After seeing the thread title.I'll say yes years ago but not now to get free cable.I remember those old Radio Electronics articles on how those descramblers work.See the old RE Mag on American Radio History website.
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...IDX/search.cgi
Even with all the disclaimers in the articles .I'm still surprised they got away printing those articles.Freedom of the press is it .Analog has been gone from here since December 2012