amga wrote:i recently bought the hotpoint stb, but some channels are scrambled i.e pay channels and from some little research some claim that you can actually open the channels, how possible is this?
It is NOT possible. the scrambled channels are owned by GoTv and PANG/STV both of whom have their own STBs to which their cards are 'married'.
Ordinarily, when your subscription on these two providers runs out and you do not renew, they switch off all channels. Those claiming of opening scrambled channels refer to a process where you pay the two providers to open up the free channels only so that you are able to use their STB as a FTA STB to watch only the channels that are free (the likes of KBC, Aviation, Ebru Africa, etc).
Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.