announced that they will be making some huge changes in the near future, that can & will likely put at least a temporary stop to "testing". The time frame for these changes is loose at best...however you can expect it to happen within the next 6 months to a year. I want to be sure to explain that this doesn't mean that you will be "up" for 6 months, or that after a year you will not still be able to "test" successfully, however at this time, with the knowledge that's available, this time frame represents a "best guess" scenario. So remembering what "testing" in fact means...and keeping in mind that because of that definition you are not entitled to anything...I feel that for this very moment these few key steps will ensure you have an enjoyable & successful FTA experience if you choose to continue:
1. Although it's not required, Always keep (at the very least) the most basic Subscription to a provider. Look at it this way, would you ever want to be without ANY t.v? Without a sub to fall back on, I can assure you at some point you will....maybe for a few hours, maybe a few days...maybe weeks....etc.
2. Don't ever feel that you are "owed" anything. You may choose to spend anywhere from $100-1000 on a reciever. Keep in mind that every second of t.v. you watch with that reciever costs money. Just because you're recieving it free-of-charge, doesn't mean it's worthless. Depending on how much you watch, and what provider...the average FTA system (if paid for as a legitimate sub) would run anywhere from $300-800/month. So keeping this in mind...1 month of service is going to pay off just about any reciever you purchace...the rest is just icing on the cake!
3. When choosing a reciever, don't just buy what the most people have...or what your buddy has etc...Get into the forums! Ask as many questions as possible! Learn what questions to ask by reading the guides-how to's!!! It's imperative that you form your own opinion and make your own decisions when it comes to this!!!!
4. Always remember that no matter what happens...someone else has already gone through it, and chances are...posted about it on this site! Make sure you at least attempt to find an answer to your question on your own before posting in the forums!!! This assures you won't get "crap" from some of the users on this site who only want to make problems (thankfully there are only a few here, unlike other sites!!!)!!
5. If all else fails ASK A MOD/ADMIN! The mods/admins on this site, are here to help you! They are a wealth of knowledge freely available to you and at your disposal...so use them! From my own personal experience, they love answering questions (as long as you at least attempted to find the answer on your own), and will always point you in the right direction!!!
If you've read all this, and still want to jump in the "testing" game...I say good luck!!! And remember, only you make the decisions that will determine your "testing" experience...make sure you make a good one by educating yourself!!!
As you may or may not know, "testing" is just another word for "stealing". No matter how you look at it, you are recieving (illegally) something for free, that otherwise costs money. Regardless of your liability in this "theft", you must remember that you're still recieving something for FREE that you are not "entitled" to, nor should be getting without a paid subscription. Understanding this is the key to a successful and fulfilling "testing" experience. Upon grasping this concept, you can now move on to bigger and better issues in the "testing" world, such as what reciever to buy, how support works, etc.. (which have all been beautifully outlined for you throughout this site by members & mods/admins). Before you do move on however there are few things I feel you should know about the world or "fta" as it stands today.
1. The "Status" of FTA:
Now that you understand what "testing" means, you can easily understand that in most ways it's like a war (between you the "tester", and the provider (d*n/bev etc..). In this sense, the providers are trying to protect their product, while the "tester" is attempting to acquire that same product without paying for it. This cat-&-mouse game is the basis of 80% of the threads you will encounter on this site. Things like ECMs (Electronic Counter Measures), "Key Changes", and "Card Swaps" are all efforts by the providers to protect their product. Whereas "Bin files", "Keys" and "Coding" are all things done by "testers" to reverse the measures taken by Providers. That's as much detail as I will go into about those particular terms as the site is littered with terminology guides and explanations in which someone else has already taken the time to explain. So getting to where we stand today (4/7/08)....
The two major providers you will encounter while "testing" are Bev/D*N (if you don't know what those are...Don't worry!). These providers have recently announced that they will be making some huge changes in the near future, that can & will likely put at least a temporary stop to "testing". The time frame for these changes is loose at best...however you can expect it to happen within the next 6 months to a year. I want to be sure to explain that this doesn't mean that you will be "up" for 6 months, or that after a year you will not still be able to "test" successfully, however at this time, with the knowledge that's available, this time frame represents a "best guess" scenario. So remembering what "testing" in fact means...and keeping in mind that because of that definition you are not entitled to anything...I feel that for this very moment these few key steps will ensure you have an enjoyable & successful FTA experience if you choose to continue:
1. Although it's not required, Always keep (at the very least) the most basic Subscription to a provider. Look at it this way, would you ever want to be without ANY t.v? Without a sub to fall back on, I can assure you at some point you will....maybe for a few hours, maybe a few days...maybe weeks....etc.
2. Don't ever feel that you are "owed" anything. You may choose to spend anywhere from $100-1000 on a reciever. Keep in mind that every second of t.v. you watch with that reciever costs money. Just because you're recieving it free-of-charge, doesn't mean it's worthless. Depending on how much you watch, and what provider...the average FTA system (if paid for as a legitimate sub) would run anywhere from $300-800/month. So keeping this in mind...1 month of service is going to pay off just about any reciever you purchace...the rest is just icing on the cake!
3. When choosing a reciever, don't just buy what the most people have...or what your buddy has etc...Get into the forums! Ask as many questions as possible! Learn what questions to ask by reading the guides-how to's!!! It's imperative that you form your own opinion and make your own decisions when it comes to this!!!!
4. Always remember that no matter what happens...someone else has already gone through it, and chances are...posted about it on this site! Make sure you at least attempt to find an answer to your question on your own before posting in the forums!!! This assures you won't get "crap" from some of the users on this site who only want to make problems (thankfully there are only a few here, unlike other sites!!!)!!
5. If all else fails ASK A MOD/ADMIN! The mods/admins on this site, are here to help you! They are a wealth of knowledge freely available to you and at your disposal...so use them! From my own personal experience, they love answering questions (as long as you at least attempted to find the answer on your own), and will always point you in the right direction!!!
If you've read all this, and still want to jump in the "testing" game...I say good luck!!! And remember, only you make the decisions that will determine your "testing" experience...make sure you make a good one by educating yourself!!!